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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'1 million' Christians join anti-LGBTQ+ marriage rally
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SM founder Lee Soo-man is back with A2O Entertainment
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S. Korean president heads home after state visit to Cambodia
PHNOM PENH -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in headed home Saturday after finishing his three-day state visit to Cambodia.Moon's departure also concluded his trip to three Association of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) nations that earlier took him to Brunei and Malaysia. The president also made state visits to the two ASEAN countries. President Moon Jae-in and First Lady Kim Jung-sook get aboard the plane at Phnom Penh Airport on Saturday, ending their three-day state visit to Cambodia. (Yonhap)Durin
March 16, 2019
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Parliament may miss deadline for drawing 2020 election districts
Rival parties are likely to fail to meet the deadline for agreeing on electoral districts for next year's general elections as they still differ on broader electoral reform proposals.Friday is the deadline by which a parliamentary panel commissioned by the state election watchdog should submit a proposal on the demarcation of constituencies to the parliamentary speaker. (Yonhap)The National Assembly should then finalize the electoral precincts at least a year before the general elections, which
March 15, 2019
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S. Korean president begins state visit to Cambodia
South Korean President Moon Jae-in began his state visit to Cambodia on Thursday with a social dinner hosted by Prime Minister Hun Sen.The friendly dinner was held at Moon's hotel in Cambodia, only hours after he arrived here on a three-day state visit.Moon is the first South Korean president to make a state visit to Cambodia in 10 years.The previously unscheduled dinner came at a last-minute suggestion from the Cambodian leader, who is also set to hold a bilateral summit with Moon on Friday. Mo
March 14, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Tensions escalate over Liberty Korea Party floor leader Na Kyung-won’s remarks on President Moon
Facing full-throttle response from political parties over her highly controversial parliamentary speech Tuesday, main opposition Liberty Korea Party floor leader Na Kyung-won on Wednesday refused to apologize, heightening tensions at the National Assembly.In her speech, Na implied President Moon Jae-in was acting as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s spokesperson, referring to foreign media reports.Na’s strident criticism of the Moon administration has been seen as a strategic move to cement the
March 13, 2019
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Unification minister nominee’s social media posts to be bone of contention at confirmation hearing
Unification minister nominee Kim Yeon-chul is expected to focus on taking back or explaining his past remarks on social media at the parliamentary confirmation hearing scheduled for March 26.Kim stepped down as chief of the state-run think tank the Korea Institute for National Unification on Friday following his nomination as the minister in charge of inter-Korean affairs, replacing Cho Myoung-gyon.(Yonhap)Since then Kim has been preparing for his confirmation hearing at the Office of Inter-Kore
March 13, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Moon's office protests opposition party whip's derision of president
The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday expressed strong regret after the floor leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party called President Moon Jae-in a spokesman for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.In a parliamentary speech earlier in the day, Rep. Na Kyung-won condemned what she called the Moon government's endless defense of North Korea and called on the president not to work like a senior spokesman for Kim.Cheong Wa Dae immediately expressed strong regret over Na's speech an
March 12, 2019
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S. Korean president arrives in Malaysia on state visit
South Korean President Moon Jae-in arrived in Malaysia on Tuesday to make a three-day state visit that will include a summit with Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.Moon's arrival here followed his three-day state visit to Brunei, where he and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah sought ways to boost their countries' bilateral cooperation and exchange. (Yonhap)Moon is currently on a three-nation tour that will also take him to Cambodia. Both Malaysia and Cambodia, along with Brunei, are members of the 10-member
March 12, 2019
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Bareunmirae Party floor leader proposes changes to rules for May 18 fact-finding committee
Minor conservative Bareunmirae Party Floor Leader Kim Kwan-young proposed a revision to the Special Act on the May 18 Democratization Movement that would allow a fact-finding committee to be launched with only two-thirds of the mandated nine members, in an effort to break a deadlock in the process of forming the committee, the lawmaker said Monday.The revision was proposed on the day of former President Chun Doo-hwan’s trial in Gwangju on libel charges in connection with the military crackdown o
March 11, 2019
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Existence of strafing during Gwangju crackdown is key issue at Chun's trial
The primary issue of former President Chun Doo-hwan's ongoing libel trial involves his denial of the existence of helicopter strafing at citizens during a bloody military crackdown on the 1980 pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju.In his memoirs, published in 2017, Chun strongly rebutted the late activist priest Cho Chul-hyun's lifetime claim that he witnessed machine-gunning from helicopters at citizens during the bloodshed suppression, calling him a "shameless liar."Later, one of Cho's relatives f
March 11, 2019
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Unification minister nominee says he agrees with govt. on inter-Korean projects
Unification minister nominee Kim Yeon-chul said Monday he has similar views to the government on pushing for inter-Korean projects as a way to help the nuclear talks between the United States and North Korea move forward. Kim was named Friday to replace Cho Myoung-gyon as the minister in charge of inter-Korean affairs at a time when the government is seeking to restart a tour program to the North's Mount Kumgang and a joint industrial complex in the North's border city of Kaesong.(Yonhap)Preside
