Most Popular
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Contentious grain bill put directly to plenary meeting for vote
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Yoon's approval rating plunges to all-time low
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Will tug-of-war between doctors, government end soon?
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Climate impacts set to cut 2050 global GDP by nearly a fifth
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Trilateral talks acknowledge ‘serious’ slumps of won, yen
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[Graphic News] More Koreans say they plan long-distance trips this year
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[KH Explains] Hyundai's full hybrid edge to pay off amid slow transition to pure EVs
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North Korea removes streetlights along cross-border roads with South
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Russia's denial of entry of S. Korean national unrelated to bilateral ties: Seoul official
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Farming households dip below 1m for first time in 2023
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GNP leader election in disarray
Party to hold emergency meeting after court says voting rules invalidThe Grand National Party is in a state of confusion after a court unexpectedly invalidated its revised rule on its chairperson election scheduled for next Monday.The Seoul Southern District Court upheld the claim that the party’s revised internal constitution was unlawful and suspended its legal effect on Tuesday.The GNP revised
June 29, 2011
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Obama clears hurdle to FTAs with Korea, Colombia, Panama
WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) -- U.S. President Barack Obama has reached a deal with congressional Republicans on the terms of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program, clearing a major obstacle to the ratification of bilateral trade pacts with Korea, Colombia and Panama, the White House announced Tuesday."As a result of extensive negotiations, we now have an agreement on the underlying terms for
June 29, 2011
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DP blocks Assembly panel over TV fee bill
Opposition lawmakers occupy committee room to thwart bill’s passageAmid the elevating conflicts over the state-run broadcaster KBS’ fee hike, opposition lawmakers boycotted the parliamentary culture committee’s general meeting on Tuesday in order to stop the ruling party from passing the related bills.The meeting was to start at 2 p.m. but lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party took ove
June 28, 2011
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Oh having another bout with city council over waterway
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has been engaged in another wrangle with the opposition-dominated council over a project to build a waterway linking downtown Seoul to the western port city of Incheon.Oh initiated what he termed the “Seohae (West Sea) Waterway Project” as part of his campaign pledges for the 2006 mayoral election, saying it would bring in a larger number of tourists from Japan and China by
June 28, 2011
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Seoul mayor casting himself as ‘antipopulism warrior’
Vote on school meals to be watershed for Oh’s political future, welfare competitionAgainst the backdrop of a pile of boxes containing what he had awaited for months, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon stood before a crowd of reporters at City Hall on June 16.“The upcoming referendum will be a watershed to decide whether to expand or put an end to welfare populism,” said Oh. He hoped the judgment to be made by
June 28, 2011
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Will parliament clean up its act?
Rival parties agree on filibuster, new rules aimed at ending violence on floorRival political parties on Monday agreed on a set of measures, including a filibuster, which they hope would help end legislative violence and upgrade the political process. “A meeting of the ruling Grand National Party and the opposition Democratic Party worked out a tentative agreement on a number of issues, including
June 27, 2011
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Lee, Sohn fail to bridge gap on FTA
President, opposition leader disagree on timing, extent of college tuition cutsPresident Lee Myung-bak on Monday declined main opposition leader Sohn Hak-kyu’s request for a revised supplementary budget bill, citing the proposal’s failure to meet legal conditions.The Democratic Party leader called for more government spending to help cut college tuition, create jobs, recoup damages from typhoons a
June 27, 2011
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Strengths and weaknesses of GNP runners
(from left) Park Jin, Nam Kyung-pil, Hong Joon-pyo, Na Kyung-won, Yoo Seong-min, Won Hee-ryong, Kwon Young-seSupport of Park Geun-hye faction expected to hold critical sway in electionWith the ruling Grand National Party’s internal elections to select its new chair less than a week away, the seven candidates are making their cases as to why they should lead the party through next year’s big races
June 27, 2011
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S. Korea to send Navy elite forces to the UAE
South Korea will dispatch 10 members of its Navy’s Underwater Demolition Team to the United Arab Emirates next month to help train troops in the Middle East country, an official at the Ministry of National Defense said Monday.They will join the 130-member contingent, which was deployed there in January following the UAE’s request last August that South Korea help it nurture world-class special war
