Most Popular
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Inflation eases in April, continues bumpy ride
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Russia sent more than 165,000 barrels of refined petroleum to N. Korea in March: White House
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Key suspects grilled over alleged abuse of power in Marine death inquiry
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Seoul alerts overseas missions to NK terror threats
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[Graphic News] Number of coffee franchises in S. Korea rises 13%
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S. Korean children, teens grow taller, mature faster than before: study
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Some junior doctors are returning: Health Ministry
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Public backlash against division of Gyeonggi Province under 'corny' name
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[Robert J. Fouser] AI changes rationale for learning languages
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Army takes group action against Hybe for neglecting BTS
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[Newsmaker] Park deeper in crisis over PM nominee
President Park Geun-hye’s reform efforts aimed at improving safety measures and ending corruption in offices were dealt with a serious blow on Thursday. Prime Minister nominee Ahn Dae-hee, who has been hailed as a corruption fighter, withdrew his nomination on Wednesday afternoon, saying he would be “a burden to the government” if he kept the nomination. Ahn’s abrupt announcement came amid a growing speculation that he made a fortune by using his connections with former colleagues to get prefere
PoliticsMay 28, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Economist Piketty rejects FT’s claims of data flaws
Thomas Piketty rejected allegations that data behind his best-selling book on inequality are flawed as fellow economists spoke up in his defense.Piketty, the French economist whose book “Capital in the Twenty-First Century” has transformed the debate on the causes and consequences of disparities in income and wealth, called a Financial Times analysis of his statistics “just ridiculous.” He added in an email to Bloomberg News that “there’s no mistake or error” in his work. The newspaper’s economi
World NewsMay 27, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Daum, Kakao merge to take on giant rivals
Watch out Naver, here comes Daum and Kakao.The merger between Daum, the nation’s second-largest search engine, and Kakao, the most-used mobile messaging service, surprised many observers, who said that it was a “game-changing move” that can potentially shake things up, at least here in Korea.But globally, they may find it challenging to stand out among heavyweights such as Naver, Facebook, Tencent and Google in this mobile age, or even win a foothold in the mobile messaging market dominated by W
TechnologyMay 26, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Internal strife simmering at KB Financial
The falling credibility of KB Financial Group shows no sign of abating, even appearing to further deteriorate amid escalating internal troubles.The country’s largest banking group by assets struggled in 2013 after its flagship unit, KB Kookmin Bank, was rattled by a series of scandals involving illegal loans, and irregularities at its overseas branches. It suffered another serious blow earlier this year after its credit card unit was involved in a massive data leak scandal. And now, the group an
May 25, 2014
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[Newsmaker] P.M. nomination raises hopes, doubts
Once known as the “people’s prosecutor,” Ahn Dae-hee is now set for the highest unelected government post with much riding on his shoulders. As a “star prosecutor” who made a point of defying political pressure to bring heavyweights on both sides to justice, Ahn has been hailed as the right man to spearhead President Park Geun-hye’s drive to root out corruption from civil service. As the prime minister, he will be in charge of a new government organization for reforming civil service aimed speci
PoliticsMay 23, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Integrated emergency response system in need
Korea prides itself for being superfast at adopting and building new things like none other.It can make planes, trains and automobiles, and even ships, robots and telecommunication networks faster than most. This culture of “ppalli ppalli,” in which everything has to be taken care of in a matter of seconds, has paved the way for it to become one of Asia’s leading economies.But none of those fancy and fast things Korea likes to show off seem noteworthy when it comes to saving lives in the face of
TechnologyMay 22, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Teachers hailed for sacrifices to save children on ferry
More than 30 days after the sinking of the ferry Sewol, teachers of Danwon High School ― which lost 250 students to the disaster ― are being recognized as heroes. Only three of the 14 teachers survived, making them the group with the lowest surviving rate among the passengers on board. Most of the teachers’ bodies, including those who were staying in the cabins on the fifth floor of the ship, were found on the fourth floor. It is assumed that they retreated to the lower deck in an attempt to res
Social AffairsMay 21, 2014
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[Newsmaker] K-pop legend Seo Taiji to return
K-pop legend Seo Taiji will be making a comeback to the local music scene with a new album and a series of concerts after signing with concert organizer Show21, an affiliate of entertainment agency Wellmade Yedang.Seo is slated to release his ninth studio album this fall and team up with Wellmade Yedang to organize a nationwide concert tour, beginning with a performance in Seoul, the entertainment agency said Monday. Seo Taiji Company ― known for successfully launching large-scale music events i
PerformanceMay 20, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Fear and cautious hope for Indian Muslims
AHMEDABAD, India (AFP) ― Millions of India’s Muslims fear Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi’s landslide election will fuel religious discrimination, intolerance and even bring bloodshed, but some are also prepared to give him a chance.The right-wing hardliner stormed to victory at the polls, throwing the left-leaning secular Congress from office and handing his Bharatiya Janata Party a powerful mandate for promised sweeping reforms.Critics warn the size of the victory will empower Modi, steeped in
