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East Asia
GDP growth affects S. Korea’s employment most
South Korea’s economic growth rate has had the greatest impact on the country’s employment level among major macroeconomic variables over the past years, a report showed Wednesday. A 1 percentage-point gain in South Korea’s real gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to have boosted the number of employed people by…
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East Asia
Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Parasite’ receives standing ovation at Cannes
South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” has premiered at the Cannes International Film Festival Tuesday (local time), with the director getting an eight-minute standing ovation. The new movie from the “Snowpiercer” and “Okja” director tells the story of a poor family becoming obsessed with a rich one after their son…
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East Asia
Moon says strong alliance behind continued dialogue mood with N. Korea
President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday that a unified and cool-headed response by South Korea and the United States to North Korea’s recent missile firing has helped maintain the momentum of dialogue. In a luncheon meeting with top military commanders of the allies at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, the president…
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East Asia
U.S. underscores sanctions enforcement after N.K. envoy’s call for return of seized ship
The U.S. Department of State on Tuesday stressed U.N. member countries’ enforcement of anti-North Korea sanctions after Pyongyang’s top envoy to the world body renewed calls for the return of a seized ship suspected of violating sanctions. But it said that Washington is still open to nuclear negotiations with the…
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East Asia
Number of insect companies on rise in S. Korea
The number of South Korean companies raising or processing insects for foodstuffs, pets and other purposes grew threefold in 2018 from three years earlier, data showed Tuesday. According to the data compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the number of insect companies in the country came…
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East Asia
U.N. grants sanctions exemption for UNICEF’s aid projects in N. Korea
The U.N. Security Council has granted a sanctions exemption to allow the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to carry out aid programs in North Korea to improve the health and nutrition of people in the impoverished country, according to the U.N. website. The exemption, granted on April 11, paves the way…
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East Asia
60 pct of female N. Korean defectors in China trafficked into sex trade: report
About 60 percent of female North Korean defectors in China are believed to be trafficked for sexual exploitation, a London-based civic group said in a report, urging South Korea and China to take action to protect the women and girls. Of the victims, nearly half were forced into prostitution, over…
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East Asia
World forum on air quality improvement to open in Seoul this week
Officials of global cities battling air pollution and environmental experts will gather in Seoul this week to discuss concerted efforts and measures to reduce fine dust particles, the Seoul government said Tuesday. The Seoul International Forum on Air Quality Improvement 2019 will take place at Seoul City Hall on Wednesday…
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East Asia
LG Electronics aims to halve carbon emissions by 2030
LG Electronics Inc. said Monday it will halve carbon emissions by 2030 compared with 2017 levels by the increasing use of renewable energy and energy-efficient management systems. The electronics maker said its goal is aimed at having a “zero carbon” footprint by reducing CO2 emissions and increasing renewable energy sources…
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East Asia
Seoul to take steps to stabilize market over volatility
South Korea will take “appropriate” steps to stabilize its financial markets in case of increased volatility, signaling Seoul’s possible intervention in the foreign-exchange market. Hong Nam-ki, the minister of economy and finance, said South Korea will strengthen the monitoring of financial markets and take preemptive actions against a risk factor…
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