Most Popular
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Korean labor force to shrink by 10 million by 2044: report
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[AtoZ Korean Mind] Does your job define who you are? Should it?
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Allegations surrounding BTS resurface, enraged fans demand apology
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Students with history of violence will be barred from becoming teachers
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Top prosecutor pledges 'speedy, strict' probe into first lady's luxury bag allegations
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Medical feud leaves hospitals in financial crisis
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Samsung mocks Apple over iPhone alarm glitch
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'Queen of Tears' riding high on Netflix chart
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Chip up cycle won’t stay long: SK chief
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Speaker floats dual citizenship as solution to falling births
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[Newsmaker] Poverty plaguing young generation in S. Korea
Earlier this month, a man in his 20s was arrested on charges of stealing 100,000 won ($74) worth of food over a span of four days from an unmanned store in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. When caught, he said he was hungry. The court is yet to decide on this 21st-century Jean Valjean's case, but poverty is a very real issue among South Korea’s young adults, a problem aggravated by the global COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing insecurity in the job market. Young and poor As of this August, 1 ou
Social AffairsNov. 27, 2022
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[Newsmaker] [Reporter’s Notebook] With boosted safety measures after Itaewon, World Cup screening proceeds without problems
After South Korea’s first match of the World Cup on Thursday, I overheard a policeman saying to his colleague over the radio that the public screening event at Gwanghwamun Plaza, central Seoul “wrapped up superbly.” There were no fights, no mess left by drunkards, and no fighting with the officials from the government, police and hosting group over being told what to do. There was some scattered trash in the streets, but most had been picked up by the roughly 23,000 people who
Social AffairsNov. 25, 2022
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[Newsmaker] Long-awaited insurance bill reignites debate on Samsung’s ownership structure
The long-awaited bill to revise the Insurance Business Act is reigniting debate over Samsung’s ownership structure, under which its insurance arm is the largest shareholder of Samsung Electronics. The National Assembly on Tuesday for the first time put forward the revision bills in the parliament's National Policy Committee. The bills, proposed in June 2020 respectively by main opposition Democratic Party lawmakers such as Rep. Park Yong-jin and Rep. Lee Yong-woo, were the first bills to b
TechnologyNov. 24, 2022
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[Newsmaker] Did you know? 3-month stay in UK could get you on 'no-donor’ list in Korea
Being one of the most beloved celebrities in the country, there are few places Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min would not feel welcomed in South Korea. One such rare place, however, may be the blood donation center, as the star soccer player is not eligible to be a blood donor. The reason? He works in England. According to the Korean Red Cross, the list of those ineligible for blood donation include those who have stayed in areas that have had outbreaks of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob diseas
Social AffairsNov. 22, 2022
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[Newsmaker] Self-understanding the best antidote to digital addiction: expert
MADRID -- Self-understanding is the most critical part of treating children with video game addiction, which can be caused by various factors, a game addict-turned-psychiatrist and founder of a mental health coaching company said Thursday. “The best antidote to the digital addiction is self-understanding,” Alok Kanojia, president and co-founder of Healthy Gamer, said during the fifth edition of the enlightED 2022 conference hosted by Fundacion Telefonica together with IE Unive
PeopleNov. 21, 2022
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[Newsmaker] Twitter turmoil, staff exodus aggravate security concerns
WASHINGTON -- Twitter's owner Elon Musk has pledged the platform will not become a "hellscape," but experts fear a staff exodus following mass layoffs may have devastated its ability to combat misinformation, impersonation and data theft. Twitter devolved into what campaigners described as a cesspit of falsehoods and hate speech after recent layoffs cut half the company's 7,500 staff and fake accounts proliferated following its botched rollout of a paid verification system. Further thr
World BusinessNov. 20, 2022
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[Newsmaker] Daejeon expands free subway use to foreign seniors
Foreign residents of Daejeon aged 65 or over will be able to ride the subway for free, according to the officials of the municipal government and the city transit authorities on Friday. Daejeon Metropolitan Government and the Daejeon Transportation Corporation have agreed to exempt subway fares for foreign seniors who live in Daejeon and have acquired permanent residency. The policy is expected to be implemented within this month. South Korea currently has a policy of allowing senior citi
Social AffairsNov. 18, 2022
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[Newsmaker] Korea celebrates Kimchi Day on Nov. 22
Nov. 22 is Kimchi Day, a day dedicated to the savory Korean soul food that Koreans take great pride in. The South Korean government designated Kimchi Day to celebrate and promote the salted and fermented vegetable that is known for its various health benefits and is made in most Korean homes around this time of the year. Gimjang, the process of making large quantities of kimchi before winter, has long been a major annual event in Korean households and neighborhoods where family members, relative
IndustryNov. 17, 2022
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[Newsmaker] What porn? ‘Poverty porn’ reference to first lady sparks furor
A South Korean opposition lawmaker is in the hot seat after he used the phrase “poverty porn” to describe first lady Kim Keon-hee who released photos of her philanthropic work while accompanying President Yoon Suk-yeol’s visit to Southeast Asia. Rep. Jang Kyung-tae of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea said Wednesday that he will “consider expressing regret” if the first lady was upset by his recent comment, while fending off the ruling People Power Party&
PoliticsNov. 16, 2022