March 11, 2019
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Natl. Assembly to pass 7 bills this week to fight fine dust
Rival parties are speeding up deliberation on various bills on fighting fine dust pollution, with a goal of passing at least seven of them in a plenary session of the National Assembly this week, officials said Monday.The nation's three biggest parties -- the ruling Democratic Party, the main opposition Liberty Korea Party and the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party -- have recently agreed to pass seven pending bills this month to reduce air pollution amid growing public discontent over frequent
March 11, 2019
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Former President Chun stands trial for libel over Gwangju memoirs
Former President Chun Doo-hwan appeared in a libel trial in the regional city of Gwangju on Monday over his controversial memoirs, in which he allegedly defamed victims of his brutal crackdown on a 1980 pro-democracy uprising. The 88-year-old, who led an authoritarian government from 1980-1988, was indicted in May last year on charges that he defamed victims of his government's bloody crackdown on the Gwangju pro-democracy revolt. It marks another court appearance by the disgraced ex-leader in m
March 11, 2019
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[News Focus] More state-run agencies likely to move out from Seoul
SEJONG -- A project to remedy the problem of imbalanced development among the different regions in South Korea began 16 years ago under the government of former President Roh Moo-hyun. It entailed relocation of the headquarters of many public agencies, including state-funded firms and institutes, from the Seoul metropolitan area to provincial cities across the country.According to the Land Ministry, 150 of the 153 targeted agencies have already relocated over the past decade in the first phase.T
March 10, 2019
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Kim Yeon-chul tapped as new unification minister
Kim Yeon-chul, who was tapped as the new unification minister Friday, has more than 20 years of experience dealing with inter-Korean and unification issues as a policy adviser and scholar. Currently, Kim serves as the president of the Korea Institute for National Unification, a government-funded think tank, and teaches at the Department of Korea Unification of Inje University. The Korea Institute for National Unification President Kim Yeon-chul (Yonhap)Kim is one of seven new ministers nominated
March 8, 2019
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President Moon names 7 new ministers in Cabinet reshuffle
President Moon Jae-in on Friday named seven new ministers in a move to set his administration up for the second half of his term that will also replace the country's point man on North Korea. The photos provided by the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae show the new minister nominees announced March 8. They are (from top left) Interior Minister nominee Chin Young; SMEs Minister nominee Park Young-sun; Culture Minister nominee Park Yang-woo; Unification Minister nominee Kim Yeon-chul; (from bottom
March 8, 2019
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Former strongman Chun will attend libel trial: lawyer
Former President Chun Doo-hwan will attend a hearing set for next week on a libel case involving his controversial memoirs on the 1980 pro-democracy uprising, his lawyer said Thursday."Former President Chun will attend the hearing on that day (Monday). He hasn't dodged it so far but couldn't attend because of health problems," Chung Joo-kyo told Yonhap over the phone. (Yonhap)The Gwangju District Court issued a subpoena against the 87-year-old Chun on Jan. 7 as he refused to show up at the cour
March 7, 2019
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National Assembly kicks off extra session after 2-month hiatus
After a two-month hiatus, the National Assembly kicked off an extraordinary session Thursday to deal with contentious bills largely on the economy and electoral reform.The 30-day session began as the main opposition Liberty Korea Party ended its boycott of parliamentary activities earlier this week.The National Assembly has been idle since January amid tensions over a raft of allegations of government abuse of power, a controversial appointment and a former ruling party lawmaker's purchases of p
March 7, 2019
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National Security Office reorganized to strengthen communication with US
President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday named new secretaries for peace and security strategy, completing the reorganization of the National Security Office. The appointments, which follow changes in the organization of the National Security Office, appear to be aimed at strengthening cooperation and communication with the US on North Korea-related issues. Choi Jong-kun was appointed to the newly established position of peace planning secretary, and Noh Kyu-duk as the secretary for security strategy.
March 6, 2019
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President Moon calls for joint action with China to reduce fine dust
South Korean President Moon Jae-in ordered his government Wednesday to work together with China to fight fine dust pollution, his office Cheong Wa Dae said.South Korea has suffered from the worst particulate matter pollution this week with a large portion of the fine dust believed to be blown from China.(Yonhap)The president told the government to discuss dust-reducing measures at the same time with China to enhance the effectiveness of the countries' steps, which are currently taken separately.
March 6, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Former President Lee Myung-bak released on bail
Former President Lee Myung-bak was released on bail Wednesday after almost one year of detention on corruption charges.Lee, president from 2008-2013, was sentenced by a lower court in October to 15 years in prison on conviction of bribery and embezzlement. He appealed the decision. The Seoul High Court approved the bail request that Lee made on Jan. 29 on the grounds of deteriorating health and other reasons. (Yonhap)For the 1 billion won ($886,130) bail, the court ordered him to stay in his re
March 6, 2019