Most Popular
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AI textbook bubble could burst, expert warns
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Samsung tightens its belt amid crisis winds
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Food tycoon Paik Jong-won's Theborn Korea pushes toward IPO
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North Korean trash balloons cross border day after Seoul military parade
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Prosecution closes 'Dior bag' case amid opposition uproar
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Court confirms sentence for rapper who attempted to evade national service
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N. Korea may revoke 1991 Inter-Korean Basic Agreement in parliament: Seoul
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[Kim Seong-kon] Understanding uniquely American things
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Ministry confirms irregularities in national soccer coach hiring
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Yoon, Ishiba discuss cooperation on N. Korea in 1st phone talks
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N.K. may suffer severe food shortage next year: S. Korean expert
North Korea may see the volume of its food shortage reach around 1 million tons next year due mainly to a serious drought that hit the North earlier this year, a South Korean expert said Thursday.Next year, North Korea's food shortage may reach the largest since the North's leader Kim Jong-un took power in late 2011, according to Kwon Tae-jin, an expert on the North's agriculture at the GS&J Institute. North Korea needs a minimum of 5.4 million tons of food to feed its people.The average food sh
North KoreaOct. 29, 2015
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[Herald Review] Novel follows gamer Kansas teen to Korea
(Tuttle)For the many Korean young adults who have come to dub Korea “Hell Joseon” for its intense competition and bleak opportunities, it would be hard to imagine their country as a fantasyland.But in Lawrence Tabak’s novel “In Real Life” -- which might be described as a Judy Blume book for game geeks in the digital age -- Korea is the place where 16-year-old Seth Gordon imagines his wildest dreams will come true. An American teen obsessed with gaming and living in Kansas, Seth hopes to one day
BooksOct. 29, 2015
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Top 10% of Koreans control 66% of wealth: report
The top 10 percent of South Koreans control 66 percent of the country's wealth, with the inequality gap becoming more acute over time, a report showed Thursday. According to the report by Kim Nak-nyeon, an economics professor at Seoul's Dongguk University, Asia's fourth-largest economy is encumbered by a sizable difference in wealth between the haves and have-nots. While the rich monopolized wealth that includes both financial and property holdings, the lower 50 percent only accounted for 2 perc
Latest NewsOct. 29, 2015
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Seoul shares almost flat in late-morning trade
South Korean stocks traded almost flat late Thursday morning as a fall in domestic-focused firms offset gains in tech blue chips, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 1.72 points, or 0.08 percent, to 2,044.23 as of 11:20 a.m.Top mobile carrier SK Telecom slipped 2 percent, with state-run electricity provider Korea Electric Power Corp. losing 2.3 percent. Market behemoth Samsung Electronics continued its bullish run from earlier, climbing 2.5 percent. Its smaller h
Oct. 29, 2015
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N. Korea defector acquitted of espionage charges
The nation's top court on Thursday acquitted a North Korean defector indicted on charges of spying for Pyongyang, citing a lack of evidence. Yoo Woo-seong, 35, was indicted in February 2013 over allegations he collected detailed information on defectors in the South while working at the Seoul city government and relayed it to the North in breach of the country's National Security Law, which prohibits South Koreans from engaging in activities benefiting the North. Upholding a lower court's ruling
Social AffairsOct. 29, 2015
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Designers collaborate with smaller firms for Gwangju design biennale
A self-assembly light, portable water bottle that users can unite or separate, and a solar lamp.These are items on display at the 2015 Gwangju Design Biennale that opened Oct. 15 in the southern provincial city of Gwangju for a month-long run.An exhibition, "Gwangju Branding," which is part of the biennale, features about 10 lighting and other household items produced by Gwangju-based minor firms through collaboration with world renowned designers. They include Odile Deq, Alessandro Mendini, Ste
CultureOct. 29, 2015
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Korea, Japan should open talks to tackle sex slavery issue: ex-Japan PM
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe should make a determination to embark on sincere negotiations with South Korea over the resolution of Tokyo's wartime sex enslavement of Korean women, a former Japanese premier said Thursday.Tomiichi Murayama made the remarks a few days before the leaders from South Korea and Japan will hold their first summit in more than three years next Monday amid diplomatic tension over Japan's sex slaves during World War II.Murayama said that Abe should lead Seoul and Tok
Foreign AffairsOct. 29, 2015
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Hyundai, Kia lose ground to local brands in China
Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. are losing ground in China in the face of stiff competition from homegrown rivals armed with relatively cheap prices and improved product quality, industry data showed Thursday.The two South Korean auto giants saw their combined market share in China drop to a single digit, which points to challenges that they are facing in major overseas markets this year.According to the data provided by a local automobile association, Hyundai Motor sold a cumulative 724,
MobilityOct. 29, 2015
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Samsung lags far behind Apple in smartwatch sales in Q3: report
South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. fell far behind Apple Inc. in global smartwatch sales in the third quarter but could overtake the U.S rival in the next quarter once it kicks off global sales of its new model in earnest, a report said Thursday.Samsung is estimated to have sold 600,000 units of its wearable device in the July-September period, representing a market share of 9.8 percent globally, according to the latest report by Strategy Analytics. That put the South Korean firm in
TechnologyOct. 29, 2015