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[Newsmaker] ‘It’s not stalking if you don’t pick up’
Recently, a local court cleared a 54-year-old man of stalking allegations, although the accused had apparently harassed his ex-girlfriend with repeated phone calls. The logic behind the verdict? She didn’t answer the phone. “While the (accused) called, the ex-girlfriend did not talk to him on the phone. The sound of the phone ringing cannot be regarded as the sound that was transmitted to the recipient through the information and communications system. ... Even if records of unanswer
Social AffairsNov. 15, 2022
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[Newsmaker] S. Korea’s working hours decrease 10% over decade
South Koreans' working hours may have decreased by 10 percent compared to a decade ago, but the country still works longer hours than most of its OECD peers, ranking fifth among them, data found Monday. According to the recent OECD's data, Koreans worked 1,915 hours last year, the fifth-longest among 38 OECD member countries. The hours marked a 10.3 percent decline from 10 years earlier, when the country topped the list with 2,136 hours in 2011. Despite the decrease in average annual hours worke
EconomyNov. 14, 2022
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[Newsmaker] Biden working on ties with Southeast Asia in shadow of China
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- President Joe Biden is formally kicking off his participation at a conference of southeast Asian nations on Saturday, looking to emphasize the United States' commitment in the region where a looming China is also working to expand its influence. Biden's efforts at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit are meant to lay the groundwork ahead of his highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping _ the first face-to-face encounter of Biden's pr
InternationalNov. 12, 2022
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[Newsmaker] Trump urged to delay 2024 launch after GOP’s uneven election
WASHINGTON (AP) — It was supposed to be a red wave that former President Donald Trump could triumphantly ride to the Republican nomination as he prepares to launch another White House run. Instead, Tuesday night’s disappointing results for the GOP are raising new questions about Trump’s appeal and the future of a party that has fully embraced him, seemingly at its peril, while at the same time giving new momentum to his most potent potential rival. Indeed, some allies were call
World NewsNov. 10, 2022
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[Newsmaker] K-ETA draws complaints from travelers
Over a year after an online travel permit system called the Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) for nationals of over 100 visa-waiver countries came into effect, international travelers’ experiences with the new system have been mixed, highlighting the need for consistency and transparency in the K-ETA’s application approval process. The system was meant to speed up the entry process for travelers upon arrival here, while saving those who would be denied entry unnecessary t
Social AffairsNov. 8, 2022
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[Newsmaker] French chef’s culinary tour to Itaewon ends in tragedy
Guenego Limamou, a 34-year-old French chef whose favorite Korean food was dak galbi (spicy stir-fried chicken), visited Itaewon on Oct. 29 to explore local eateries in the back alleys of Seoul's popular nightlife district. His anticipated trip to learn about the world of Korean cuisine, however, came to a tragic end when the neighborhood became the site of a disaster. He was among the 156 people who died in the fatal crowd crush in Itaewon. “He planned to create some French dishes ble
Social AffairsNov. 7, 2022
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[Newsmaker] Biden, Obama, Trump target key state in midterms countdown
PHILADELPHIA -- US President Joe Biden, Democratic superstar Barack Obama and Republican firebrand Donald Trump all converged in Pennsylvania on Saturday to push their parties to the finishing line in a race Biden said marks a "defining" moment for US democracy. The battle of the serving and two former presidents marked the start of a final crescendo before Tuesday when Americans will decide who controls Congress during the last two years of Biden's first term. Polls put Republica
World NewsNov. 6, 2022
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[Newsmaker] S. Korea, US flesh out plans to enhance extended deterrence against N. Korean threats
WASHINGTON -- South Korea and the United States on Thursday fleshed out their plans to enhance the viability of US extended deterrence against escalating North Korean threats after months of discussion. The US also publicly sent a strong warning against North Korea’s nuclear saber-rattling at the annual bilateral security talks. South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reached an agreement at the 54th Security Consultative Meeting on Thursday at the
DefenseNov. 4, 2022
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[Newsmaker] Grassroots campaigns emerge to help grieving families of foreign victims
Expat communities in South Korea are rallying behind grieving families of foreign victims of the Itaewon tragedy for whom bringing their loved one home is another ordeal fraught with administrative, financial and language barriers. As of Thursday, only four of the 26 foreign nationals who died in the Oct. 29 crowd crush in Itaewon had been repatriated. Three more are expected to return home Friday, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. South Korea has pledged to treat all 156 victims equ
Social AffairsNov. 3, 2022
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[Newsmaker] Why Itaewon disaster was more fatal for women than men
Of the 154 fatalities from last weekend’s Halloween crowd crush in Itaewon, nearly two thirds were women. As of Monday, a total of 98 women are confirmed to have been killed in the deadly human stampede, compared to 56 men. The significant gender gap has led many to wonder why the accident proved to be much more fatal to women than men. The gender ratio of the crowd at the time of the deadly crush remains unclear, but some medical experts say those with smaller body frames and less physica
Social AffairsOct. 31, 2022
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[Newsmaker] Citizens volunteer to perform CPR during Itaewon accident
In the aftermath of Saturday night’s crowd surge in Itaewon, citizens joined efforts to save the victims by performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and offering other assistance. Video clips that capture the chaotic scenes shortly after the incident happened show a number of volunteers performing CPR in the street, alongside paramedics and emergency rescuers. The videos show people calling out for help for medical experts or anyone who knew how to perform CPR. Lee Beom-suk, one of
Social AffairsOct. 30, 2022