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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'1 million' Christians join anti-LGBTQ+ marriage rally
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Lawmakers received special activity funds as extra salary: civic group
The National Assembly provided a total of 24 billion won ($21.4 million) to lawmakers for the purpose of supporting their “special activities,” and the money was used like salary by lawmakers without providing proof of usage, a civic group said on Thursday. The People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, a liberal civic group, released a report on the details of “special activity fund” spent at the National Assembly from 2011 to 2013. They analyzed 1,296 disbursement documents they received
July 5, 2018
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Govt. to crack down on civil servants involved in 'gapjil' practices
The government vowed Thursday to crack down on civil servants abusing their positions against people they serve, including taking tougher criminal and disciplinary measures against violators.The measures come as public outrage has been running high over the so-called "gapjil" practice of people in positions of power bullying those under their control or influence, as seen in the high-profile cases involving family members of Korean Air Chairman Cho Yang-ho.Cho's wife and two daughters have under
July 5, 2018
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Moon meets with labor leaders, raises hope for normalization of social dialogue
President Moon Jae-in met with the leaders of the country's two largest umbrella labor organizations Tuesday, raising hope for full normalization of a three-way social dialogue among the government, labor and business.Moon's meeting with Kim Joo-young, leader of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, and Kim Myoung-hwan, leader of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, took place on the sidelines of a ceremony to launch a preparatory committee for events commemorating next year's 100 annivers
July 3, 2018
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Moon urges thorough implementation of measures to ensure gender equality
President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday urged stepped-up efforts to eradicate sexual abuses and discrimination at workplaces, as the country marked its 23rd annual week of gender equality."In the candlelight vigils and the recent Me Too movement, the people are urging us to build a sound nation, a fair nation and a nation of no discrimination. We will have failed to meet such a demand should we be unable to eradicate gender discrimination and sexual violence that are deep-rooted throughout our society
July 3, 2018
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Local govts. to be allowed to designate national anniversaries as local holidays
The Cabinet was set Tuesday to approve a measure allowing local governments to designate some non-holiday national anniversaries as local holidays if the occasions carry special meaning for them.In addition to national holidays, such as the Aug. 15 Liberation Day, Korea also has 48 state-designated anniversaries that are not holidays, including the May 18 Democratization Day that commemorates the 1980 pro-democracy uprising in the southern city of Gwangju. (Yonhap)Under a measure to be approved
July 3, 2018
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Lawmakers divided on direction of refugee law revision
South Korean lawmakers appear to be divided on the issue of asylum seekers in the country. While some voice the importance of protecting the refugee applicants for humanitarian reasons, others are calling for stronger measures for “fake” refugees. On Sunday, first-term lawmaker Rep. Kwon Chil-seung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, along with nine others, proposed a law revision plan that mandates stricter screening process for refugee applicants. (Yonhap)“While the South Korean governme
July 2, 2018
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President to visit India, Singapore next week
South Korean President Moon Jae-in will embark on a two-nation Asia tour next week that will largely be aimed at enhancing his country's relations with its Asian neighbors, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Monday.The president will head for India on Sunday for a four-day state visit that will include a bilateral summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom. (Yonhap)"India is fast becoming a major power with the fastest growing econ
July 2, 2018
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Ruling party floor leader calls for swift normalization of parliament
The floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party on Monday raised the need to complete inter-party negotiations to form standing parliamentary committees this week to swiftly normalize an idle National Assembly.Rival parties passed a June extraordinary parliamentary session without reaching an agreement over how to form the 18 committees that will operate in the second half of the 20th National Assembly's four-year term. (Yonhap)They barely started consultations last week even though the former s
July 2, 2018
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Presidential official under fire for sexist remarks offers to resign
Tak Hyun-min, a protocol presidential aide to President Moon Jae-in, offered to resign Saturday, as he has been under fire for several months because of his biased views toward women.He has been criticized by opposition parties and women's advocacy groups over his sexist and misogynic remarks published in books he wrote a decade ago.Tak Hyun-min, a presidential aide for protocol, seen at the courts on June 18. Yonhap"I think now is really the time for me to leave," Tak said.In a text message to
June 30, 2018
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Ruling party's whip calls for swift normalization of parliament
The floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party on Friday raised the need to swiftly open an extraordinary parliamentary session in July to complete the formation of standing committees.Rival parties on Wednesday launched negotiations over the formation of the 18 committees that will operate in the second half of the 20th parliament's four-year term in an effort to normalize an idle National Assembly.They barely started consultations this week even though former Speaker Chung Sye-kyun's two-year
