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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Seoul aims to halve current suicide rate by 2030
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4 in 10 young South Koreans take up 'irregular' jobs: data
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[Photo News] Rallying against LGBTQ+
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103 autumn foliage paths in Seoul
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Court not to decide Monday on top prosecutor's suspension
A Seoul court said that it will not make a decision on Monday on a crucial injunction case that could affect the fate of South Korea's top prosecutor amid an escalating standoff with the justice minister. Last week, Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae suspended Prosecutor General Yoon Seoul-youl from duty as she sought a disciplinary measure against him over six counts of alleged misdeeds, including collecting personal information of justices in charge of cases related to a former justice minister and
PoliticsNov. 30, 2020
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Ex-president Chun found guilty of defaming 1980 massacre witness
A court on Monday found former President Chun Doo-hwan guilty of defaming a late activist who testified to having witnessed Chun's troops shooting from helicopters on pro-democracy demonstrators in Gwangju. The Gwangju District Court endorsed the claims of late priest Cho Pius that there were shootings at civilians from helicopters during the 1980 Gwangju Uprising. With the conviction, the court sentenced Chun to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. The former president was also
PoliticsNov. 30, 2020
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Govt. to launch winter season fine dust management program next month
The government announced Monday that it will launch a national winter season fine dust management program next month centered around reducing the amount of air pollutants during the season. The environment ministry said the program will run from December to March of next year and will center around the reduction of vehicle traffic in and around Seoul, cuts in industrial emissions and suspensions of power generation by coal plants. The government first adopted the program last year to lower th
Social AffairsNov. 30, 2020
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World’s largest anti-corruption forum to highlight the power of integrity
South Korea will host the world’s largest global forum on anti-corruption this week, bringing together world leaders via virtual link to discuss international cooperation to fight corruption. Under the theme of “Designing 2030: Truth, Trust and Transparency,” the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, the country’s anti-corruption policy control tower, will host the 19th International Anti-Corruption Conference from Tuesday to Friday at a studio located in Coex,
Social AffairsNov. 30, 2020
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Justice minister, top prosecutor continue battle in court
A hearing on Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl’s suit to suspend Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae’s order removing him from duty was held Monday, kicking off the legal and procedural battle between the two. The court’s decision was expected late Thursday or early Friday. On Nov. 24, Choo announced her decision to remove Yoon from duty, citing the results of a Justice Ministry audit. According to the ministry, the audit found a number of irregularities in Yoon’s conduct s
PoliticsNov. 30, 2020
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Winter wave risks months of hard work: KDCA chief
Top South Korean health officials on Monday said months of hard work could crumble into nothing if the country fails to contain the latest wave of novel coronavirus infections, calling it the biggest challenge faced by the country since the disease first emerged here. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s chief Jung Eun-kyeong said in a news briefing that the daily case count could surge to 700-1,000 in a week or two based on the latest epidemiological analysis. “As co
Social AffairsNov. 30, 2020
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13 more USFK-affiliated individuals infected with coronavirus
Eleven American service members and two dependents have tested positive for the new coronavirus upon their arrival in South Korea this month, US Forces Korea (USFK) said Monday. Four service members arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, on US government-chartered flights, while the others arrived here on commercial flights via Incheon International Airport, west of the capital, according to the US military. Seven of them tested positive on their first mandatory COVID-19 test
Social AffairsNov. 30, 2020
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SMEs to be included in 52-hour workweek system from January as planned
The government announced Monday that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are currently exempt from the country's 52-hour workweek system will be subject to the rule starting next year as scheduled. In a press briefing at the government complex in Seoul, Labor Minster Lee Jae-kap said that the government won't extend the grace period that exempts SMEs with payroll sizes ranging from 50 to 299 from the 52-hour workweek scheme until the end of the year. Introduced in 2018, the 52-hour
Social AffairsNov. 30, 2020
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Moon urges civil servants to follow his reform drive despite troubles
President Moon Jae-in issued an unusual message Monday in public for South Korea's civil servants, saying they need to break away from what is obsolete and put the interests of the whole community above those of their own organizations or groups. The president reaffirmed his administration's "firm determination" to reform "power institutions" as one of his key policy agenda items, which also include the Korean-version New Deal, a carbon neutrality campaign and regulatory ref
PoliticsNov. 30, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Ex-President Chun found guilty of libel for denying civilians were shot from helicopters during Gwangju Uprising
Former President Chun Doo-hwan on Monday received a suspended prison sentence for libel with regard to the massacre of civilians during the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising. The Gwangju District Court found Chun guilty of defamation for comments he made about an activist priest who had shared eyewitness accounts of the bloody crackdown, which was led by the military virtually under Chun’s leadership, against pro-democracy activists in Gwangju. The court sentenced the 89-year-old former
