Most Popular
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Court refuses injunction on medical school expansion
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Why Korean crime stories typically feature nameless, faceless perpetrators
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Debate on 'no-seniors zones' heats up
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Rare mid-May heavy snow warning issued over mountainous areas of Gangwon
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S. Korea, Cambodia forge strategic partnership
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Is NewJeans headed for a long 'break'?
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[KH Explains] Hyundai-backed Motional’s struggles deepen as Tesla eyes August robotaxi debut
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Police raid popera singer Kim Ho-joong's house over hit-and-run suspicions
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Trump may like to 'solve' N. Korean nuclear problem if reelected: ex-official
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New Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office chief vows full-fledged probe into first lady
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Seoul shares end lower on tech losses
South Korean stocks closed lower on Monday as institutional investors sold Samsung Electronics and other tech shares. The South Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index closed at 1,990.04, down 5.44 points, or 0.27 percent, from Thursday’s close. The market was closed on Friday in observance of Memorial Day. The trading volume was moderate at 207.2 million shares worth 4.51 trillion won ($4.4 billion), with gainers leading losers 463 to 361.Gains i
June 9, 2014
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Korean Air, Asiana fight for China routes
The nation’s two top airlines ― Korean Air and Asiana Airlines ― appeared to be fighting tooth-and-nail for the better hand in lucrative routes to China, even bickering over the government’s recent allocation plans. Last week, Korean Air expressed regret over the assignment of the air routes to China, arguing that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport was offering equivalent routes to Asiana, an airline that saw a “series of severe accidents” in recent years. The U.S. National Trans
IndustryJune 9, 2014
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(Photo News) Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Models pose with the refashioned version of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class ― the fifth-generation of the German luxury carmaker’s best-selling sedan, at a media event held in Seoul on Monday. (Kim Myung-sub/The Korea Herald)
MobilityJune 9, 2014
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Strong won squeezes Korean exports
South Korea’s economy looks robust given its record account surplus and foreign-exchange reserves. Yet, the Finance Ministry and the central bank are under growing pressure as the local currency continues to strengthen, raising worries among exporters about weakening price competitiveness.Market data showed on Monday the Korean won hit its highest level against the Chinese yuan in nearly three years. The Korean currency hovered around 163 won to the yuan on Monday, appreciating by nearly 10 perc
June 9, 2014
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Sony takes on Oculus
Now it’s Sony versus Facebook.After being knocked around by Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. for more than a decade, Sony Corp. is up against yet another tech rival, attempting to build the PlayStation 4 into an entertainment powerhouse and develop a virtual-reality headset for the gaming market.And in this fight at least, the Tokyo-based conglomerate, which has lost money in five of the last six years, might have an edge. Sony’s commanding lead in sales of video-game consoles could give a
June 9, 2014
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Collision likely formed the moon
WASHINGTON (AFP) ― German scientists said that moon samples collected during the 1960s and 1970s have shown new evidence that the moon formed when a young Earth collided with another celestial body.The smashup between an early form of Earth and a planetary body named Theia some 4.5 billion years ago is put forth by what scientists call the “Giant Impact Hypothesis” of moon formation.While most experts support the notion, they say the only way to confirm such an impact is to study ratios between
TechnologyJune 9, 2014
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Paraplegic in Iron Man bodysuit to open WC
SAO PAULO (AFP) ― The first kick at the World Cup opening ceremony will be made by a paraplegic wearing an Iron Man-like robotic bodysuit controlled by signals from the brain.Brazilian doctor Miguel Nicolelis led a team of 156 scientists from around the world to create the futuristic exoskeleton, which was designed to enable paralysis victims to walk.At the World Cup opening ceremony Thursday in Sao Paulo, a paraplegic whose identity has been kept secret will leave behind his or her wheelchair t
TechnologyJune 9, 2014
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Company creates blanket for tornado protection
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) ― An Oklahoma company has created a protective blanket that developers say could give children a better chance of surviving debris from a tornado ― or bullets from a 9 mm handgun.The Bodyguard Blanket, made by ProTecht, is a bulletproof pad designed to protect students during disasters at school. The rectangle features backpack-like straps that allow users to put it on, and then duck and cover.Steve Walker developed the pad. Walker started on the idea after a massive tornado s
TechnologyJune 9, 2014
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Color-changing molecule can monitor drug dosages
PARIS (AFP) ― Scientists have created a molecule that glows red or blue depending on drug levels in blood ― the basis for a prospective home test to prevent patients accidentally overdosing, they reported Sunday.After contact with a drop of blood, the molecule’s color is observed with the aid of an ordinary digital camera, its Swiss and American developers wrote in the journal Nature Chemical Biology.“The process does not require any laboratory instruments and is so simple that the patients can
