Most Popular
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Signs point to N. Korean troops in Russia-Ukraine combat zone
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Rose's 'Apt.' redefines K-pop's global appeal
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Two years on, thousands mourn Itaewon tragedy, calling for accountability
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[Herald Interview] Love for K-drama, food defines 'Secret Ingredient'
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Hanwha, HD Hyundai vie for Poland’s $2.7b submarine program
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First lady’s controversies to top agenda at meeting of party leaders
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[Photo News] Rallying against LGBTQ+
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4 in 10 young South Koreans take up 'irregular' jobs: data
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'1 million' Christians join anti-LGBTQ+ marriage rally
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SM founder Lee Soo-man is back with A2O Entertainment
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Military nursing academy cadets sent to COVID-19 treatment centers
Dozens of cadets from the military nursing academy were sent to coronavirus treatment centers Friday to help out the government's fight against the fast-spreading pandemic, the defense ministry said. A total of 77 students and four nursing officers from the Korea Armed Forces Nursing Academy will support the medical staff at "residential treatment centers" that have been set up for mild COVID-19 patients so as to make more hospital beds available for serious patients. Of them, 56 cad
Social AffairsDec. 18, 2020
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Daily virus cases above 1,000 for 3rd day, toughest curbs still under review
South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases topped the 1,000 mark for the third day Friday on continued cluster infections nationwide and increased tests, but health authorities remain cautious about adopting the toughest virus restrictions due to the far-reaching economic impact. The country added 1,062 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,036 local infections, raising the total caseload to 47,515, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). It is the first time that the da
Social AffairsDec. 18, 2020
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Moscow to consider Putin's visit to Seoul in first half of next year: envoy
MOSCOW -- Russia will positively consider President Vladimir Putin visiting South Korea in the first half of next year, a foreign affairs adviser to Putin has been quoted as saying. The Kremlin official, Yury Ushakov, made the remark when he met with former South Korean Ambassador to Russia Woo Yoon-keun visiting Moscow in his capacity as special envoy of President Moon Jae-in, according to the envoy Thursday. Woo said he delivered Moon's personal letter requesting Putin's visit to Seoul next
Foreign AffairsDec. 18, 2020
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US expresses concerns over S. Korean ban on anti-Pyongyang leaflets
WASHINGTON -- The US government had expressed concerns about a South Korean bill prohibiting the launch of anti-North Korea leaflets across the border before the South Korean parliament passed the bill this week, a news report said Thursday. Citing unidentified sources, the Washington Post said Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun had "privately conveyed" the US government's concerns during his trip to Seoul that ended last Friday. The bill passed Monday by a 187-0 vote in South
North KoreaDec. 18, 2020
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1st gen. K-pop star BoA investigated for drug smuggling
First generation K-pop star BoA was investigated by the prosecution for alleged drug smuggling. BoA's agency SM Entertainment acknowledged the incident on Thursday, but denied that it was an intentional act of wrongdoing. Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office summoned BoA for questioning on Wednesday, according to those familiar with the matter. BoA is accused of illegally bringing in drugs such as zolpidem through unauthorized route. From what is known, BoA had multiple psychotro
Social AffairsDec. 17, 2020
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Ex-President Park's aides acquitted of hindering Sewol ferry panel's activities
Three former ranking officials of ousted President Park Geun-hye's government were acquitted by an appellate court Thursday after being convicted of obstructing an independent panel's investigation into the cause of the deadly sinking of the Sewol ferry. The panel was set up in 2015 under a special law enacted to determine why the 6,800-ton ship capsized in waters off the southwest coast in 2014, killing more than 300 people, mostly high school students. The panel, composed of maritime experts,
Social AffairsDec. 17, 2020
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MIKTA countries join forces to meet challenges of pandemic era
South Korea’s National Assembly presided over the sixth MIKTA Speakers’ Consultation on video Thursday. The theme of the event was “Complex challenges and parliamentary leadership in a pandemic era.” Launched in 2013, MIKTA is a consultative body made up of five middle powers -- Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey and Australia -- that share the core values of democracy and a free-market economy. Since 2015, each of the five member states has hosted one meeting with Korea
Foreign AffairsDec. 17, 2020
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Man cleared of slaying after 31 years, court apologizes
A South Korean court on Thursday overturned the murder conviction of a man who had already served 20 years of a life sentence he received 31 years ago. The Suwon District Court, in acquitting Yun Sung-yeo of the 1988 rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl, said it found the confession from Lee Chun-jae, a jailed killer, to be credible. Appearing as a witness at Yun’s retrial hearing last month, Lee said he, not Yun, had killed the girl. He also admitted to killing 14 girls and women an
Social AffairsDec. 17, 2020
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21 USFK-affiliated people test positive for new coronavirus
Fifteen American service members, five family members and one US Forces Korea (USFK) retiree tested positive for the new coronavirus upon arrival in South Korea from the United States over the past few weeks, the USFK said Monday. Of them, five service members arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, on US government-chartered flights between Nov. 29 and Dec. 19, according to the US military. Ten other service personnel, five dependents and one USFK retiree a
Social AffairsDec. 17, 2020
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Coronavirus news overload increases prejudice, fear and anxiety: study
