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Column
[Indonesia Report] Illegal immigrants escape Indonesian detention facility
Some 20 illegal immigrants from Middle East countries again escaped from the East Java Immigration Detention Center’s temporary detention facility in Madiun, East Java, Indonesia on Friday (Sept 14). They escaped through window, climbed a wall and then moved onto the roof of a house next to the hotel used…
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China angered by NK move to usurp Chinese mining company
Over the last one and a half months, the outside world has been exposed to a rather unusual sight, that of China and North Korea (or rather a large Chinese company and the North Korean government) openly quarrelling. It has always been an open secret that China and North Korea are…
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Column
Blasphemy in Pakistan
It was a welcome change from the usual dreary story: a Christian or a Hindu Pakistani accused of blasphemy on flimsy grounds, tried, and sentenced to prison ― or found innocent, set free and then murdered by some Muslim fanatic. This time was different. The victim this time was a…
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US on Korean unification
Despite its long, deep involvement in the issues of Korea, the United States has never pursued a consistent policy that would help bring about Korean unification. The United States has a multi-faceted image to the South Korean people: a liberator from Japanese colonial rule, a divider of the peninsula, a…
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No tolerance for corruption
Bill needed to tackle wrongs by powerful figures The ruling Saenuri Party has announced a plan to legislate a law aimed at rooting out corruption by the president’s relatives, aides and top government officials. The proposed bill is seen as an effort by Park Geun-hye, the governing party’s presidential nominee,…
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Column
Getting over that thing called death
I am not afraid of death. I got over that when I was about 10 years old. It is not that I want to die but I kind of figured out that it is not only inevitable but perhaps not such a terrible thing. It all happened when I was…
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Perception gap between Korea and abroad
Koreans had long complained that foreigners underestimate them. Nowadays, however, Koreans are puzzled by how foreigners seem to overestimate them. Positive news stories regarding Korea’s achievements abound these days. For instance, in arts and entertainment, rebellious Korean director Kim Ki-duk’s film, “Pieta,” recently won the coveted Golden Lion for best…
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Seoul’s strategic relationship with Beijing
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the normalization of South Korea-China diplomatic relations. Now, South Korea plays a global role, and China is the No. 2 economy in the world. Nonetheless, the quiet atmosphere of celebrating the 20th anniversary reflects that the strategic cooperation partnership between South Korea and…
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US ‘pivot’ toward China
A new word has come into vogue over the past year as the United States draws down its forces in Afghanistan and gets out of Iraq. The word is “pivot.” We’re told the U.S. is “pivoting” toward Asia, focusing on this part of the world after having concentrated on the…
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Column
[Indonesia Report] British couple feared to be imprisoned 20-years in Indonesia
Julian Ponder and Rachel Dougall, both are British nationality, are facing a 20-year imprisonment. Indonesian police arrested Ponder and Dougall on May 19. They were arrested in their villa in Tabanan, Bali, after another British woman, Lindsay June Sandiford, who was arrested earlier told police that she had handed over the…
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