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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4 in 10 young South Koreans take up 'irregular' jobs: data
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[Photo News] Rallying against LGBTQ+
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Seoul aims to halve current suicide rate by 2030
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'1 million' Christians join anti-LGBTQ+ marriage rally
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Govt. to supply 300,000 public homes from 2021
The South Korean government will supply 300,000 public homes starting in 2021 in a move to stabilize the overheated real estate market, the land ministry said Friday. The government will complete the purchase of properties needed to build the public houses in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province by the first half of 2019 and gradually start providing the public homes two years later, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement. (Yonhap)"The government will strive to p
Sept. 21, 2018
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Justice Ministry refutes report that Park Geun-hye’s health in decline
The Justice Ministry on Thursday refuted a news report that detained former President Park Geun-hye is in declining health and has been skipping meals.In a statement, the Ministry of Justice said that Park exercises at an allotted time every day, except Sundays, and has been taking a standard amount of food, without skipping meals. (Yonhap)The former president has been held at Seoul Detention Center since March 31, 2017.On Wednesday, Korean media outlet Chosun Ilbo reported that Park has shut he
Sept. 20, 2018
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Korea's parliament set to hold plenary session to vote on key bills
South Korea's parliament is set to hold a plenary session Thursday to vote on key bills, including a proposal aimed at easing nonfinancial firms' ownership cap in Internet-only banks.But rival parties have yet to narrow differences on details of a few bills on the economy and deregulation, heralding a tough process toward their parliamentary passages. The plenary session, originally set to start at 2 p.m., was delayed by some three hours. (Yonhap)A parliamentary committee on Wednesday passed the
Sept. 20, 2018
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Parties divided over Pyongyang Declaration
Political parties on Wednesday reacted to the Pyongyang Declaration along partisan lines. Liberal parties welcomed the joint declaration, while conservative opposition parties denounced the joint statement, pointing out that it shows no progress from previous agreements.The ruling Democratic Party of Korea praised the declaration announced by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang, saying it has opened the way for peace on the Korean Peninsula. (Yonha
Sept. 19, 2018
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South Korean party leaders meet with NK parliamentary chief
The chiefs of three South Korean political parties met with North Korean parliamentary leader Kim Yong-nam in Pyongyang on Wednesday. The meeting was originally scheduled to take place Tuesday, but it was rescheduled after the South Korean party leaders failed to show.Lee Hae-chan of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, Chung Dong-young of the center-left Party for Democracy and Peace and Lee Jeong-mi of the progressive opposition Justice Party, who are in Pyongyang with President Moon Jae-in,
Sept. 19, 2018
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Tough confirmation hearing expected for education minister nominee
A tough confirmation hearing is expected Wednesday for Education Minister nominee Rep. Yoo Eun-hae of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, as a series of reports have revealed irregularities. On Monday, Korean broadcaster SBS reported that Yoo had nominated one of her supporters as a member of the Goyang City Council. According to the broadcaster, the supporter donated 5 million won ($4,450) -- the maximum amount an individual supporter can give a lawmaker -- to Yoo in August 2016. A year and e
Sept. 18, 2018
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Inter-Korean summit triggers mixed reactions from political parties
Political parties responded to the third inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang along partisan lines, with some opposition lawmakers calling for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s “official announcement” of the country’s complete denuclearization before talking about any future economic collaborations. Others were visibly touched, tearing up as they watched President Moon Jae-in arriving in Pyongyang on live television. Kim Sung-tae, floor leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, said he h
Sept. 18, 2018
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Constitutional Court to be 5 justices short for first time
The Constitutional Court of Korea will have only four justices for the first time ever as successors to the five outgoing justices are yet to be appointed.Five of the nine justices, including President Lee Jin-sung, will step down on Wednesday as their terms expire.The National Assembly is scheduled to vote Thursday afternoon on President Moon Jae-in’s pick of nominees for the Constitutional Court, including Yoo Nam-seok as the president and three other justices -- Kim Ki-young, Lee Young-jin an
Sept. 18, 2018
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Rival parties agree to handle key economic bills this week
The ruling and opposition parties agreed Monday to handle a package of key bills this week, including a deregulation proposal to allow nonfinancial firms to take bigger stakes in Internet-only banks.The floor leaders of the ruling Democratic Party, the main opposition Liberty Korea Party and the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party held a closed-door meeting and reached the agreement to act on those bills during a plenary session of the National Assembly on Thursday. (Yonhap)"There were discussion
Sept. 17, 2018
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Ruling party chief vows best efforts to make inter-Korean summit success
Ruling party chief Lee Han-chan said Monday he will try to help this week's summit between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un make progress in denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula."After all, the most pressing point of interest is how to realize the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Lee said during a meeting of Democratic Party leaders on the eve of Moon's trip to Pyongyang. "I will travel together (with Moon) and make my best efforts to help the talks to produce g
