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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Ruling party, govt. agree to give monthly rent subsidy to low-income youth
The ruling party and the government on Thursday agreed on a new youth assistance program, including a monthly rent subsidy for young people in lower income brackets, party officials said. The decision was reached during a consultative meeting between the Democratic Party and the government amid the country's soaring housing costs and the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Under the special youth assistance program, the government will pay a monthly rent subsidy of 200,000 won ($171.4) for up to a ye
Aug. 26, 2021
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S. Korea to seek talks with EU over new carbon policy
South Korea's trade ministry said Thursday it is seeking to hold talks with the European Union (EU) over the single largest economic bloc's new carbon-neutral policy, which may weigh down exports of steel and aluminum. The EU announced earlier that it will implement the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in the near future. Under the CBAM scheme, European importers of cement, electricity, fertilizer, steel and aluminum must purchase "carbon certificates" corresponding to the a
Aug. 26, 2021
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Assembly vote on 'fake news' bill delayed
South Korea’s National Assembly postponed a plenary meeting scheduled for Wednesday, preventing the ruling party from passing two controversial bills that have drawn fierce protests from opposition lawmakers. Early Wednesday, National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug notified the political party floor leaders that the plenary meeting scheduled later in the day would be postponed, since bills should not go through two legislative stages on the same day. At around 4 a.m. Wednesday, a cont
Aug. 25, 2021
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Plenary parliamentary meeting postponed ahead of planned vote on controversial media bill
The National Assembly postponed a plenary meeting set for Wednesday, hours after the ruling party railroaded a controversial media bill through a parliamentary committee despite protests from opposition parties. National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug expressed his decision to put off the plenary meeting set for the afternoon, according to Rep. Han Byung-do, spokesman of the ruling Democratic Party (DP). The DP, controlling an absolute majority at the National Assembly, planned to push the
Aug. 25, 2021
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S. Korea looks set for legislation to curb Google, Apple's in-app billing system
A parliamentary committee on Wednesday passed a bill to ban Google and Apple from forcing app developers to use the platforms' payment systems, clearing the last remaining hurdle before a final vote. The legislation and judiciary committee of the National Assembly approved the revision of the Telecommunications Business Act, which seeks to bar app market operators from requiring developers to use certain payment systems by unfairly using their positions. If the bill is approved in a plenary
Aug. 25, 2021
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[Newsmaker] Controversial media bill passes last hurdle to go on parliamentary plenary vote
A controversial bill on curbing fake news passed the last parliamentary hurdle Wednesday to be put to a final plenary vote at the National Assembly amid heated protests from opposition parties and journalists' associations. The bill to revise the Act on Press Arbitration and Remedies, Etc. for Damage Caused by Press Reports received the green light from the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the final gatekeeping committee for all bills before they go on a final vote at a parliamentary plenar
Aug. 25, 2021
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Moon to invite startup entrepreneurs, promise support at Cheong Wa Dae event
President Moon Jae-in will invite venture startup investors and entrepreneurs to Cheong Wa Dae this week to encourage them and promise government support to extend South Korea's latest boom in the startup scene, his office said Tuesday. The event, titled "K+ Venture," will be held Thursday afternoon at the presidential office and will be attended by SMEs and Startups Minister Kwon Chil-seung and some 70 startup investors, entrepreneurs and those currently preparing to launch their own
Aug. 24, 2021
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Busan medical school voids admission of ex-justice minister's daughter
Pusan National University (PNU) in this southern port city said Tuesday it has decided to nullify its admission of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk's daughter into its medical school in 2015 following her mother's recent conviction in an academic fraud case. The state-run university said its decision to cancel Cho Min's admission to PNU's Graduate School of Medicine six years ago came after an analysis of an appellate court's ruling on her mother's academic fraud charges and an in-house committe
Aug. 24, 2021
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Hong quickly chasing Yoon in polls
Five-term lawmaker Hong Joon-pyo of the main opposition People Power Party is quickly closing the gap with former prosecutor general Yoon Seok-youl in presidential preference polls as Yoon loses centrists and Hong attracts more 20-somethings. In a survey of 1,007 voters nationwide conducted on Friday and Saturday by the Korea Society Opinion Institute (KSOI) and commissioned by TBS, 20.5 percent said they would vote for Hong among conservatives, while 28.4 percent chose Yoon. Hong entered the
Aug. 24, 2021
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PPP reviews discipline against lawmakers involved in suspicious property deals
The main opposition People Power Party held a meeting Tuesday to decide on disciplinary measures against its lawmakers allegedly connected to suspected illegal real estate dealings one day after the state anti-corruption watchdog announced the results of a probe into opposition lawmakers' past deals. On Monday, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) said it has identified 13 alleged speculation cases linked to 12 incumbent PPP legislators. The ACRC has delivered its findings to
