Most Popular
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Seoul, Tokyo reboot joint maritime resource talks after 40-year freeze
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Host of Miss Korea apologizes for 'inappropriate question' about deepfake
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Korea to face another massive shortfall in tax revenue
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Global drama stars gather for 2024 Seoul International Drama Awards
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[Contribution] Turkmenistan celebrates the 33rd anniversary of its Independence
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SK hynix outpaces Samsung, Micron with more powerful AI chips
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Power of nostalgia brings K-pop legends back together
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North Korea unveiling uranium enrichment site a US election-conscious move: NIS
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[Photo news] Faker Mercedes
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'Shaman says president will die,' caller warns
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Court hears Australian rape victim case
A Seoul court on Wednesday began to hear a case involving an Australian woman who was allegedly drugged, abducted and raped during a night out in Seoul last year. Airdre Mattner, who now teaches English in Japan, came forward as a rape victim in March through her campaign to raise funds on the crowdfunding platform GoFundMe. The case shed light on Korea’s justice system and its alleged failure to protect sexual assault victims. “I feel exhausted. I have absolutely no faith in the Korean justice
Social AffairsJune 8, 2016
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Korean economy faces slowdown in growth potential: IMF
The South Korean economy faces headwinds both at home and abroad due mainly to rapid aging and faltering exports, with its growth potential slowing down at the same time, the International Monetary Fund said Wednesday."With income levels still short of the OECD frontier, (South Korea's) potential growth has slowed," the IMF mission, which had an annual consultation with the South Korean government, said a press release."At the same time, Korea is facing major structural headwinds including: rapi
June 8, 2016
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1 killed, several injured during construction of N.K. power plant
One North Korean woman was killed and several others injured while working in freezing cold weather on the construction site of a power plant, Pyongyang's state media said Wednesday.The North's main newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported that a female nurse died as she tried to stop equipment from slipping at the construction site of the Paektusan Hero Youth Power Station near the border with China. It did not elaborate or provide details regarding the nurse's identity.The paper also said several work
North KoreaJune 8, 2016
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Veteran actor Yu In-chon to reprise role as Hamlet after 16 years
Not only does this production of “Hamlet” commemorate the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death, it also commemorates the 100th anniversary of the birth of the late director Lee Hae-rang, who staged Shakespeare for the first time in Korea in 1949. This year’s anniversary celebration of Shakespeare’s classic tale is slated to open next month with an all-star lineup of veteran stage actors including Kwon Seong-deok, Park Jeong-ja and Yu In-chon. The production’s nine-member cast has a
PerformanceJune 8, 2016
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S. Korea should make use of robotics for potential conflict with N.K.: researcher
South Korea should capitalize on its evolving robotics technology to cope with future combat operations, a local researcher said Wednesday, noting that ground-based military robots would put the country at an advantage in a potential conflict with poorly-equipped North Korean forces.Kim Do-jong, a researcher at the state-run Agency for Defense Development, said in his latest research paper that the South can utilize robots as part of its "reverse asymmetric weapons systems" to counter the North'
DefenseJune 8, 2016
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China urges dialogue as N. Korea apparently restarts atomic bomb fuel plant
China on Wednesday called for the relevant countries to resume dialogue with North Korea as the U.N. nuclear watchdog warned that the North appears to have restarted its main nuclear bomb fuel plant. If the warning by the International Atomic Energy Agency is correct, it would be the latest move by North Korea in expanding its nuclear weapons program, despite tightened international sanctions. When asked about the IAEA warning, China's foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei replied that China is co
North KoreaJune 8, 2016
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1,000 Chinese tourists to visit Seoul to enjoy Korean traditional custom 'Dano'
As many as 1,000 Chinese tourists will visit South Korea's capital city this week to experiences first hand Korea's seasonal customs of "Dano" which falls on Thursday, the Seoul metropolitan government said Wednesday."Dano" is a major Korean traditional festival which falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. It was celebrated in the past by farmers who wished for a good annual harvest after rice planting season. Titled "Seoul Dano," the tour program has been jointly devel
TravelJune 8, 2016
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KOSPI rises to yearly high on foreign buying, Samsung rally
South Korean shares closed at their highest level of this year on Wednesday on the back of foreign buying, helped by market kingpin Samsung Electronics' rally on its robust outlook. The local currency rose against the U.S. dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 15.45 points, or 0.77 percent, to 2,027.08, the highest closing level this year. Trade volume was moderate at 490 million shares worth 5.7 trillion won ($4.92 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 411 to 395.Fo
June 8, 2016
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Korean shipbuilders to tighten belt as orders dry up
South Korea's major shipbuilders are expected to tread water over the next three years as orders are drying up amid the prolonged industry slump stemming from the oil price plunge, company and government officials said Wednesday. The nation's big three players -- Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Samsung Heavy Industries Co. and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering -- have come under growing pressure to overhaul its money-losing businesses as the slump in oil prices has led to delays or cancella
