Most Popular
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[Exclusive] Korean adoptee sisters meet for the first time in 39 years
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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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Yoon calls for measures to protect Koreans amid escalating Iran-Israel conflicts
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Two years on, thousands mourn Itaewon tragedy, calling for accountability
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Civil servant’s death linked to workplace bullying
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[Weekender] Walk around Korea to really get to know the country
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N. Korea slams Seoul-Washington joint air exercise
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[Herald Interview] Love for K-drama, food defines 'Secret Ingredient'
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[Herald Interview] K-pop’s 'best years are ahead of us': Spotify’s general manager for Asia Pacific
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Calls for delaying allied military drills gain traction inside ruling party
Calls for postponing the regular joint summertime military drills between South Korea and the United States were gaining traction inside the ruling party Thursday amid growing hope for the resumption of inter-Korean dialogue. "The atmosphere (here) is that postponing the military exercise might be inevitable despite some potential internal resistance," a high-profile source from the ruling party told Yonhap News Agency a day earlier. Talk of a possible delay or scale-down of the ann
Aug. 5, 2021
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[Newsmaker] Lee Jun-seok says 'salute the rank, not the man'
Main opposition People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok warned the minor opposition People’s Party to not treat him like a kid as the two parties blamed each other for failing to discuss a merger. “I recommend to the People’s Party, ‘Salute the rank, not the man,’” Lee wrote on Facebook on Wednesday, quoting a line from the American war drama miniseries “Band of Brothers,” with a link to a scene in the series. “They (People’s Party) ca
Aug. 4, 2021
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Ex-audit agency chief declares bid to run for president
Choe Jae-hyeong, former chief of the national audit agency, formally declared his presidential bid Wednesday, vowing to restore the principles of a free market economy and ensure fair job opportunities for young people. "As one of South Korea's citizens, I decided I can't just sit and watch the country crumble," Choe, the former chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI), said, announcing his bid to run in the March 9 presidential election. The official presidential bid was
Aug. 4, 2021
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Minor opposition party leader in self-quarantine after possible COVID-19 exposure
The head of the minor opposition People's Party (PP) entered voluntary quarantine Wednesday after a party official tested positive for COVID-19. The PP announced that chairman Ahn Cheol-soo and some other party officials were tested for the coronavirus after another official who worked in the same PP headquarters until Friday was confirmed as infected this morning. Ahn decided to remain in isolation until he receives his results, the party said. According to the party, Ahn did not have close
Aug. 4, 2021
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[Newsmaker] Funeral begins for world's 1st disabled climber to conquer 14 eight-thousanders
GWANGJU -- A five-day funeral process began here on Wednesday for South Korean mountaineer Kim Hong-bin, who went missing in mid-July soon after becoming the world's first person with a disability to ascend all 14 eight-thousanders in the Himalayas. Kim's funeral will be held at Yeomju Gymnasium in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, until Sunday, according to the city government. Kim's memorial altar was set up on the first floor of the gym for mourners, with his mountaineering equipment
Aug. 4, 2021
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FM Chung calls for ASEAN's support for peninsula peace efforts
Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong has asked the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to back Seoul's efforts to foster a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula after the recent restoration of inter-Korean communication lines, his office said Wednesday. Chung made the remarks during Tuesday's virtual ASEAN Plus Three foreign ministerial meeting, which also involved China and Japan. Until Friday, the minister is set to join a series of virtual sessions led by the regional bloc, including t
Aug. 4, 2021
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Govt. to decide Friday whether to adjust social distancing restrictions: PM
The government will closely monitor the COVID-19 situation to decide whether to adjust social distancing restrictions later this week, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Wednesday. "(The government) will closely monitor the trends for one or two more days and decide the level of social distancing (guidelines) to be effective from next week during a Friday meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters," he said while chairing an interagency meeting on the coronav
Aug. 4, 2021
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[Newsmaker] Gyeonggi’s push for relief funds fuels infighting
The clash among the ruling Democratic Party’s presidential contenders is gaining renewed steam, despite the candidates’ vow to work as “one team.” The infighting resurged over Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung’s idea of providing cash handouts for all residents in the province, as it drew criticism from other presidential hopefuls. He first mentioned the idea Sunday, saying that he is considering an option to give COVID-19 disaster relief funds to the 12 perce
Aug. 3, 2021
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Lee’s campaign spokesperson resigns over DUI comments
A spokesperson for Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung’s presidential campaign resigned from his post Monday after it was found he had made comments defending driving under the influence. The comment, likely made to defend the past criminal record of Lee, stirred controversy across political parties and again shone light on the presidential contender’s past criminal record, which could damage his campaign. Park sent a text message to reporters late Monday saying he was stepping do
Aug. 3, 2021
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[Newsmaker] Wall paintings in central Seoul whitewashed amid criticism of misogyny targeting wife of presidential contender
