• East Asia

    Korea praying for a miracle

    No more survivors found in race against time JINDO ― The nation was hoping against hope Thursday that more survivors from the sunken ferry Sewol would be found. Unfortunately, that collective prayer fell short of helping find anyone alive many hours after the ferry capsized near Jindo Island off the…

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  • Buddhist monk leads return of royal seals

    After learning that U.S. authorities had confiscated nine stolen Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) seals late last year, Buddhist monk Hye Moon started a campaign to get U.S. President Barack Obama to bring them to Korea. Many expressed skepticism, but he silenced doubters once and for all as Obama is expected to…

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  • East Asia

    Teen girls flock to EXO showcase

    If the decibel level from a cheering crowd measures the popularity of a pop band, EXO tops them all. During the one-and-half hour showcase for the K-pop boy-band’s second mini-album, “EXO Comeback Show,” Tuesday night, the non-stop screams from swooning female teenage fans were literally deafening. Yet it was not…

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  • Diageo, Pernod Ricard to cut jobs

    Diageo and Pernod Ricard, the world’s top two liquor companies, are cutting their workforces in Korea due to declining whiskey sales, their Korean branches said Wednesday. Last week, Diageo Korea said it will provide an early retirement program for all managers and executives in a move to cut costs amid…

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  • Hyun hints at easing rules on hotel construction

    Strategy and Finance Minister Hyun Oh-seok indicated Wednesday that the government will ease regulations on hotel construction to boost the tourism industry. “The tourism industry is very effective in boosting the domestic economy and creating jobs. Currently, the number of foreign tourists is rising thanks to the growing popularity of…

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  • Boosting youth hiring

    Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Korea usually wrestle with chronic labor shortages. It’s not strange, therefore, even if it’s hard to find young workers at small factories. By contrast, many young college graduates are out of work ― the employment rate among youths aged 15-29 remained at 39.7 percent…

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  • Court rules men’s sex toys not obscene material

    Men’s sex toys are not obscene material, a court said Wednesday, countering a previous top court ruling. The Cheongju District Court acquitted an adult products shop owner, 52, accused of displaying vagina-shaped masturbation devices in an appeals case. She was indicted for displaying 13 men’s sex toys in her shop.…

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  • East Asia

    Park to play in Asian Cup

    Park Eun-seon, a footballer who has recently weathered a controversy over her gender, will represent Korea in next month’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) women’s Asian Cup. Park, 28, a forward for Seoul City Amazones in the WK-League, was among the 23 players Korea manager Yoon Deok-yeo picked for the tournament…

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  • Ferry may have hit submerged rock

    What caused the Sewol, a 6,852-ton car ferry, to sink? According to Coast Guard and news reports, survivors said that they heard a big “thumping” sound before the vessel started to list. Based on initial investigations, the authorities said that the Sewol might have hit a submerged rock. Some reports…

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  • ‘Wrong instructions increased death toll’

    Survivors of the ferry Sewol said an announcement from the captain asking passengers to stop moving worsened the situation. “I ran into my room, after I heard the announcement. But things didn’t seem right,” a female student who jumped into the water told a local TV station. She injured her…

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