Most Popular
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Korea enters full election mode
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Seoul bus drivers go on general strike, cause morning rush hour delays
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Immigrant woman stabbed to death by Korean husband
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Official campaigning kicks off for April 10 elections
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Lee Jong-sup resigns as envoy to Australia
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Yellow dust engulfs S. Korea, advisory alert issued
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S. Korea to boost support for single-parent families
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Court upholds jail term for man who attempted to murder ex-girlfriend
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Kia EV9 wins world car of year
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Korea misses out on global bond index boost
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[Newsmaker] Admissions scandal snares baseball managers
Former and current managers of two university baseball teams have been arrested in an admission scandal. Prosecutors said Wednesday that they have arrested former Lotte Giants manager Yang Seung-ho and current manager of the Yonsei University baseball team Jung Jin-ho to investigate charges of taking cash in return for admission. Less than two months ago, Yang was a high-profile manager of the pro baseball team. He resigned on Oct. 30 this year after Lotte failed to survive the playoff stage, th
BaseballDec. 13, 2012
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[Newsmaker] 'Monti's exit could cause backfire'
His resignation may have been what former Italian President Silvio Berlusconi wanted, but the timing of Mario Monti’s resignation may cause his flamboyant evictor some problems.Berlusconi’s party agreed to pass the 2013 budget but withdrew its support for his government, effectively making Monti’s position untenable. His resignation means that an election must be held within 70 days ― likely in early February ― rather than in three months as previously scheduled. Berlusconi now has less time to
InternationalDec. 12, 2012
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[Newsmaker] Anonymous donor warms the heart
A 60-something man in a dark-brown checkered coat approached a Salvation Army officer manning a red kettle in Myeong-dong, a fashion and shopping district in Seoul on Sunday. The man put a white envelope in the red kettle, saying, “Please use it for the elderly in need.”He then took a taxi and disappeared.The Salvation Army Korea Territory later found a check of around 106 million won ($98,300) with a letter in the envelope while counting up donations. “My parents kept a sense of sharing, helped
Social AffairsDec. 11, 2012
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[Newsmaker] Samsung Electronics stock on record rise
Shares of top smartphone maker Samsung Electronics are getting ready to break the 1.5 million won mark as the Korean IT behemoth is gaining an edge in its ongoing global patent battle against Apple Inc.Samsung’s stocks were being traded at over 1.5 million won ($1,389) per share, up 1.62 percent from Friday, shortly after the market opening at 9:01 a.m. on Monday. The share price is setting a new record following foreign investors’ aggressive move to purchase the firm’s shares.Samsung Electronic
IndustryDec. 10, 2012
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[Newsmaker] Kim Yu-na smoothly comes back to competitive form
Olympic figure-skating champion Kim Yu-na made a successful comeback from a 19-month break on Saturday at the NRW Trophy in Dortmund, Germany, scoring 72.27 points, the season’s highest, in the short program. The season’s previous high in the event was 67.95 achieved by Mao Asada of Japan at the NHK Trophy last month. Kim’s flawless routine melted away worries here that she may fail to regain competitive form after such a long hiatus, as competition is notoriously tenser than practice, no matter
More SportsDec. 9, 2012
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[Newsmaker] Korean-American named PGA Rookie of the Year
Korean-American John Huh, 22, was named the U.S. PGA Tour’s Rookie of the Year on Tuesday. The award is an inspiration for Korean golfers seeking to make their names on the U.S. Tour. The award sets a milestone for golfers of Asian heritage as well. Huh is the first Asian-American to be named the PGA Rookie of the Year since it was established in 1990. His award is especially memorable as he is the only rookie to make it to the tour championship. Huh qualified for the tour playoff as the only ro
GolfDec. 6, 2012
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[Newsmaker] Samsung heir one step closer to succession
Samsung’s heir-apparent Lee Jay-yong has taken the next crucial step toward inheriting the Samsung empire. His promotion to vice chairman of Samsung Electronics was widely expected, as the younger Lee has quickly gone through a number of high-ranking posts in recent years, including the position of president. Explaining the move, a Samsung press release said the junior Lee was “recognized for his leadership in building Samsung into one of the world’s most loved brands and creating shareholder va
IndustryDec. 5, 2012
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[Newsmaker] 2 nuke reactors open amid protest, concerns
A belated ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Shin-Gori nuclear power plant units 1 and 2 was held near the site, located in Gijang, Busan, on Tuesday. Despite the completion of unit 1 in February 2011 and unit 2 in July this year, the ceremony had been delayed due to opposition against operations by local citizens and safety concerns raised by a recent controversy over the usage of substandard parts in other nuclear reactors.The two newly built nuclear plants each with a capacity of 1 m
Dec. 4, 2012
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[Newsmaker] Park aide’s death resonates across politics
Lee Choon-sang, a long-time aide to presidential candidate Park Geun-hye, died on the campaign trail Sunday. The demise of the little-known politician seems to resonate across political spectrum amid the presidential election frenzy, creating a solemn moment of self-reflection for many politicians in the country. A vehicle carrying Lee and five other camp staffers hit a pole near Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, while heading for Chuncheon, a nearby city where Park was canvassing.The deceased had be
PoliticsDec. 3, 2012
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[Newsmaker] Sailors freed from 19-month Somali ordeal
