• East Asia

    Writers’ festival coming to Seoul, Jeju

           The Seoul International Writers’ Festival will take place in Seoul and on Jeju Island from Oct. 29 to Nov.3. Under the theme “Reality and Imagination,” the five-day event will invite 20 writers, including prominent writers from abroad for lectures, discussions and tours. The biennial event has been hosted by…

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  • East Asia

    Scholars to discuss globalizing folklore

    Jecheon to host Korean Folklorist Conference Oct. 26-27 Globalization is a modern mantra in almost every field and folklore is no exception. In the 21st century, the world is facing a polarized phenomenon between globalization and localization. To narrow that gap, Korean folklorists who keep track of traditions and past…

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  • East Asia

    By Apple’s logic, Galaxy should cost $2 mil.

    US patent expert suggests Judge Koh check holes in iPhone maker’s argument What has motivated Apple to be so persistent in pressing for its patents in smart devices? It may be the ghost of its founder Steve Jobs, who had reportedly planned a firestorm of legal action 10 years before…

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  • East Asia

    The American/Korean dream

    The durable tenant of American mythology is the American dream: lush lawns and well-kept homes, manicured landscaping and gated communities, a crimeless, painless life of upper-middle classdom, of children with good teeth and good schools, husbands (and wives) gainfully employed, and in general, prosperity overflowing with milk and honey. President…

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  • King or kingmaker?

    Tug-of-war has begun over unified candidacy On Monday, 102 celebrities called for the two major opposition presidential nominees to agree on a single candidate. Similar demands will follow until the liberal Moon Jae-in and centrist Ahn Cheol-soo give their consent. From the standpoint of opposition supporters, however, it should not…

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  • Overseas voting in doubt

    Parties must cooperate to introduce viable system  Korean citizens living abroad have been granted the vote in the Dec. 19 presidential election, following their inaugural ballot-casting in the April parliamentary elections. But the effectiveness of the overseas voting system is in doubt, because only a fraction of overseas Koreans are…

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  • East Asia

    North Korea phases out ‘strong and prosperous’ claim

    North Korea is not known to shy away from hyperbole. The impoverished country, after all, boasts that the late despot Kim Jong-il scored 11 hole-in-ones during his first round of golf. It appears to be taking a more measured tone, however, on its long-held claim that it will emerge a…

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  • Depression hits 1 in 3 female NK defectors

    Life in South Korea is not easy for North Korean defectors and their difficult situation is reflected in numbers. A study showed Tuesday that 30 percent of 140 female North Korean defectors settled here suffered from depression. The depression was a comprehensive result of their weakened physical condition and psychological…

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  • East Asia

    Korea 8th in business environment

    Korea ranked eighth on the ease of doing business list this year, unchanged from a year ago, remaining in the top-10 list for two consecutive years, the finance ministry and the World Bank said Tuesday. The country was second in terms of enforcing contracts, showing that its judicial system provides…

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  • East Asia

    Apple fires Korea’s country head

    Apple, headquartered in Cupertino, California, has dismissed its Korea country manager Dominique Oh, allegedly over sluggish sales of its products here. “Apple terminated the contract with Oh last week,’’ Apple spokesman Steve Park said by telephone, late Tuesday. “We acknowledge that there are many speculations surrounding Oh’s contract termination. But…

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