Most Popular
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Yoon warns North Korea against nuclear attack attempt
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81-year-old model awarded ‘best dressed’ in Miss Universe Korea
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Seoul mayor suggests shift in immigration policy
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NewJeans fans corner Hybe amid PR backlash, looming National Assembly audit
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'Smart pill'? ADHD treatment prescriptions spike this year
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[KH Explains] Korea pursues ‘fire-free’ batteries amid EV fears
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Israel targets Palestinian group in first strike on Beirut center
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[KH Explains] Is Hyundai-GM partnership win-win to beat Tesla, Chinese rivals?
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Man calls 119, found dead 1 week later because officials went to wrong place
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Court rules Itaewon tragedy was 'foreseeable'
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Korea’s first-ever multicultural library faces shutdown over budget shortfall
On the second floor of an old building in Dongdaemun-gu, eastern Seoul, children sit scattered around the floor of a small library, reading. Behind them are walls of bookshelves filled with colorful books. In the next room, others play board games, while in the third room a small group of children intently watch volunteer teachers instructing them how to make creative objects out of large board papers using scissors and glue.“I come here every day after school. I usually read books or play with
Social AffairsDec. 23, 2015
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Se7en finally opens own agency ‘Eleven9’
Singer Se7en on Wednesday officially launched his own label, “Eleven9.” The agency is situated in the Hongik University area of Seoul. Se7en officially announced in July that he would establish his own agency. The newly built label aims to cover a wide range of segments including music and acting, while also fostering rookies to become a comprehensive entertainment agency. (OSEN)“Se7en was involved in many details throughout the construction process. Since the label officially kicked off, he wi
PerformanceDec. 23, 2015
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Korea unveils 2nd phase of climate change measures
The Seoul government on Wednesday released the second phase of its climate change adaptation measures for the next five years, aimed to reduce potential climate change risks and better protect the public health.The Environment Ministry released the measures set up in four categories -- technology, public health, industry and nature. The measures will be implemented starting from next year. Fine dust adds to the smog in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul, Wednesday. (Yonhap)The first long-term plan was la
Social AffairsDec. 23, 2015
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English Village classes beef up public education
With only about 80 million native Korean speakers worldwide, South Korea’s current potential to interact globally is limited. It’s no surprise then that the nation has taken an active interest in providing English education programs for its students. Public schools currently offer a standardized English curriculum. Parents, however, do not feel that it is substantial. They recognize the benefits associated with having their child study English and they seek additional resources. Casondra KoufosA
Social AffairsDec. 23, 2015
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Gov't to push for labor reform bills to create more jobs: PM
Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn said Wednesday that the government will put all-out efforts into parliamentary approval of labor reform bills to create more jobs.Hwang described job creation as a major government task at the moment.In September, labor, management and the government reached a landmark deal to ease labor restrictions and allow companies to dismiss workers who are either negligent or underperforming.However, no follow-up measures have been taken as the related bills are pending in the
PoliticsDec. 23, 2015
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Seoul shares up for 3rd day on growth hope
South Korean stocks gained 0.3 percent on Wednesday, rising for a third consecutive day ahead of the ex-dividend date, with steel and other metal stocks enjoying a rally on hopes for growth in the United States and China. The local currency rose against the greenback. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added .66 points to end at 1,999.22. Trade volume was thin at 473.63 million shares worth 3.73 trillion won ($3.17 billion), with winners beating losers 417 to 384.Investors digested
Dec. 23, 2015
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Korean conglomerates backtracking on responsible governance commitment
South Korea's big businesses are backtracking on their responsible governance obligations, a report by the country's antitrust watchdog showed Wednesday.According to the Fair Trade Commission, the percentage of owners or immediate kin who are listed as members of the board at affiliates of large family-run conglomerates stood at 21.7 percent, down 1.1 percentage point from the year before.The regulator said that this number has been falling steadily for some time, having stood at 27.2 percent in
CompaniesDec. 23, 2015
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Pyongyang may seek summit talks with Seoul next year: report
North Korea may seek a package deal with South Korea, including a push for summit talks, ahead of its key party congress next year, a report showed Wednesday.The Workers' Party of Korea plans to hold its first congress in more than three decades in May next year when the North's leader Kim Jong-un is likely to unveil a new line of policies and conduct a major reshuffle."The possibility cannot be ruled out that the North may seek a package settlement, even including 'inter-Korean summit talks,' e
North KoreaDec. 23, 2015
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Korea to offer $1.5 million to 3 African nations
South Korea has decided to provide three African countries with $1.5 million in humanitarian assistance, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday, as Seoul is aggressively pushing for "humanitarian diplomacy."South Korea plans to offer $500,000 each to the Central African Republic, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.The three have long suffered severe humanitarian crises due to civil war, poor security and governance and climate change, said the ministry.There are more than 6 million r
