Most Popular
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Opposition mulls delay of financial investment income tax
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Immigration policy must go beyond labor supply: experts
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‘Korea crossed the line too far’ disgraced singer’s lawyer cries foul after 3rd visa denial
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S. Korea to showcase Hyunmoo-5 ballistic missile on Armed Forces Day ceremony for 1st time
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Nasrallah's killing reveals depth of Israel's Hezbollah penetration
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Psy's touch or new trend in music? P Nation’s solo stars lose their shine
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Park Zi-a, the actor who played 'The Glory' heroine's mother, dies
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Korean American documentary ‘Free Chol Soo Lee' wins Emmy
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KMA chief under pressure after surveyed doctors refuse to back him
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Meditation brings calm to Gwanghwamun
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Korea seized smuggled drugs worth 214 bln won in 2015
Drug smuggling into South Korea surged to a 14-year high in 2015 on expanded syndicates and diversified trafficking routes, customs data showed Thursday.A total of 325 shipments of banned substances were caught last year valued at 214 billion won ($174.8 million), up 42 percent from a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Korea Customs Service.The total weight of the confiscated drugs also jumped 28 percent on-year to 91.6 kilograms. The figures of both value and weight marked the
Social AffairsFeb. 18, 2016
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Seoul trying to confirm Korean casualties in Turkey bombing: ministry
South Korea is trying to ascertain if there are any South Korean casualties in Wednesday's apparent terrorist attack in the Turkish capital of Ankara that left at least 28 people dead and more than 60 others injured, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.The ministry has been contacting Turkish police to gain related information and sent telephone messages to South Korean residents or tourists there, requesting caution."We are currently trying to find out if there is any damage to South Korean nati
InternationalFeb. 18, 2016
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'Coloring the Universe' illuminates stunning images of space
Few things in life are more vibrant, more beautiful and more majestic than images of space. Thankfully, “Coloring the Universe: An Insider’s Look at Making Spectacular Images of Space” by Travis A. Rector, Kimberly Arcand and Megan Watzke presents everything from nebulae, supernovas, distant galaxies and beyond in one jaw-dropping book. “Vision is the richest of the senses, and we are used to interpreting the endless colors and varied textures of the world around us through our eyes,” writes Dr.
BooksFeb. 18, 2016
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Court rejects arrest warrant application for Olympic weightlifting champ
A local court has rejected an arrest warrant application for former Olympic weightlifting champion Sa Jae-hyouk, who's facing assault charges.The Chuncheon District Court in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, said Wednesday that Sa has already admitted to the charge that he assaulted a fellow weightlifter and there is little risk of Sa's fleeing or destroying evidence.The court also noted that Sa is already under a travel ban, and authorities have obtained enough evidence in the case.Sa was first inte
More SportsFeb. 18, 2016
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Retired footballer Cha Du-ri loses divorce suit
A Seoul court dismissed a suit filed by retired footballer Cha Du-ri seeking a divorce from his wife, court officials said Thursday. The Seoul Family Court rejected the 36-year-old's claim, saying that he did not receive any unfair treatment from his 37-year-old wife, only identified by her surname Shin.The court also rejected Cha's claim to parental rights and custody of the couple's two children, the officials said.Cha, the son of South Korean football legend Cha Bum-kun, tied the knot in 2009
SoccerFeb. 18, 2016
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In 'Shylock Is My Name,' Jacobson gives notorious character his say
If God hadn’t put a halt to the proceedings, would Abraham have actually sacrificed Isaac? If Portia hadn’t told Shylock that his pound of flesh couldn’t include even one drop of blood, would he have really killed Antonio? I’ve never thought to ask those questions. But Howard Jacobson does, in his stimulating -- if uneven -- novel “Shylock is My Name,” a retelling of Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice.” It joins Jeanette Winterson’s take on “The Winter’s Tale,” becoming the second published n
BooksFeb. 18, 2016
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'Coconut Cowboy' is a weird, silly ride
It is just possible that despite or maybe because of buffoonish plots, outlandish characters and slapstick comedy, Tim Dorsey’s novels may be masquerading for carefully researched history lessons about Florida."Coconut Cowboy" by Tim Dorsey (Morrow) Make no mistake, “Coconut Cowboy” is just as weird and funny and silly as Dorsey’s other 19 novels about Serge A. Storms, the serial killer who is the ultimate defender of Florida and scourge of bad behavior. But Serge’s love for Florida has him cons
BooksFeb. 18, 2016
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Firth says 'rather restrained' characters often the richest
BERLIN (AFP) - Never underestimate the power of playing “a rather restrained man in a suit,” Oscar winner Colin Firth said Tuesday as he presented a well-received biopic about a legendary American literary editor. “Genius,” which drew warm applause at the Berlin film festival, tells the story of Max Perkins, who worked with some of the 20th century's greatest authors including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway and Thomas Wolfe. The picture stars British actors Firth and Jude Law playing the
FilmFeb. 18, 2016
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Met to stage opera by woman for first time in a century
NEW YORK (AFP) - The Metropolitan Opera said Wednesday it will stage “L'Amour de Loin,” a medieval love story set in Lebanon, marking the first time in a century the company performs a work composed by a woman. Announcing its 2016-17 season, the New York opera house said it will put on 26 operas including six new productions led by the Met premiere of “L’Amour de Loin.” Written by Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho with a libretto by the leading Lebanese writer Amin Maalouf, “L'Amour de Loin,” whic
PerformanceFeb. 18, 2016
