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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[Music in drama] Rekindle a love that slipped through your fingers
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S. Korea discussed possible participation in AUKUS Pillar 2 with Australia: defense minister
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[New faces of Assembly] Architect behind ‘audacious initiative’ believes in denuclearized North Korea
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On May Day, labor unions blast Yoon's foreign nanny proposal
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Seoul Metro to seek legal action against malicious complaints
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Illit, mired in controversy, remains on Billboard charts for 5th week
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[KH Explains] Will alternative trading platform shake up Korean stock market?
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Opposition-led Assembly unilaterally passes bill to probe Marine's death
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Government rapped for intelligence failure on Kim death
South Korean lawmakers rapped their defense and spy agency chiefs Tuesday for a “serious intelligence failure” regarding the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. Officials in Seoul were completely blindsided by the news of Kim’s death until it was announced by Pyongyang’s state media at noon Mo
Dec. 20, 2011
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S. Korea says no hasty decision on condolences on death of Kim Jong-il
South Korea has yet to decide whether to offer condolences over the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, a senior official said Tuesday amid concern the conciliatory gesture could bring a backlash from conservatives ahead of next year's general elections.North Korea women cry after learni
Dec. 20, 2011
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Parties disagree on condolence call for Kim
Left-wing urges for government-level delegation; Right-wing keeps silence, stresses security issuesAmid the aftermath of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il’s death, political responses varied on whether to pay a government-level condolence call to the communist state.North Korea’s state funeral committee said Monday, shortly after Kim’s death was made public, that it would not receive any foreign delegations.The gesture is, however, largely seen as a mere formality, as the country ended up acceptin
Dec. 19, 2011
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Parliament to hold emergency sessions over Kim’s death
Alarmed South Korean lawmakers quickly agreed Monday to hold emergency meetings of various committees at the National Assembly to discuss the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and create measures to cope with the aftermath. The North’s state media reported earlier in the day that the 69-year-old Kim died of a heart attack on Saturday. South Korea’s military has been placed on emergency alert and its foreign ministry also placed its overseas diplomatic missions on emergency standby. Floor
Dec. 19, 2011
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S. Korean officials kept in dark on N. Korean leader's death
South Korean officials are under public and media fire Monday for their apparent failure to collect credible intelligence on the sudden death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.South Korean intelligence apparently had no information about Kim's death two days ago until North Korea announced it. Acco
Dec. 19, 2011
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N.K. leader’s death stirs political circles
Parties try to gauge possible political fallout of heightened N.K. uncertaintyPolitical parties in South Korea were Monday trying to gauge the possible political fallout of the sudden demise of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, ahead of next year’s general and presidential elections.The ruling Grand National Party and the newly-formed main opposition Democratic Unified Party had been preoccupied with their respective political agenda when the news was announced at noon through the communist state
Dec. 19, 2011
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N.K. leader dies of heart attack
Funeral set for Dec. 28; Jong-un hailed as heir; Lee talks with ObamaNorth Korea’s iron-fisted ruler Kim Jong-il, who had long drawn international attention for his unceasing nuclear ambitions, died of a heart attack on a train ride on Saturday, the communist state’s state media reported on Monday. He was 69.The demise of the enigmatic leader sent shockwaves across South Korea, putting the government in emergency mode. Kim, who was tapped as heir in 1974, took the helm of the communist state upo
Dec. 19, 2011
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Park vows to regain voter trust
Rep. Park Geun-hye, upon taking office Monday as chief of the Grand National Party, apologized to the public for “disappointments” from the ruling party and vowed all out efforts to regain their trust. “The GNP, despite being the governing party, has failed to look after the livelihood of the people and see their pain. I sincerely apologize for that,” Park said shortly after she was appointed as the party’s interim chief.About 450 GNP representatives endorsed the appointment of Park in a unanimo
Dec. 19, 2011
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Stress, risk factors may have caused death
The official Korean Central News Agency announced Monday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il died Saturday of a heart attack. He was also reported to have suffered from several mental and physical problems. The deceased “Dear Leader” is believed to have suffered from various diseases throughout his life, while speculation about his ill health and even possible death have lingered for more than five years. In 2007, he was absent from public view for more than 100 days. Sources claimed that he ha
Dec. 19, 2011
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Experts differ over prospect of power succession