Foreign AffairsDec. 23, 2015
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Top court confirms dismissal of SNU cloning scientist
The dismissal of disgraced stem cell researcher Hwang Woo-suk by Seoul National University is legal, the top court ruled Wednesday, putting the final nail in the coffin of a scandal that rattled the nation in the late 2000s.In articles published in the journal Science between 2004 and 2005, Hwang claimed to have succeeded at creating the world's first cloned human embryo, a breakthrough extolled by the nation and the scientific community.Hwang, however, did not provide any verifiable data to bac
Social AffairsDec. 23, 2015
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2 injured soldiers awarded medals for response to North Korea's mine attacks
Two South Korean soldiers severely injured in North Korea's land-mine attack in August were awarded national orders Wednesday for their "bravery and contributions" to national security, the Army said. Army Staff Sgt. Kim Jung-won, 23, lost his right leg on Aug. 4 after stepping on a land mine buried by North Korea on the South Korean side of the demilitarized zone.Following surgery and rehabilitation, Kim returned to the Army with a prosthetic leg in early December.The other injured soldier, 21-
Social AffairsDec. 23, 2015
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Korea breaks ground on creative economic zone
South Korea on Wednesday began construction of a creative economic zone south of the nation's capital as part of efforts to promote the country's flagship economic policy.South Korea plans to invest 1.5 trillion won ($1.27 billion) in establishing the 430,000-square-meter Creative Economy Valley in Pangyo, south of Seoul, which aims to host 1,600 companies employing more than 100,000 people.The plan calls for creating a high-tech industrial park that will be linked to the nearby Pangyo Techno Va
Dec. 23, 2015
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S. Korea to intensify efforts on N. Korean nuke
South Korea will make various types of efforts in the coming year to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue, Seoul's top diplomat said Wednesday.Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se stressed the need to revive the six-party talks, which have been suspended for seven years, and use the mechanism in a "creative" way to change the course of the North. He cited "various formats or methods" including trilateral meetings between South Korea and other regional powers such as the U.S., China, and Japan."I thin
North KoreaDec. 23, 2015
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South Korea revives Universal Studio theme park project
South Korea on Tuesday announced a consortium involving Chinese investors as a preferred bidder to build a theme park in partnership with U.S.-based Universal Parks and Resorts, reviving the project after a three-year hiatus.The state-run Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-Water) said it chose the multinational consortium consisting of Daewoo Engineering & Construction and Dohwa Engineering of Korea as well as China State Construction Engineering Corporation, China's largest construction compa
IndustryDec. 23, 2015
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Gov't to cut tax breaks on company cars next year
The government will cut tax breaks on company-owned cars that are effectively used for personal transportation and give more deductions to businesses that raise wages for workers in the new year, the finance ministry said Wednesday.In the follow-up to the tax code revision plan announced in August, the ministry said that starting in the new year tighter rules on corporate-registered vehicles can help bring in 550 billion won (US$469.7 million) in extra revenue.Many registered company cars are ac
PoliticsDec. 23, 2015
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Stephanie of The Grace travels Gangwon for three days
Cheon Mu Stephanie, a member of K-pop girl group The Grace, embarked on a three day trip to Gangwon Province as part of a joint project by the province and Herald Corp., in which celebrities scout out local attractions and introduce them.She went to Cheorwon on the first leg of her journey. She took a “security tourism” course around the Demilitarized Zone, which stopped at Goseokjeong National Tourist Area, North Korean infiltration tunnel No. 2, Cheorwon Peace Observatory and the ruined headqu
TravelDec. 23, 2015
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Korean housing permits surge in Nov.
South Korea's new housing permits jumped 27.7 percent on-year in November, government data showed Wednesday, a sign that the country's real estate market is continuing to make headway.The number of new home permits issued came to 62,823 last month, up from 49,181 a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.November marked the 11th consecutive month of an on-year increase, although the pace slowed from the 41.2 percent surge tallied for the previous month."The
Dec. 23, 2015
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Seoul shares up 0.6% in late morning trade
South Korean stocks traded 0.6 percent higher late Wednesday morning, led by gains in steel and chemical shares.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 1.87 points to 2,004.43 as of 11:20 a.m.Foreigners and institutions scooped up local shares across the board prior to the ex-dividend date.Steelmakers rallied on growing confidence in the U.S. and Chinese economies, with industry leader POSCO increasing 3.76 percent, and Hyundai Steel rising 5.89 percent.Petrochemicals traded bullis
Dec. 23, 2015
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Refugees from Myanmar arrive in Korea for resettlement
A total of 22 ethnic Karen refugees from Myanmar arrived in South Korea, officials said Wednesday, becoming the first beneficiaries of Seouls new resettlement program for refugees.The refugees, four different families, had been staying at refugee camps in Thailand to avoid suppression in Myanmar before being allowed to fly to South Korea. The refugees will be provided with F-2 residency visas, Justice Ministry officials said.Education, among other reasons, led them to choose South Korea as their
Social AffairsDec. 23, 2015
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Korea to frontload 29.2% of 2016 budget in Q1 to spur growth
South Korea will frontload 9.2 percent of next year's budget in the first quarter to help prop up economic growth, the government said Wednesday.The finance ministry said it made the decision as the effect of the 11.53 trillion won ($9.84 billion) extra budget will end this year and could cause a drying up of state funds reaching the market. The injection of money is also needed as the government will again mark up excise taxes levied on cars and large consumer appliances in the new year, which
Dec. 23, 2015