Most Popular
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Controversy rekindled over when to name criminals, suspects
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Seoul transit pass for travelers to be available starting July
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Hybe-Ador CEO conflict gets messier
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Battery makers ramp up efforts to diversify graphite supply chain
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Prosecutors to summon pastor who allegedly gave Dior bag to first lady
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‘Monk’ DJ spreading Buddhism goes global
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[LLG] Unseen inheritance: Trauma of transnational adoption 'trickles down' to adoptees' children
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[KH Explains] Hyundai Motor’s plan for new landmark keeps hitting bumps
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Seoul vows action over Naver's Line, Yahoo dispute
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Court's ruling set to shape path of medical school expansion
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Seoul to lose foreign English teachers
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said Monday it will pull out nearly all English-speaking assistant teachers from the city’s middle and high schools by next February, considering that secondary schools put more focus on reading and grammar than speaking.In an effort to enhance students’ English skills through public education, the education office introduced the native-speaking teacher policy in 1995 in the country’s primary and secondary schools.Only 20 to 30 out of 180 native-speakin
July 30, 2012
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Seoul City takes tougher energy saving measures
Seoul began implementing new measures Monday requiring major buildings to disclose their electricity use and expanding the scope of facilities subject to monitoring of energy consumption. Seoul Metropolitan Government issued a municipal ordinance under which the top 2 percent of energy-guzzling buildings or locations are asked to make public their energy usage through an electric display board.Some of the highest energy consumers, the officials said at a press briefing, are Seoul National Univer
July 30, 2012
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Prosecution seeks to arrest DUP’s Park
Tension mounts as opposition seeks to block detention of floor leaderThe prosecution on Monday requested a local court to approve the detention of Park Jie-won, floor leader of the largest opposition Democratic United Party, for allegedly receiving kickbacks from the management at ailing savings bank. The special investigation division of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office made the warrant request to the Seoul Central District Court for Park on suspicions that he received more than 100 million won
July 30, 2012
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South Korea issues this year's first red tide warning
A warning against a fish-suffocating red tide was issued Monday along parts of South Korea's southern coast, a state fisheries institute said.The National Fisheries Research and Development Institute issued the warning, the first so far this year, at 6 p.m. on waters off southern coastal areas from Namhae to Geoje.Up to 1,500 cochlodinium, or red-tide-causing algae, were found in 1 milliliter of s
July 30, 2012
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Nuke reactor malfunctions, shuts down at Younggwang plant
A nuclear reactor at South Korea's Younggwang Nuclear Power Plant automatically shut down Monday after its reactor protection system gave warning signals, plant operators said.The Reactor-6 at the Younggwang plant, located some 330 kilometers southwest of Seoul, was shut down at 2:57 p.m., according to an official from the state-run Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd."An investigation is current
July 30, 2012
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Police launch crackdown on child pornography
On Monday, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency launched a nationwide crackdown on child pornography.The cyber crime investigation team said that they will strengthen monitoring of activities relating to child pornography, including production, trade and distribution of obscene materials.Downloading sexually explicit material from online storage services and peer to peer (P2P) sharing software are included in the activities subject to the clampdown.“People can be punished for distributing or holding
July 30, 2012
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Korea becomes hot summer-school destination
Bradely Lam, a 23-year-old K-pop fan from Singapore, is having a special summer in Seoul this year. He is not only enjoying Korean pop culture at its source but taking a summer school course at Sungkyunkwan University in partnership with Nanyang Technological University in his home country.Lam is one of a growing number of international students who got hooked on K-pop, became more interested in Korea and finally came to here to study.The phenomenon is certainly part of the Korean Wave, or hally
July 29, 2012
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Lawmaker submits a bill to increase tobacco price
A ruling party lawmaker has submitted a bill calling for tax hikes on cigarettes to curb the smoking rate.Lee Man-woo, a lawmaker with the ruling Saenuri Party, submitted the bill on Sunday calling the government to change its cigarette tax structure and increase the prices in relation to inflation rate.Lee pointed out that the cigarette taxes are not indexed for inflation as the government has been fixing the price for many years. Under the new bill, all tobacco makers would be required to incr
July 29, 2012
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Hackers steal 8 million KT subscribers’ data
Police arrest two on suspicion of stealing and selling personal informationPolice on Sunday arrested two hackers for stealing and selling on the personal information of 8.7 million KT users.Investigators said they would also investigate KT on suspicion of negligent management of firewalls and personal data as the number of victims accounts for nearly half of its subscribers. According to the National Police Agency, a telemarketing business operator and his coworker in February created a computer
July 29, 2012
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Education next frontier for hallyu
Lifelong learning expert heralds Korean education in developing worldA leading education expert says the Korean way of learning is becoming an inspiration to developing countries. Central and South American regions, in particular, are showing great interest in the lifelong learning programs in Korea, according to Choi Un-shil, the president of National Institute for Lifelong Education.“Lifelong learning is a growing industry. With the world developing so quickly, people want and need to continue
July 29, 2012
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S. Korean activist considers petition over China's torture
A South Korean activist who claimed have been tortured by Chinese authorities while under detention is considering bringing his case to the International Criminal Court, his close aides said Sunday. Kim Young-hwan and three other activists trying to help North Korean refugees in China were arrested in late March and accused of endangering Beijing's national security. After being deported to So
July 29, 2012
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A leader by example
Love, passion, positive mindset at the heart of physician-educator Lee Gil-ya’s life of social contributionSEONGNAM, Gyeonggi Province ― For Lee Gil-ya, a stethoscope is more than a medical instrument. It is a conduit through which she has shared with her patients her love and passion ― the core elements that underpin her life of service and philanthropy.“I give a stethoscope to our medical school graduates at their commencement ceremony each year, and always tell them to become a doctor who tre
July 27, 2012
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Deadly heat wave to continue into early Aug.
