Most Popular
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Exports to US reach all-time high, widen gap with China
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Trump rekindles criticism: US forces defending 'wealthy' S. Korea 'free of charge'
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Opposition-led Assembly unilaterally passes bill to probe Marine's death
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[Music in drama] Rekindle a love that slipped through your fingers
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Inflation eases in April, continues bumpy ride
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Golden chance to liquidate babies’ gold rings?
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Seoul Metro to seek legal action against malicious complaints
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[New faces of Assembly] Architect behind ‘audacious initiative’ believes in denuclearized North Korea
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Illit, mired in controversy, remains on Billboard charts for 5th week
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On May Day, labor unions blast Yoon's foreign nanny proposal
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[Newsmaker] Self-care essential to combating MERS
Hammered over lax quarantine, the Health Ministry’s Middle East respiratory syndrome control tower belatedly released the details of must-know facts to prevent the spread of the dangerous disease on Sunday.The disease had claimed the lives of five by Sunday since the first carrier was diagnosed on April 20, according to the government report. The Health Ministry also reported 14 fresh cases of the disease, raising the toll of carriers to 64. For the past three weeks, online communities and socia
June 7, 2015
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[Newsmaker] Billionaire’s Plan B: FIFA’s presidency
South Korean billionaire Chung Mong-joon’s possible bid to run for FIFA’s top job sparked speculation here Thursday that the world football body’s former vice president could use the high-profile contest to escape his political obscurity in Korea.Chung ― a seven-term lawmaker, FIFA vice president from 1994 to 2011 and former chairman of South Korea’s conservative party ― said Wednesday he was mulling plans to enter the race to succeed FIFA president Sepp Blatter sometime by next April.His bid co
PoliticsJune 4, 2015
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[Newsmaker] Hyundai Motor hurt by falling overseas sales
A sense of crisis is escalating at Hyundai Motor as sales by the nation’s largest carmaker fell in its two biggest overseas markets ― China and the U.S. ― in May. Shares of Hyundai Motor plunged 10.36 percent to 138,500 won ($124.8) on Tuesday, affected by lackluster sales at home and abroad. The stock hit a four-year low. On Monday, Hyundai Motor said its domestic and overseas sales fell 8.2 percent and 6.1 percent last month, respectively, from the same period a year ago. The disappointing sal
MobilityJune 3, 2015
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[Newsmaker] Health minister on hot seat over MERS
Health and Welfare Minister Moon Hyung-pyo is on the hot seat after Middle East respiratory syndrome hit the country late last month, leaving two dead and hundreds under quarantine as of Tuesday.The disease’s steady spread sparked criticism that health officials were ill-prepared. The government’s decision to keep secret the list of hospitals holding MERS patients worsened public anger. The confirmation of two tertiary infections early Tuesday exacerbated the public’s fear.The ministry’s failure
PoliticsJune 2, 2015
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[Newsmaker] Samsung heir steps into limelight
Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Jay-yong on Monday attended the award ceremony for the Ho-Am Prize, Samsung Group’s most important annual award, on behalf of the owner family for the first time.Keen attention was paid to the Samsung heir’s appearance because representing the family at the event appeared to be one of the final steps to taking to the throne at South Korea’s largest conglomerate.Established by his father, chairman Lee Kun-hee in honor of late Samsung founder Lee Byung-chull i
TechnologyJune 1, 2015
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[Newsmaker] FIFA's Blatter comes through a new storm
ZURICH ― A new election triumph in the midst of a corruption scandal established FIFA president Sepp Blatter as the politician who can come through any storm.Unapologetically divisive, Blatter has had to deal with scandal virtually since his first day in office.And Blatter knows that he still has a long way to go to reach the aim he outlined Friday of getting FIFA in a safe port “where the boats will stop rocking.”“He sees it all like a marathon. And he is one of the most determined men you will
World NewsMay 31, 2015
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[Newsmaker] FIFA mired in $150 million bribery case
NEW YORK ― In accusing soccer federation leaders of tarnishing the sport by taking $150 million in bribes and payoffs, U.S. prosecutors laid out a sweeping corruption case that hinges on the testimony of insiders, including some who have agreed to cooperate in plea deals.Prosecutors announced the racketeering conspiracy and other charges Wednesday against 14 defendants ― nine current and former officials with global soccer governing body FIFA, four sports marketing executives and an accused inte
SoccerMay 28, 2015
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[Newsmaker] New NPAD key man vows ‘zero-tolerance’
The new chairman of the main opposition party’s reform panel vowed on Wednesday to overhaul the beleaguered party, urging its members to abandon their factional interest and rebuild the party for the next general election.Kim Sang-kon, the former chief of Gyeonggi Provincial Education Office, pledged “zero-tolerance” against any attempts to build factions within the New Politics Alliance for Democracy. The party has been beset by factional feuds since its crushing defeats in the April by-electio
PoliticsMay 27, 2015
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[Newsmaker] Ministry under fire for MERS response
As Seoul on Monday confirmed its fourth MERS case ― the daughter of the third confirmed patient, who asked to be quarantined but was rejected by the authorities ― the Health Ministry is under fire for the poor handling of the potential patients.Fear of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in Korea further spread on Tuesday as two medical staff members who had been in contact with the patients showed symptoms of fever. The two were transported to a hospital to test for infection, the Korea Center
Social AffairsMay 26, 2015