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Contemporary 'Indiana Jones' on mission to save antiquities
VANCOUVER (AFP) - A technology-wielding archeologist billed as a real-world “Indiana Jones” called Tuesday for an online platform that entices just about anyone to help find undiscovered treasures and defend archeological wonders. Sarah Parcak envisions a 21st century army of citizen scientists to battle the looting and destruction of the world's antiquities. And now, thanks to winning this year’s coveted TED Prize, her wish may just come true. “We are at a tipping point with our cultural herita
CultureFeb. 18, 2016
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Ministry, KOC still divided over amalgamation of sports bodies
With the deadline for the establishment of a new public sports federation promoting lifestyle and everyday sports fast approaching, the government and the Korean Olympic Committee remain far apart over the issue of the merger of the KOC and the Korea Council of Sport for All. The new sports entity to be created through this merger, tentatively named the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, or KSOC, needs to be launched on March 27 under a revised law. The parties involved in this merger process ar
More SportsFeb. 18, 2016
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Expats take Black History Month celebrations to Seoul
Black History Month celebrations will take place in Seoul next week, with further recognition coming in May. The American Center Korea will be hosting their Mission Speaker Program on Feb. 25 in honor of Black History Month, pinned each year to February, to encourage understanding and awareness of an important component of American history. Robert Ogburn, head of public affairs for the American Embassy, has said their program will reach out to those in the Korean community hoping to find out mor
Expat LivingFeb. 18, 2016
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Iran snubs Doha proposal, won‘t freeze oil output
TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran appeared Wednesday to back a plan laid out by four influential oil producers to cap their crude output if others do the same, though it offered no indication that it has any plans to follow suit itself. The agreement reached in Doha the day before by Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Venezuela is aimed at stabilizing global oil prices, which recently plunged to less than $30 a barrel, a 13-year low. But Iran is keen to ramp up exports to regain market share now that sanctions
World NewsFeb. 18, 2016
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North Korea prepares for terror attacks on South Korea: intelligence unit
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered his military and intelligence agents to intensify preparations for terror attacks on South Korea, a ruling party lawmaker said Thursday, citing information from Seoul's state intelligence agency.The North's Reconnaissance General Bureau is preparing for such disruptive acts including cyber attacks on the South, Rep. Lee Chul-woo said after an urgent meeting between the ruling party and the government over North Korea.The bureau is tasked with intellige
North KoreaFeb. 18, 2016
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Korea confirms two additional FMD cases
Two more cases of foot-and-mouth disease have been confirmed in South Korea, rekindling concerns that the animal disease could spread across the nation, the government said Thursday.Pigs at farms in Gongju and Cheonan in the central region of South Chungcheong Province tested positive for the highly contagious disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.The authorities plan to cull the affected animals.Early last month, two outbrea
Social AffairsFeb. 18, 2016
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Presidents Cup in Korea generates record amount for charities
The PGA Tour announced Thursday the 2015 Presidents Cup held in South Korea generated a record amount of dollars for charitable funds.The biennial match play competition featuring 24 golfers -- a dozen from the United States and a dozen more from the rest of the world excluding Europe -- raised $6.12 million that will be donated to charities soon, topping the previous record of $5.01 million at the 2013 competition.The 2015 Presidents Cup was held last October at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in
GolfFeb. 18, 2016
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College student nabbed over Facebook threat against Park
A college student was apprehended Wednesday on suspicion of threatening President Park Geun-hye with a Facebook message calling for an attack on her office, police said.The student, identified only by his last name Kim, is suspected of posting the message last month using abusive language toward Park and photos of guns and ammunition, according to the police.Police tracked him down after receiving the suspect's IP address from Facebook headquarters in the U.S.Kim, who was found to live in Cheong
Social AffairsFeb. 18, 2016
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U.S. confirms launching THAAD talks with Korea
The United States and South Korea have launched official talks on the potential deployment of the U.S. THAAD missile defense system to the South, a Pentagon official said Wednesday."I can confirm that the joint working group has met and that consultations are ongoing. The JWG is working 'expeditiously but meticulously,' so no timeline has been established for when consultations will be complete," Cmdr. Bill Urban, a Pentagon spokesman, told Yonhap News Agency.The spokesman did not provide furthe
DefenseFeb. 18, 2016
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$44 mln necessary to implement N.K. sanctions bill for 5 years
About $44 million would be needed for the next five years to implement a North Korea sanctions bill that Congress has overwhelmingly approved in response to Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests, the Congressional Budget Office estimates.Of the total, $33 million is necessary to carry out provisions for radio broadcasting and other programs to improve access to information to North Koreans and humanitarian assistance to North Korean refugees, the office said in a cost estimate report.The other $
North KoreaFeb. 18, 2016
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Obama will sign N.K. sanctions bill: White House
U.S. President Barack Obama will sign a North Korea sanctions bill that has passed Congress with overwhelming support, the White House reaffirmed Wednesday, saying the legislation will serve the administration's goal of increasing pressure on Pyongyang.The legislation (H.R.757) passed through the Senate and the House last week in a demonstration of bipartisan support for a tough response to the North's nuclear and missile tests that raised concern that Pyongyang is making progress in efforts to
North KoreaFeb. 18, 2016