Sept. 17, 2018
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Moon urges reform at judicial branch’s 70th anniversary
President Moon Jae-in on Thursday urged the judiciary and the National Assembly to push for complete reform of the judicial branch, saying that past wrongs must be addressed. Speaking at an event marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the judicial branch held at the Supreme Court, Moon said that the law is the last refuge of the people and that ongoing reforms must meet the public’s expectations. President Moon Jae-in addresses the public at the event marking the 70th anniversay of
Sept. 13, 2018
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Moon urges judges to address past wrongdoings, push for self reform
President Moon Jae-in on Thursday called for courts' efforts to correct their past wrongdoings and make the judiciary branch independent, calling it the only way to win the much-needed faith of the people."The people are now working to build a just Republic of Korea. And all government officials, including myself, are now standing on the rule of law that the people restored," the president said in a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the court system, which came shortl
Sept. 13, 2018
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Moon vows increased support for people with developmental disabilities
President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday promised to continue expanding government support for people with developmental disabilities as part of efforts to build what he calls an inclusive nation."People with developmental disabilities face much more difficulties than those with other disabilities. Their parents too face many difficulties in raising them," the president said in a meeting with some 160 people, including people with developmental disabilities and their families. (Yonhap)The meeting, hel
Sept. 12, 2018
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Govt. submits motion for parliamentary ratification of April summit declaration
South Korea's government on Tuesday submitted a motion for the parliamentary ratification of the April inter-Korean summit declaration to secure bipartisan support for its enforcement ahead of another summit slated for next week.The unification ministry sent to the National Assembly the motion for the Panmunjom Declaration aimed at enhancing cross-border cooperation and exchanges and pursuing the "complete denuclearization" of the peninsula.An unification ministry official submits a motion for t
Sept. 11, 2018
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[Herald Interview] ‘Looking at 30 years ahead is needed in making national policy’
Once an aid-recipient country, South Korea has worked its way up to becoming a donor country, at a speed that surprised the world. The country’s development and changes also occurred under a unique circumstance, at a cease-fire with a communist state. But Korea has been weak in making long-term policies, as state plans often revolve around yielding a result during the 5-year presidential term. Now, the country should look beyond to plan its future looking 30 years ahead, according to Park Jin, t
Sept. 11, 2018
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Moon calls on opposition parties to drop partisan politics
President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday reiterated the importance of the upcoming inter-Korean summit and called for cooperation from the parliament, after political leaders rejected an invitation to accompany him to Pyongyang.“We should make the upcoming Pyongyang summit an opportunity to lead complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and a peaceful inter-Korean relationship, and to aid breaking the stalemate between the United States and North Korea,” President Moon said at a Cabinet meeting.
Sept. 11, 2018
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Parties call truce on Panmunjom Declaration
The escalating political tit-for-tat over the need for parliamentary approval of the April inter-Korean summit agreement has come to a halt, with the rival parties agreeing Monday to shelve the discussion until after the inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang next week. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea and opposition parties agreed Monday to suspend the debate over whether lawmakers should endorse the Panmunjom Declaration until after the inter-Korean summit from Sept. 18-20. Seeking to make a b
Sept. 10, 2018
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Seoul invites 9 parliamentary leaders to Pyongyang summit
The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Monday asked the parliamentary speaker and heads of all five political parties in South Korea to accompany President Moon Jae-in on his upcoming trip to the North.The invitation came from Moon's chief of staff Im Jong-seok, who currently heads a summit preparation committee.The Moon-Kim summit is set to be held in Pyongyang from Sept. 18-20. President Moon Jae-in's chief of staff Im Jong-seok (Yonhap)"The preparation committee for the 2018 Pyongyang summi
Sept. 10, 2018
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Opposition party leaders refuse to accompany Moon to Pyongyang
The leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party on Monday rejected a proposal to accompany President Moon Jae-in on his trip to Pyongyang next week for a third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.The presidential office and the ruling Democratic Party want the chiefs of five ruling and opposition parties to travel together with Moon when he visits the North from Sept. 18-20 in a gesture underlining bipartisan support for cross-border reconciliation and peace.But Liberty Korea Party
Sept. 10, 2018
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Prosecutors seek 20-year jail term for ex-President Lee Myung-bak
Prosecutors on Thursday demanded 20 years in jail for former President Lee Myung-bak over a series of corruption charges including bribery and embezzlement. Along with the jail term, the prosecutors also sought a 15 billion won ($13.4 million) fine and forfeiture of 11.1 billion won, in the last hearing, which began at the Seoul Central District Court at 2 p.m.“Heavy punishment is inevitable, as the magnitude of the corruption cases appears to be unprecedented,” the prosecutors said. “Lee damage
Sept. 6, 2018