Most Popular
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Korea enters full election mode
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Seoul bus drivers go on general strike, cause morning rush hour delays
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Immigrant woman stabbed to death by Korean husband
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Lee Jong-sup resigns as envoy to Australia
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Yellow dust engulfs S. Korea, advisory alert issued
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Official campaigning kicks off for April 10 elections
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S. Korea to boost support for single-parent families
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Court upholds jail term for man who attempted to murder ex-girlfriend
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Kia EV9 wins world car of year
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Korea misses out on global bond index boost
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[Weekender] Substitute holiday system in force
This year’s exceptionally early Chuseok holidays mark the first time the “substitute holiday system,” which guarantees an extra day off in lieu of public holidays that fall on a Sunday, will be implemented. As expected, all government organizations and most large companies will observe the extra holiday, whereas many small and medium-sized businesses cannot afford to offer a day off, to the dismay of their employees.The departure terminal of Incheon International Airport is crowded with travelle
CultureSept. 5, 2014
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[Weekender] Elderly life has silver lining
Lee So-young, a 33-year-old office worker in Seoul, pictures herself spending her mornings 70 years from now listening to classical music and sipping on herbal tea. “I want to become a gracious granny who embraces the joy of life every moment,” she said. “Maybe I would still be able to travel the world.” Despite this rosy picture, she hesitated for a moment when asked of how she would prepare financially for her later life. “Actually, I have no idea. Maybe I should save more.”Lee is one of many
Social AffairsAug. 29, 2014
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[Weekender] Korea struggling with aging
South Korea’s population is rapidly aging, but the government appears to lack policies to deal with the demographic change.According to Moody’s, a global credit rating agency, a total of 13 countries including Korea will be categorized as “super aged” societies by 2030, meaning that more than one-fifth of the population will be over the age of 65. Last year, more than 12 percent of Korea’s 50 million people were in this age bracket. The impact of such aging on the global economy would be tremend
Social AffairsAug. 29, 2014
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[Weekender] Societal aging poses challenge to health sector
Stepping inside Gangnam-gu Haengbok Convalescence Hospital, it is easy to mistake the property for some kind of leisure resort. There is a sauna, a beauty salon, as well as a cafe on top of its fully equipped physical therapy center. With colorful paintings on the walls and lush trees surrounding the grounds, the hospital has that modern and cozy, “home away from home” ambience.Located in Segok-dong, a relatively quiet area in Seoul’s affluent district of Gangnam, the hospital ― which opened in
Social AffairsAug. 29, 2014
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[Weekender] ‘Don’t stop living life’
During the Stone Age, working until dying was the most common retirement plan. Many simply never lived past 40. In South Korea today, many retirees are choosing the same path, but not because life ends before retirement, but because life continues after retirement. The life expectancy for South Koreans born in 2012 is 81, according to the World Health Organization. The figure is expected to reach 100 in the coming years.For some, the answer to figuring out what to do with this extra time comes n
Social AffairsAug. 29, 2014
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[Weekender] Flourishing silver industry key driver of future growth
Industries catering to senior citizens in Korea have been expanding at a rapid pace in recent years as the pensionable population grows.The market for goods and services geared toward the elderly is projected to grow at an annual average rate of 12.9 percent until 2020, according to a report by the Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry, while the average overall growth rate is estimated to stay at about 4.7 percent.The Ministry of Health and Welfare also projects the scale of silver businesses wo
Social AffairsAug. 29, 2014
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[Weekender] Five wonders of Jindo Island
Jindo Island is rich not only in historical and cultural traditions, but also gastronomy, according to locals and tourists who have visited the island over the years. Jindo residents claim that the best seafood in Korea is found on their island thanks to the strong sunlight and powerful sea currents. The region’s specialties ― laver, seaweed, abalone and green onion ― are often known, along with the Jindo dog, as the “Five Wonders of Jindo” due to their superior quality and taste.In fact, the fi
TravelAug. 22, 2014
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[Weekender] Timeless beauty of Jindo
JINDO, South Jeolla Province ― A grueling 5-hour drive from Seoul seems to be a small price to pay for the chance to become immersed in this island’s majestic scenery of mist-shrouded cliffs hovering above a picturesque coastline.Jindo Island of South Jeolla Province is South Korea’s third-largest island. Despite being raised in the public consciousness for the recent Sewol ferry tragedy that left more than 300 dead or missing, its natural beauty remains vibrant, with the scenery consisting of r
TravelAug. 22, 2014
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[Weekender] Governor pledges to boost culture, agromarine industry
JINDO, South Jeolla Province ― Jindo County Governor Lee Dong-jin pledged to promote the region’s cultural assets and modernize the agriculture and fisheries sectors to get the local economy back on its feet. “We live in an age in which culture, art and even nature need to be commercialized in order to succeed. We plan to capitalize on Jindo Island’s unique cultural resources to get the economy back in shape,” Lee said in an interview with The Korea Herald. The governor, who began his second ter
PoliticsAug. 22, 2014
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[Weekender] Treasure house of history and art awaits tourists
