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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[Photo News] Rallying against LGBTQ+
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4 in 10 young South Koreans take up 'irregular' jobs: data
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SM founder Lee Soo-man is back with A2O Entertainment
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'1 million' Christians join anti-LGBTQ+ marriage rally
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S. Korea checks more items vulnerable to Japan's export control
The South Korean government has stepped up preparations for the possibility of Japan expanding retaliatory export curbs, a related ministry official said Saturday.The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in January made a list of 100 industrial products that could be targeted by Japan's export restrictions, the official said.Three of them are already subject to stricter export controls: fluorinated polyimide, photoresist and high-purity hydrogen fluoride, which are used in semiconductor and sm
July 6, 2019
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Far-right party again puts up protest tents in central Seoul
A far-right minor party set up tents near a square in central Seoul on Friday as it pushes to erect more tents at the plaza despite the city government's warning against what it called an illegal protest.The Our Republican Party pitched four protest tents in front of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts near Gwanghwamun Square to press for a special probe into the deaths of five conservative protesters in 2017. There were no clashes with the police or the city government in the process of s
July 5, 2019
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Moon vows more govt support for 'social economy'
President Moon Jae-in said Friday his liberal administration will redouble efforts to boost the "social economy" sector to create jobs and support the underprivileged.He was addressing the opening ceremony of the second Social Economy Fair. This year's event opened in Daejeon, some 160 kilometers south of Seoul, for a three-day run.Since taking office in May 2017, Moon, a former human rights lawyer, has campaigned for the development of a social economy in South Korea, which struggles
July 5, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Main opposition floor leader accuses Moon administration of abusing democracy
Main opposition Liberty Korea Party Floor Leader Na Kyung-won has accused the Moon administration of “abusing democracy to achieve absolute power,” continuing the conservative bloc’s attack of President Moon Jae-in.“I can’t erase the thought that the Moon administration is abusing democracy to achieve absolute power rather than standing for citizens’ freedom and basic rights. This coincides with what the Economist referred to as ‘new dictatorship,’
July 4, 2019
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Cheong Wa Dae replaces two key communication secretaries
President Moon Jae-in replaced two senior secretaries for public relations Thursday.Jung Gu-cheol, standing auditor at the Korea Federation of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises, was appointed Cheong Wa Dae secretary for public relations planning, succeeding Yu Min-yeong. Jung served as presidential secretary for domestic media from 2006-2008 under the Roh Moo-hyun administration.He has long worked in the media, having worked as a reporter at Media Today, a news outlet specializing press-relate
July 4, 2019
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‘National Assembly should recall, penalize underperforming lawmakers’: Democratic Party floor leader
Ruling Democratic Party of Korea Floor Leader Lee In-young on Wednesday suggested changes to the National Assembly law in order to prevent another monthslong parliamentary deadlock, and called for the implementation of a political recall system to penalize underperforming lawmakers.“The parliament must automatically open on the first of every month to prevent the National Assembly from ending empty-handed after discussing the schedule,” Lee said during a parliamentary speech at the N
July 3, 2019
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[News focus] In Korea, even a US president can be branded pro-NK
While the jury is still out on the impact of US President Donald Trump’s excursion to the inter-Korean border, some staunch conservatives in South Korea are reacting with extreme responses. On Sunday, Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom, where he stepped across the Military Demarcation Line. He became the first sitting US president to set foot in North Korea. Some internet users, particularly those on right-wing websites, have acc
July 3, 2019
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Moon vows improved health insurance system
President Moon Jae-in made it clear Tuesday that his administration will stick to its signature state health insurance policy despite criticism from political opponents over funding.The so-called Moon Jae-in Care is meant to expand coverage of the state-run health insurance program, especially for the underprivileged, children and the elderly."The government's promise is robust," Moon stressed during a visit to a hospital run by the National Health Insurance Service in Goyang, northwes
July 2, 2019
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Far-right party says it will set up protest tents again at public plaza
A far-right opposition party said Tuesday it will set up protest tents again at a public plaza in central Seoul this week, heralding another possible clash with the city government and the district office.The Our Republican Party had illegally set up the tents at Gwanghwamun Square to call for the release of the jailed former President Park Geun-hye since May, pitting itself against the city government, which had ordered the removal. The party temporarily moved the tents to a spot in front of a
July 2, 2019
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Minor parties urge ruling party to spur efforts not to derail electoral reform bill
The chiefs of three minor opposition parties called on the ruling party Tuesday to make efforts not to derail an election reform bill that the four parties jointly put on a fast-track in April.The minor opposition Bareunmirae Party (BP), the liberal Party for Democracy and Peace (PDP) and the leftist Justice Party (JP) urged the ruling Democratic Party (DP) to take the helm of a special panel tasked with handling political reform to enable the electoral reform bill to be passed by August. The fo