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Beijing-Pyongyang ties improving: Chinese ambassador
Relations between North Korea and China are on the recovery track, helping dissuade Pyongyang from taking provocative acts, Beijing's top envoy in South Korea said Thursday."China and North Korea are engaging in more lively political exchanges, and their relations are improving to some extent," Ambassador Qiu Guohong said in a breakfast forum hosted by a group of Seoul National University graduates.North Korea has neither fired a long-range rocket nor conducted another nuclear test recently, he
InternationalOct. 29, 2015
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Fed keeps rate at record low but will consider December hike
The Federal Reserve is keeping its key short-term interest rate at a record low in light of a weak global economy, slower U.S. hiring and subpar inflation. But it signaled the possibility of a rate hike in December.A statement the Fed issued Wednesday said it would monitor job growth and inflation to determine “whether it will be appropriate to raise the target range” for its benchmark rate at its next meeting.It marked the first time in seven years of record-low rates that the central bank has
Oct. 29, 2015
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Nov. biz outlook turns sour amid uncertainty over China, U.S. rate hike
A majority of companies in South Korea are pessimistic about business outlooks for next month due to worries over the Chinese economy and a possible rate hike in the U.S., a poll showed Thursday.According to the survey conducted on 600 South Korean companies by the Federation of Korean Industries, the business survey index for November stood at 95.9.A reading below 100 means companies that are pessimistic about business conditions down the road outnumber optimists.After peaking at 103.7 in March
Oct. 29, 2015
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S. Korea re-elected to U.N. Human Rights Council
South Korea has been re-elected to serve a fourth term on the U.N. Human Rights Council in recognition of its contributions to the protection and promotion of human rights around the world, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.On Wednesday, the U.N. General Assembly in New York elected 18 countries, including South Korea, to serve on the 47-member panel from 2016-2018, the ministry said in a press release.It will be South Korea's fourth term overall and second consecutive term."Our re-election car
InternationalOct. 29, 2015
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Bringing back hanbok globally
Hwang Lee-sl, CEO of hanbok shopping mall LEESL wants to reclaim hanbok as regular wear.“Many know the value and excellence of hanbok, but not many bring it into everyday life. I always wanted to show that you can wear hanbok in everyday life,” said Hwang. Screenshot of LEESL websiteHwang, 29, shows herself in social media wearing the traditional Korean outfit while shopping, drinking coffee and clubbing to show how easy it is to wear hanbok in everyday life.LEESL (www.leesle.com) hanbok are mod
IndustryOct. 29, 2015
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Bringing back hanbok globally
Hwang Lee-sle, CEO of hanbok shopping mall LEESLE, wants to reclaim hanbok as regular wear.“Many know the value and excellence of hanbok, but not many bring it into everyday life. I always wanted to show that you can wear hanbok in everyday life,” said Hwang.Hwang, 29, shows herself in social media wearing the traditional Korean outfit while shopping, drinking coffee and clubbing to show how easy it is to wear hanbok in everyday life. Screenshot of LEESLE websiteLEESLE (www.leesle.com) hanbok ar
IndustryOct. 29, 2015
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Opening next chapter of Korea-U.S. economic alliance
President Park Geun-hye’s official visit to the U.S. this month marked a significant milestone toward the next chapter in the 62-year alliance. The two nations charted new frontiers for the 21st century, paving the way forward for their future partnership in high-tech industries, climate change and global trade including the Trans-Pacific Partnership.Yoon Sang-jick, the minister for trade, industry and energy.First of all, President Park and President Barack Obama recognized the achievements of
Oct. 29, 2015
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Korean indicted for flag burning during protest rally
Prosecutors said Thursday they have indicted a South Korean man on charges of burning the national flag during a rally commemorating the first anniversary of the deadly ferry disaster.The 23-year-old, only identified by his surname Kim, is accused of burning the flag during the April 18 rally in downtown Seoul and damaging a police vehicle, the Seoul Central Prosecutors' Office said."I was in a rage after witnessing the government authorities illegally taking the bereaved families to police stat
Social AffairsOct. 29, 2015
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Civic group member arrested over alleged security law breach
A member of a local civic group accused of breaching the anti-North Korea law has been under police probe for allegedly being involved in the group's formation, police said Thursday, the latest since two other members were indicted earlier this month.A key member of the Corean Alliance, based in western Seoul, identified only by his surname Kim, 41, is suspected of being deeply involved in the formation of the group in 2011, the Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency said.The group reportedly has bee
Social AffairsOct. 29, 2015
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Korea to cut number of generals
South Korea will reduce the number of its military generals by about a tenth starting next year, a senior government official said Thursday.The Defense Ministry has drawn up a plan to downsize the total number of generals in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps from the current level of about 440 to some 400, the official said on condition of anonymity.The plan is expected to be implemented in stages starting next year."The Defense Ministry is coordinating with the Army, Navy and Air Force
DefenseOct. 29, 2015
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Korea's 3rd bourse faring poorly in 2nd half
South Korea's stock market for venture firms and startups has been in the doldrums after reaching a peak in July despite a series of measures to kickstart it, data showed Thursday.The daily average turnover of the Korea New Exchange market in October came in at 1.29 billion won ($752,000), down from the previous month's 1.48 billion won, according to the data by the Korea Exchange.It marks the third consecutive on-month fall after the turnover reached a peak of 3.34 billion won in July. The comp
Oct. 29, 2015