Most Popular
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1 in 3 Koreans live alone, family types becoming diverse
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Korea, Japan finance chiefs vow to tame rampant FX market volatility
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US 'incredibly concerned' about suspected NK-Iran military ties
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K-pop group's manager dismissed for setting up spycam in theater dressing room
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K-pop singer lost consciousness after being hit by foul ball, cancels show
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Korean Muslim YouTuber's plan to build mosque in Incheon goes viral
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Contentious grain bill put directly to plenary meeting for vote
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Why is Apple Pay struggling to get purchase in Korea?
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Yoon's office denies considering liberal figures for key posts
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Seoul says Fu Bao loan 'not going to happen'
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Clock ticks toward FTA showdown
Political tensions continued to mount Monday as the clock ticked toward a plenary sitting of the National Assembly later this week, where the ruling Grand National Party looks set to ram through the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. The conservative party may take action on Tuesday or Wednesday to move the FTA bill forward, making it ready for the final vote on Thursday. Or it could ask National Assembly Speaker Park Hee-tae to call a direct floor vote on the bill, by-passing committee-level proc
Nov. 21, 2011
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Assembly speaker says time has come to 'make decision' on U.S. FTA
SEOUL, Nov. 21 (Yonhap) -- Parliamentary Speaker Park Hee-tae said Monday that the time has come to "make a decision" on the free trade deal with the United States, indicating that he could step in to put the much-debated, long-pending bill to a floor vote."I don't have any other arbitration plan an
Nov. 21, 2011
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S. Korea, China, Japan reaffirm commitment on N.K. nukes
BALI, Indonesia (Yonhap News) ― The leaders of South Korea, China and Japan reaffirmed their commitment Saturday to working together to resolve the North Korean nuclear standoff and deepen all-round cooperation, the presidential office said.South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda held a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of regional summits with Southeast Asian and other nations in the Indonesian resort island of Bali.“The thre
Nov. 20, 2011
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Korea, Australia to push for FTA
Lee stresses regional financial cooperation to prevent future crisesThe leaders of South Korea and Australia agreed to step up efforts on a free trade pact during their talks in Indonesia on Saturday, according to Seoul officials.President Lee Myung-bak and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard also agreed to broaden bilateral cooperation in politics, security, trade, energy, diplomacy and other areas of mutual concern.Their meeting were held on the resort island of Bali where they attended a
Nov. 20, 2011
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Committee defers decision on easier access to drugs
The parliamentary health committee is facing criticism over its decision to delay until next year the handling of a bill that would allow supermarkets to sell over-the-counter drugs.Proponents of the revision claim that ruling and opposition lawmakers on the committee defied public demands, fearing that a group of some 60,000 pharmacists would campaign against their re-election in April.The legislators argued that more caution should be taken, as the revision could trigger a set of problems such
Nov. 20, 2011
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Three progressive parties to merge
Three minor liberal parties on Sunday agreed to merge and create a unified party, quickening their preparations for the general and presidential elections next year.Democratic Labor Party leader Rep. Lee Jung-hee, People Participation Party leader Ryu Si-min and Roh Hoi-chan, who co-heads the minority group whose name roughly translates as “New United Progressive Alliance,” reached the agreement.“We have reached this agreement to win the 2012 elections and help carry out a fundamental reform of
Nov. 20, 2011
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Parties brace for showdown over FTA
DP set to decide today whether to physically obstruct vote on trade pactRival political parties on Sunday braced for a showdown on the parliamentary ratification of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, with both showing little willingness to compromise. The main opposition Democratic Party will hold a general meeting of its legislators Monday, where it is expected to decide whether to try to physically obstruct a floor vote on the trade pact, should it happen. The ruling Grand National Party was
Nov. 20, 2011
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Japan, China, S.Korea seek investment treaty by year-end
Nov. 19, 2011
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S. Korea, China, Japan reaffirm commitment to resolving N.K. nuclear standoff
The leaders of South Korea, China and Japan reaffirmed their commitment Saturday to working together to resolve the North Korean nuclear standoff anddeepen all-round cooperation, the presidential office said.South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister
Nov. 19, 2011
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Korea to set up ASEAN diplomatic mission
