Most Popular
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Psy's touch or new trend in music? P Nation’s solo stars lose their shine
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Seoul to hold grand military parade on Tuesday, disrupting major city routes
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Park Zi-a, the actor who played 'The Glory' heroine's mother, dies
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Yoon warns North Korea against nuclear attack attempt
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Shut up and dance
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NewJeans fans corner Hybe amid PR backlash, looming National Assembly audit
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Israel targets Palestinian group in first strike on Beirut center
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Brit pop legend Oasis to perform in Seoul next year
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[KH Explains] Is Hyundai-GM partnership win-win to beat Tesla, Chinese rivals?
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BTS’ Suga fined W15m for e-scooter DUI
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Rising savings rate may further dampen consumption
Government policymakers are racking their brains to work out measures to boost domestic consumption to prop up the country’s sluggish economy. Briefed on 2016 economic policies last week, President Park Geun-hye urged them to step up efforts to expand domestic demand.While trying to bolster domestic spending, policymakers may be put into a dilemma over the country’s increasing savings rate.According to data from the Bank of Korea, the nation’s total savings rate rose from 35 percent in the first
Jan. 18, 2016
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[Editorial] Persia rush
Measured in terms of purchasing power parity, Iran’s gross domestic product surpasses that of Australia and the Netherlands, indicating the enormous scale of its economy. Given this, it is not surprising that South Korean policymakers are calling on local enterprises to actively tap the second largest economy in the Middle East, as the international community has finally lifted its sanctions on Tehran. Government officials expect the lifting of decades-long sanctions will benefit Korea’s constru
EditorialJan. 18, 2016
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[Editorial] Distrust in politics
The public poll season has returned ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays in early February. And the nation has effectively entered campaign mode as less than three months remain until the general election. The April 13 election holds great significance, as it is the last chance for nationwide voters to express their evaluation of the three-year performances of President Park Geun-hye and before the 2017 presidential election. A recent survey by Gallup Korea is noteworthy, as it displayed the wid
EditorialJan. 18, 2016
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Cosmetics a bright spot in Korea’s stock market
The Korea Herald publishes a series of articles looking at the performance of various sectors on Korea’s main bourse KOSPI. The following is the first installment. -- Ed.The Korean cosmetics industry will continue to be a bright spot for investors as companies continue to expand overseas beyond the Asian market with strong sales of skin care products at duty-free shops abroad expected to underpin strong growth, analysts said. Customers cram a duty-free store located at Lotte World Tower in Jams
Jan. 18, 2016
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China calls for 'comprehensive' approach to Pyongyang's nuke test
China urged all relevant parties on Monday to take a "comprehensive" approach to deal with North Korea's latest nuclear test, repeating Beijing's long-standing stance that is seen as more accommodating towards Pyongyang. China's foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei made the remarks in response to North Korea's proposal last Friday that it would stop nuclear tests if the United States halts joint military drills with South Korea."The Chinese side believes that a comprehensive approach needs to be
World NewsJan. 18, 2016
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The rooms where time refuses to pass
ANSAN, Gyeonggi Province – Lockers have not been emptied, boards not erased, class timetables not updated and the calendar not flipped since that fateful day of April 16, 2014. This photo shows one of the Memory Classrooms dedicated to the student victims. (Yoon Min-sik/The Korea Herald)Ten classrooms in Danwon High School in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province have been left untouched in memory of 250 students who were killed or remain missing from the sinking of the ferry Sewol en route from Incheon to J
Social AffairsJan. 18, 2016
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W80tr fund to support new industries
The government said Monday it would inject 80 trillion won ($66 billion) of public funds this year to nurture new growth engines, including smart cars, surgical robots and software content, in the latest attempt to realize its creative economy drive.In a joint policy report to President Park Geun-hye, relevant ministries said they would build Asian versions of California’s Silicon Valley at Sangam, in Seoul, and Pangyo, in Gyeonggi Province, to embrace more innovative entrepreneurs not only from
Jan. 18, 2016
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[Trudy Rubin] Snapshot impressions from fermenting Cuba
At the darkened Delirio Habanero nightclub on top of Havana’s National Theatre, a group of young Cubans listen to an all-girl band dressed in micro miniskirts belt out salsa lyrics. Through the windows behind them, the glowing faces of revolutionary heroes Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos shine down, outlined in neon several stories high on the facades of neighboring buildings. The young people are too busy texting to take any notice, even as the older folks dance. Cuba is a society going throu
ViewpointsJan. 18, 2016
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Fresh dawn for Taiwan and China