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[Newsmaker] Duda: Heir apparent to Kaczynski twins
WARSAW ― Andrzej Duda, the 43-year-old conservative MEP and lawyer who won Poland’s cliffhanger presidential election on Sunday, has strong ties to the powerful Kaczynski twins.The devout Catholic was close to the late president Lech Kaczynski, who died in a 2010 plane crash in Russia, and calls himself his “spiritual heir.”But Duda only became well-known after Lech’s controversial twin brother Jaroslaw Kaczynski ― a former prime minister and current leader of the Law and Justice (PiS) conservat
World NewsMay 25, 2015
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[Newsmaker] Tough road ahead for prime minister nominee
Hwang Kyo-ahn, the nominee for South Korea’s new prime minister, is expected to face a daunting task of proving his capability to serve as the nation’s No. 2 during his parliamentary confirmation hearing, with the opposition blocs already voicing concerns about what they alleged as his unbalanced political views.President Park Geun-hye designated current Justice Minister Hwang on Thursday to fill the prime minister’s post left vacant for nearly a month by ruling Saenuri Party’s Rep. Lee Wan-koo
Social AffairsMay 21, 2015
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[Newsmaker] Steve Yoo asks to be taken back
So, Steve Yoo wants to be taken back into Korea, the country he abandoned 13 years ago to avoid military service. In an interview in Hong Kong late Tuesday night, the ’90s pop star who performed as Yoo Seung-jun ― but is now better known here as a high-profile draft-dodger ― knelt down, shed tears and apologized for his “foolish” decision in 2002 to renounce his Korean citizenship and become a U.S. citizen.The move, made just three months before the scheduled conscription and despite his repeate
PeopleMay 20, 2015
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[Newsmaker] Cho's resignation worsens pension tension
A top presidential aide’s resignation worsened tensions on Tuesday between the main political parties over a draft law reforming the civil service pension bill, as Korea’s top lawmakers struggled to restart the negotiations on the legislation.Cho Yoon-sun was the top secretary for political affairs at Cheong Wa Dae, a liaison job between the ruling Saenuri Party and President Park Geun-hye. Park approved Cho’s resignation Monday. Cho cited her failure to persuade parties to pass the civil servic
PoliticsMay 19, 2015
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[Newsmaker] Lone Star suit weighs heavily on Seoul
The ongoing suit over a multibillion-dollar investment compensation against U.S. private equity firm Lone Star is a battle with no retreat for the South Korean government, which has much to lose.The $4.7 billion dispute settlement has so far cost 24 billion won ($22 million) in litigation expenses, and the amount is expected to escalate further in upcoming years, now that the hearing has kicked off.Much to Seoul’s concern, however, the legal dispute is currently in a deadlock, with no conspicuou
May 18, 2015
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[Newsmaker] Beijing rebukes U.S. over islands row
BEIJING ― China’s foreign minister told top U.S. diplomat John Kerry on Saturday that Beijing was “unshakeable” in its defense of sovereignty, as tensions between the powers mount over Chinese island-building in strategic but disputed waters.The United States is weighing sending warships and surveillance aircraft within 12 nautical miles ― the normal territorial zone around natural land ― of artificial islands that Beijing is building in the South China Sea.Such a move could lead to a standoff o
World NewsMay 17, 2015
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[Newsmaker] Modi's China trip marks warming ties
BEIJING ― They are the strongest leaders to emerge in years from the world’s two most populous nations ― and appear to be trying to forge a strong working relationship.In a rare personal touch, Chinese President Xi Jinping will host the Indian prime minister in his hometown of Xi’an for Thursday’s start of Narendra’s Modi’s three-day visit, highlighting warming ties between the Asian giants despite their continued rivalry and contrasting political systems.The move returns the favor after Modi ho
World NewsMay 14, 2015
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[Newsmaker] North Korean general meets grisly end
Hyon Yong-chol, a once-high-flying North Korean general, ended his dramatic life after he was executed late last month for “dozing off at a military event and talking back” to Kim Jong-un, the leader of the dictatorial regime.Until his execution on April 30, the 66-year-old official served as the chief of the People’s Armed Forces ― equivalent to South Korea’s defense minister. His position was the second highest in the North’s 1.19 million-strong military after Hwang Pyong-so, the director of t
North KoreaMay 13, 2015
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[Newsmaker] Picasso’s ‘Women of Algiers’ sets record
NEW YORK ― A Picasso masterpiece fetched more than $179 million in New York on Monday, smashing the world record for the most expensive art sold at auction in what was dubbed the “sale of the century.”A bronze statue by Alberto Giacometti also broke the record for most expensive sculpture sold at auction, fetching more than $141 million at the same sale in a packed auction room at Christie’s.The Pablo Picasso oil painting, “The Women of Algiers (Version 0),” sold for $179,365,000 after 11 and a
World NewsMay 12, 2015
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[Newsmaker] N.K. submarine missile serious threat
North Korea’s push to develop a submarine-launched ballistic missile is posing a daunting security challenge to South Korea and the U.S. as the allies would have almost no means to counter the emerging threat should it become fully operational. The allies have so far been focusing on countering missile threats from land-based launchers as they believed Pyongyang was far from developing an SLBM given the small size of its submarines and outdated technology.But the North’s test-firing last week sh
DefenseMay 11, 2015
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[Newsmaker] Im wins highest honor for Korean in Venice
Im Heung-soon, the winner of the Silver Lion award at this year’s Venice Biennale for his documentary “Factory Complex,” has gained recognition for entwining art and film in his documentaries that reflect on society, its people and their histories.The artist goes by a number of titles ― cinematographer, director and scriptwriter. With a bachelor’s and master’s degree in painting from Kyungwon University (now Gachon University), Im has straddled the boundaries of art, photography and media while
FilmMay 10, 2015