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Society
Koreans greet new year with bell-ringing ceremonies nationwide
Seoul: South Korea welcomed the new year with traditional bell-ringing ceremonies in Seoul and other cities nationwide at midnight Tuesday. The most attention-grabbing bell-ringing ceremony took place at Bosingak Belfry in Jongno, central Seoul, as several prominent celebrities rang the bell 33 times amid cheers from tens of thousands of…
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Politics
South Korea conducts Dokdo defense exercise
Seoul: The South Korean military conducted an exercise on Friday to strengthen defense capabilities for the country’s easternmost islets of Dokdo, the first such drills in four months, a source said, amid budding efforts to restore ties with Japan strained over trade and wartime history. The Korean Navy did not…
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Culture
Three months in, House of BTS pop-up store in Seoul bustles with fans
Seoul: Hirari Yamauchi, a 48-year-old Japanese housewife, and her teenage daughter flew to South Korea for a two-day trip this week, solely for a highly anticipated visit to a pop-up store themed around K-pop boy band BTS currently open in Seoul. The mother and daughter discovered BTS a year ago…
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Politics
Xi ‘almost certain’ visit S. Korea in first half of next year
Seoul: Chinese President Xi Jinping is “almost certain” to visit South Korea in the first half of next year, a presidential official said Wednesday. President Moon Jae-in invited Xi to visit the South in the near future when they held summit talks in Beijing on Monday. Xi said in response…
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East Asia
Gyeongju picked as ‘East Asia Culture City 2021’
Gyeongju: Gyeongju, the capital of ancient Korea, has been selected as the South Korean city to represent the Culture City of East Asia 2021, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Monday. South Korea, China and Japan launched the Culture City of East Asia project in 2014 to promote…
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Business
BTS’ latest three concerts in Seoul had economic effect of $860.7 million
Seoul: K-pop boy band BTS created an economic effect worth 1 trillion won (US$860.7 million) with its latest three concerts in Seoul, an academic report showed Monday. The septet finished off its latest world tour, “Love Yourself: Speak Yourself,” with the final leg in Seoul where three evening concerts at…
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Culture
Bahraini artist features in international 2020 calendar
Manama: In a first for Bahrain, an artwork highlighting Bahraini women during the pearling era and their important role in society during that period has been selected to feature in the international excellence 2020 calendar issued by an intercontinental company. The painting by Bahraini artist Leena Al Ayoobi represents the…
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Society
Malaysia: Set realistic academic goals for children
By Nor Hayati Endan Kuala Lumpur: Schooling should be an enjoyable, and not stressful, experience for students. However, there have been many instances of children caving in to the pressure of meeting the high expectations pinned on them by their parents and teachers. In August this year, the media reported…
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Business
Malaysia to enforce smoke, vape ban in eateries starting 2020
Kuala Lumpur: Smoking and vaping will be strictly prohibited in all eateries across Malaysia from 2020 onwards, the health ministry has announced. Health deputy minister Dr Lee Boon Chye has warned that offenders would be slapped with a fine of RM250 ($60.40). “If stubborn (and) not paying up, a fine…
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Politics
Remains of 40 people discovered at former prison site in South Korea’s Gwangju
Gwangju: The remains of about 40 people have been discovered at the site of a former prison in the southwestern city of Gwangju, the government said Friday, with some claiming that they may belong to victims of crackdowns during the pro-democracy movement in the 1980s. The remains were uncovered Thursday…
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