A sweeping victory for Taiwan’s independence-minded Democratic Progressive Party in this weekend’s elections seems to guarantee a renewal of tensions with mainland China, which considers the island part of its sovereign territory. In fact, the vote could put relations on a more solid footing, if both sides exercise moderation in the coming months. However striking the vote, this wasn’t a call for independence. While fewer and fewer Taiwanese want to reunify with the mainland, not that many more
ViewpointsJan. 18, 2016
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Xiaomi’s affiliate ZMI forays into Korean market
SK Planet, the operator of e-commerce platform 11st, said Monday that it has joined hands with ZMI, an affiliate of Chinese budget smartphone-maker Xiaomi.Some of the Xiaomi affiliate’s flagship products, including portable smartphone batteries, LED lights and electric fans, will be distributed by the Korean partner here. The move came amid heated competition to launch Xiaomi’s products, considered affordable while having comparable specifications, in the Korean market. Lee Chi-hun, the head of
TechnologyJan. 18, 2016
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Social media must not get carried away
There were few people who didn’t get angry when watching the clips showing how a traffic incident transpired, involving a DJ and his blatant lies. Thanks largely to widespread outrage, he was fired from his job, and problems with the police and auto insurers are looming. Apparently, “justice” was delivered swiftly, which wouldn’t have been the case without the modern-day phenomenon of mobile-phone cameras and closed-circuit TV cameras following virtually everyone almost everywhere. As usual, ju
ViewpointsJan. 18, 2016
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Hopes high for Publicis-Cheil tie-up
Expectations are high for French ad giant Publicis Groupe’s rumored purchase of a controlling stake in Cheil Worldwide, Samsung Group’s advertising agency.According to news reports and industry sources Monday, Publicis, one of the world’s top three ad companies, is considering acquiring a 30-percent stake in Cheil, which has a market value of $1.9 billion. Publicis and Cheil have not yet released respective official statements about the reports, but industry watchers see their partnership as ver
TechnologyJan. 18, 2016
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Korea says massive spam emails traced to China's northeast
Massive spam emails sent to South Korean public organizations were traced to an internet network in northeast China that officials said was behind a cyberattack on South Korea's nuclear power operator.Kang Sin-myeong, the National Police Agency Commissioner-General, said the Internet Protocol address used to send the spam emails is registered in the northeastern province of Liaoning that borders North Korea.The IP address -- the online equivalent of a street address or phone number -- exactly co
Social AffairsJan. 18, 2016
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Multicultural group to lodge complaint over idol's apology
A private multicultural organization said Monday it will file a complaint later this week with the national human rights watchdog against an entertainment agency chief who reportedly forced a 16-year-old Taiwanese K-pop singer to apologize for waving the island's flag.The Center for Multicultural Korea in Seoul denounced Park Jin-young, chief of JYP Entertainment, for allegedly forcing the young girl to make the apology, which it calls a "serious racial discrimination and human rights infringeme
Social AffairsJan. 18, 2016
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[Photo News] KT to build smart farms with Japanese theme park operator
KT TO BUILD SMART FARMS -- Yoon Kyung-lim(left), head of mobile carrier KT’s future convergence business office, and Katsuyuki Kitagawa, CEO of ASO Farm Land -- operator of the world’s largest agriculture-themed park in Japan -- pose at the MOU signing event to collaborate on building smart farms in Korea, deploying information technology. (KT)
TechnologyJan. 18, 2016
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[NEWS FOCUS] Minjoo Party turns crisis into opportunity
The serial defections and the consequent party split could have been an irrecoverable blow, but the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea seems to have turned its worst-ever crisis into a timely opportunity for sweeping renewal.By recruiting innovative outside figures on one hand and reaching out to old allies on the other, the party has made it clear that it will not miss its former members, especially former cochairman An Cheol-soo.On Monday, two civic activists who are also close aides to Seo
PoliticsJan. 18, 2016
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Korean Air pilots call for 37% raise amid offer from overseas
The nation’s flagship carrier Korean Air faces a bumpy ride as its two pilot unions plan to cast a vote on the pay raise proposed by management -- 1.9 percent increase over 2015. “The unions have developed action plans, including a partial walkout, in preparation for the rejection of the proposal,’’ Seo Sang-won from the Korean Pilot Union said. About 1,900 members of the KPU and the New Korean Air Pilot Union will vote on the company proposal until Jan 29. Industry watchers forecast the airline
BusinessJan. 18, 2016
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[Newsmaker] JYP in tight spot over Tzuyu furor
JYP Entertainment, the smallest of Korea’s three main entertainment agencies, is under fire for its handling of the controversy surrounding Taiwanese K-pop star Tzuyu, in which the company made a politically charged statement.The agency’s official homepage was down yesterday and its shares fell nearly to 4,000 won ($3.30) when the stock market opened Monday, down from a 52-week high of over 6,300 won. It closed at 4,300 won. Tzuyu is part of JYP’s multinational nine-member girl group Twice, whic
PerformanceJan. 18, 2016
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Foreign envoys protest limits on foreign law firms
The U.S. envoy to Korea visited the National Assembly on Monday to renew his calls for easing of restrictions on foreign law firms here citing the bilateral free trade pact, prompting criticism from Korean lawyers’ groups over the envoy’s “intervention in domestic affairs.”Mark Lippert, the U.S ambassador to Korea, visited Rep. Lee Sang-min, head of the parliamentary legislation and judiciary committee, to deliver a joint statement protesting the current bill on the opening of Korea’s legal mark
Social AffairsJan. 18, 2016