Most Popular
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[KH Explains] No more 'Michael' at Kakao Games
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Yoon, Lee end first talks with differences, agree to meet more
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Woman gets suspended term for injuring boyfriend with knife
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What is Hybe’s next move?
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China outpaces Korea in smaller OLED shipments for 1st time
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[Grace Kao] Hybe vs. Ador: Inspiration, imitation and plagiarism
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Samsung chief bolsters ties with Germany’s Zeiss
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Samsung Electronics Q1 operating profit soars; chip biz returns to profit
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[Herald Interview] Mom’s Touch seeks to replicate success in Japan
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Police to open alleged stalking probe over pastor over Dior bag scandal
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Seoul eases rehiring rules for foreign workers
Starting in early July, “exemplary”foreign workers can be re-employed in South Korea three monthsafter returning home under a new law that makes rehiring them here simpler and easier, officials said Wednesday.South Korea softened its rules on the rehiring of foreign workers with E-9 non-professional work permit visas in February, as part of efforts to help small firms retain skilled migrant workers and preventing those with expired visas from overstaying. The revised law will take effect on July
May 9, 2012
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Ex-police chief questioned over Roh defamation
Former Police Commissioner-General Cho Hyun-oh on Wednesday was questioned by the prosecution over allegations that he defamed the late former President Roh Moo-hyun with remarks indicating his creation of slush fund. “I am sorry to have caused a stir with my inappropriate comments,” he said as he entered the Seoul Central Prosecutors’ Office in southern Seoul on 1:50 p.m. But he refused to elaborate. “It will be inappropriate for me to say anything before the questioning,” he said. The investig
May 9, 2012
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Anti-corruption body gets U.N. recognition
The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission announced Wednesday that its Integrity Assessment system was awarded the top prize in the U.N. Public Service Award’s anti-corruption category. Under the system, the ACRC surveys a large number of civil servants and members of the public lodging complaints to assess the level of integrity at government organizations. Since its introduction in 2002, the ACRC has increased the number of organizations assessed to 684. The ACRC also carries out follow-
May 9, 2012
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Metro scraps plan to hike Line No. 9 fares
The operator of subway Line No. 9 has canceled its plan to raise its fare under pressure from citizens and the municipal government. Seoul Metro Line 9 Corporation announced a plan in April to increase the fare by 500 won to 1,550 won on June 16.Citizens already suffering from inflating living costs criticized the plan. The company apologized Wednesday for causing concern. The operator and Seoul Metropolitan Government said they will resume negotiations over the fare and try to make efforts to m
May 9, 2012
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New York Air Controllers Slept, Watched Movies, U.S. Report Says
Air-traffic controllers in the New York area slept on the job, watched movies on duty, left work early and repeatedly violated safety rules, a U.S. investigative agency told the White House and Congress.Controllers at the facility that monitors traffic in a radius of about 80 kilometers around New York also used careless and casual languages in communications with pilots, leading to at least one s
May 9, 2012
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Ex-vice minister arrested in bribery investigation
Prosecutors arrested Park Young-joon, a former vice knowledge and economy minister and key aide to President Lee Myung-bak, for bribery late Monday night.Seoul Central District Court approved the arrest of Park citing ample evidence supporting the bribery charge against the former official nicknamed the “king’s man,” and the risk of an attempt to destroy evidence or abscond.But it refused an arrest warrant for Kang Cheol-won, a former Seoul Metropolitan Government official facing the same briber
May 8, 2012
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IBS taps 10 scientists as directors
Ten of Korea’s top scientists, including chemist Kim Ki-moon from POSTECH and biologist Kim V. Narry from Seoul National University, have been named to lead the state-run research center for basic sciences. The Institute for Basic Science announced the list of its directors after four months of assessment. The IBS was established in Daejeon in 2011, as a part of the government’s 5.2 trillion won science belt project, with the aim of developing human resources through basic scientific research.A
May 8, 2012
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Cha hospitals raided over rebates
Police recently raided hospitals affiliated to Cha Group, a leading medical service and research concern, on suspicions that some of its workers received illegal rebates from a pharmaceutical company. Officers at Gyeonggi Metropolitan Police Station said Tuesday that they have searched the hospital giant’s offices in Seoul as well as Bundang and Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province last Wednesday. They also raided the office of a pharmaceutical company which holds contracts for nearly half of the drugs us
May 8, 2012
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Korean scientists step forward on creating ‘invisibility cloak’
A Korean research team has made a further step toward inventing an “invisibility cloak,” by developing a way of producing artificial materials that deflect lights on a large-scale production It is not the first time scientists have tried to manipulate light to create invisibility.But the research team, led by Kang Tae-wook from Sogang University, claims that they have found an innovative way of producing metamaterials, man-made nano materials, to manipulate light and create a cloaking effect.The
May 8, 2012
