Most Popular
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Psy's touch or new trend in music? P Nation’s solo stars lose their shine
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Yoon warns North Korea against nuclear attack attempt
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Seoul to hold grand military parade on Tuesday, disrupting major city routes
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81-year-old model awarded ‘best dressed’ in Miss Universe Korea
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Shut up and dance
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Seoul mayor suggests shift in immigration policy
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NewJeans fans corner Hybe amid PR backlash, looming National Assembly audit
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'Smart pill'? ADHD treatment prescriptions spike this year
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Israel targets Palestinian group in first strike on Beirut center
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Brit pop legend Oasis to perform in Seoul next year
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Get to work, you male dinosaurs!
Old men have become laughingstocks in Korean society. Our status has fallen so low that I just wonder if we have the resources to make a comeback. You think I’m joking? Read this: “There were four old men whose eyes were bloated and bruised. When asked what happened, the first man said he was punched by his wife simply because he asked her to show him her bankbooks; the second because he asked his wife why she put on makeup; the third merely because he asked his wife to give him lunch; and the
ViewpointsDec. 23, 2015
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Number of newly formed firms up 12.6% in 2014: data
The number of new companies grew by double digits in 2014 as more people took advantage of steady economic growth to go into business, government data showed Wednesday.In 2014, some 843,000 new companies were created, up 94,000 or 12.6 percent, from the year before, Statistics Korea said.Employees working for these companies reached over 1.34 million, a gain of 12.2 percent from a year earlier.The rise follows Asia's fourth-largest economy growing at a stable 3.3 percent, which is much better th
Dec. 23, 2015
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Patriotism in the age of globalization
The new fault line in politics, according to Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s far-right National Front, is between globalists and patriots. It is an argument similar to those being made by euroskeptics in the United Kingdom and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in the United States. It is, however, as false as it is dangerous. Judging by the results of the second and final round of France’s regional elections on Dec. 13, it is also an argument that French voters, at least, roundly
ViewpointsDec. 23, 2015
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BTS to hold second fan meeting
Boy group BTS will hold its second official meetup with fans at Korea University’s Hwajung Gymnasium, Seoul, on Jan. 24. (Big Hit Entertainment)Big Hit Entertainment revealed the fan-meeting poster, notifying that the event will held in two rounds at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.The septet, who dropped its fourth EP “The Beautiful Moments in Life, Part 2” last month, is gearing up diverse segments to present for fans. Meanwhile, BTS recently also made headlines for their charity donation of 7 tons of rice.
PerformanceDec. 23, 2015
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Korea’s first-ever multicultural library faces shutdown over budget shortfall
On the second floor of an old building in Dongdaemun-gu, eastern Seoul, children sit scattered around the floor of a small library, reading. Behind them are walls of bookshelves filled with colorful books. In the next room, others play board games, while in the third room a small group of children intently watch volunteer teachers instructing them how to make creative objects out of large board papers using scissors and glue.“I come here every day after school. I usually read books or play with
Social AffairsDec. 23, 2015
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Se7en finally opens own agency ‘Eleven9’
Singer Se7en on Wednesday officially launched his own label, “Eleven9.” The agency is situated in the Hongik University area of Seoul. Se7en officially announced in July that he would establish his own agency. The newly built label aims to cover a wide range of segments including music and acting, while also fostering rookies to become a comprehensive entertainment agency. (OSEN)“Se7en was involved in many details throughout the construction process. Since the label officially kicked off, he wi
PerformanceDec. 23, 2015
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Korea unveils 2nd phase of climate change measures
The Seoul government on Wednesday released the second phase of its climate change adaptation measures for the next five years, aimed to reduce potential climate change risks and better protect the public health.The Environment Ministry released the measures set up in four categories -- technology, public health, industry and nature. The measures will be implemented starting from next year. Fine dust adds to the smog in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul, Wednesday. (Yonhap)The first long-term plan was la
Social AffairsDec. 23, 2015
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English Village classes beef up public education
With only about 80 million native Korean speakers worldwide, South Korea’s current potential to interact globally is limited. It’s no surprise then that the nation has taken an active interest in providing English education programs for its students. Public schools currently offer a standardized English curriculum. Parents, however, do not feel that it is substantial. They recognize the benefits associated with having their child study English and they seek additional resources. Casondra KoufosA
Social AffairsDec. 23, 2015
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Gov't to push for labor reform bills to create more jobs: PM
Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn said Wednesday that the government will put all-out efforts into parliamentary approval of labor reform bills to create more jobs.Hwang described job creation as a major government task at the moment.In September, labor, management and the government reached a landmark deal to ease labor restrictions and allow companies to dismiss workers who are either negligent or underperforming.However, no follow-up measures have been taken as the related bills are pending in the
PoliticsDec. 23, 2015
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Seoul shares up for 3rd day on growth hope
