Most Popular
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Who's lying? Hybe vs. Min conflict continues to intensify
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Seoul should engage Kim Jong-un’s elites for change, ex-North Korean diplomat says
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Thousands rally in Seoul to call for Yoon resignation
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Most teen sex offenders get away with slap on wrist
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Ex-Trump official calls for S. Korea to raise defense spending to 3 or 3.5% of GDP
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Man sentenced to 1 year, 8 months for stealing from elementary school classrooms
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FM champions multilateralism, stresses S. Korea's vision as 'global pivotal state'
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Same-sex couple denied insurance clearance despite landmark ruling
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Panmunjom tours for select Korean nationals may resume in October
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Young Poong says no better offer for Korea Zinc
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North Korea to face tougher sanctions in event of nuclear test: Russel
North Korea would face tougher sanctions if it carries out yet another nuclear test, including greater restrictions on its labor exports, the top State Department official on Asian affairs was quoted as saying Tuesday.Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel made the remark to Reuters amid growing indications and concern that the North could conduct what would be its fifth nuclear test, just a few months after the fourth test that sparked global condemnations and toughest-ever U.N. sanctions o
North KoreaApril 20, 2016
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South Korea, U.S., China should talk about how to handle North Korea's collapse: ex-U.S. commander
South Korea, the United States and China should launch talks about how to handle North Korea's collapse or other contingencies involving the regime in Pyongyang, a former U.S. Pacific commander said Tuesday."The U.S., South Korea and the Chinese ultimately have to have a dialogue, a continued dialogue about what happens as North Korea either implodes or changes when the peninsula is reunited. I believe there is a lot of value in that dialogue," former PACOM commander Samuel Locklear said during
North KoreaApril 20, 2016
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No decision yet on Korea's hosting of World Baseball Classic games: MLB
No decision has been reached on whether South Korea will host World Baseball Classic games next year, despite a recent statement by an American broadcaster, a senior Major League Baseball (MLB) official said Wednesday.During the Fox Sports telecast of the game between the Minnesota Twins and the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday (local time), Dick Bremer, the Twins' play-by-play man, declared, "The WBC, we're heading to Korea. That is our first stop in the WBC (in 2017)." He made the comment while dis
BaseballApril 20, 2016
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Korea shoulders 'significant load' for American troop presence: incoming USFK commander
The incoming commander of U.S. Forces Korea said Tuesday South Korea has been shouldering a "significant load" of the costs for the stationing of American troops in the country, rejecting Donald Trump's claims that Seoul pays almost nothing.Gen. Vincent Brooks, nominated to succeed Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti as USFK commander, made the remark during a Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing, noting that it would cost more to have the 28,500 troops stationed in the U.S. than in South Ko
DefenseApril 20, 2016
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Suwon beat Osaka to stay alive in AFC Champions League
South Korean club Suwon Samsung Bluewings defeated Gamba Osaka 2-1 Tuesday to stay alive in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League.Another South Korean side, Pohang Steelers, lost to Guangzhou Evergrande 2-0 to drop to last place in their group, their hopes of reaching the knockout stage fading.At Suita City Football Stadium in Osaka, Brazilian forward Santos scored twice in the second half for Suwon, who survived a nervy finish for their first victory in Group G. Goalkeeper No Dong-g
SoccerApril 20, 2016
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Teenagers gang-rape middle school girl
Six middle school students were arrested Wednesday for sexually assaulting a girl who had only just graduated from primary school.The boys, aged 14, are being accused of having sexual intercourse with a minor who was incapacitated under alcoholic influence and unable to resist. This is a stock image. The girl in this photo is not the victim mentioned in the article. (123RF)The incident took place at a goshiwon -- low-cost single room accommodation -- rented by one of the boy’s parents, in Buche
Social AffairsApril 20, 2016
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Producer prices hit 6-year low in March
Korea’s producer prices fell to the lowest level in six years due mainly to cuts in energy prices, central bank data showed Wednesday.The producer price index, which shows inflation pressures before they reach consumers, came in at 98.42 last month, the lowest March reading since 2010, according to preliminary data from the Bank of Korea. From a month earlier, it represented a decline of 0.1 percent. From the same month last year, it was down 3.3 percent. The central bank said the decline was la
April 20, 2016
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Seoul stocks open higher on U.S. gains, foreign buying
South Korean stocks opened higher Wednesday, mainly on foreign buying. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 8.17 points, or 0.41 percent, to 2,019.89 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Seoul share prices are displayed at the Korea Exchange. (Yonhap)Sentiment was also bolstered by overnight gains on Wall Street, according to analysts. The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 0.27 percent to 18,053.60 points, but the Nasdaq Composite Index ended 0.40 percent lower at 4,940.33
April 20, 2016
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Nearly 9 percent of majority of top 500 firms ‘zombies’
Nearly 9 percent of a majority of South Korea’s top 500 companies are unprofitable and highly indebted “zombie” firms that are incapable of paying interest on loans with operating profit, data showed Wednesday.According to market researcher CEO Score, the interest coverage ratio for 33 out of 380 companies hovered below 1 for the third straight year in 2015. This means they cannot generate enough operating profit to pay taxes and interest payments or require constant bailouts. If companies whose
