Most Popular
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Signs point to N. Korean troops in Russia-Ukraine combat zone
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[Exclusive] Korean adoptee sisters meet for the first time in 39 years
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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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Yoon calls for measures to protect Koreans amid escalating Iran-Israel conflicts
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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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[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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[Newsmaker] Police seek arrest warrant for singer Park Yoo-chun over drug allegations
Police on Tuesday sought an arrest warrant for Park Yoo-chun, an actor and member of boy band JYJ, over allegations that he took drugs together with the granddaughter of the founder of a dairy producer.The police requested the prosecution to apply for a writ against the 33-year-old Park over his suspected drug use, after quizzing him on three occasions.(Yonhap)He is alleged to have used methamphetamine early this year with Hwang Ha-na, the now arrested granddaughter of the founder of Namyang Dai
Social AffairsApril 23, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Jinju arson-murder attack reveals shortcomings of Korea’s mental health care
Wednesday’s brutal arson and murders in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, which left five people dead and 15 others injured, put the spotlight on the glaring shortcomings in the country’s mental health care system. The total budget designated for mental health this year stands at 171.3 billion won ($150.1 million), accounting for 1.5 percent of the government budget for public health, data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare showed Monday.(Yonhap)The portion of the budget spent on mental hea
Social AffairsApril 22, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Hyundai scion arrested over drug-use allegations
A grandson of the late Hyundai Group founder Chung Ju-yung was apprehended Sunday at the Incheon Airport on suspicions of using liquid marijuana, even as another SK Group family member is under probe for using it. (Yonhap)The 28-year-old -- eldest son of Chung Mong-il, the eighth son of Hyundai founder and CEO of Hyundai M Partners -- was taken into custody at around 9:30 a.m. upon his arrival from the United Kingdom, according to the police. Chung is suspected of purchasing a liquid form of mar
Social AffairsApril 21, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Hyundai family member arrested at Incheon airport over drug allegations
A grandson of the late Hyundai Group founder Chung Ju-yung was taken into custody Sunday on charges of using illegal drugs.The 28-year-old, who is the eldest son of Chung Mong-il, the eighth son of the Hyundai founder and CEO of Hyundai M Partners Co., was detained at around 9:30 a.m. upon his arrival at Incheon International Airport, police said.(Yonhap)The junior Chung is suspected of illegally using a liquid variety of marijuana on three occasions at his home in Seoul last year and smoked mar
Social AffairsApril 21, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Court says no need to release documents on 2015 deal over sex slavery
An appeals court said Thursday the government does not have to disclose documents on the negotiations that led to a controversial 2015 deal between South Korea and Japan on Tokyo’s wartime sex slavery, citing national interest. (Yonhap)Overturning a lower court’s decision, the Seoul High Court ruled that making public the documents, which include diplomatic secrets, could severely violate Korea’s interests and damage ties with Japan.“If the information is revealed, Japan’s side would be disclose
Social AffairsApril 18, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Lawmaker, ex-lawmaker rapped for remarks on families of Sewol victims
The main opposition party is taking steps to discuss disciplinary action against a lawmaker and a former legislator over their remarks concerning those who lost family members in the sinking of the Sewol ferry five years ago, which killed more than 300 people.On Tuesday morning, Rep. Chung Jin-suk of the Liberty Korea Party posted on Facebook what he said was a message from a friend, “Tell them to stop taking advantage of Sewol. They really shouldn’t be acting like this if they feel sorry for th
Social AffairsApril 17, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Ex-football coach banned for life over alleged sexual harassment
The former head coach of a women's football club received a lifetime ban from the sport's national governing body on Wednesday for allegedly sexually harassing his former players.The Korea Football Association said Ha Keum-jin, former head coach of Gyeongju Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Women's Football Club in the WK League, will no longer be allowed to engage in any football-related activities.Sexual harassment allegations against Ha emerged in January. (Yonhap)The KFA promptly launched an inv
Social AffairsApril 17, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Police raid K-pop singer Park Yoo-chun’s house in drug probe
Gyeonggi police searched South Korean singer-actor Park Yoo-chun’s home and took hair samples Tuesday in a drug probe that started when his ex-girlfriend accused him of using illegal drugs. The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency drug squad said 11 investigators had raided Park’s residence in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province, and confiscated his cellphone and car, a day before Park’s scheduled appearance for police questioning Wednesday.In spite of Park’s denials, police found his ex-girlfriend’s te
Social AffairsApril 16, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Sewol victims’ families call for new probe, punishment
Bereaved families of the victims of the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster on Monday called for a fresh prosecutorial investigation into the event and punishment for those accountable, a day before the fifth anniversary of the disaster. (Yonhap)Five years after the 6,800-ton ferry sank in waters off the southern coast on April 16, 2014, killing 304 people -- most of whom were high school students on a field trip -- the victims’ families said justice has not yet been served because of attempted cover-ups.
