Most Popular
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Ex-presidential official’s leaked phone call rattles conservative bloc
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Pay debate plagues foreign nanny pilot
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K-pop star lip-syncing controversy flares up again
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35% of S. Koreans view unification 'unnecessary'
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Man escapes DUI charges by downing bottle of soju while pulled over
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Pianist Lim Yunchan double winner at Gramophone Awards
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[Reporter’s Notebook] Was Netflix film opening BIFF really a bad thing?
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N. Korean leader's sister derides Seoul's Hyunmoo-5 missile as 'useless'
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Yoon, Ishiba discuss cooperation on N. Korea in 1st phone talks
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Controversial cult leader’s sentence reduced to 17 years
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Evidence suggests possibility of hate crime
With the probe into a South Korean man suspected of killing a woman and burning her body inside her car underway, police said Friday that they discovered notes with a list of 28 names that the suspect may have accused of treating him badly. Kim Il-gon, the 48-year-old murder suspect, had two pieces of paper in his pocket that listed the names and occupations of 28 people, which included female restaurant owners, judges, police officers, doctors and nurses he once came across or worked with. (Yo
Social AffairsSept. 18, 2015
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S. Korea to task bad bank with corporate restructuring
South Korea's financial regulator said Friday it will charge a leading bad asset management firm with overhauling debt-laden companies in an effort to speed up the country's corporate restructuring program. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) said it scrapped its earlier plan to establish an independent company that specializes in corporate restructuring, funded by two policy lenders and commercial banks. Instead, the FSC said it will assign the role to United Asset Management Company (U
Sept. 18, 2015
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[Weekender] Korea on the go
Diverse factors are considered when people choose a home. Not just house prices but also schools, hospitals and big supermarkets near the neighborhood. And then, there is another crucial factor in Korea -- a McDonald’s outlet. Workers sort out parcels at a warehouse in Osan, Gyeonggi Province, Friday, ahead of Chuseok next week. YonhapThe U.S. hamburger chain started a home delivery service here in 2007 -- when McDelivery was still in its infancy worldwide. Currently, some 320 out of its almost
IndustrySept. 18, 2015
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Hanwha raided over alleged leak of military secrets
Investigators of the Defense Security Command raided a defense-related office of Hanwha Corp. in central Seoul on Friday as part of a probe into an employee suspected of leaking military secrets.Hanwha Corp. in Seoul (Yonhap)Defense authorities said the raid and search were related to a violation of the Military Secret Protection Act, and that investigators confiscated computer files and other documents to glean evidence for the case. They refused to elaborate further on the investigation.Observ
DefenseSept. 18, 2015
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[Weekender] Korean delivery industry goes wide and deep
Thanks to the unique “Ppalli Ppalli (hurry, hurry)” culture and one of the best logistics networks in the world, Korea’s delivery industry is thriving, with its range widening and services getting even more specific. From garments and books to groceries and even breast milk, nearly everything can be delivered for a bargain, and the time has reduced to nearly the blink of an eye, offering real-time services. Anything you wantThe most iconic item in the delivery market is food. Whether you call fo
IndustrySept. 18, 2015
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[Weekender] Korea dreams of drone delivery
Drones are widely expected to become a game-changer in the future delivery market. Tech firms like Amazon, Google and Alibaba have announced their intentions to use drones for delivery in recent years, and are working on pilot programs. German logistics giant DHL was the first to start a regular drone delivery service, under the project name Parcelcopter 2.0, operating since September last year. Even though drones are all the rage globally, Korea -- the second nation to develop its own unmanned
IndustrySept. 18, 2015
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Parties condemn N.K. provocative acts
South Korea’s ruling and opposition parties alike called on North Korea to stop any provocative moves to escalate military tensions and damage the emerging mood for dialogue on Friday, a day before the 10th anniversary of a landmark denuclearization deal.Rep. Moon Jae-in, leader of the main opposition New politics Alliance for Democracy, speaks during the party`s Supreme Council meeting on Friday. (Yonhap)Moon Jae-in, leader of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy, stressed th
North KoreaSept. 18, 2015
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[Weekender] Mobile apps courting hungry Koreans
People in Korea have long enjoyed convenient food delivery services, ordering in almost all types of food from burgers and fried chicken to jajangmyeon (black bean noodles) and pig’s trotters. Combined with mobile technology, the food delivery services are gaining further traction as more start-ups come up with applications catering to the different tastes of customers and attracting investments.Baedal Minjok, the largest food delivery app here with its monthly users standing at 2.7 million in J
IndustrySept. 18, 2015
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[Weekender] Seniors, female couriers add diversity to delivery culture
A young man hitting the road on a high-speed motorcycle is the typical image of delivery drivers here, but recently Korean consumers’ growing demands for safer services has been changing the scene. Park Jae-yeol, 69, delivers some 180 packages spread over three days each week to his apartment neighbors in Eungam-dong, Seoul, using an electric handcart. He is one of some 470 senior deliverymen, aged over 60, working for the country’s largest logistics firm CJ Korea Express.“For the firm, the ‘Si
IndustrySept. 18, 2015