April 20, 2016
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Doosan turns profit in Q1 earnings
Doosan Group’s key affiliates turned a profit in the first quarter of this year, after a downsizing drive targeting money-losing businesses. Doosan Corp. said it posted 3.8 trillion won ($3.3 billion) in sales, 259 billion won in operating income and 253 billion won in net income in the first quarter, according to its regulatory filling on Tuesday.Its sales dropped 16.52 percent from the previous quarter which saw sales of 4.6 trillion won. However, both operating income and net income turned a
IndustryApril 19, 2016
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Rescuers race to find survivors from Ecuador's big quake
Rescuers are in a race against time to find survivors from a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake as the death toll from Ecuador's strongest earthquake in decades has risen above 400. On Monday, teams from Ecuador and neighboring countries fanned out across the country's Pacific coastline to look for the dozens of people still missing. In the port city of Manta, a group of about 50 rescuers working with sniffer dogs, hydraulic jacks and a drill managed to free eight people trapped for more th
World NewsApril 19, 2016
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Texas floods kill at least five: report
Flooding in and around the US city of Houston has killed at least five people and prompted mass rescues, reports said. With rain wreaking havoc in the Texas city -- the fourth most populous in the country -- Governor Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster in nine counties. A flash flood watch for Houston will remain in effect until Wednesday morning, with more rain expected Tuesday, the city's Office of Emergency Management warned. Rain came down at rates as high as four inches an hour
World NewsApril 19, 2016
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Prosecutors launch probe into construction firm over alleged tax evasion
Prosecutors said Tuesday they have launched an investigation into Booyoung Co., a mid-tier South Korean construction company, and its chief over alleged tax evasion.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office said the apartment builder is suspected of evading some billions of won in taxes.The probe started after the National Tax Service referred the company and its chief Lee Joong-keun to state prosecutors for an investigation after conducting a tax audit.Prosecutors said they will summon rel
PoliticsApril 19, 2016
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[Graphic News] Koreans in 50s spend more time on social media
Koreans in their 50s spent an average of 57.7 minutes a day on social networking services through smartphones or computers last year, according to the Korea Information Society Development Institute on Monday. This is a 24.6 percent increase in time spent on SNS, compared to the 46.3 minutes in 2014, surpassing the average time of those in their 30s and 40s.As expected, among age groups Koreans in their 20s spent the most time on SNS with an average of 80.7 minutes per day. They spent 63.1 minut
IndustryApril 19, 2016
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Ex-Saenuri floor leader applies to rejoin party
Yoo Seong-min, an independent lawmaker who left the ruling Saenuri Party, asked to be reinstated as a member on Tuesday after securing a parliamentary seat in last week's election.The former Saenuri floor leader submitted a formal application to rejoin the party, along with some 300 other party members.Yoo -- originally the key member of the faction that had a falling out with President Park Geun-hye -- left the party in March after the party's nomination committee did not give him a ticket to r
PoliticsApril 19, 2016
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K-beauty owners bask in hefty dividends
Increasing global demand for K-beauty products improved the industry’s performance last year, helping owners of Korean cosmetics firms earn large cash dividends. Of the top 10 cosmetics firms listed on the stock market, eight chose to pay dividends according to the Financial Supervisory Service last Thursday. While returning company profits to shareholders by paying high cash dividends has its merits, it is also criticized for increasing the wealth of owner families. AmorePacific Group chairman
IndustryApril 19, 2016
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Aekyung, Hyundai Motor get close through marriage
As most Korean conglomerates are controlled by their founding family members, information on the close relationships of business tycoons formed through marriage could be useful for investment decisions.Against such a backdrop, it is understandable that Korean media paid a great deal of attention to the marriage last Friday of a founding family member of Aekyung Group. Chang Young-shin, 80, chairwoman of the mid-tier, family-controlled conglomerate, formed an in-law relationship with Hyundai Moto
BusinessApril 19, 2016
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[Editorial] Time is crucial
Every major election poses a challenge to law enforcement authorities: punishing candidates who violated laws in the fastest and fairest manner. The general election held last week is no exception. In this sense, the state prosecution and police appear to be doing a good job. Prosecutors have already arrested a close associate of a lawmaker-elect on suspicion of attempting to buy a parliamentary seat under the proportional representation system. Investigators armed with court-issued warrants hav
EditorialApril 19, 2016
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[Editorial] Another act of folly
It is highly likely that the world will see a new nuclear test by North Korea. This calls on the international community to get ready to punish the rogue regime swiftly and forcefully.There have been so many signs from the North that South Korean authorities seem convinced that a fifth nuclear test by the North is all but a fait accompli. A Defense Ministry spokesman said he believed the North could conduct nuclear test at any time. Seoul officials note that recent satellite monitoring of the Pu
EditorialApril 19, 2016
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[News Focus] Unclear future lies beyond new North Korea nuke test
North Korea is widely expected to push ahead with a fifth nuclear test ahead of a congress of its ruling Workers’ Party in May, but punitive actions that can be taken against it are limited, as the communist nation is already facing powerful international sanctions.South Korea’s Defense Ministry on Tuesday said there is a possibility that Pyongyang will carry out a surprise nuclear test, echoing President Park Geun-hye’s remarks that officials have spotted signs of an impending test. U.S.-based
North KoreaApril 19, 2016