Most Popular
-
1
Medical profs at top hospitals suspend surgeries, clinics
-
2
Exports to US reach all-time high, widen gap with China
-
3
Samsung chip business back on track, logs W1.9tr operating profit in Q1
-
4
Trump rekindles criticism: US forces defending 'wealthy' S. Korea 'free of charge'
-
5
Shinsegae faces showdown with investors over SSG.com's delayed IPO
-
6
Hopes rise for possible Gaza truce deal
-
7
Ex-pro baseball player who killed debtor appeals sentence
-
8
S. Korea discussed possible participation in AUKUS Pillar 2 with Australia: defense minister
-
9
[New faces of Assembly] Architect behind ‘audacious initiative’ believes in denuclearized North Korea
-
10
S. Korea to issue travel ban on Haiti amid intensifying gang violence
-
Presidential office welcomes approval of U.S. FTA
South Korea's presidential office welcomed the parliamentary approval of the free trade agreement with the United States, saying the government will continue to come up with support measures for farmers and others."Though it went through a difficult process, it is fortunate that the Korea-U.S. FTA h
Nov. 22, 2011
-
Parties to push welfare budget boost
DP to cut on MB-led construction plans; GNP to back Park Geun-hye’s welfare policiesWith next year’s general and presidential elections in mind, parties all set out to boost the budget allocation for welfare projects, though their directions and amounts varied.The main opposition Democratic Party focused on slashing the budgets for construction projects pushed by the Lee Myung-bak government, such as follow-up works on the four-river restoration project and the Jeju naval base construction.“We w
Nov. 22, 2011
-
Shares in Ahn’s company riding roller-coaster
The stock price of the antivirus software company founded by Ahn Cheol-soo in 1995 has surged since he was first touted as a potential presidential candidate in early September, leading to fortunes for early investors and shareholder-employees.But analysts have warned of continuing fluctuation in AhnLab’s share price, which they say has far exceeded its proper value.Shares in the company, which was listed in 2001, averaged slightly higher than 20,000 won in the first eight months of the year bef
Nov. 22, 2011
-
Donations now part of political discourse
Public not so enthusiastic about presidential hopefuls’ ‘calculated’ acts of givingOn Nov. 15, a throng of reporters waited in front of a graduate school in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, armed with questions for a man who had returned to the political limelight after pledging to donate a chunk of his wealth to society.As soon as he got out of his car, Ahn Cheol-soo, dean of Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, was surrounded by journalists asking about t
Nov. 22, 2011
-
Panel recommends inter-Korean talks over Geumgang tours
Advises government to address North’s confiscation of assets at mountain resort A presidential advisory panel on national reunification has recommended to President Lee Myung-bak inter-Korean talks for the resumption of tours to the Mount Geumgang resort in North Korea.The recommendation by the National Unification Advisory Council came as Seoul has softened its hard-line stance toward Pyongyang in efforts to improve ties that turned sour following two deadly attacks last year.“Although the Nort
Nov. 22, 2011
-
DLP lawmarker fills chamber with tear gas in protest against FTA
Rep. Kim Sun-dong (center at the podium) of the Democratic Labor Party stands in silent protest after detonating a tear gas grenade and dousing himself with the powder to block the approval of the free trade agreement with the U.S. in the National Assembly on Tuesday (Park Hyun-ku/The Korea Herald)
Nov. 22, 2011
-
Assembly ratifies US FTA as GNP rams through motion
The National Assembly on Tuesday passed the long-pending Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, with the ruling Grand National Party pressing ahead with the ratification process despite vehement objection from opposition parties.Upbraiding the majority GNP and the government for “unilateral action,” the m
Nov. 22, 2011
-
Lee Hoi-chang gives up seat in next Assembly
Leading conservative figure and three-time presidential candidate Rep. Lee Hoi-chang of the minority conservative Liberty Forward Party announced he will not contest the next election.“I am fully responsible for failing to provide protective measures for our local industries,” said Lee in a press conference on Monday.“In order to take responsibility and display my sincerity to the agricultural and stockbreeding societies, as well as small-sized industries, I shall not enter candidacy in the 19th
Nov. 21, 2011
-
Lee pledges development support for Philippines
President Lee Myung-bak on Monday pledged economic support to help facilitate the Philippines’ national development plan in a bid to deepen bilateral cooperative ties, his office said.During his talks with Philippines President Benigno S. Aquino III in Manila, Lee agreed to map out cooperation strategies to make the best of Korea’s development assistance to the Southeast Asian state.Lee flew to the country for a state visit on Sunday after having attended a set of summits with the 10-member Asso
Nov. 21, 2011
-
Rival parties seek pork spending ahead of elections
While the parliamentary budget committee started reviewing next year’s budget bill, on Monday speculation was mounting that parties excessively upped the allocation to new roads construction and welfare projects in an attempt to coax voters ahead of next year’s elections.According to the preparatory reports submitted on Sunday, the 15 standing parliamentary committees raised the budget total by 8.65 trillion won ($7.6 billion), 2.7 percent up from the original amount suggested by the government
Nov. 21, 2011
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Japan, China, S.Korea seek investment treaty by year-end
Nov. 19, 2011
-
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
-
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