June 27, 2011
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Assembly June session may end with few results
While the National Assembly’s June provisional session nears its end, rival parties are yet to find the solution to most of the pending issues, raising concerns that the related discussions may be put off until the September session.The parliamentary tie-up also boosted anticipation over Monday’s talk between President Lee Myung-bak and main opposition party leader Sohn Hak-kyu.Last Thursday, the
June 26, 2011
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Lee to visit Africa for PyeongChang bid
President Lee Myung-bak on Saturday will fly to South Africa for a weeklong tour of three African countries, Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday. The trip is part of last-minute efforts to promote Korea’s PyeongChang as the host of the 2018 Winter Olympics and to strengthen economic ties.The president will arrive in Durban, South Africa, on Saturday evening, four days before the International Olympic Commit
June 26, 2011
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Lee visits Africa next week for PyeongChang bid, energy ties
President Lee Myung-bak (Yonhap News) President Lee Myung-bak on Saturday will fly to South Africa for a weeklong tour of three African countries, Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday. The trip is part of last-minute efforts to promote Korea’s PyeongChang as the host of the 2018 Winter Olympics and to strengthen economic ties. The president will arrive in Durban, South Africa, on Saturday evening, four days
June 26, 2011
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Lawmakers up ante against tycoons
The feud between parliamentarians and some of the nation’s corporate leaders escalated Thursday, as politicians threatened legal action if the businessmen defied their request to testify before parliament next week. Members of the National Assembly’s Knowledge Economy Committee decided to call to a public hearing it is organizing three of the nation’s major business organizations’ chiefs ― Huh Cha
June 24, 2011
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Obama extends national emergency against N. Korea
WASHINGTON, (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Barack Obama issued a public notice Thursday to extend the national emergency in relation to North Korea that provides a legal and administrative basis for sanctions against the nuclear-armed communist nation.On the basis of the national emergency declared in 2008 under the National Emergencies Act, the Obama administration slapped tougher sanctions on Pyongy
June 24, 2011
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Parliament passes bills on Korea-EU free trade safeguards
SEOUL, June 23 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly on Thursday passed a package of safeguard bills aimed at protecting local industries from cheap imports after a free trade deal with the European Union (EU) takes effect in July. The free trade pact, approved by the parliament in April, will eliminate 98 percent of import duties and other trade barriers in manufactured goods, agricultural products a
June 23, 2011
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DP rules out compromise over TV fee rise plan
The main opposition Democratic Party renewed its pledge to veto the KBS subscription fee rise unless the public broadcaster moves to maintain political neutrality.“Only when KBS proves the legitimacy of the fee hike and shows efforts to renew itself will we examine the necessity to raise the fee,” said a party spokesperson after the DP Supreme Council meeting. The remarks overturned the party floo
June 23, 2011
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An slams ‘blind spot’ on overseas schools
Lawmaker says education key to winning hearts of voters living abroadOverseas Korean schools have long been a blind spot for the government and National Assembly and it is time they paid attention to the issue, even if only to win votes abroad, said a second-term lawmaker.Rep. An Min-suk of the main opposition Democratic Party, who is also on the parliamentary education committee, has lately been
June 23, 2011
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Officials lie low under corruption watch
Public servants refrain from drinking, dining out, golfingThese days, the staff cafeteria of the Financial Supervisory Service is jam-packed with its employees.They are reluctant to eat out for fear they could also be accused of corruption, as officialdom sees a spate of scandals.“More and more of us opt to eat at the cafeteria on the 20th floor rather than going outside. Since corruption allegati
June 22, 2011
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Panel holds practice overseas election
The National Election Commission is to carry out a mock election June 30 at 158 polling stations in 108 countries, as a final dry run for the overseas voting system set to take effect next year.Among the 5,484 who registered themselves as voters, 4,708 had their residence in Korea and the remaining 776 were permanent residents in overseas countries, according to the NEC.All voters are required to
June 22, 2011
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Plan aims to stop rookies being hired as judges
Reform bill to be submitted to parliament later this monthFrom 2013, only those with a certain period of judicial experience as prosecutors, lawyers, law professors and in similar positions will be appointed as judges according to a proposal by a parliamentary committee. The National Assembly’s special committee for judicial reform said it would vote Wednesday on a plan to change the way judges ar
June 21, 2011