Most Popular
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Ex-presidential official’s leaked phone call rattles conservative bloc
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Man escapes DUI charges by downing bottle of soju while pulled over
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Pay debate plagues foreign nanny pilot
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K-pop star lip-syncing controversy flares up again
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35% of S. Koreans view unification 'unnecessary'
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Pianist Lim Yunchan double winner at Gramophone Awards
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[Reporter’s Notebook] Was Netflix film opening BIFF really a bad thing?
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Slew of top K-pop stars ready to return from military
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N. Korean leader's sister derides Seoul's Hyunmoo-5 missile as 'useless'
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S. Korea, US clinch 2026-30 defense cost-sharing deal in pre-election push
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[Herald Interview] KFS praises civic, business participation
The urban forest project carried out by the Korea Forest Service has sought participation from citizens and businesses to realize the plan, according to a senior government official. According to data from the KFS, the average urban forest area per person in Korea is 8.32 square meters, which falls below the World Health Organization standards of at least 9 square meters per inhabitant.Seoul only has 4.35 square meters of green space per person and Gyeonggi Province has 5.29 square meters per pe
IndustryAug. 27, 2015
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[Herald Interview] Im Chang-jung shows no signs of slowing down
The media was split on its opinion of Shin Dong-yeob’s new comedy “Untouchable Lawmen,” starring Im Chang-jung and Choi Daniel, even before it hit theaters Thursday. But leading man Im said that he wasn’t bothered by unfavorable reviews.“This movie is supposed to have a B movie feel,” he told reporters at a group interview at a cafe in Seoul. “For people who like this type of genre, it’s a well-made movie. There are serious movies, then there are movies like these.”Im chose the comedy as his lea
FilmAug. 27, 2015
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KOMIPO seeks to turn Boryeong, Seocheon into global energy hub
Korea Midland Power Co., one of six power generation affiliates of the state-run Korea Electric Power Corp., is looking to transform the cities of Boryeong and Seocheon into the global energy hub of South Korea. KOMIPO took the first step toward such a goal in May by transferring its headquarters from Seoul to Boryeong in South Chungcheong Province, where the company operates a major coal-based power generation plant with an energy output of 8.76 million kilowatts. KOMIPO signs a memorandum of u
IndustryAug. 27, 2015
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[Chon Shi-yong] Universities on the Silk Road
“Silk Road” and “Eurasia” are now the hot buzzwords in China and South Korea, with their leaders pushing national projects to restore the ancient trade and cultural route that linked Europe to East Asia. Chinese President Xi Jinping proclaimed the “One Belt, One Road” policy in September 2013. It envisages to connect China with Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe and even Africa through the land-based “Silk Road Economic Belt” and the sea-based “21st Century Maritime Silk Roa
ViewpointsAug. 27, 2015
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[Kavi Chongkittavorn] Thailand must not give up bid for UNSC seat
Despite all the odds and dysfunction — including the latest bomb carnage to hit Bangkok — Thailand must not give up its bid for a nonpermanent seat at the U.N. Security Council (2017-2018). In fact, the country should go all out for it.After all, it is not about winning or losing any more. There are three good reasons to gain it: a new foreign minister, an excellent team at the U.N. headquarters plus new and more sensible Thai diplomatic thinking. First of all, the long overdue removal of Gen. T
ViewpointsAug. 27, 2015
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[Editorial] Sex education in schools
The Education Ministry’s newly issued national standard on sex education should be thoroughly reviewed by experts and revised before it is used in schools. It took the Education Ministry some two years and 600 million won to prepare the manual on sex education that is being heavily criticized by experts and civic groups for its false information, misleading remarks and blatantly sexist bias. The sex education material for first and second grade elementary school students states “(male) sexual d
EditorialAug. 27, 2015
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[Editorial] Yet another Hangang plan
The central government and the Seoul Metropolitan Government jointly announced a master plan for the development of the Hangang River and its riverbank earlier this week, signaling the start of yet another large-scale attempt to exploit one of the capital’s major assets. The plan, which was one year in the making, divides the Hangang River into seven regions for multiphase development into a tourism destination while at the same time restoring the river’s ecology. The first phase of the developm
EditorialAug. 27, 2015
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Avoid brute force in Myanmar politics
In a democracy, fallout between two powerful and ambitious leaders over the country’s political direction would be considered normal. Typically, such a dispute would be settled by the ouster of one of them, with the defeated leader biding his time, in party wings or the wider national landscape, to make a comeback. However, the dramatic showdown between Myanmar President Thein Sein and his archrival Shwe Mann belongs in a different political category altogether. For a tentative democracy such as
ViewpointsAug. 27, 2015
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German business leaders discuss Korea’s economic outlook
More than 100 German business leaders and officials came together in Seoul on Thursday to discuss and share insights on South Korea’s economic trends and outlook for this year. At the Half-Year Economy Outlook 2015 conference hosted by the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, German business executives highlighted key downward trends in Korea’s economy as well as industries forecast to grow in the near future. The German officials cited the slowdown in exports as the biggest future
IndustryAug. 27, 2015
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Abe shows he has no desire to mend fences
It is finally confirmed: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is not attending the commemoration activities to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in Beijing on Sept. 3. Nor will he visit China around that sensitive date. This does not sound good to those who regard Abe’s presence as symbolic of much-needed reconciliation in East Asia. Which is why, despite all their discontent about Tokyo’s capriciousness and double-dealing, both Beijing and Seoul have left the door to reconcilia
ViewpointsAug. 27, 2015
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New war plan to pave way for preemptive strike on N.K.