June 29, 2018
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Moon’s approval rating drops on job growth, conservative icon’s passing
President Moon Jae-in’s approval rating dropped significantly this week, a poll showed Thursday, amid controversy surrounding his economic policy, suspended military drills and accolades for a deceased conservative politician. In a survey conducted by Realmeter from Monday through Wednesday, 70.6 percent of 1,501 adults surveyed said they approved of the way the president managed state affairs.The reading marked a drop of 3.4 percentage points from 74 percent tallied over the same period last we
June 28, 2018
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President Moon down with flu: Cheong Wa Dae
President Moon Jae-in has called off his entire schedule for the remainder of the week as advised by his doctor, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday, adding the president is down with the flu. President Moon Jae-in (Yonhap)"He has been strongly advised by his doctor to rest until this weekend, so he decided to call off his entire schedule for the week," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom told reporters."President Moon has caught the flu due to fatigue and overwork following h
June 27, 2018
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Parties launch discussions for parliament normalization
The floor leaders of rival parties met Wednesday to discuss how to form parliamentary standing committees in an effort to normalize an idle National Assembly.They launched negotiations over the details of the 18 standing committees that will operate in the second half of the 20th parliament's four-year term.The National Assembly has been inactive for about a month mainly because opposition parties have been grappling with their crushing defeat in the June 13 local elections.Former Speaker Chung
June 27, 2018
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Parties to hold meeting for parliament normalization Wednesday
The ruling Democratic Party said Tuesday that the floor leaders of rival parties plan to meet the following day to discuss how to form parliamentary standing committees to normalize the National Assembly.They will hold a meeting Wednesday afternoon to launch negotiations over the details of the 18 standing committees that will operate in the second half of the 20th parliament's four-year term.The National Assembly has been idle for about one month mainly because opposition parties are grappling
June 26, 2018
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Cabinet approves budget for special counsel team on opinion rigging scandal
The Cabinet approved a 3.14 billion-won ($2.82 million) budget Tuesday for operations of the independent counsel team charged with looking into allegations that a power blogger tied to ruling party officials manipulated Internet comments for political purposes.Special prosecutor Huh Ik-Bum was appointed earlier this month to investigate the opinion rigging scandal involving close associates of President Moon Jae-in. After 20 days of preparations, his team is set to kick off the probe Wednesday,
June 26, 2018
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Moon names new aides in drive to boost economy
President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday appointed three new senior aides and established a special committee for income-led economic growth. This is the first reshuffle of top presidential aides since Moon took office in May last year. “If the past year was focused more on setting the direction, and drawing the outline of (the policies of) the Moon Jae-in administration, the reshuffle reflects the president’s will to achieve results more quickly,” said Im Jong-seok, Moon’s chief of staff. The photos pr
June 26, 2018
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Political heavyweights pay respects to late former PM
Former Prime Minister Kim Jong-pil’s funeral continued to draw mourners Sunday, with political heavyweights from both sides paying their respects. Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon on Saturday paid his respects, and revealed that Kim Jong-pil is to be awarded a government medal in recognition of the part he played in modern Korean history. “(Kim) has long played a leading role in (Korea’s) modern history, and served as a prime minister, as such the government will commemorate his achievements,” Lee sai
June 24, 2018
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Cheong Wa Dae expresses condolences over ex-PM's death
The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae expressed condolences Saturday over the death of former Prime Minister Kim Jong-pil, saying the legacy he left in South Korean politics will remain for a long time. Kim, who served as prime minister twice and as a lawmaker nine terms, died earlier in the day at the age of 92. “The hand stains and footprints that the deceased left in the modern history of South Korean politics won’t be removed easily,” (Yonhap) Yoon Young-chan, senior presidential secretary f
June 23, 2018
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[Newsmaker] Kim Jong-pil, kingmaker and perennial No. 2 man
Kim Jong-pil, who passed away on Saturday at the age of 92, was a seemingly ever-present figure in Korean politics, whose influence has been felt since the early 1960s. Kim was a two-time former Prime Minister, the founder of the country’s spy agency and widely-known as the “perennial No. 2 man” in modern Korean politics. He was 92. Kim was transferred from his home to Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Seoul and was declared dead upon arrival at 8:15 a.m., according to the hospital. He is bel
June 23, 2018
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Ex-S. Korean premier Kim Jong-pil, spy agency founder, dies
SEOUL (AP) -- Kim Jong-pil, the founder of South Korea's spy agency who also served twice as prime minister, first under his dictator boss and later under a man his agency kidnapped, has died. He was 92. Kim was declared dead on arrival at Seoul’s Soonchunhyang University Hospital from his home on Saturday, said hospital official Lee Mi-jong. He described the cause of death as age-related complications. Kim Jong-pil (Yonhap) A retired lieutenant colonel, Kim was a key member of a 1961 cou
June 23, 2018