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Column
Honest president
Presidential race has belatedly started in Korea. It is premature to predict the winner. But the winner will probably be the one who rides the spirit of the times, often called zeitgeist. Park Geun-hye officially declared her presidential candidacy Tuesday, and few question her nomination as the standard-bearer of the…
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Column
Bangladesh braces early monsoon disaster
Bangladesh flood situation has improved in the northern districts and the north-eastern Sylhet region but the tidal surge in the coastal belt and erosion along the major river system have rendered thousand of people homeless and road communication disrupted in the affected areas. Meanwhile, waterborne diseases coupled with poor relief…
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Higgs boson and Lee Sang-deuk
Apparently shocked by the arrest of his elder brother, President Lee Myung-bak cancelled all morning meetings Wednesday, just after Lee Sang-deuk was detained on charges of bribery. It might have been all the more perplexing for both Lees because the arrest was the first such case against a brother of…
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President’s apology
Lee should feel ashamed over brother’s arrest Lee Sang-deuk, President Lee Myung-bak’s elder brother, was jailed early Wednesday morning after a Seoul court issued an arrest warrant on bribery charges. He has become the first brother of a sitting president to be arrested in Korean history. Lee is suspected of…
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Park joins race, formally
Key lies in whether she can change herself Park Geun-hye has been called the politician closest to Cheong Wa Dae during the past five years or even longer. On Tuesday, the de facto leader of the ruling Saenuri Party formally embarked on her second attempt to open the gate of…
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Column
Can Korea solve household debt woes?
Korea remains one of the best-performing advanced industrial economies this year despite the eurozone debt crisis and economic slowdowns in the U.S. and China. Its weak currency is preventing exports from falling further than they probably should have as demand dries up in Europe, the U.S. and China. Consumer spending…
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Qualifications of justices
Confirmation hearing should not be rite of passage When Chief Justice Yang Seung-tae began selecting candidates to fill four vacancies at the Supreme Court about two months ago, this page called on him to consider such factors as diversity of court composition and the expertise of judges. Please bump that!…
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Chaebol bashing
Time to discuss roadmap for conglomerates Reforming the country’s large business conglomerates, known as the chaebol, is emerging as a hot-button issue ahead of the presidential election slated for December. As the chaebol system is cited as the chief culprit behind worsening economic polarization, few would dare to challenge the…
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Column
Coalmine villagers clash with police over compensation in Bangladesh
Barapukuria Coal Mine, Agitation postponed after clash between villagers and police. The villagers around Barapukuria coalmine in northern Bangladesh have postponed their agitation programme till 22 July after the local lawmaker and state minister for land Mostafizur Rahman made an assurance to meet their demands. Meanwhile, at least 20 villagers…
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Column
Cambodia beefs up security for world leaders
PHNOM PENH — Tens of thousands of the Cambodian armed forces have been built up to provide special security and safe for the top leaders of the 10 ASEAN member states and high-ranking delegates from other nations, including the U.S., China, and Russia. Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday morning officially…
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