Social AffairsApril 15, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Feuding Hanjin siblings mourn brother’s death
Over the weekend, renowned corporate and political figures paid tribute to late Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho, who died of a chronic illness last week. However, his younger brothers Cho Nam-ho and Cho Jung-ho garnered more attention due to their strained relations in the past. Another brother, Cho Soo-ho, former chairman of Hanjin Shipping, died in 2006. Nam-ho is the former chairman of Hanjin Heavy Industries, while the youngest Jung-ho is current chairman of Meritz Financial Group. The sib
IndustryApril 14, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Korea welcomes WTO ruling, vows to continue import ban on Japanese seafood
The South Korean government on Friday welcomed a ruling by the World Trade Organization that upheld the government’s import ban on Japanese seafood in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima disaster.“The government has been making all-out efforts to follow the principle of making the health and safety of the people a priority, and the government highly appraises the WTO’s decision,” the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Energy said in a statement, adding that it would continue the import ban on Japanese
IndustryApril 12, 2019
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[Newsmaker] [News focus] Constitutional Court justice candidate faces conflict of interest allegation over stock ownership
Constitutional Court Justice nominee Lee Mi-sun was in the hot seat Thursday over stocks worth around 3.5 billion won ($3 million) she and her husband hold, igniting allegations of a possible conflict of interest.The couple bought the stocks through 5,200 transactions -- 1,200 times by Lee and 4,000 times by her husband Oh Cheong-jin -- prompting financial authorities to look into alleged irregularities.Lee claimed she was unaware of the scope of the transactions as stock trading was done by her
PoliticsApril 11, 2019
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[Newsmaker] JYJ member Park Yu-chun denies drug rumors
K-pop singer-turned-actor Park Yu-chun held a press conference Wednesday and denied rumors that he had supplied drugs to ex-fiancee Hwang Ha-na, who is under investigation for alleged drug use.Park Yu-chun (Yonhap)“I never used drugs,” Park said.“When I saw the report that Hwang Ha-na said a celebrity had offered her drugs, I was so scared that the person could be mistaken for me. I was terrified by the thought that I could be labeled a drug user even though I never did drugs.”The 32-year-old sa
Social AffairsApril 10, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Ex-President Chun denies helicopter shootings in 1980
Former President Chun Doo-hwan on Monday once again denied in court that military helicopters shot at civilians during a pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju in May 1980.Chun did not show up for a preparatory hearing at the Gwangju District Court on Monday for his trial on charges that he defamed the dead.Chun’s lawyer Chung Joo-kyo objected to about one-third of the evidence that prosecutors submitted, including a report by a special panel of the Defense Ministry and a National Forensic Service re
Social AffairsApril 9, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Cho Yang-ho, tycoon who led rise of Korean Air but fell over family’s notoriety, dies at 70
Cho Yang-ho, the second-generation chaebol scion who led the rise of the nation’s largest air carrier Korean Air, only to struggle late in life to contain damage from a series of power abuse scandals involving his wife and children, died Monday in Los Angeles. He was 70.He had been receiving treatment for pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic disease, since late last year that was not disclosed to the public. He died at a hospital in LA early Monday morning Korean time, in the presence of his family mem
IndustryApril 8, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Probe on drug use broadens to celebrities
Police are expanding an investigation on drug use to celebrities, as Hwang Ha-na, the granddaughter of the founder of a major South Korean dairy producer, has revealed she took illegal substances on the recommendation of a celebrity acquaintance. (Yonhap)Hwang, 31, the granddaughter of Namyang Dairy Products’ founder Hong Du-yeong, was arrested Saturday for suspected of drug trading and use. She is accused of selling methamphetamine and using it herself in 2015. Separately, she is suspected of h
Social AffairsApril 7, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Roy Kim booked for distribution of obscene photo
K-pop singer Roy Kim was booked by police Thursday, charged with sharing an obscene photo in a group chat.According to Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on Thursday, police told Kim to appear for a police investigation after finding the photo in a group chat room with fellow entertainer Jung Joon-young and others.Police, however, have not confirmed if Kim had taken the photo.Roy Kim (Yonhap)The 26-year-old singer shot to fame after winning the fourth season of TV music competition “Superstar K” i
Social AffairsApril 4, 2019
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[Newsmaker] S. Korean ship held for violating UN sanctions on NK
North Korea continues to ship coal despite sanctions and a South Korean ship has been held at port for nearly six months for suspected involvement in related activities, it was revealed Tuesday. According to Seoul’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a South Korean ship suspected of transferring petroleum products to a North Korean vessel in a ship-to-ship transfer is currently being held in Busan. The South Korean ship suspected of being involved in violating sanctions on North Korea sits at anchor a
North KoreaApril 3, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Main opposition Liberty Korea Party draws criticism for campaigning inside football stadium
In the final sprint to the April 3 parliamentary by-election, main opposition Liberty Korea Party leader Hwang Kyo-ahn and the party’s Changwon district candidate Kang Ki-yoon on Monday were blasted for violating the K League’s ban on campaigning inside a stadium of the soccer league over the weekend, while Gyeongnam FC said they may be subject to punishment. Main opposition Liberty Korea Party leader Hwang Kyo-ahn (center) and the party’s Changwon district candidate Kang Ki-yoon greet spectator
PoliticsApril 1, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Prosecution to reinvestigate sex bribery case of ex-vice minister
Prosecutor-General Moon Moo-il on Friday ordered a reinvestigation into a high profile case involving former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-eui, over allegations of rape, sexual bribery and abuse of power. Prosecutor-General Moon Moo-il (Yonhap)The prosecution launched a special investigation team of 13 prosecutors led by Yeo Hwan-seop, who heads Cheongju District Prosecutors’ Office, to guarantee “fairness” of the probe, it said. Kim, who retired from public service in March 2013, faces allegat
Social AffairsMarch 29, 2019