A pair of paintings disgracing the wife of leading conservative presidential hopeful Yoon Seok-youl have been whitewashed from the walls of a bookstore in central Seoul after they drew criticism of misogyny. Two paintings on the outer walls of the used bookstore in the district of Jongno were covered over in white paint Monday afternoon a few days after grabbing headlines for their disparaging depiction of Kim Keon-hee, wife of the former prosecutor general currently leading most presidential o
Aug. 3, 2021
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Moon vows to focus on response to virus, industrial revolution, climate change
President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday it has become an "inevitable duty" during the remainder of his tenure to protect people's lives with a focus on curbing the COVID-19 spread and improving their livelihoods. Another key task is preparing for South Korea's future in connection with the fourth industrial revolution and climate change, he said at the start of a weekly Cabinet meeting. "I feel a great sense of responsibility," he said. Moon was presenting major policy goals fo
Aug. 3, 2021
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29 members of virus-hit Cheonghae unit exit quarantine after testing negative
Twenty-nine service members of the Cheonghae unit, which reported a massive COVID-19 outbreak while on missions in Africa, tested negative and will exit quarantine Tuesday, the defense ministry said. Last month, a total of 272 sailors of the 301-strong Cheonghae unit tested positive for the new coronavirus while serving missions in waters off Africa, and all of the unit members returned home weeks ahead of schedule. Upon arrival, the 29 people who initially tested negative were sent to a Navy
Aug. 3, 2021
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Cabinet approves decree to increase number of govt. alternative holidays
The Cabinet on Tuesday passed a revised presidential decree to allow more national holidays subject to the government's alternative statutory holiday program. According to the Ministry of Personnel Management, the Cabinet endorsed the decree that newly adds four national holidays -- March 1 Independence Movement Day, Aug. 15 National Liberation Day, National Foundation Day (Oct. 3) and Hangeul Day (Oct. 9) -- to a list of legal holidays subject to the government's alternative holiday program.
Aug. 3, 2021
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DP chief insists joint military drills proceed as planned amid calls for suspension
The head of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Monday urged South Korea and the United States to proceed with their annual summertime military exercise as planned, despite North Korea's latest warning that the drills will complicate future inter-Korean ties. On Sunday, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of the North's leader Kim Jong-un, issued a statement saying that the combined Seoul-Washington exercise could undermine efforts to improve inter-Korean relations at &q
Aug. 2, 2021
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Cheong Wa Dae says inter-Korean hotlines should be kept
The office of President Moon Jae-in stressed the need Monday for the two Koreas to maintain their direct communication channels. It was responding to the warning Sunday by Kim Yo-jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister who is in charge of inter-Korean affairs as a senior Workers' Party official. She pressed South Korea to cancel its annual joint military exercises with the United States scheduled to kick of next week. Kim stated that the plan for the drills could undermine efforts to re
Aug. 2, 2021
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Moon says 36 million people to get vaccine shots by end of September
President Moon Jae-in said Monday that the number of people in South Korea who are either fully or partly vaccinated would soon top 20 million. He was emphasizing that the nation's vaccination campaign is on track despite the unrelenting spread of COVID-19. "By tomorrow, a total of more than 20 million people will have received at least one dose of vaccine," he said during a weekly meeting with senior Cheong Wa Dae secretaries. There is no problem in the government's scheme to give
Aug. 2, 2021
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Let them eat trash: Yoon slammed for ‘substandard food’ remark
Former prosecutor general and presidential frontrunner Yoon Seok-youl is under fire for saying during a media interview last month that poor people should be allowed to eat foods that don’t meet legal standards, as long as they don’t kill you. Yoon made the remarks as he spoke about economist Milton Friedman’s book “Free to Choose: A Personal Statement,” in a video clip of the interview released on YouTube. “Poor people should be allowed to choose food below
Aug. 2, 2021
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Main opposition party snaps back after six-week fall in public support: Realmeter poll
Public support for the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) has bounced back after declining for six consecutive weeks, a poll showed Monday. The Realmeter survey results came as Yoon Seok-youl, a former top prosecutor who is the front-runner in various polls on presidential hopefuls, joined the conservative party Friday. His decision ended months of uncertainty over whether and when he would become a member of the PPP with hopes of winning the presidential election slated for March next y
Aug. 2, 2021
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Govt. cut W560b won of defense budget, including for F-35A plan, for COVID-19 extra budget
Around 560 billion won ($485.8 million) was slashed from this year's defense budget to fund an extra budget in the wake of the pandemic, but the measure will not affect the country's major arms procurement plans, the defense ministry said Monday. Last month, the National Assembly passed a 34.9 trillion-won extra budget bill aimed at propping up the economy battered by the pandemic and to support smaller businesses. For the measure, 562.9 billion won earmarked for 22 defense projects has been s
Aug. 2, 2021
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Rival parties on collision course over a DP-led media reform bill
A controversial media reform bill being pushed by the ruling Democratic Party (DP) is running into fierce resistance from the opposition bloc, putting the rival parties on a possible collision course at the National Assembly. Having unilaterally passed the bill through a subcommittee of the parliamentary Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee last week, the DP aims to advance it through the National Assembly in the upcoming provisional parliamentary session later this month. The bill aims to re
Aug. 2, 2021