TechnologyJune 9, 2014
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Samsung Everland to change name to Cheil Industries
Samsung Everland, a theme park operator and de facto holding company of Samsung Group, is expected to change its name to Cheil Industries. Samsung Everland will hold a board meeting early next month to approve the change, the company’s spokesperson Park Hyung-keun confirmed on Sunday. “As Samsung Everland’s business has become diversified, it needs a new name to fit its new role. Cheil Industries seems suitable for its new company name from a historical and symbolic perspective,” he said. The na
IndustryJune 8, 2014
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[Graphic News] Dormant credit cards fall sharply
The number of dormant credit cards in South Korea dropped for the third straight year in March, according to Financial Supervisory Service data released Sunday. About 10.56 million credit cards were idle for more than a year, down more than half from 23.72 million a year earlier, due in part to more issuers closing inactive accounts.According to industry watchers, local banks and card firms have been cleaning up dormant accounts since a massive data leak earlier this year. A series of accidents
June 8, 2014
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Samsung C&T emerges as key lever in group’s restructuring
As Samsung Group’s equity restructuring picks up speed, its construction and trade affiliate Samsung C&T has risen as the key pivot point in the group’s intricate cross-shareholding network.Over the past month, Samsung C&T’s stocks soared by 25.1 percent, from 63,000 won ($61.60) on May 7 to 78,800 won on June 5, market research firm FnGuide said Sunday.The sharp appreciation was triggered by the announcement that the group’s de facto holding company Samsung Everland and information solutions un
IndustryJune 8, 2014
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Korea-EU ties can control IUU fishing
The delegation from the Directorate General for Maritime and Fisheries of the European Commission is scheduled to visit Korea on June 9 for an on-site evaluation mission on the country’s control system over South Korean-flagged distant water fleets. The visit is expected to influence the European Union on determining whether to designate South Korea as a non-cooperating third country in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated, also known as IUU, fishing. The European Union issued
June 8, 2014
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[Photo News] Cool Biz
Models on Sunday pose during a fashion show at Lotte Department Store in Seoul, promoting “cool-biz” attire, or summer work wear for men. (Ahn Hoon/The Korea Herald)
IndustryJune 8, 2014
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Korea considers lowering 2014 growth outlook
The government is considering lowering South Korea’s growth outlook for this year due to sluggish domestic demand hurt by the ferry disaster in April while it studies measures to revive the national economy, senior officials said Sunday. The Ministry of Strategy and Finance is monitoring the aftermath of the ferry sinking and its impact on domestic consumption to reflect them in this year’s outlook as it prepares to announce economic management plans for the second half of this year. The announc
June 8, 2014
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Seoul stocks to gain slightly on bluechips
South Korean stocks may move marginally upward this week, fueled by gains in bluechips from an inflow of foreign funds, analysts said Saturday.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index finished at 1,995.48 this week, edging up 0.03 percent from a week earlier.The small rise can be attributable to data that indicated the global economy is on the mend, albeit slowly, and net buying of bluechip stocks by foreign investors. Foreigners, who exert considerable influence on the market, remained n
June 8, 2014
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Patent data to become more accessible
Patent applicants will soon be able to conveniently access and view patent documents and various related information ― including file wrapper information ― after representatives from the world’s five most advanced intellectual property offices including the Korean Intellectual Property Office concluded their three-day annual meeting in Busan last week.Also known as the IP5, the representatives form a council consisting of the IPOs of the United States, Japan, China, Europe and Korea, and they ar
IndustryJune 8, 2014
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IPO to open OPD to public in June
The heads of the world’s top five intellectual property offices confirmed the time frame for opening up the One Portal Dossier to the public during their annual conference held in Busan last week.The meeting, held for the first time in South Korea in six years, was a follow-up to a conference in June 2013 when intellectual property offices including the Korean Intellectual Property Office agreed to the principle of making the OPD more accessible for the public.The OPD is a website where patent e
IndustryJune 8, 2014
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Emotional robot set for sale in Japan next year
TOKYO (AP) ― A cooing, gesturing humanoid on wheels that can decipher emotions has been unveiled in Japan by billionaire Masayoshi Son who says robots should be tender and make people smile.Son’s mobile phone company Softbank said that the robot it has dubbed “Pepper” will go on sale in Japan in February for 198,000 yen ($1,900). Overseas sales plans are under consideration but undecided.The machine, which has no legs, but has gently gesticulating hands appeared on a stage in a Tokyo suburb, coo
TechnologyJune 8, 2014
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NASA warned plan to send humans to Mars may fail
WASHINGTON (AFP) ― The U.S. space agency NASA has been warned that its mission to send humans to Mars will fail unless its revamps its methods and draws up a clear, well-planned strategy to conquer the red planet.The National Research Council said in a congressionally mandated report that Washington should use “stepping stones” to achieve its goal of a manned flight to Mars.This could involve exploring an asteroid, building a moon outpost or building more international cooperation with countries
TechnologyJune 8, 2014