The sweltering heat that has blanketed the country this week is unlikely to ease up any time soon, putting authorities on high alert for casualties and damage. At least six have died of heat stroke and hundreds have been rushed to hospital as of Friday, as the mercury soared to as high as 37 degrees Celsius for the past few days. Power consumption skyrocketed, pulling reserves down to a dangerously low level and prompting authorities to switch to emergency mode. Livestock farmers are battling th
July 27, 2012
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DUP’s Park ignores summons for third time
A chief lawmaker of the main opposition party again did not appear before prosecutors on Friday, disobeying the third and possibly final summons for questioning on suspicions of taking bribes from ailing savings banks.Park Jie-won, floor leader of the Democratic United Party, attended a scheduled party meeting at the DUP headquarters instead of showing up at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in southern Seoul as requested at 10 a.m., according to party officials.It marks the third time in a period
July 27, 2012
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A trailblazer in helping the needy
Lee Gil-ya was born in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, in May 1932. Her father ran a rice mill to support her family. From 1951-1957, she attended the medical school of Seoul National University. In 1958, she opened an obstetrics and gynecology clinic, starting a life of social service.After passing the U.S. medical license examination in 1964, she departed for the U.S. where she completed an internship at Mary Immaculate Hospital in 1965 and residency at Queen’s Hospital Center in 1968. From 197
July 27, 2012
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Lottery winner’s life ends in tragedy
A lottery winner killed himself Monday at a public bath in Gwangju, after losing all his money in failed investments.According to the police, the man won 1.8 billion won ($1.65 million) in 2007. As he won the lottery, he quit his job, began his own business and invested in stocks. However, all his investments failed and he was left with nothing. He was suffering depression after divorcing his wife.Police are investigating the man’s family based on the theory that hardships drove him to suicide.(
July 27, 2012
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Korea's top court nominee withdraws nomination amid pressure
An embattled nominee to South Korea's top court has withdrawn his nomination amid mounting pressure over his alleged ethical lapses, defusing a looming political standoff between the rival parties.Kim Byung-hwa, one of four Supreme Court justice nominees, said in a statement late Thursday that he was stepping aside because a delay in forming a new bench would cause a problem for the country.Kim ha
July 27, 2012
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Universities caught lying about graduates’ employment
A number of local universities have been falsifying graduate employment data to raise funds and attract students, according to a government investigation.The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology announced Thursday after a two-month investigation that it found 28 universities across the country falsely reported the employment rate for their graduates. The ministry report came as an increasing number of universities in the country face declining student enrollment and tightened budgets. “
July 26, 2012
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Koreans show world’s fastest improvement in TOEFL scores
Koreans’ average score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL, rose the fastest in the world from 2006 to 2011, data showed Thursday.Out of a total score of 120, Koreans’ average results increased to 82 in 2011 from 72 in 2006. The country’s ranking jumped to 70th among 150 test-taking countries from 111th out of 147 countries, according to Lee Ik Hoon Language Institute.The private language school analyzed six-year data published by the Educational Testing Services, a U.S.-base
July 26, 2012
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Women migrants to guide at national parks
Major national parks plan to recruit women from multicultural families as guides for ecological systems for foreign visitors.The Korea National Park Service has placed 120 such guides this year to help park visitors better understand the natural environment.Starting the end of July, 15 women from the Philippines, China and Mongolia will receive a month’s training for the work. It aims to place 80 female migrants at Mount Seorak, Bukhan and Naejang and 10 other parks by 2015.“The plan will create
July 26, 2012