South Korea and the U.S. have forged an upgraded operational plan that will pave the way for a preemptive strike such as in a contingency case involving the use of weapons of mass destruction, military sources said Thursday. The OPLAN 5015 was formulated last June to replace OPLAN 5027 by the chairmen of the two countries’ Joint Chiefs of Staff. The allies have, since 1974, been assessing their joint defense plan every year, primarily to devise better responses to North Korea’s military threats.
DefenseAug. 27, 2015
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Through rash actions, Russia turns its back on territorial talks with Japan
It is an action that will greatly set back the momentum toward improving bilateral ties between Japan and Russia and settling territorial disputes. By no means can Japan tolerate this. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev visited Etorofu Island in the northern territories Saturday. After inspecting the status of the development of harbor and airport facilities on the island, he announced, at a political forum for local youths, a policy of designating the islands of Etorofu and Kunashiri as “ad
ViewpointsAug. 27, 2015
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Design meets tech at Herald workshop
Herald Corp., in collaboration with Seoul Design Foundation, is hosting the Herald Design Tech workshop with the aims of bringing together and fostering rising talent in the areas of design and technology.During the program, which will take place from mid-September through November, participating designers and engineers will be grouped into teams and work together to plan and create a marketable product. Experts in related fields will be available to consult on the projects’ progress. Herald Des
Arts & DesignAug. 27, 2015
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KT, LG unveil world’s first desktop combined with IPTV
Mobile carrier KT and tech giant LG Electronics together showcased the world’s first all-in-one desktop featuring internet protocol TV, or IPTV, technology in Seoul on Thursday. The all-in-one PC, sporting LG’s 27-inch in-plane switching full HD display, Intel’s quadcore processor and a 128GB solid-state drive, allows users to enjoy KT’s olleh IPTV services with 220 TV channels and 160,000 videos on demand. The desktop is running on Microsoft’s Windows 8.1 and the update for the latest Windows
TechnologyAug. 27, 2015
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Red Cross to confirm surviving members of separated families
The South Korean Red Cross is set to launch a survey of surviving members of the separated families soon to prepare for the reunions to be held in mid-October.The organization will set up some 100 telephones and begin the confirmation process of the applicants’ current status and whereabouts after consultation with the Unification Ministry, a Red Cross official told The Korea Herald.Since 1988, a total of 129,698 people have registered with the Seoul government as having their relatives in the N
North KoreaAug. 27, 2015
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[Newsmaker] War plan upgrade reflects NK WMD threats
The new wartime contingency plan of South Korea and the U.S. is presumed to address the growing concerns over North Korea’s evolving weapons of mass destruction and likely to reflect changes in the U.S. force structure and strategy, analysts said Thursday.North Korea soldiers pledge allegiance in front of the statues of North Korea’s national founder Kim Il-sung and former leader Kim Jong-il on Tuesday. (Yonhap)Seoul and Washington reportedly signed the so-called Operations Plan 5015 in June to
DefenseAug. 27, 2015
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Film festival highlights rise of ‘creative documentaries’
Documentaries are evolving. Previously regarded as distanced portrayals of facts, nonfiction film narratives are now branching out into the creative realm, according to Ally Derks, director of the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam.“Twenty years ago, there were more National Geographic-types of documentaries that didn’t necessarily reflect the personal viewpoint of the directors,” said Derks, who has been invited to serve as chairperson of the jury at the 2015 EBS International Do
FilmAug. 27, 2015
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Blue House cautious on N.K. ties
Despite tension abating on the Korean peninsula after breakthrough talks earlier in the week, Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday it would cautiously deal with North Korea over recent agreements on bilateral cooperation, citing Pyongyang’s volatility.Presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook told reporters that the negotiation between the two Koreas is not over, but has just begun, noting that there is a wide consensus among the officials that Seoul should first watch to see whether Pyongyang keeps its end
North KoreaAug. 27, 2015
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Koreans need to consume more meat: study
Many would think of Korean barbecue as one of the best-known -- and common -- Korean foods. But a recent study claimed that more than 70 percent of Koreans are in fact not consuming enough meat, which can lead to a number of health problems including anemia and protein deficiency.According to the report released by Dankook University, 72.6 percent of 17,460 Koreans who participated in the study were not eating enough meat -- beef, pork or chicken -- from 2010-2012. The inadequate consumption of
TechnologyAug. 27, 2015
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Treating, avoiding sunburn
Lee Jong-heeMany people tan during the summer because it makes them look healthy and thin. Spending prolonged hours outside during the summer, particularly during vacation periods, results in skin exposure to the sun.The sun is the energy source for plants to undergo photosynthesis to maintain the ecosystem. It also helps the skin produce vitamin D. Therefore, sunlight is crucial to living.However, prolonged exposure to the sun or getting sunburned has its downsides. Prolonged exposure to strong
TechnologyAug. 27, 2015