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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Who's lying? Hybe vs. Min conflict continues to intensify
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[Contribution] Turkmenistan celebrates the 33rd anniversary of its Independence
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[Photo news] Faker Mercedes
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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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Seoul should engage Kim Jong-un’s elites for change, ex-North Korean diplomat says
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North Korea unveiling uranium enrichment site a US election-conscious move: NIS
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Kenyan refugee applicant gets 25 years for murder
A 28-year-old Kenyan who had been undergoing the process to obtain refugee status in Korea was sentenced to 25 years in prison Friday for murdering a computer cafe assistant.According to the Gwangju district court that gave the ruling, the man had visited the immigration office the day before his crime, asking for repatriation. (Yonhap)The office did nothing for him as he was not an illegal immigrant, rather a refugee applicant. The man entered Korea on a three-month visa in July 2015, with glo
Social AffairsMay 20, 2016
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[Weekender] Plan your Seoul trip by subway
Known for dynamism and high technology, Seoul is one of the largest metropolitan cities in the world, with a population of more than 10 million. Its population flow into, out of and within the greater metropolitan area, including the surrounding Gyeonggi Province, causes frequent traffic jams. Luckily, the city has one of the world’s most efficient public transportation systems. The subway network looks complex, but it is the easiest way to navigate the capital city and discover its various cul
TravelMay 20, 2016
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[Editorial] U.S. interest rate
Korea’s financial market is facing another challenge from an unfavorable external factor. Reversing earlier skepticism about a base rate hike in the U.S., an increasing number of market participants are sharing the view that the Federal Reserve has become hawkish. More people are betting on a hike next month after the Fed’s rate-setters’ minutes of the last gathering -- unveiled Thursday -- hinted at their hawkish stance for the next meeting June 14-15. Given the record-high household debt in Ko
EditorialMay 20, 2016
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[Editorial] USFK relocation
The Yongsan-based U.S. Eighth Army Command has started its move down to Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. Most of the U.S. troops will be moved by 2017, according to the Defense Ministry of South Korea. While the U.S. troops have been located in Yongsan since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, the remaining issue is the alleged contamination of surrounding areas near the Yongsan Garrison, the U.S. military base in central Seoul. Seoul City estimates that 1,870 tons of polluted water have
EditorialMay 20, 2016
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[David Horsey] Trump supporters look like the O.J. Simpson jury
Donald Trump’s loyal voters share something with the jurors in the O.J. Simpson trial: a predisposition to ignore disturbing, hard facts while buying into a narrative that absolves their celebrity hero, acknowledges their own grievances and reinforces their perception of how the world works. With lifetimes of negative experiences that made them suspicious of the Los Angeles Police Department, the African-American jurors who formed the majority on the Simpson trial jury were inclined from the sta
ViewpointsMay 20, 2016
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[Robert J. Shiller] Fighting next global financial crisis
What do people mean when they criticize generals for “fighting the last war”? It’s not that generals ever think they will face the same weapon systems and the same battlefields. They certainly know better. The error, to the extent that the generals make it, must operate at a more subtle level. Generals are sometimes slow to get around to developing plans and ordnance for those new weapon systems and battlefields. And just as important, they sometimes assume that the public psychology, and the
ViewpointsMay 20, 2016
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[Weekender] Foreigners overall satisfied with Seoul subway
When 23-year-old Filipino Reyshenne Layug moved to Seoul in 2015, she was most worried about how to find her way around the city, especially since she could not speak Korean. But her concerns were soon eased by the subway, which she quickly found was easy to navigate. She said, “I was pleasantly surprised when I saw English signs in the stations. I thought that was very helpful and they put me at ease straightaway.”Layug, who studies at a language institute, was impressed by the subway’s extensi
Social AffairsMay 20, 2016
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S. Korean civic group officials meet with N. Koreans without gov't approval
Officials from a South Korean civic group met their North Korean counterparts in Shenyang Friday to discuss how to hold a joint summit anniversary event despite Seoul's opposition, the group said.The South's group held a meeting with North Koreans in China earlier in the day to discuss inter-Korean exchanges and the preparation of a possible joint event to mark the historic inter-Korean summit in 2000.Seoul's unification ministry earlier rejected the group's request for approval of its plan to m
North KoreaMay 20, 2016
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Gyeongbu Expressway blocked for 2 hours amid fire from diesel truck crash
A section of Gyeongbu Expressway near the city of Daegu was engulfed in a fire that spread from the spilled gas of a 32-ton diesel truck that collided with a roadside barrier after an accident involving another vehicle. Traffic was halted amid emergency firefighting, causing a massive jam in the middle of the day Friday. (Yonhap)The fire broke out around 11:30 a.m. and was contained by around 1:30 p.m. Video reports from citizens at the scene showed strong flames licking up a stretch of tall ba
Social AffairsMay 20, 2016
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Hanmi’s new lung cancer drug to launch in Korea next month
Hanmi Pharmaceutical will begin selling its next-generation targeted lung cancer therapy HM61713, in South Korea from next month under the name “Olita Tab.,” its vice president and chief medical officer said Friday.The announcement comes a week after the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approved the drug, also known as Olmutinib, for local sales, allowing it to debut on home turf. The drug’s pricing has yet to be determined.“The approval of Olita Tab. is a great step forward for lung cancer pati
IndustryMay 20, 2016
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Blue House opposed to parliamentary public hearing bill
Cheong Wa Dae on Friday expressed its disapproval over an incoming bill allowing the parliamentary committees to call for public hearings more frequently, claiming that such expanded legislative authority will hinder the nation’s administrative function.But opposition parties, pledging not to abuse their position as a parliamentary majority, demanded the presidential office respect the legislature’s bill-passing rights and abide by the new rule.“The bill may invest the legislature with excessive
PoliticsMay 20, 2016
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Korea, Mongolia to bolster cooperation in football
South Korea and Mongolia will boost their cooperation in football after leaders from both sides agreed to mutual football development programs, the sport's national governing body said Friday.The Korea Football Association said that its chief Chung Mong-gyu had a meeting with Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj and Mongolian Football Federation head Ganbaatar Amgalanbaata at a Seoul hotel on Thursday night and discussed bilateral cooperation between the two countries in football."Personall
Foreign AffairsMay 20, 2016
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Russia joins banking sanctions against N.K.