World NewsMay 19, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Resigned KBS exec sparks political firestorm
A recently resigned executive of KBS touched off a political firestorm over the weekend after revealing that Cheong Wa Dae has intervened in the state-run broadcaster’s coverage of the ferry disaster and other sensitive issues. Kim Si-gon, former chief of the network’s news bureau, said at an assembly of KBS reporters on Friday night that he had been under “constant pressure” over the content of news programs. Senior officials from the presidential office frequently gave him instructions by phon
PoliticsMay 18, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Unexpected shakeup at NYT leaves questions
NEW YORK (AFP) ― The New York Times abruptly replaced its first female executive editor, Jill Abramson, on Wednesday and named managing editor Dean Baquet as the first African American in the top editorial post.Abramson’s departure was announced by the U.S. daily’s publisher Arthur Sulzberger, and the paper’s own report said: “The reasons for the switch were not immediately clear.”The sudden departure left many questions unanswered both inside and outside one of the nation’s most prestigious new
World NewsMay 15, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Cult linked to ferry firm resists law
The Salvation Sect, a religious group believed to be led by the sunken Sewol’s de facto owner Yoo Byung-eon, came to the center of controversy on Wednesday as its members blocked entry to the facility where he is thought to be residing.Hundreds of members gathered at Geumsoowon, the headquarters of the sect in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, blocking outsiders from entering the site and claiming that the prosecution is suppressing their religious freedom. The move, however, was seen as an attempt to
Social AffairsMay 14, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Rivals square off in Seoul mayoral race
The joys of taking the party primary in a landslide win are likely to be short-lived for Rep. Chung Mong-joon, who goes up against incumbent Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon in the June 4 local elections. On Monday, Chung won the ruling Saenuri Party’s Seoul mayoral primary, but the fallout from the Sewol ferry disaster stacks the odds against the seven-term lawmaker. The accident pushed the local elections on to the backburner, with both parties launching special committees to deal with the issue. Ch
PoliticsMay 13, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Rest up, Mr. Lee
Perhaps the market should have seen it coming that one day people of this country would see Samsung boss Lee Kun-hee in hospital and either bid him farewell or hope that he recovers.Thankfully, Samsung said the 73-year-old chairman is doing okay and is no longer on life support after an emergency procedure on his heart and arteries in the wee hours on Sunday.His health will be back to normal in 24 hours, by Tuesday, and Samsung is operating as usual, the group said. No need to panic.But Korea wa
TechnologyMay 12, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Boko Haram ordeal keeps girl from school
BAUCHI, Nigeria (AP) -- One of the teenagers who escaped from Islamic extremists who abducted more than 300 schoolgirls said Sunday the kidnapping was “too terrifying for words,” and she is scared to go back to school. Science student Sarah Lawan, 19, told the Associated Press that more of the girls could have escaped but that they were frightened by their captors' threats to shoot them. Lawan spoke in the Hausa language in a phone interview from Chibok, her home and the site of the mass abduct
World NewsMay 11, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Thailand’s first female leader ousted
BANGKOK (AFP) ― Ultimately undone by Thailand’s courts, Yingluck Shinawatra labored under claims she was a stooge for her exiled brother. Yet the kingdom’s first female prime minister also displayed unexpected resilience during a turbulent stay in office.Propelled to power in July 2011 by her family’s electoral base in the poor north and northeast, Yingluck was pilloried by foes as a political lightweight armed with little more than a winning smile and a hotline to her elder brother Thaksin Shin
World NewsMay 8, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Medical aid comes late after diver's death
The government on Wednesday said it had allocated military medical staff to aid divers in the continued search for missing people in the sunken Sewol ferry. But criticisms are mounting over why the much-needed help came only after a civilian diver died during the mission. The 53-year-old diver, identified by his surname Lee, was found unconscious Tuesday morning only 11 minutes after entering the water. He died while being treated at a hospital in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province. Lee was working wi
Social AffairsMay 7, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Ruling party nomination race turns ugly
Former Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik and “Park-sim” continue to muddy the waters for the ruling Saenuri Party, with less than a week until the party picks its Seoul mayoral candidate.The term “Park-sim,” which literally translates as “Park’s heart,” refers to President Park Geun-hye’s intentions or having her support.Kim’s tenure as prime minister was relatively uneventful and uncontroversial, which allowed him to hold the post for record-breaking two years and five months.His time as a potential
PoliticsMay 6, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Citibank Korea union may strike
The labor-management dispute at Citibank Korea appears to be deepening.The union has now voted for a strike to protest the bank’s restructuring plans that would inevitably include layoffs. The walkout would mark the first in three years for local banks, since the union of Standard Chartered Bank Korea went on strike in 2011. It seems to be an indication that the situation has reached breaking point.The last strike at Citibank Korea was in 2004 when the U.S.-based citibank took over KorAm bank.Ci
May 1, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Rescue firm blamed for favoritism, slow work
Undine Marine Industries Co., the company leading the search for the Sewol’s missing, is turning up more controversy than results. Undine has been leading the search for the Sewol’s missing, which now stands at 90, since April 17, the day after the ship sank off the coast of Jindo Island, South Jeolla Province. Undine, however, has not only taken the center role in the painfully slow search but also in the growing controversies stemming from the tragedy that has so far generated a confirmed deat
Social AffairsApril 30, 2014