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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Ex-presidential official’s leaked phone call rattles conservative bloc
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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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Man escapes DUI charges by downing bottle of soju while pulled over
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[Kim Seong-kon] Understanding uniquely American things
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‘Single version of history is against nature of education’
The Education Ministry recently announced that it will take back publishing rights of history textbooks for secondary education in a bid to restore “balanced history education.”But Yang Jung-hyun, a history professor with experience authoring a state-published textbook, said granting the government exclusive rights to write textbooks is among the worst idea imaginable. Last week, he and 23 colleagues at Pusan National University joined a nationwide move by professors to refuse to participate in
Social AffairsOct. 19, 2015
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Seoul Zoo to buy back sold animals
Days after a hunger strike by a U.S. civic activist, a public zoo caved in and agreed to buy back the animals that were sold in an auction upon concerns that some of them had been sold to a slaughterhouse.Seoul Zoo, which is run by Seoul Metropolitan Government, said Monday that it has decided to buy back the animals that the zoo had sold at an auction in August. A.J. Garcia, the U.S. branch president of civic group Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth, had launched a hunger strike in front of
Social AffairsOct. 19, 2015
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Lawmakers begin to review 2016 budget plan
A parliamentary review of next year’s government budget kicked off Monday amid a partisan standoff among lawmakers in funding state-authored history textbooks and the government’s reform plans for labor markets and business sectors. The National Assembly’s relevant committees held meetings to review the 2016 budget plans proposed by the government. According to parliamentary law, the lawmakers must complete the review by Nov. 30 and put the budget plan to a vote no later than Dec. 2. But the pro
PoliticsOct. 19, 2015
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‘State history textbook will balance history education’
As criticism against the plan to revive state-authored history textbooks mounted over concerns that they will be biased in favor of conservatives, the government said it will rule out “far-right” scholars as authors, specifically those who participated in writing the controversial textbook by Kyohak Publishing Co.The Kyohak textbook has been accused of favorably depicting pro-Japanese figures and controversial politicians like former President Park Chung-hee, the father of incumbent leader Park
Social AffairsOct. 19, 2015
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Seoul’s dilemma deepens amid China-U.S. rivalry
Though Seoul had managed to boost prospects for greater U.S. attention to North Korea through last week’s summit, it highlighted an increasingly convoluted dilemma between its traditional ally and a rising China amid their intensifying rivalry for regional supremacy. The Park Geun-hye administration has been boasting that its bilateral relations with the U.S. and China are at their “best-ever.” After appearing alongside Chinese leader Xi Jinping at a massive military parade in Beijing last month
Foreign AffairsOct. 19, 2015
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[Newsmaker] Ju takes heat for failed tech transfer
President Park Geun-hye’s surprising personnel shake-up on Monday was widely seen as a move to reprimand her foreign affairs team for its failed mission to persuade the U.S. to transfer fighter jet technology to Korea.Park named Kim Kyou-hyun, the National Security Council secretariat chief, as her new senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs and national security. Kim replaces Ju Chul-ki, who had reportedly offered to resign to take responsibility for Washington’s refusal to transfer f
Foreign AffairsOct. 19, 2015
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[Graphic News] South Korea’s life satisfaction among lowest in OECD
South Korea reported one of the lower levels of life satisfaction among member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a recent report showed.According to the OECD’s How‘s Life 2015 report, South Korea ranked 27th among the 34 OECD countries, with a score of 5.8, substantially lower than the OECD average of 6.58. Denmark topped the list, followed by other Nordic countries -- Iceland, Switzerland and Finland. Japan came in 26th, a notch higher than Korea. The OECD
Social AffairsOct. 19, 2015
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[Photo News] LG HQ adorned with OLEDs
TechnologyOct. 19, 2015
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South Korea to offer matchmaking to boost fertility rate
After designating priority seats for pregnant women and offering free diapers and dried milk powder for all newborns for a year, the South Korean government has come up with yet another measure to boost its critically low fertility rate: matchmaking services. The plan was announced through a government report released Sunday, which stressed that the nation’s increasing number of delayed marriages is one of the biggest factors behind the low fertility rate, which currently stands at 1.21 childre
Social AffairsOct. 19, 2015
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[Photo News] Samsung's SUHD TV named best TV of the year in Germany
TechnologyOct. 19, 2015
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Korea seeks to adopt ‘Google tax’