Just off the southwest corner of the Korean Peninsula, Jindo Island is a treasure house of ancient shamanism and folk culture, brimming with stories to tell.In the words of an old proverb, don’t boast your talent in calligraphy, painting, dancing and singing when you visit Jindo. The collection of some 230 small islets is full of rich cultural heritage. “Jindo used to be a land of exile for scholars during the Joseon Era. The scholars suppressed their tears and regret with art. That’s how folk c
TravelAug. 22, 2014
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[Weekender] Island looks for hope after ferry disaster
JINDO, South Jeolla Province ― As a successful businessman who owns a wedding hall and a photo studio, Cho Jae-yong, 37, is a motivated and a respected Jindo resident, who has built a thriving business based on his diligence and a strong human network.But he misses the good old days. “I ask myself every day, ‘What if I could go back to the night before April 16?’” Cho told The Korea Herald. April 16 is the fateful day the ferry Sewol capsized off the coast of Jindo Island on its way from Incheon
Social AffairsAug. 22, 2014
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[Weekender] Nation revs up Jindo recovery
The government is gearing up to support the local economy of the Jindo area in South Jeolla Province, stricken by the tragic sinking of the Sewol ferry in April. From openly calling attention to the local tourism situation, to providing new marketplaces for local farmers and vendors, authorities are pulling out all the stops to help local residents overcome economic hardship and secure their livelihoods. The central government has earmarked 1.7 billion won ($1.7 million) to compensate the fishin
Social AffairsAug. 22, 2014
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[Weekender] High hopes for Pope Francis
Father You Heung-sik, bishop of the southern diocese of Daejeon, couldn’t believe his ears when he heard that Pope Francis, the leader of the 1.2 billion Roman Catholics worldwide, would be traveling to his diocese to attend a gathering of some 2,000 young believers. “This is a miracle. What else can I say?” said the priest who wrote to the pontiff several times to invite him to the sixth Asian Youth Day. No pope has ever attended the event. He believes that it was God’s will that the pope, reve
CultureAug. 8, 2014
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[Weekender] Seosomun Martyrs’ Shrine birthplace of Korean Catholics
Pope Francis is to visit Seosomun Martyrs’ Shrine before presiding over the beatification Mass in Gwanghwamun Square on Aug. 16. Seosomun Martyrs’ Shrine occupies a central place in the history of Catholicism in Korea. During the 19th century, an estimated 10,000 Catholics were martyred across the country as a crackdown on Catholicism intensified amid power struggles, foreign intervention, and ideological conflict that put the converts at odds with the reigning Joseon state. Many Catholics who w
CultureAug. 8, 2014
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[Weekender] In search of the roots of Korean Catholicism
DANGJIN, South Chungcheong Province ― Excitement over the pope’s visit prevails in South Chungcheong Province, with welcome placards hung at entrances of rural towns. Nestled in South Korea’s central region along the west coast, the province is usually not the most-visited tourist destination for Korean or foreign tourists. “We’ve never had a VIP guest like Pope Francis visit the region and I don’t think we ever will in the future,” said Kim Jeong-gyum, director of the culture and tourism divisi
TravelAug. 8, 2014
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[Weekender] Korea awaits ‘people’s pope’
Last year, a 6-year-old boy in a yellow shirt wandered up on the stage during Pope Francis’ address to the large crowd at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City. The boy sat on the pope’s chair and hung out on the stage. He then clung onto the pope’s legs and refused to leave, even after promises of candy or cardinals’ other efforts to escort him away. The pope patted the boy’s head and gave him a generous smile as he delivered his speech. It was just another account of what Pope Francis is known fo
CultureAug. 8, 2014
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[Weekender] Police tighten security ahead of papal visit
Korea is beefing up security ahead of next week’s visit by Pope Francis, as it prepares to escort the Catholic leader while tens of thousands of people are expected to tail his every move. But the pope’s insistence on keeping the distance between him and ordinary people as small as possible will prove challenging for security officials.Despite being one of the most high-profile religious leaders in the world, the famously frugal pope has rejected the use of a bulletproof car, opting instead for
CultureAug. 8, 2014
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[Weekender] China’s rising clout in Korea
Around B.C. 300, a Chinese widow moved house three times in search of a better place to raise her son. Living beside a cemetery, the child mimicked funeral rites. Near a marketplace, he imitated merchants. Then the mother settled on a house close to a school, where the boy was influenced by literati, soon perfected the Six Arts and became a Confucian sage. Throughout history, the tale of the mother of Mencius has served as a model for devotion to education and strict parenting in neighboring Kor
Foreign AffairsAug. 1, 2014
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[Weekender] Seoul, Beijing set for further economic integration
Once foes and now friends, South Korea and China have become closer than ever, with bilateral trade increasing rapidly.Korea’s shopping districts and tourist sites ― notably Myeong-dong in Seoul and Jejudo Island ― are filled with Chinese-speaking guides and banners welcoming the largest group of visitors to the country, who are helping Korea reduce its prolonged services deficit. Some 4.3 million Chinese visited Korea last year, and the Korea Tourism Organization expects 5 million this year.Mor
Aug. 1, 2014
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[Weekender] Uncertainties linger over future Korea-China relations
South Korea and China have made remarkable progress in their economic, cultural and social relations since the opening of their diplomatic ties 22 years ago, with their trade volume, bilateral tourism and people-to-people exchanges on a steady rise.But uncertainty lingers over how the relationship between the former Cold War foes will evolve amid shifts in the regional security landscape that were triggered mainly by China’s reemergence as a major power in the Asia-Pacific.Geostrategic and secur
Foreign AffairsAug. 1, 2014