The more news you watch about the coronavirus, the more likely you are to develop prejudice, fear and anxiety about getting infected, a study showed Thursday. According to a survey of 1,500 adults by a research team led by psychiatry professor Kim Sung-wan at Chonnam National University Medical School, there was a noticeable decrease in prejudice, fear and anxiety among those who have more knowledge of COVID-19. But consuming news on COVID-19 via mass media did not help people gain knowledge
Social AffairsDec. 17, 2020
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Kang defends North Korea leaflet ban
Freedom of expression is not “absolute” and can be limited if it threatens the security of people, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said, making a case for the country’s recent passage of a law that penalizes activists sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border. On Monday, the National Assembly, controlled by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, passed a bill that imposes punishments of up to three years in jail or fines of up to 30 million won ($2
North KoreaDec. 17, 2020
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Unification ministry expresses regret over UN rapporteur's appeal to review leafleting ban
The unification ministry expressed regret Thursday after a UN special rapporteur called on South Korea to reconsider a recently legislated ban on sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets into North Korea, saying the measure was legislated in due democratic procedures. Earlier in the week, the National Assembly, controlled by the ruling Democratic Party, passed the bill penalizing the sending of anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets into the North despite strong objection by opposition party lawmakers. Spe
North KoreaDec. 17, 2020
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Ruling party pushing for rent discount for small businesses amid pandemic
The ruling Democratic Party (DP) has set out to find ways to cut rent for small business owners teetering under the protracted COVID-19 pandemic. On Wednesday, DP Chairman Rep. Lee Nak-yon reaffirmed his party's push to get landlords to slash rent for small business owners struggling under the weight of the new coronavirus. The drive for so-called fair rent gained traction earlier this week after President Moon Jae-in raised the issue of small business owners who have to shoulder a heavy econ
PoliticsDec. 17, 2020
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S. Korea to develop border security sensor detecting ground vibration
South Korea began producing ground vibration sensors on a trial basis to install on the border with North Korea, officials said Thursday, after the military failed to detect a North Korean jumping over barbed wire fences on the border in a defection bid last month. The system is designed to sense vibrations on the ground and ring an alarm bell to allow troops to detect infiltrators, as it is to be equipped with diverse sensors, such as infrared, image and vibration sensors, according to the Def
DefenseDec. 17, 2020
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UN condemns North Korea’s rights abuses in resolution
The UN General Assembly on Wednesday strongly condemned North Korea’s “systematic, widespread and gross violations” of human rights in a resolution. The North slammed it as being politicized. In the resolution adopted by consensus, the assembly expressed concern over the “absence of due process and the rule of law, arbitrary executions and detention, torture and sexual and gender-based violence,” among other rights violations by Pyongyang. The 193-member world bod
North KoreaDec. 17, 2020
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S. Korea to provide $1 m to UN fund for people near shrinking Aral Sea
South Korea pledged Thursday to provide $1 million to a UN development fund to help communities near the Aral Sea suffering from decadeslong water depletion, the foreign ministry said. Chung Kee-yong, director general for climate change, energy, environment and scientific affairs at Seoul's foreign ministry, signed an agreement to provide the funds during a virtual meeting with Jennifer Topping, executive coordinator of the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office, the ministry said. Of the pledge
Foreign AffairsDec. 17, 2020
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Patient dies waiting for treatment as Korea’s COVID-19 deaths hit record
Public health officials said Thursday a Seoul resident in their 60s had died while waiting to be admitted to a hospital after a COVID-19 diagnosis, marking the first such case to be reported in the capital since the pandemic began. They said the patient died at home Tuesday after having waited three days for a hospital bed since testing positive for the virus on Saturday. “The patient did not exhibit severe symptoms initially -- just an itch in the throat -- and their condition appears
Social AffairsDec. 17, 2020
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S. Korean students lack confidence in math and science despite top performance: survey
South Korean students were significantly less confident and interested in math and science despite their excelling academic performances in the subjects, compared to students from other countries, a recent global survey showed. According to the results of 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study by the US based National Center for Education Statistics, Korean students came in third for their performance in math and second in science, but their interest and confidence in the s
Social AffairsDec. 17, 2020
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Moon says S. Korea's economy needs 'great transformation' in 2021
President Moon Jae-in said Thursday that South Korea should overcome the COVID-19 crisis and achieve a "grand transformation" of its economy in the coming year. "We will have to turn 2021 into a period of great transformation of South Korea's economy. The beginning is to clearly overcome the coronavirus crisis," he said during an expanded session of the National Economic Advisory Council. Moon received a briefing on the government's economic policy for 2021 and had related
PoliticsDec. 17, 2020
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Seoul regulates older vehicles, industrial sites to curb pollution
To combat concerns about fine dust, especially during the winter, the city government of Seoul has toughened regulations on high-polluting vehicles and construction sites in the December-to-March period. The Seoul Metropolitan Government first launched the winter season fine dust management program last year to lower the fine dust levels of the city during the winter, when they are usually at the highest. This year, the city government implemented the program starting from Dec. 1 and it will
Social AffairsDec. 17, 2020