• Society

    Taxing gambling monks

    The leadership of Jogye, the nation’s largest Buddhist order, is being thrown into question following the disclosure Thursday of a video clip showing monks gambling, drinking and smoking in a hotel room. The monks were seen playing poker with hundreds of millions of won, which is believed to be from…

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  • Business

    Yeosu Expo officially begins

    The 2012 Yeosu Expo, which will run for 93 days until Aug. 12, officially kicked off Saturday morning. The official opening ceremony was held in front of the digital gallery of the exhibition hall under the presence of the expo committee and Yeosu city officials. At the opening ceremony, the…

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  • Business

    Empty talk

    Big firms playing dumb to challenges of aging population A workforce aging in dog years has been fueling apocalyptic talk about the future of Korea’s economy. Nonetheless, the country’s biggest corporations continue to display a maddening inability to think beyond the next quarter. Policymakers like Strategy and Finance Minister Bahk…

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  • Over 100,000 petitioners ask White House to adopt East Sea

    More than 100,000 people have signed on an online petition asking the White House for its support to have the East Sea rather than the Sea of Japan adopted as the name of the body of water separating Korea from Japan. The petition drive started two months ago. Now, the…

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  • Lifestyle

    Celebrating King Sejong

    King Sejong was the fourth king of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) and is well-known for many impressive things such as having created “Hangeul,” or the Korean alphabet but did you know that he was also a lover of music? The king researched and modified the contemporary music and dance of…

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  • World

    Presidential Race Gets Heated In Egypt

    Supporters of Egyptian presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq chant slogans under a banner with his photos and Arabic writing which reads “D. Ahmed Shafiq, Egypt’s president ,” during a rally in Tanta, about 90 Kilometers (56 miles) north of Cairo, Egypt, Friday, May 11, 2012. <AP/NEWSis> news@theasian.asia

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  • Politics

    U.S. provides $40 mil for victims of Syrian crisis

    The United States has allocated $40 million to assist relief agencies aiding victims of the Syrian crisis, the Department of State has said. “The United States is pursuing every avenue to get humanitarian relief to those affected by the violence in Syria and is engaged in focused diplomatic efforts to…

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  • Politics

    Greek leaders fail to form government

    Leftist Alexis Tsipras, the leader of Greece’s second party Syriza, said on Wednesday that he failed to form the government, local media reported. “We won’t be able to realize our dream for a left government. Tomorrow morning I will return the mandate,” Tsipras said to the state television. He received…

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  • Politics

    Algerians vote in parliamentary elections

    Algerians have began voting for the parliamentary elections across the nation, which authorities say will be the freest and most transparent elections ever hosted in the North Africa country. Reports say that more than 48,000 voting stations opened on Thursday morning at 8:00 am local time, with many venues under tight police…

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  • Society

    The AsiaN’s Chinese edition opens on May 11

    The AsiaN has started publishing the Chinese edition (cn.theasian.asia) on the occasion of its half year founding anniversary which fell on Friday (May 11). This is the third following the Korean and English editions.  We are ready to provide a variety of stories and columns on political, economic, military, social, culture and  history in a way of meeting…

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