Four South Korean sailors who were captured by Somali pirates are returning to their families, ending nearly two miserable years under constant threats and fear of death.They were freed on Saturday after ransom talks between the Singapore-based owner of the MT Gemini and the pirates made a breakthrough. They are expected to arrive in Kenya on Monday on the South Korean navy vessel that operates in Somali waters as part of a multinational anti-piracy campaign. The four will go through a quick med
Social AffairsDec. 2, 2012
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[Newsmaker] LG CEO breaks barriers in school background
LG Electronics appointed, for the first time, a high school graduate CEO. The Seoul-based consumer electronics giant announced on Thursday the promotion of Jo Seong-jin, former executive vice president of the company’s home appliances department, to the position of president. Jo joined the company in its Gold Star days after graduating from Yongsan Technical High School in 1976. He volunteered to work in the washing machine planning department, which was formerly looked down on by employees at t
IndustryNov. 29, 2012
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[Newsmaker] Royce to chair House foreign affairs panel
U.S. Republican Rep. Edward Randall Royce, known for his efforts to address Korean Peninsular issues, was tapped on Tuesday to chair the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.The nomination should be endorsed at the party’s plenary session slated for Wednesday. As the nomination is almost certain in the Republican-controlled House, Royce is to officially take over from Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen on Jan. 3.“If selected as chairman, I will work against the administration’s most harmful foreign policies
PoliticsNov. 28, 2012
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[Newsmaker] Tongil group shuts biz in N. Korea
Pyeonghwa Motors Corp. has been a symbol of reconciliation between the two Koreas since the Unification Church unveiled its ambitious joint venture with the communist North in 2000. Twelve years later, Tongil Group, the church’s colossal business empire, appears to be retreating from the partnership in favor of more lucrative, less risky sectors like retail and food. Park Sang-kwon, president of the Seoul-based auto company, is seeking to cancel its license for economic cooperation with North Ko
North KoreaNov. 27, 2012
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[Newsmaker] Samsung couple richest in stocks
Samsung owner Lee Kun-hee and his wife Hong Ra-hee topped the lists of Korea’s wealthiest in terms of stock holdings.Lee ranked the richest on the list for men, while Hong was at the top for women. This was the first time the couple nabbed the No. 1 slot for both lists, according to Chaebul.com, a local website providing exclusive business information on conglomerates.As of last Friday, Lee’s stock portfolio was worth a combined 11.14 trillion won ($10.27 billion). The net value of his stocks ha
Nov. 26, 2012
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[Newsmaker] Sarkozy has far to go for comeback
Last week was a good one for former French President Nicolas Sarkozy. After a key ally held onto the leadership of his party on Monday, Sarkozy himself was all but cleared in a political funding scandal three days later. Sarkozy was called to testify on accusations of receiving money from Liliane Bettencourt, France’s richest woman and a principal shareholder of the L’Oreal empire.It was the first time he had been questioned since he lost his presidential immunity in May.In 2010, tapes were rele
InternationalNov. 25, 2012
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[Newsmaker] LDP to further spur Japan rightward shift
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pledged to strengthen the country’s military and revise its peace constitution to introduce collective self-defense, further spurring Japan’s rightward political shift.The leader of the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party on Wednesday announced its campaign platform “to recover Japan and rebuild its economy.” The conservative party is expected to win in the Dec. 16 elections, which will put the hawkish Abe in the country’s top political post.The
PoliticsNov. 22, 2012
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[Newsmaker] Dong-A Pharm owner in disgrace over probes
Kang Shin-ho, chairman of the nation’s top pharmaceutical company Dong-A Pharmaceutical, is being hit with a barrage of criticism over scandals that have hit him and his company.The most recent charge against the company is that it sought to create slush funds worth tens of billions won by purchasing gift cards ― a type of prepaid card ― and reselling them for cash. The prosecution is investigating allegations that Dong-A created the funds to offer kickbacks to local hospitals. The pharmaceutica
IndustryNov. 21, 2012
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[Newsmaker] Kim case reveals ugly face of prosecution
Kim Kwang-jun, a senior prosecutor at Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office, was arrested Monday on suspicion of corruption in a case that is tainting the reputation of the prosecution. The 51-year-old is accused of a long list of wrongdoings, mostly bribery and influence-peddling. Among them is that he may have received nearly 900 million won ($826,000) from Cho Hee-pal, the mastermind of Korea’s biggest-ever pyramid scheme, and Eugene Group, a mid-sized conglomerate, in exchange for favors. Kim’s mod
Social AffairsNov. 20, 2012
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[Newsmaker] Hamas remains obstacle to Middle East peace
Gaza’s ruling Islamist movement Hamas laid out its conditions for a cease-fire with Israel over the weekend, but Monday failed to see an end to the deadliest hostilities since 2009 as violence continued into its sixth day.The militant organization, defined by the U.S. and EU as a terrorist group, has demanded an end to the blockade of Gaza, as well as a commitment by Israel against any future attacks against it, in return for ceasing rocket attacks on the Jewish state.Intermittent violence betwe
Foreign AffairsNov. 19, 2012
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[Newsmaker] China’s ‘songbird’ flies to new heights
Since China’s Hu Jintao handed over power Thursday to his vice president Xi Jinping, the world may be hearing a new song in the communist country’s austere halls of power ― not from Xi, but from his wife.Peng Liyuan, endearingly nicknamed the “Peony Fairy,” rose to prominence as the sweet soprano at the forefront of the People’s Liberation Army with nationalistic folk songs like “People from our Village” and “On the Plains of Hope.” After enlisting as a regular soldier at age 18, her morale-boos
InternationalNov. 18, 2012