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Foreigners face tougher criminal, health checks
The government will tighten entry rules for foreign workers as part of its efforts to keep out immigrants with criminal records or infectious diseases The Korea Immigration Service (KIS) said Monday that it will require low-skilled foreign workers, sailors and short-term employees to submit criminal and health background checks from…
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Society
3 plastic surgeons fined for false claims about K-pop stars
Three plastic surgeons and their marketing agent were fined Monday for respectively approving and creating false advertising that claimed a member of a girl band had undergone facial cosmetic surgery. Seoul Central District Court ordered the four to pay a combined total of 20 million won ($17,500) to Kim Jae-kyung,…
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IT-Science
Mobile messenger war in full swing
Following the new trend of the popularity of smartphones, content providers are stepping up efforts to strengthen their mobile contents, especially in messenger services. The three most popular mobile messengers in Korea ― Kakao Talk, Line and My People ― are quickly evolving to provide more diverse services due to…
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Politics
Syrian opposition members asked to unite by Turkey, Arab League
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby have called on the fragmented Syrian opposition to unite, during a meeting in Cairo on Monday to discuss a new international plan for a transitional government. Davutoğlu and Elaraby addressed nearly 250 members of the Syrian opposition at the…
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Stem cells may cure liver failure
Pharmicell submits commercialization plan on new therapy A way to revive failed livers through stem cells could be available within the next few years as clinical tests of a new treatment regimen are underway. Pharmicell, a Korean pharmaceutical company developing stem cell therapeutics, said Monday that it has submitted a…
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Society
Rebellion against lame duck
Did foreign minister endorse staff’s criticism of Cheong Wa Dae’s Japan pact handling? President Lee Myung-bak tried to patch up a rift exposed over the handling of a military pact with Japan, admitting to a “procedural” flaw Monday. This came a day after a senior foreign ministry official blamed Cheong…
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Society
China confirms H5N1 bird flu outbreak in Xinjiang
BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) — China’s northwestern Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has reported an outbreak of H5N1 in poultry, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) announced Monday. The disease has killed 1,600 chickens raised by the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), a unique economic and semi-military government organization of about…
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Society
Kim Yu-na to retire after 2014 Sochi Olympics
Olympic gold medal-winning figure skater Kim Yu-na said Monday that she will hang up her skates after the 2014 Winter Games. “I will retire after the Sochi Winter Olympics. Although the Vancouver Games were my final destination in my childhood, I have extended it to Sochi,” the 21-year-old said in…
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Society
N. Korean media promote song praising leader
North Korea’s state-run media are promoting a song praising its new leader Kim Jong-un in an apparent move to justify his power succession. The new song is titled “Moving Ahead for the Final Victory.” The name of the name is identical to the last phrase of Kim’s speech on April…
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Business
Old habits die hard
Despite housing slump, rich still bet on real estate The property market is in dire need of a boost, but wealthier Koreans keep the faith that there will be another huge payoff with a stubborn commitment to real estate. Not that they can afford to second-guess when real estate continues…
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