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[Editorial] Overhauling opposition
Overhauling opposition NPAD far from becoming an election-winning forceRep. Moon Jae-in, chairman of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy, said the passage of reform measures by its executive members this week reflected their demand that the party should be overhauled to win future elections. But the liberal opposition party, which has been embroiled in chronic internal feuding, still seems far from becoming a credible alternative to the conservative ruling Saenuri Party. It i
EditorialSept. 18, 2015
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[Editorial] Youth employment fund
Youth employment fundEfforts should focus on creating more jobsPresident Park Geun-hye has demonstrated her commitment to increasing the country’s youth employment by pledging to give 20 percent of her monthly salary each month -- on top of a 20 million won ($17,000) initial donation -- to an envisioned fund meant to help young people find jobs. Her monthly contribution will amount to about 3.4 million won, given that her annual salary is set at 205 million won this year.Disclosing the president
EditorialSept. 18, 2015
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Moon hints at dropping vote of confidence
The main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy on Friday celebrated its 60th anniversary amid an intensifying power struggle between two factions that has undermined the unity of the party and the leadership of its chairman Rep. Moon Jae-in. Mindful of the ongoing in-house scuffle over his leadership, Moon highlighted the party’s legacy and urged the NPAD members to unite. “Looking back at the 60 years we have walked past, I can’t help realize that we have to work harder for bringin
Latest NewsSept. 18, 2015
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Hanmi shares soar on sales expectations of new drug
Shares of Hanmi Pharmaceutical, a leading South Korean pharma company, surged by more than 11 percent Friday following news that the company has moved a step closer to globally commercializing a lung cancer treatment drug that is under development. Hanmi is looking to carry out the Phase II clinical trials of its third-generation lung cancer treatment drug HM61713 -- sold in July to Germany’s Boehringer Ingelheim for around $730 million in the biggest local drug license agreement to date -- in
IndustrySept. 18, 2015
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Lotte revs up global hotel chain business
Lotte Group is speeding up its global hotel business expansion to compete with the world’s top-tier hotel chains like Hilton and InterContinental . Lotte Hotels & Resorts said it aims to take over or build 33 hotels by 2018, and ultimately 50 hotels by 2020, with the latest being Lotte New York Palace in Manhattan. The group currently operates 11 hotels in Korea and six abroad. The new five-star luxury hotel, previously named The New York Palace Hotel, was acquired for $805 million from U.S. rea
IndustrySept. 18, 2015
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[Robert B. Reich] College rankings miss the mark
College rankings miss the markAfter heavy lobbying from some of the nation’s most elite institutions of higher education, the president has just abandoned his effort to rank the nation’s 7,000 colleges and universities.So, with college application season almost upon us, where should aspiring college students and their parents look for advice?In my view, not U.S. News and World Report’s annual college guide (out last week). It’s analogous to a restaurant guide that gives top ratings to the most e
ViewpointsSept. 18, 2015
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KOSPI fails to top 2,000 despite U.S. rate freeze
The uncertainty involving the likelihood over the U.S. rate hike is expected to linger on at least five more weeks until late October, as the Federal Open Market Committee overnight chose to freeze in its September rate-setting amid split predictions in the market, analysts said Friday.As Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen took an ambiguous position over the timing of raising the rate, South Korea’s financial indexes moved in a limited boundary on the day, despite the relief from a variety of ri
Sept. 18, 2015
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Jil’hal Bros dishes out buzzworthy eats
At Jil’hal Bros, one of the latest Seoul-based eateries to go viral, CEO Kim Woo-sik breaks down the components behind the fusion Middle Eastern-by-way-of-New York-style grub drawing lines of foodies to his new spot. In his small kitchen he ladles fluffy rice -- infused with turmeric, cumin and three other spices -- in a takeout container, tops it with that quintessential white sauce, layers it with piping hot morsels of seasoned lamb and beef and piles on more white sauce before topping it off
FoodSept. 18, 2015
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[Travel Bits]
Experience Finland’s polar nightFinnair, the flag carrier of Finland, is looking for explorers to participate in its program to experience the country in the winter.In partnership with Finland Tourism, the 100 Days of Polar Night Magic program will take participants on a ride on Alaskan huskies dogsleds to see the aurora, go on a camping, and ice climbing and diving in Lapland.Pasi Ikonen, Finnish orienteering competitor and winner of the 2001 World Orienteering Championships, will be joining wi
TravelSept. 18, 2015
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Around the Hotels
Autumn picnic package at Imperial Palace SeoulImperial Palace Seoul is presenting from Sept. 14 through Nov. 29 the Autumn Picnic Package for those seeking a picnic in the heart of the city and a cozy getaway in a hotel room, available for local guests in Korea and foreigners with resident cards. The package includes an overnight stay in a guest room along with a taxi voucher for 10,000 won; a takeout picnic box, which consists of Deli Amador’s club sandwiches and two bottles of Perrier sparklin
FoodSept. 18, 2015
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Eggplant rolls (gaji mari)
Eggplant rolls (gaji mari). (Korean Bapsang)These gorgeous eggplant rolls are healthy and easy to make. They are called gaji mari in Korean. Gaji is eggplant, and mari refers to rolled up dishes. The thinly sliced eggplants are briefly cooked in a skillet, rolled up with other vegetables, and served with a sauce. Eggplants cook down significantly, so make sure they are not too slender when you buy them.I used colorful fresh bell peppers and enoki mushrooms in this recipe. Play around with differ
FoodSept. 18, 2015