Russia’s central bank has directed local institutions to halt financial transactions with North Korea, marking the latest in a string of countries joining the global sanctions push, a news report said Friday. The central bank on Thursday circulated U.N. Security Council Resolution 2270 imposed in March, following Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile tests earlier this year, noting that the local banks can engage in wire transfers or other dealings with the North only upon U.N. approval, Radio Free As
North KoreaMay 20, 2016
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Ministry to expand child protection workforce, parenting education
The government presented a plan Friday to expand child protection workforce and parenting education so as to better prevent and cope with child abuse.In a policy meeting with relevant ministries, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said it would implement an on-site inspection until end-June on 1,153 infants aged 0-3 with no records of receiving medical check-ups or vaccinations.The ministry also plans to increase the workforce to protect children by 22 percent to 835 from the current 684 within
Social AffairsMay 20, 2016
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Public anxiety grows over use of biocide products
Shin Hyang-gi, a 51-year-old housewife, begins her day by washing piles of dishes and utensils used for breakfast. The routine is followed by laundry, toilet cleaning, changing moisture absorbers inside closets and a shower. Before stepping outside, she wears sunscreen on her face and neck and sprays deodorant on her jacket. On an ordinary morning, Shin uses at least eight household chemical products -- detergent, bleach, toilet cleaner, dehumidifier, shampoo, toothpaste, sunscreen and deodorant
Social AffairsMay 20, 2016
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Daewoo Shipbuilding rolls out restructuring plan
Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering unveiled an additional self-restructuring plan Friday, pressed by the government and its creditors concerned about the worsening performance amid falling new orders.In the self-rescue plan submitted to its creditors, led by the state-run Korea Development Bank, the firm proposed a further cut in workforce and wages, as well as temporary closure of docks, industry sources said.A fresh idea in the plan is to spin off its profitable marine defense-related bu
May 20, 2016
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Korean shares end nearly flat amid U.S. rate risks
Korean shares closed almost unchanged Friday, while foreign investors continued to offload local shares ahead of what many believe is an imminent U.S. rate hike. The local currency slightly gained ground against the U.S. dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 0.89 point, or 0.05 percent, to 1,947.67. Trading volume was slim at 383 million shares worth about 4.4 trillion won ($3.69 billion). Gainers outpaced decliners 467 to 340.The index showed range-bound movements
May 20, 2016
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‘Cut charter fees, or face court receivership’
Korea’s top financial regulator said Friday that regardless of the deadline, Hyundai Merchant Marine should seek to continue negotiations to reduce charter fees with foreign shipowners, hinting at giving the ailing shipper more time to settle deals. Speaking to reporters after a meeting with regional bankers, Financial Services Commission Yim Jong-yong said, however, that if negotiations are not successful, HMM will be put under court receivership.The government had initially given the shipper u
May 20, 2016
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Asian former sex slaves adopt resolution denouncing Seoul-Tokyo deal
Asian victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery denounced the agreement reached by Seoul and Tokyo last year by claiming their views were not properly considered.Wrapping up the 14th Asian Solidarity Conference for the Issue of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, the surviving victims adopted a resolution saying the deal "cannot be a resolution of the issue of Japanese military sexual slavery." Under last year's landmark deal, Tokyo expressed its apology and contrition for its colonial-era atrocit
InternationalMay 20, 2016
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Hallyu theme park to open in Goyang
A theme park based on Korean pop culture is set to open in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, in 2017. Called “K-Culture Valley” for the time being, it will be built on 326,393 square meters across the Korea International Exhibition and Convention Center in Goyang, featuring six differently themed zones that highlight Korean pop music, TV dramas, and movies as well as the country’s history and retro culture. Computer-generated image of the hallyu theme park, slated to open in 2017 in Goyang, Gyeonggi
CultureMay 20, 2016