South Korean stocks gained 0.3 percent on Wednesday, rising for a third consecutive day ahead of the ex-dividend date, with steel and other metal stocks enjoying a rally on hopes for growth in the United States and China. The local currency rose against the greenback. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added .66 points to end at 1,999.22. Trade volume was thin at 473.63 million shares worth 3.73 trillion won ($3.17 billion), with winners beating losers 417 to 384.Investors digested
Dec. 23, 2015
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Korean conglomerates backtracking on responsible governance commitment
South Korea's big businesses are backtracking on their responsible governance obligations, a report by the country's antitrust watchdog showed Wednesday.According to the Fair Trade Commission, the percentage of owners or immediate kin who are listed as members of the board at affiliates of large family-run conglomerates stood at 21.7 percent, down 1.1 percentage point from the year before.The regulator said that this number has been falling steadily for some time, having stood at 27.2 percent in
CompaniesDec. 23, 2015
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Pyongyang may seek summit talks with Seoul next year: report
North Korea may seek a package deal with South Korea, including a push for summit talks, ahead of its key party congress next year, a report showed Wednesday.The Workers' Party of Korea plans to hold its first congress in more than three decades in May next year when the North's leader Kim Jong-un is likely to unveil a new line of policies and conduct a major reshuffle."The possibility cannot be ruled out that the North may seek a package settlement, even including 'inter-Korean summit talks,' e
North KoreaDec. 23, 2015
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Korea to offer $1.5 million to 3 African nations
South Korea has decided to provide three African countries with $1.5 million in humanitarian assistance, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday, as Seoul is aggressively pushing for "humanitarian diplomacy."South Korea plans to offer $500,000 each to the Central African Republic, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.The three have long suffered severe humanitarian crises due to civil war, poor security and governance and climate change, said the ministry.There are more than 6 million r
Foreign AffairsDec. 23, 2015
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Top court confirms dismissal of SNU cloning scientist
The dismissal of disgraced stem cell researcher Hwang Woo-suk by Seoul National University is legal, the top court ruled Wednesday, putting the final nail in the coffin of a scandal that rattled the nation in the late 2000s.In articles published in the journal Science between 2004 and 2005, Hwang claimed to have succeeded at creating the world's first cloned human embryo, a breakthrough extolled by the nation and the scientific community.Hwang, however, did not provide any verifiable data to bac
Social AffairsDec. 23, 2015
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2 injured soldiers awarded medals for response to North Korea's mine attacks
Two South Korean soldiers severely injured in North Korea's land-mine attack in August were awarded national orders Wednesday for their "bravery and contributions" to national security, the Army said. Army Staff Sgt. Kim Jung-won, 23, lost his right leg on Aug. 4 after stepping on a land mine buried by North Korea on the South Korean side of the demilitarized zone.Following surgery and rehabilitation, Kim returned to the Army with a prosthetic leg in early December.The other injured soldier, 21-
Social AffairsDec. 23, 2015
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Korea breaks ground on creative economic zone
South Korea on Wednesday began construction of a creative economic zone south of the nation's capital as part of efforts to promote the country's flagship economic policy.South Korea plans to invest 1.5 trillion won ($1.27 billion) in establishing the 430,000-square-meter Creative Economy Valley in Pangyo, south of Seoul, which aims to host 1,600 companies employing more than 100,000 people.The plan calls for creating a high-tech industrial park that will be linked to the nearby Pangyo Techno Va
Dec. 23, 2015
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S. Korea to intensify efforts on N. Korean nuke
South Korea will make various types of efforts in the coming year to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue, Seoul's top diplomat said Wednesday.Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se stressed the need to revive the six-party talks, which have been suspended for seven years, and use the mechanism in a "creative" way to change the course of the North. He cited "various formats or methods" including trilateral meetings between South Korea and other regional powers such as the U.S., China, and Japan."I thin
North KoreaDec. 23, 2015
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South Korea revives Universal Studio theme park project
South Korea on Tuesday announced a consortium involving Chinese investors as a preferred bidder to build a theme park in partnership with U.S.-based Universal Parks and Resorts, reviving the project after a three-year hiatus.The state-run Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-Water) said it chose the multinational consortium consisting of Daewoo Engineering & Construction and Dohwa Engineering of Korea as well as China State Construction Engineering Corporation, China's largest construction compa
IndustryDec. 23, 2015
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Gov't to cut tax breaks on company cars next year
The government will cut tax breaks on company-owned cars that are effectively used for personal transportation and give more deductions to businesses that raise wages for workers in the new year, the finance ministry said Wednesday.In the follow-up to the tax code revision plan announced in August, the ministry said that starting in the new year tighter rules on corporate-registered vehicles can help bring in 550 billion won (US$469.7 million) in extra revenue.Many registered company cars are ac
PoliticsDec. 23, 2015
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Stephanie of The Grace travels Gangwon for three days
Cheon Mu Stephanie, a member of K-pop girl group The Grace, embarked on a three day trip to Gangwon Province as part of a joint project by the province and Herald Corp., in which celebrities scout out local attractions and introduce them.She went to Cheorwon on the first leg of her journey. She took a “security tourism” course around the Demilitarized Zone, which stopped at Goseokjeong National Tourist Area, North Korean infiltration tunnel No. 2, Cheorwon Peace Observatory and the ruined headqu
TravelDec. 23, 2015