July 2, 2019
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South Korean party leaders praise Trump-Kim meeting
South Korea's top politicians on Monday hailed the latest meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for providing a crucial momentum for advancing the stalled nuclear talks and peninsula peace efforts.Trump and Kim agreed Sunday to restart working-level nuclear negotiations in a few weeks during their impromptu meeting in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that divides the two Koreas. Trump became the first sitting US president to step into the North and invited Kim
July 1, 2019
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Busan police chief named to lead Seoul police agency
Lee Yong-pyo, commissioner of the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency, was appointed as chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in a reshuffle of top police officers on Monday.Lee Joon-sup, director of the National Security Bureau at the Korean National Police Agency , was promoted to head the Korean National Police University, while Kim Chang-ryong, commissioner of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, was named new chief of the Busan agency. Bae Yong-joo, director of the KNPA‘
July 1, 2019
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National Assembly back on track with Liberty Korea Party’s return
The floor leaders of the ruling and opposition parties on Friday agreed to extend the terms of special parliamentary committees on judiciary and political reform until the end of August, signaling the end of an 84-day political deadlock.The main opposition Liberty Korea Party also reached an internal consensus to unconditionally resume participation in parliamentary committees, wrapping up a protest that lasted nearly three months and brought the National Assembly to a standstill.In the wake of
June 28, 2019
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Opposition lawmakers visit defense minister's office in protest of security failure
A group of opposition lawmakers made a protest visit to the defense minister on Friday over a recent border security failure that led to the undetected arrival of a North Korean boat at an eastern sea port. Six lawmakers from the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) met with Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and lodged a protest against the military's dubious handling of the June 15 arrival of the boat at the eastern port of Samcheok. Criticism has mounted following revelations that the mil
June 28, 2019
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Moon replaces presidential secretary for personnel affairs
President Moon Jae-in on Thursday replaced his Cheong Wa Dae secretary for personnel affairs, his office announced, as many predict a Cabinet shake-up in the coming months.Kwon Yong-il, an official at the office of the presidential secretary for civil service discipline, has been promoted to the post, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson, Ko Min-jung. The former lawyer is replacing Kim Bong-jun, which is said to be preparing to run in next year's general elections. Having entered his third ye
June 27, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Cho Kuk mulled for justice minister
The presidential office has begun taking steps to appoint Cho Kuk, senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, as the next justice minister.Cheong Wa Dae is carrying out the basic vetting process, such as looking into Cho’s reputation. It considers him one of the strongest candidates for justice minister in the Cabinet reshuffle expected to take place as early as late July.Cheong Wa Dae has begun gathering basic data on Cho, such as his tax payment and immigration records, while Justi
June 26, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Parties to push ahead with National Assembly extraordinary session as agreed, minus Liberty Party
The ruling and minor opposition parties on Tuesday reaffirmed convening the June extraordinary parliamentary session as planned and put the National Assembly back to work amid the main opposition party’s last minute withdrawal.“Liberty Korea Party has turned away from coexistence and chose to take the arrogant, self-righteous and destructive path. They have betrayed the public’s calls for normalization of the National Assembly,” said Lee In-young, floor leader of the ruli
June 25, 2019
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S. Korea considers additional donation to global aid agencies to help N. Korea
The unification ministry said Tuesday that it is considering making an additional donation to global aid agencies to help North Korean people facing health and malnutrition problems. In a report to lawmakers, the ministry said that donations could be made to such agencies as the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization for their assistance projects in the impoverished North. Earlier this month, South Korea donated $8 million to the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF
June 25, 2019
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Rival parties fail to normalize parliament on LKP opposition
Rival parties failed to get the National Assembly back on track on Monday as the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) decided to reject a normalization deal initially agreed to between the floor leaders.It stymies earlier efforts by the party whips to resume the operation of the parliament at an impasse for nearly three months after wrangling over a push to place key reform bills on a fast-track.LKP floor leader Na Kyung-won said her party, after holding a general meeting, concluded that th
June 25, 2019
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[Newsmaker] North Korean boat spills over to political arena
Controversy over a North Korean boat has spread to the political arena, with the main opposition turning up the heat on President Moon Jae-in. Controversy began earlier this month when it was revealed that the military had announced inaccurate information about four North Koreans who arrived in the South on June 15. In revealing the information, government agencies initially stated that the wooden boat carrying four North Koreans was detected near Samcheok port in Gangwon Province. The mili
June 24, 2019