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Mother, son in feud over million lottery winnings
A U.S. woman sued her son and accused him of swiping a $51 million lottery ticket from her, according to news reports.The legal battle between 76-year-old Etta May Urquhart and her son Ronnie Orender is over the ownership of the ticket; Urguhart’s money bought the ticket but Orender signed for the winnings.According to California state court, Urquhart was overcome with emotion when she found out she won, so she told Orender to sign the ticket for her. However, Orender signed the winning ticket i
May 8, 2012
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Former vice minister Park arrested on bribery charges
Former Vice Knowledge and Economy Minister Park Young-joon was arrested Monday for accepting bribes from a construction developer. But the court rejected the prosecutors' request for a warrant to arrest Kang Cheol-won, a former Seoul Metropolitan Government official, accused of having received bribes from the company, named Picity, upon Park’s request for favors.Park refused to respond to reporter
May 7, 2012
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Group demands ban on sports stars’ alcohol ads
A medical research group called on the government to ban sports stars from appearing in alcohol advertisements, which they claim could aggravate drinking-related problems among young people.The Korean Academy of Addiction Psychiatry pointed out specifically Korean figure skating star Kim Yu-na’s beer advertisements. The 22-year-old Olympic medalist became the model for a Hite Beer product in April. Previously, the figure queen has done advertisements for other products from coffee to air conditi
May 7, 2012
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Three foreign law firms file to establish branches
Three foreign law firms have passed primary inspection to establish overseas branches here, and are now waiting for the official approval from the government. The Ministry of Justice on Monday said it has received formal applications to gain licenses as advisers on foreign law from Ropes & Gray, Shepperd Mullin and Clifford Chance.The final authorization is expected to be made by the end of the month. But taking into account other administrative affairs, the branch operations take off until July
May 7, 2012
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Prosecutors raid troubled savings banks
Probe targets executives suspected of embezzlement, illegal loansProsecutors on Monday raided the headquarters of four troubled savings banks and the homes of their executives suspected of corruption, illegal loans and embezzlement. The four small financial houses ― Mirae Savings Bank, Hanju Savings Bank, Korea Savings Bank and Solomon Savings Bank ― were suspended by financial authorities Sunday due to a lack of capital.The investigators seized computer hard drives and documents thought to cont
May 7, 2012
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Seoul City to restore medieval city wall
Seoul City announced on Monday a master plan to restore the medieval city wall surrounding the capital by 2015 and to register it on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The Hanyang City Wall was built in 1396 during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897) to protect the capital from foreign invasion. Hanyang is an old name of Seoul. Many parts of the wall were removed or destroyed during Japan’s 1910 to 1945 colonial rule.The wall stretches 18.6 kilometers along the peaks and ridges of four mountains and con
May 7, 2012
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Doctors urge ban on Kim Yu-na’s alcohol advertising
Korea should introduce a comprehensive ban on sports stars advertising alcohol in an attempt to curb increasing drink-related problems, a group of doctors claimed on Sunday. The Korean Academy of Addiction Psychiatry released a statement Sunday, raising concerns over Korean athletes’ appearance in alcohol advertisements. The research group, in particular, pointed out figure skating star Kim Yu-na’s beer advertising, claiming it had an influence on youth drinking culture.The 22-year-old Olympic m
May 7, 2012
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Advanced functions of security camera raises concerns
Surveillance cameras have become so advanced, they can zoom in to peep in on text messages, a recent privacy conference held in Wellington, New Zealand, revealed.During last year’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, for example, spectators showing suspicious or aggressive behavior were watched closely, all the way down to their text messages, by camera operators.Footage displayed at the conference showed that a man was texting about the poor quality of the match.The conference also outlined how sec
May 7, 2012
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9 killed in fire in Busan karaoke bar
A fire at a cramped karaoke bar that killed nine people on Saturday rang the alarm on safety regulations, calling for authorities to take immediate action.At least nine people were killed, including three migrant workers, and 20 others seriously injured in the blaze that ripped through a karaoke bar in downtown in Busan on Saturday evening, police said.Most of the victims died as a result of smoke inhalation. Some of the injured remain in critical condition, police officials said. The fire orig
May 6, 2012
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Coast Guard nabs suspended bank CEO fleeing to China
Mirae Savings Bank chief executive Kim Chan-kyong was arrested while attempting to leave the country Friday with 20.3 billion won ($17.9 million) of the suspended bank’s funds, police said Sunday. Mirae Savings Bank is one of the four savings bank suspended by the Financial Services Commission on Sunday for failing to meet the capital adequacy ratios recommended by the Bank for International Settlements standards.The other savings banks suspended by the FSC are Hanju Savings Bank, Korea Savings
May 6, 2012
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Korea strengthens customs inspections to stop smuggling of 'human flesh capsules'
South Korea has strengthened customs inspections to stop smuggling of pills made of dead human fetuses or infants from China as such pills could pose serious health hazards, officials said Sunday.Smuggling of the so-called "human flesh capsules" has increased since the first case was caught in August last year. Customs authorities have so far uncovered 35 attempts to bring in such pills, totaling
May 6, 2012