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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[Newsmaker] Religious groups respond to COVID-19 outbreak
Religious organizations are on alert after a drastic increase in the number of COVID-19 cases was linked to a church in Daegu. As of 5 p.m. Thursday, the South Korean government had reported 22 new cases of the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus. The total number of infections in Korea had jumped to 104. It is suspected that the nation’s 31st patient hastened its spread by visiting a church in Daegu, which is associated with a minor religious sect. Amid the quick sprea
CultureFeb. 20, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Actor Ha Jung-woo denies illegal drug use
Actor Ha Jung-woo on Tuesday denied all accusations that he had illegally taken the anesthetic propofol at a plastic surgery clinic in Gangnam, Seoul. Propofol is a short-acting anesthetic that is highly addictive. Plastic surgery clinics normally administer it to patients undergoing surgery. The news first broke last Thursday when a local news outlet reported that prosecutors were looking into about 10 people suspected of abusing drugs, including a famous actor. Although Ha’s name was
FilmFeb. 19, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Transgender soldier files petition against discharge decision
A former noncommissioned officer forcibly discharged from the military after sex reassignment surgery has filed an appeal seeking reinstatement, sources said Wednesday. Byun Hee-soo, 22, filed the petition with the Army Headquarters, the sources said, after a military committee ruled last month based on a medical examination that the staff sergeant is unable to continue to serve. Byun underwent the transition surgery late last year in Thailand and has expressed a desire to keep serving in the
Social AffairsFeb. 19, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Cabinet passes bill on soldiers’ child care leave
The Cabinet on Tuesday passed a revised bill that encourages soldiers to take longer periods of leave for child care. Government officials including soldiers can take child care leave of up to three years per child. Currently, up to a year of child care leave for a soldier for his or her first child is included in the minimum period of service required for promotion. Under the revised bill, soldiers will be able to take child care leave of more than one year for their first child without dela
Social AffairsFeb. 18, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Chinese students in Korea advised 14-day self-isolation
The government said Monday that it will advise Chinese students enrolled in Korean universities to suspend attending classes and to stay in isolation for two weeks, in an effort to rein in the spread of the COVID-19 virus, as they are set to return for the new school year. Questions remain, however, over the effectiveness of the measures as they are not legally binding. While there are no legal grounds for local authorities to punish students breaking self-isolation rules, some Chinese studen
Social AffairsFeb. 17, 2020
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[Newsmaker] News presenter Lim Hyun-ju reignites bra-free debate
News presenter Lim Hyun-ju has reignited debate on going braless after appearing on an MBC documentary on Thursday. In the program “Series M -- Do We Need to Wear Bras” (unofficial translation), Lim went bra-free for a day. She prepared for and did a live television show without wearing a bra, and shared how she felt about it afterward. On Sunday, Lim said people had left hateful comments on her Instagram account after she shared more information and her feelings about the exper
TelevisionFeb. 16, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Actor suspected of propofol abuse
Prosecutors are looking into about 10 people suspected of drug abuse, including a famous actor, a chaebol scion, an entertainment agency CEO and a well-known fashion designer, SBS reported Thursday. Those suspected allegedly got habitual propofol injections for non-medical purposes over the past several years at a plastic surgery clinic in Seoul’s Gangnam, the broadcaster said. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety requested for an investigation, as the clinic used excessive amounts of
Social AffairsFeb. 14, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Samsung denies heir’s drug abuse allegations
Samsung Electronics flatly denied Thursday allegations that its heir apparent and Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong illegally received injections of propofol, a short-acting sedative and anesthetic drug. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office began looking into the accusations after the state anti-corruption watchdog, which received a tip from a whistleblower on Lee’s alleged drug use, referred the case to the prosecution last month. The case came to light after investigative local new
Social AffairsFeb. 13, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Hands-on: What you can do with Galaxy Z Flip when folded
SAN FRANCISCO -- There are more things that can be done on a tiny 1.1-inch display on the cover of Samsung Electronics’ palm-sized foldable Galaxy Z Flip than many would have thought, which maximizes both fun and convenient elements of the brand new mobile form factor. The Korea Herald got a chance to check out the new flip-type foldable gadget at the Galaxy Unpacked 2020 held in San Francisco on Tuesday. The tech giant highlighted that its foldable device can now be folded into a sma
TechnologyFeb. 12, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Nongshim ups promotion of ‘ram-don’ from ‘Parasite’
In light of Korean filmmaker Bong joon-ho’s historical victory at the Oscars with his film “Parasite,” the Korean manufacturer of instant noodles featured in the film is riding high on the bandwagon. Jjapaguri -- translated as “ram-don” in the English subtitles -- is a mixture of Chapaghetti black bean instant noodles and soup-based Neoguri ramen. Having aroused the curiosity of cinemagoers around the world, the recipe quickly spread via social media, with Bong&rs
ConsumerFeb. 11, 2020