IndustryJune 8, 2016
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Samsung shares continue uptrend on rosy outlook
Shares of Samsung Electronics Co. rose for the sixth consecutive session Wednesday as local analysts unleashed optimism on the top-cap company's earnings for the second quarter.Samsung closed up 0.57 percent at 1,406,000 won ($1,216.40) on South Korea's main bourse on the back of strong foreign buying, ending above the 1,400,000 won level for the first time in 13 months. At one point in morning trade, Samsung's stock price hit a fresh 52-week high of 1,419,000 won.The company's market value came
June 8, 2016
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Jeju tourism body, trail caretaker co-develop walking route in Mongolia
The state-run Jeju Tourism Organization on Wednesday teamed up with the Jeju Olle Foundation, the caretaker of the Olle Trail on South Korea's largest tourist island of Jeju, to jointly develop a walking route in Mongolia, the local tourist body said.Jeju Tourism Organization chief Choi Kab-yeol and Olle Trail Foundation head Suh Myung-sook signed a business pact on the development of the Mongolian Olle Trail. The two sides reached the deal as part of efforts to expand tourism and cultural excha
TravelJune 8, 2016
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[Editorial] Newcomers’ quit
The widening wage gap between conglomerates and small and medium enterprises is hampering the latter from securing competitive human resources, leading to polarization of workers.According to a recent survey, 1 in 4 new employees with a bachelor’s degree or higher quits within a year. And such early exits were three times more common at companies with less than 300 employees than at larger businesses.These were the results of a recent survey conducted on 306 businesses nationwide by the Korea Em
EditorialJune 8, 2016
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[Editorial] Lingering ‘BOXPI’
It seems that South Korea’s stock market has become more frequently swayed by external factors. The situation is quite different from past years, when many local and foreign analysts didn’t hesitate to praise the fundamentals of major companies traded on the Korea Exchange, despite some negative external factors.These days, the benchmark KOSPI has become extremely sensitive to remarks by foreign officials or analysts, even if the remarks suggest just a possible option among a variety of scenario
EditorialJune 8, 2016
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President reshuffles key advisers
President Park Geun-hye on Wednesday reshuffled some of her key senior secretaries and vice-ministerial officials.Kim Jae-won, former lawmaker of the ruling Saenuri Party and one of the closest associates of the president, was named as new senior secretary for political affairs, replacing Hyun Ki-hwan, according to Cheong Wa Dae.“With his ample experience in the parliament and presidential office, Kim is fit to play a bridging role between (Cheong Wa Dae) and the political circles,” said Kim Sun
PoliticsJune 8, 2016
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Ban’s political gesture triggers conflict with opposition camp
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s fast rise as a potential presidential candidate for the ruling Saenuri Party is causing a stir within domestic political circles, especially among the rival parties.Ban’s uneasy relationship with the opposition camp stood out Wednesday as his slated meeting with former Prime Minister Lee Han-chan turned sour over the U.N. chief’s future role in Korean politics.The U.N. secretariat said Tuesday local time that the meeting between Ban and Lee, which w
PoliticsJune 8, 2016
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US returns precious artifacts to India
WASHINGTON (AFP) -- The United States returned more than 200 precious artifacts to India on Monday in a ceremony with visiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Justice Department said.The items included religious statues, bronzes and terra-cotta pieces -- some of them 2,000 years old -- which were recovered in an operation involving several US government agencies. “The United States is committed to ensuring that no nation is robbed of the objects that inform its identity, shape its traditions a
CultureJune 8, 2016
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Saudi to showcase arts in reform drive
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) -- Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday it plans to showcase the arts and grow its media industry to counter negative stereotypes of the kingdom, whose rights record is regularly criticized abroad.The initiatives are part of the wide-ranging National Transformation Program which sets targets for diversifying the oil-dependent economy.“The intention also is to transform the society,” Culture and Information Minister Adel al-Turaifi told reporters on the sidelines of a briefing
CultureJune 8, 2016
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Saenuri yields on Assembly speakership
The ruling Saenuri Party announced Wednesday that it would forgo its bid to hold the post of the National Assembly’s speaker, boosting hopes for a breakthrough in the deadlock over the formation of the new parliament. The Saenuri Party’s floor leader Rep. Chung Jin-suk said that his party has decided to “yield” on the speaker seat and offer it to the main opposition party. The Saenuri party had previously insisted that it is “customary” for the ruling party to keep the top job in the Assembly.“I
PoliticsJune 8, 2016
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Household goods firms sign safety accord
The Environment Ministry signed memorandums of understanding Wednesday with 59 household goods firms here to review the safety of biocides in their products amid a growing nationwide “chemical-phobia” following a humidifier disinfectant tragedy, which allegedly claimed more than 200 lives since 2011.In a group briefing Wednesday attended by representatives of manufacturers, distributors and importers, the ministry said that it will first review products like deodorants and spray items of these c
Social AffairsJune 8, 2016
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Single women relieve stress with alcohol: survey
A high number of single women in South Korea turn to alcohol to relieve stress or depression, a survey showed Wednesday.According to the survey by Seoul National University’s College of Nursing, about 38 percent of respondents said that they are under heavy stress in their daily life, with 13.5 percent feeling sad or despairing for at least two consecutive weeks in the past year.Some 1,700 single women aged 19 or above participated in the national health and nutrition survey between 2010 and 201
Social AffairsJune 8, 2016