Social AffairsNov. 30, 2020
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[News Focus] Nation braces for pandemic Suneung on Thursday
South Korea on Monday entered the final phase of preparation for Thursday’s annual college entrance exam, to be held amid a relentless resurgence of the new coronavirus. Test papers and answer sheets started to be delivered to 86 local test administration authorities across the country Monday, according to the Education Ministry. Over 400 government officials, escorted by police guards, were to ship the test materials by Wednesday for them to be distributed to 1,381 testing sites on the
Social AffairsNov. 30, 2020
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Ruling party seeks to distribute 3rd pandemic relief funds before Lunar New Year's
The ruling party will push for the distribution of an additional third round of COVID-19 relief funds before Lunar New Year's Day, a senior party official said Monday. Following the recent resurgence of new coronavirus infections, rival parties are currently discussing ways to source the third emergency relief funds worth about 4 trillion won ($3.6 billion), expected to be added to the 2021 state budget now under deliberation at the National Assembly. "In order to hand out the tailored
PoliticsNov. 30, 2020
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NK’s Kim condemns economic policies at Politburo meeting
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un condemned the country’s economic agencies for failing to carry out policies on a “scientific basis,” in a Politburo meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party that he chaired, the North’s state media said Monday. The extended Politburo meeting held Sunday “harshly criticized economic guidance organs for failing to provide scientific guidance” and “failing to overcome subjectivism and formalism in their work,&rdq
North KoreaNov. 30, 2020
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Gyms, saunas and other virus-prone facilities in capital area to shut down from Tuesday
South Korea will maintain the current social distancing level in the greater Seoul area but will raise antivirus curbs, including restricting additional gatherings and activities, starting Tuesday, health authorities said Monday. Seoul, the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and the western port city of Incheon will be under the current Level 2 of the country's five-tier social distancing system for a week, according to the authorities. However, antivirus curbs in all other areas will be elevated t
Social AffairsNov. 30, 2020
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E-scooter firms to limit service for unlicensed minors despite revised law
Electric scooter sharing companies in South Korea will continue to prohibit unlicensed minors from using their services despite a new law easing the minimum age requirements, joining government-led efforts to address safety concerns, the transport ministry said Monday. Local e-scooter sharing platforms currently offer their services to customers aged 18 years and older, or 16-17 years old with motorcycle licenses, but safety concerns have risen over teen users after a new law lowering the mini
Social AffairsNov. 30, 2020
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Korean sign-ups begin for clinical trials of COVID treatments, vaccines
Some 3,500 people have expressed their intention over the past three weeks to take part in clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments under development in Korea. The Korea National Enterprise for Clinical Trials said Monday that it began receiving tenders on Nov. 10 for participating in clinical trials, and about 3,500 people have signed up since. The KoNECT plans to set up a system that links these people to hospitals so they can take part in the clinical trials should they be conf
Social AffairsNov. 30, 2020
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Embattled top prosecutor 2nd most favored presidential candidate: poll
Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl came second in a poll on potential presidential candidates in the 2022 race, joining the ranks of ruling Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yon and Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung. In a survey of 2,538 Koreans aged 18 or above nationwide, conducted over five days from Nov. 23 by Realmeter, 19.8 percent picked Yoon as their preferred presidential candidate, up 2.6 percentage points since last month’s 17.2 percent, which was the highest since his name was
Social AffairsNov. 30, 2020
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S. Korea mulls postponing UN peacekeeping conference amid pandemic
South Korea is considering postponing the hosting of a UN ministerial conference on peacekeeping operations slated for next year amid the coronavirus pandemic, officials said Monday. Defense Minister Suh Wook, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and other senior officials held a preparatory meeting for the UN conference set for April and discussed adjusting the event schedule "in consideration of the COVID-19 situation and opinions from the UN and member states," the defense ministry said
Foreign AffairsNov. 30, 2020
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S. Korea in talks with WFP to redeem money sent for NK rice aid
The unification ministry said Monday that it is in talks with the World Food Programme (WFP) to redeem the money it sent for a project to provide rice assistance to North Korea after Pyongyang rejected the offer. In June last year, the ministry announced a plan to provide 50,000 tons of rice to North Korea through the WFP and sent the organization around $11.6 million to cover transportation, equipment and monitoring costs. The plan, however, has since been stalled as the North rejected the as
North KoreaNov. 30, 2020
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Seoul city introduces small public bikes for younger population
The Seoul city government said Monday it has made small public bicycles available for younger populations aged 13 years or older. Starting Monday, younger users have access to smaller and lighter "Ttaereungyi" in the eastern wards of Songpa and Gangdong, as well as the northwestern Eunpyeong Ward. "Ttaereungyi" are Seoul's public bikes that can be rented at unmanned rental stations installed across the city. Previously, they were only available for those 15 years old or ol
Social AffairsNov. 30, 2020