South Korea is seeking ways to levy a corporate tax on profits of global technology companies and other multinationals as early as next year in response to growing criticism of their tax avoidance structures. The diverted profits tax is more widely called the “Google tax,” as U.S. tech giants such as Google, Apple and Amazon earn a lot of money around the world, but collect nearly all of the profits in tax havens. “The rest of the world is considering the adoption of the ‘Google tax’ because the
TechnologyOct. 19, 2015
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Lotte Group refuses to report to elder son
Lotte Group has officially rejected the request of former vice chairman of Lotte Holdings Shin Dong-joo to begin sending him business reports on its core affiliates, dismissing the move as “lacking legal grounds.” The elder son of the group founder is engaged in a bitter feud with his younger brother, Lotte Group chairman Dong-bin, over control of the group since he was ousted from key posts at its Japanese units in January. Lotte Group founder and general chairman Shin Kyuk-ho (left) and his
IndustryOct. 19, 2015
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[Science Summit] SK Group widens business scope in global partnerships
SK Group is looking to bolster its core businesses and seek new growth by actively pursuing global expansion in partnerships with major companies from around the world. Faced with unfavorable market conditions and stagnant growth, SK has pledged to overcome such economic hurdles by stepping up its efforts to widen its presence in overseas markets this year.Participants celebrate the completion of SABIC SK Nexlene’s new polyethylene plant in a ceremony at the plant site in Ulsan on Wednesday. Fr
IndustryOct. 19, 2015
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[Science Summit] SK Group boosts nation’s creative economy drive
SK Group has been stepping up its efforts to support the growth of new venture firms in the field of information and communications technology as part of its aim to support South Korea’s ongoing drive to establish a creative economy. In collaboration with the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, the group operates two provincial Creative Economy Innovation Centers, one in Daejeon and another in Sejong.Venture firms participating in SK’s Dream Venture Star program at the Daejeon Creativ
IndustryOct. 19, 2015
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[Herald Review] YB celebrates 20 years
Performing to a sold-out audience at the 1,000-seat LG Arts Center in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul, one of Korea’s most iconic rock bands demonstrated the secret to its vibrant two-decade career: its continued evolution in music with its songs growing together with their fans.“Music is made by musicians,” said YB bassist Park Tae-hee on Sunday, the last day of the four-day Seoul concert “20-years.” “But music also matures the musician. It’s right here, when we’re connecting with our fans, that we
PerformanceOct. 19, 2015
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Bank workers enraged by Choi’s remark on ‘short’ operating hours
(123RF)Bank industry workers voiced criticism over Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan’s remark that Korea’s bank operating hours are too short. The controversy has showed no signs of abating since Oct. 11 when Choi, who doubles as deputy prime minister, told reporters during his Peru visit for the G20 meeting that the country’s financial industry gets overpaid despite its short operating hours, undermining the global ratings on competitiveness of Korea’s financial sector. Typical Korean bank bran
Oct. 19, 2015
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Korea to restrict inflow of ‘unskilled’ migrant workers
The Korean government has mapped out a mid-term plan to loosen immigration controls on highly skilled foreign workers amid the aging population, while vowing to restrict the inflow of unskilled migrant workers. In a package of comprehensive measures announced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to cope with the falling birthrate, the government said it would accept more qualified overseas workers and make it easier for them to study, work and live in the nation. (Yonhap) For short-term goals,
Social AffairsOct. 19, 2015
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Currency volatility frustrates Korean exporters, investors
The Korean currency has been extremely volatile against the U.S. dollar and Japanese yen over the past few months, confusing local exporters and investors, according to analysts.They note that the won-dollar exchange rate appears to have lost direction at the current stage amid the ambiguous stance of the U.S. Federal Reserve on hiking the key base rate.The dollar, which rose from 1,120 won in early July to about 1,200 won in early September, or 6.6 percent, has returned to the 1,120 level agai
Oct. 19, 2015
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Seoul Fashion Week: Bold colors and prints emerge as 2016 spring menswear trend
As Seoul has a reputation for fashionable men whose devotion to fashion and skin care tops in the world, menswear collections by Seoul-based designers are some of the must-see shows at the ongoing Seoul Fashion Week. Here are the highlights of menswear shows from Friday to Sunday. Munsoo Kwon One of the hottest emerging menswear designers in the Korean fashion scene, Munsoo Kwon presented light, sporty looks for the 2016 spring-summer season Saturday.Inspired by some youngsters turning to fishi
Arts & DesignOct. 19, 2015
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SK chief spurs ‘field management’ to regain growth momentum
Chey Tae-won (left) poses with Hubei Province party secretary Li Hongzhong after discussing a number of cooperation projects during his recent visit to China on Aug. 28. SK Group SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won is gearing up for the global expansion of the group’s key business sectors in his effort to regain growth momentum since he came back to the helm in August after a three-year absence. Businesses of the nation’s third largest conglomerate are divided into three areas -- energy and chem
BusinessOct. 19, 2015