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East Asia
South Korea-Japan Vice-Ministerial Strategic Dialogue Held In Tokyo
Japan’s Vice Foreign Minister Chikao Kawai (C, right) meets with the First Vice Foreign Minister of South Korea Ahn Ho-young (C, left) during the 12th Japan-South Korea Vice-Ministerial Strategic Dialogue in Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 10, 2013. <Xinhua/Kenichiro Seki>
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East Asia
Googling sedition in N. Korea
The visit of Google Chairman Eric Schmidt to North Korea this week raises intriguing questions about internet usage there to which we may not get real answers for a long time. Belatedly, North Korea has had to open access to the Internet to highly select elite that includes students at…
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East Asia
Suicide is preventable through social care
The recent suicide of former ace baseball pitcher Cho Sung-mo, 39, traumatized the country. His death followed the suicides of his former wife, actress Choi Jin-sil, in 2008, and his brother-in-law, Choi Jin-young, in 2010. Many agree that these suicides were prompted by “anti-fans,” who spread malicious stories online. The…
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Park calls for ‘leap’ in Seoul-Beijing ties
President-elect Park Geun-hye said Korea and China should advance relations by creating a shared vision for the future, during talks with a senior official dispatched by Beijing, Thursday. Park, who will take office late next month, added that the region must send a “consistent and clear message” to North Korea…
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East Asia
NK tech capabilities put on spotlight
A trip to North Korea by Google’s Eric Schmidt this week has sparked speculation over whether the Kim Jong-un regime is politically inclined to increase internet access for his people. Additionally, there are questions over whether the impoverished state is technologically capable of the move. Watchers say the North may…
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Death sentence sought for rapist of 7-year-old
Prosecutors in Gwangju are seeking the death penalty for a man indicted for kidnapping and raping an elementary schoolgirl last summer. The request was filed Thursday by the Gwangju District Prosecutor’s Office asking a local court to impose the death sentence on Koh Jong-seok, 24, on charges of kidnapping and…
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Prostitution vs. women’s rights
Constitutionality of law to be reviewed A district court’s decision to ask the Constitutional Court to rule on whether part of the country’s Anti-Prostitution Law is constitutional has triggered a hot debate among citizens. At issue is a clause of the law, implemented in 2004, which punishes a woman for…
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East Asia
‘Cars are like part of my body’
The worst interviewees for journalists are those who give short or just yes or no answers as there is then nothing much to write about. But talkative people are difficult too as they tend to talk about less interesting topics at length. Kim Pil-soo, a professor of automotive studies at…
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East Asia
Seokpajeong
Restored pavilion of Heungseon Daewongun Seokpajeong, located in Buam-dong, Jongno-gu, is a stately “hanok,” or Korean traditional building, built by the Joseon Kingdom’s (1392-1910) man of power Heungseon Daewongun. He was the father of the Joseon’s penultimate king. The house was privately owned for decades, but is now on public…
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East Asia
Smart ways to embrace New Year’s energy
People like to rearrange the interior of rooms or change furniture to refresh their living environment in the New Year. It is more recommended before Feb. 4, the first month of the saju calendar. In order to activate energy around us letting the old one out and allowing the new…
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