Korea will establish a mission dedicated to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Jakarta in the first half of next year, President Lee Myung-bak said Thursday.“In order to strengthen economic cooperation with the increasingly important ASEAN, I will dispatch an ambassador to Jakarta who will deal exclusively with ASEAN affairs,” Lee was quoted by news reports as saying at the 2011 ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Bali, Indonesia. “I hope that the new ASEAN mission will contribute
Nov. 18, 2011
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Minor progressive parties agree to create new party
Three minor opposition parties will form a new progressive party as part of efforts to boost their chances in next year’s parliamentary elections, their leaders said, while the main opposition party is working hard to form a broad alliance with other liberal forces and civic groups.Leaders of three minor parties -- the Democratic Labor Party, the People’s Participatory Party and a party made up of defectors from the Progressive New Party -- announced that they will hold a convention to set the n
Nov. 18, 2011
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Korea to set up ASEAN diplomatic mission
Korea will establish a mission dedicated to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Jakarta in the first half of next year, President Lee Myung-bak said Thursday.“In order to strengthen economic cooperation with the increasingly important ASEAN, I will dispatch an ambassador to Jakarta who will deal exclusively with ASEAN affairs,” Lee was quoted by news reports as saying at the 2011 ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Bali, Indonesia. “I hope that the new ASEAN mission will contribute
Nov. 18, 2011
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GNP moving for FTA vote next Thursday
Speaker hints at invoking authority to put the Korea-U.S. FTA ratification bill to voteThe Grand National Party was Friday moving to bring the U.S. Free Trade Agreement ratification motion to a floor vote, raising the likelihood of violence with the opposition which has vowed to block the bill by any means.“When the time comes, the party shall bring the bill to the plenary session,” said Rep. Hwang Young-cheul, the party’s floor spokesperson, in a radio interview. “We expect parliamentary speake
Nov. 18, 2011
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S. Korea, Indonesia to deepen defense industry cooperation
BALI, Indonesia -- South Korea and Indonesia agreed Thursday to strengthen defense industry cooperation and work closely together to carry out Indonesia's major economic development blueprint, South Korea's presidential office said. President Lee Myung-bak met with Indonesian President S
Nov. 17, 2011
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New conservative party in the making
Park Se-il moves to form a center-right political party ahead of next year’s electionsAmid moves to create alternative political parties ahead of general elections next year, a former right-wing lawmaker seeks to form a new party embracing both conservatives and moderate liberals.Park Se-il, president of the Hansun Foundation, who has spoken for right wing conservatives and often raised issues about North Korean human rights, drew attention last week by saying that he was preparing to create a n
Nov. 17, 2011
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President Lee to meet leaders of ASEAN, Japan and China
President Lee Myung-bak arrived in Indonesia on Thursday to attend summit talks with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Japan and China, where leaders will discuss how to strengthen regional economic and diplomatic cooperation.His six-day trip includes a state visit to the Philippines, during which Lee will seek to bolster bilateral economic cooperation, Seoul officials said.As the ASEAN meetings come on the heels of other multilateral summits including the recent Asia Pacific Economic
Nov. 17, 2011
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Parties head for showdown over FTA
GNP likely to push Assembly vote on Korea-U.S. trade dealA showdown between ruling and opposition lawmakers looms over the parliamentary ratification of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, as rival political parties showed little willingness to compromise. The governing Grand National Party on Thursday decided to force the bill through, a move likely to lead to an ugly brawl among legislators on the parliamentary floor. “We shouldn’t allow any more delay (in the ratification of the FTA.) We hav
Nov. 17, 2011
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DP demands written ISD commitment
GNP may push for vote on Korea-U.S. FTA bill on Nov. 24The Democratic Party on Wednesday refused to make any concession in its opposition to the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, rejecting President Lee Myung-bak’s offer to seek revision of a disputed part of the deal after its ratification. The liberal main opposition party, instead, demanded written commitments from both the Korean and U.S. governments that they will open talks immediately to delete or suspend clauses on the controversial Inves
Nov. 16, 2011
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Main opposition party refuses to accept Lee's renegotiation offer on U.S. FTA
SEOUL, Nov. 16 (Yonhap) -- The main opposition Democratic Party decided Wednesday to reject President Lee Myung-bak's offer to demand renegotiation on a key clause of the free trade agreement with the United States if the deal is ratified first, its spokesman said.The decision is expected to further
Nov. 16, 2011
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U.S. open to talks over ISD settlement: official
The United States is willing to discuss the controversial issue of investor-state dispute (ISD) settlement with South Korea once their free trade agreement (FTA) takes effect, a U.S. trade official said Tuesday."We are prepared to consult with Korea on any issue they may raise pertaining to KORUS af
Nov. 16, 2011