Some raise possibilities of power struggles among elitesExperts are divided on whether the third-generation power succession in North Korea will be smoothly carried out following the death of its leader Kim Jong-il.Opinions differed over whether the hereditary transfer of power to his third son Jong-un would face any obstacles in the communist state, which Kim had ruled with an iron fist since his father and national founder Kim Il-sung died in 1994.Some argued that the process will proceed as p
Dec. 19, 2011
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South Korea on high alert after Kim death
South Korean government branches and the military have been put on high alert following the announcement of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il’s death on Monday.President Lee Myung-bak called a National Security Council meeting immediately after he was informed of Kim’s death, and held an emergency Cab
Dec. 19, 2011
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One year countdown to presidential vote
Park to officially take helm of GNPWith exactly one year left before the presidential election, Rep. Park Geun-hye is poised to return to the helm of the Grand National Party on Monday, tasked with lifting the ruling conservatives from a crisis and winning back the confidence of voters. In a nationa
Dec. 18, 2011
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Lee presses Japan on sex slave issue
Noda repeats Japan’s stance, demands removal of ‘Peace Statue’ in SeoulKYOTO, Japan ― President Lee Myung-bak on Sunday pressed Japan to address the long-standing issue of Korean women forced into sexual slavery during World War II, stressing its urgency as victims die of old age.Lee used most of his time during the summit talks with Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda here to underscore that the thorny issue has been a stumbling block in the way of the two nations working toward a “mature, fu
Dec. 18, 2011
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Park to officially take helm of GNP
With exactly one year left before the presidential election, Rep. Park Geun-hye is poised to return to the helm of the Grand National Party on Monday, tasked with lifting the ruling conservatives from a crisis and winning back the confidence of voters. In a national committee meeting in the afternoon, the party is expected to endorse the appointment of Park as head of its emergency leadership council. Former chairman Rep. Hong Joon-pyo resigned earlier this month after he came under mounting pre
Dec. 18, 2011
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Liberals vow to step up efforts for unity
Liberals vowed to redouble efforts to unite all leftist forces against the ruling conservatives in elections next year, celebrating Monday the launch of a new political party created by a merger of three progressive groups. Holding its first official meeting, key members of the fledging Democratic Unified Party said it will be the driving force behind a new political movement in Korea, communicating with people online and offline. “The DUP launches on the basis of people’s desire for new politic
Dec. 18, 2011
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DP, pro-Roh group unite for new party
Merger with progressive groups ends three-year history of main oppositionThe main opposition Democratic Party was officially reborn as the new Democratic Unified Party in an attempt to prosper in next year’s general and presidential elections.The joint merger committee resolved Friday to start the new party, which will embrace the DP, the Citizen Integration Party and the Korean Federation of Trade Unions.The consolidation of the DP and the CIP, which mostly consists of those loyal to the late P
Dec. 16, 2011
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Lawmaker seeks to block pro-N.K. group members from voting
A ruling party lawmaker is seeking to disqualify overseas Koreans connected to anti-state organizations from voting in the general elections next year by limiting passport issuance.Rep. Chung Mi-kyung of the ruling Grand National Party submitted Friday the revision bill of the current Passport Act to the parliamentary secretariat, officials said.According to the bill, the government would refuse passport applications of overseas ethnic Koreans involved in anti-state groups as stated in the Natio
Dec. 16, 2011
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Seoul starts D-100 countdown for global nuclear summit
With 100 days remaining before it hosts a global nuclear summit, South Korea is putting the final touches on preparations for the 50-nation Nuclear Security Summit, key organizers said Friday, promising to make the event a success.The Seoul nuclear summit will take place on March 26 and 27, attended by top leaders from about 50 countries, including the United States, Russia, China, Japan, Britain and France. The summit, which will be the second such meeting following one in the United States in
Dec. 16, 2011
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Seoul calls for bilateral talks with Japan on comfort women
Seoul’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday renewed its call for Tokyo to engage in official talks over issues concerning former “comfort women” forced into sexual slavery during World War II.It also reiterated that the government cannot ask for the removal of the “Peace Statue” a civic group established near the Japanese Embassy in Seoul on Wednesday. The monument is to highlight demands for Japan’s apology and adequate compensation for the wartime victims.The Tokyo government has officially requested
Dec. 15, 2011
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GNP unifies around Park to reform party
Ruling party changes rules for former chairwoman to take charge Rep. Park Geun-hye, the soon-to-be chief of the ruling Grand National Party, on Thursday vowed to change the embattled ruling party to the core, a day after she successfully patched up an internal feud over reform plans. “We don’t have enough time. Our party’s fate depends on how we reach out to the public and make best efforts to address their problems during that time,” the politician said during a meeting of GNP lawmakers. She at
Dec. 15, 2011