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[Newsmaker] 8 stars of ‘Parasite’
When “Parasite” became the first non-English-language movie to win the top honor of best ensemble cast at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, actor Lee Sun-kyun joked, “I am a little embarrassed. It feels like we are parasites of Hollywood now.” He was being humble. Bong Joon-ho’s satire-thriller “Parasite” on Monday won best picture, best director, best international feature film and best original screenplay at the Academy Awards, becoming the first Kor
FilmFeb. 10, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Jongno race bellwether for presidential election
Home to the presidential office and Seoul Government Complex comprising key government offices, the Jongno District in central Seoul has been a symbolic seat in the political landscape. The election results there have proven to be a yardstick on where rival parties stand for the next president. In the upcoming parliamentary elections in April, the district will once again serve as a key battlefield for liberals and conservatives, as Lee Nak-yon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and Chairm
PoliticsFeb. 9, 2020
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[Newsmaker] 1339 coronavirus hotline short of counselors to help foreigners
Foreign language speakers seeking assistance with their queries on the novel coronavirus are finding it difficult to get help through Korea Centers for Disease Control’s hotline 1339. Korea Tourism Organization announced on Thursday that people who need advice in foreign languages could call 1339 and press 4, which would connect them to a three-way call service with interpreters to accommodate callers who do not speak Korean. The service is available in eight languages, including Englis
TravelFeb. 7, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Coronavirus infection closes GS Home Shopping headquarters, live show suspended
GS Home Shopping said Thursday it has decided to close its headquarters until Saturday morning as one of its employees was infected with the new coronavirus. “As an employee was confirmed to be infected by the new coronavirus, the company has closed the headquarters building in Seoul in case of emergency,” the company said. During the period, the firm said it would thoroughly disinfect the entire building. All of its home shopping broadcasts will be replaced by rebroadcas
IndustryFeb. 6, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Taiwanese voice-phishing suspect alarms police by coughing
A Taiwanese person arrested for voice phishing repeatedly coughed and said he felt feverish Thursday morning, prompting police to take precautions against the novel coronavirus. The 35-year-old, locked up at the Gwangju Bukbu Police Station for allegedly stealing cash through telephone fraud, was taken to a clinic, where he was declared well as he had a normal temperature and no symptoms of pneumonia. Medical staff assumed that his persistent coughing was due to excessive smoking. Police ha
Social AffairsFeb. 6, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Government tries damage control following face mask shortage
With face masks running out fast as the new China-borne virus spreads, the government is cracking down on hoarding and illicit trading of hygiene goods in high demand. Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip announced Wednesday a joint clampdown on market cornering and price gouging of face masks and hand sanitizers. A response team comprising 180 officials of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Fair Trade Commission, National Tax Service and National Police Agency will monitor unfair trading pr
Social AffairsFeb. 5, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Universities reschedule key ceremonies amid coronavirus scare
February and March are usually the most celebrated and busiest months in the Korean school calendar. Schools hold graduation ceremonies in February and welcome freshmen at the beginning of March. But things are likely to be different this year as more and more schools reschedule the milestone events with the potentially fatal new coronavirus showing no signs of abating here. South Korea has confirmed 18 cases of infection since Jan. 20. A majority of universities based in the country's cap
Social AffairsFeb. 5, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Candidates turn to social media to woo voters amid coronavirus crisis
The coronavirus is forcing general election candidates to find ways to reach voters apart from street canvassing, with many turning to social media. Campaign rally events often involve face-to-face conversations, handshakes and canvassing trucks with loudspeakers blaring music at places with a large flow of people and dense crowds. But fears over the contagious disease are driving candidates to run online campaigns. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea has suggested party leaders suspend ele
PoliticsFeb. 4, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Ex-Samsung executive Choi questioned by prosecution over 2015 merger of key units
The prosecution called in Choi Gee-sung, a former senior Samsung executive, on Tuesday for its probe into suspicions surrounding Samsung Group's controversial merger of two affiliates in 2015. Choi, former head of Samsung's now-disbanded strategy control tower, was questioned by prosecutors over his role in heir apparent Lee Jae-yong's managerial succession process related to the merger of Samsung C&T Corp. and Cheil Industries. The prosecution is looking into allegations that senior Sams
Social AffairsFeb. 4, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Coronavirus-positive Chinese tourist stirs up fear in Jeju
The southern resort island of Jeju is struggling to track down those who came into contact with a Chinese tourist who tested positive for a deadly coronavirus after returning from a trip there. As fears mounted, health authorities said Monday that the Wuhan resident was unlikely to have had symptoms while traveling around the island for five days last month. “The Chinese health authorities informed us that the patient was quarantined after showing symptoms like a fever on Jan.
Social AffairsFeb. 3, 2020