Aug. 24, 2021
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Colombian President Duque arrives in S. Korea for summit with Moon
Colombian President Ivan Duque on Tuesday began a three-day state visit to South Korea, which includes a summit with President Moon Jae-in on establishing a comprehensive bilateral partnership in key areas. Duque arrived in South Korea earlier Tuesday via Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, south of Seoul, officials said. He is scheduled to hold a summit with Moon at Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday, the second day of his South Korean state visit. According to officials, the state visit was arranged at the
Aug. 24, 2021
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Ruling party, govt. agree on record budget for 2022 to tackle COVID-19 crisis
The ruling party and the government on Tuesday agreed to draw up the biggest ever annual state budget of 605 trillion won ($518.7 billion) for 2022 to finance the country's efforts to tackle the COVID-19 crisis. This represents a slight increase from this year's budget of 604.7 trillion won, including the regular budget of 558 trillion won and two rounds of COVID-19 response extra budget, they said. "The party and the government shared their commitment to allotting sufficient resources ne
Aug. 24, 2021
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Parliamentary committee approves bill mandating
A parliamentary committee on Monday approved a contentious bill that requires the installation of surveillance cameras in hospital rooms despite strong opposition from medical groups. The Health and Welfare Committee gave its nod to the bill to revise the Medical Service Act in a plenary session. The bill, if finally passed at the National Assembly's general meeting, would mandate the installation and operation of closed-circuit TV cameras in hospital operation rooms. The passage came nine mo
Aug. 23, 2021
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Fracas within main opposition gets worse
Conflict between main opposition party leader Lee Jun-seok and campaigners for the party’s leading presidential contender, Yoon Seok-youl, is flaring up again as Yoon fails to control his camp. A special adviser to Yoon called on Lee to step down as chairman of the People Power Party and join the camp of Yoo Seong-min, another presidential hopeful in the party, whom Lee is close to. Min Young-sam wrote on Facebook on Sunday that Lee should resign, support Yoo and say whatever he wants or
Aug. 23, 2021
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Rival parties on collision course ahead of plenary vote on controversial media arbitration bill
A partisan showdown loomed large at the National Assembly on Monday, as the ruling Democratic Party (DP) with a controlling number of parliamentary seats was set to railroad a controversial media bill this week fiercely contested by opposition parties and media industry trade groups. The revision of the Act on Press Arbitration and Remedies, Etc. for Damage Caused by Press Reports, which was passed by parliament's culture committee last week, is expected to be put to a final vote during the N
Aug. 23, 2021
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Moon urges thorough measures to minimize damage from Typhoon Omais
President Moon Jae-in instructed the government Monday to maintain a firm emergency response system, as Typhoon Omais is expected to make landfall on the Korean Peninsula later in the day, his office said. Moon instructed relevant authorities to prepare for carrying out a "special response" and asked the people to pay keen attention as well, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Park Kyung-mee. The president called for thorough measures against flooding damage and landslides, as we
Aug. 23, 2021
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[Newsmaker] Rival parties' leading contenders in tight race for president, poll shows
Two leading contenders in South Korea's presidential race -- Yoon Seok-youl and Lee Jae-myung -- are still neck and neck, with the election less than seven months away, a survey showed Monday. In the two-day poll on 1,007 voters nationwide through last Saturday by the Korea Society Opinion Institute (KSOI), former Prosecutor General Yoon of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) had 29.8 percent of support, down 0.8 percentage point from a week earlier. Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee of the
Aug. 23, 2021
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Assembly speaker seeks support for Korean businesses in Turkey, Azerbaijan
National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug met with the presidents of Turkey and Azerbaijan during a nine-day visit that ended Saturday, officials said Sunday. During those meetings the leaders of both nations agreed to deepen economic and diplomatic ties with Korea. Park stressed the significance of bilateral economic cooperation and asked them to support the efforts of Korean companies to take part in major projects there, according to a statement released by the speaker’s office. P
Aug. 22, 2021
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Gyeonggi Gov. Lee pledges to meet with Biden, Kim Jong-un to broker denuclearization deal
Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung, the front-runner in the ruling Democratic Party's presidential primary race, pledged Sunday to meet with US. President Joe Biden and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to broker a step-by-step deal to resolve the North Korea nuclear issue. In a press conference on his Korean Peninsula peace policy, Lee said it was "realistic" and "practical" for both Pyongyang and Washington to "seek an agreement and implementation of denuclearization
Aug. 22, 2021
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DP's presidential hopefuls launch online campaign in metaverse camp
Six presidential hopefuls from the ruling Democratic Party (DP) have embarked on a collective online campaign following the opening ceremony of their metaverse camp last week. Metaverse, a combination of meta (meaning beyond) and verse (from universe), refers to a three-dimensional virtual shared world in which all activities can take place with the help of augmented- and virtual-reality services. The DP has leased parts of "Metropolis," a metaverse program developed by South Korea's
Aug. 22, 2021