• East Asia

    Dr. President

    This is the third and last part in a three-part series fictionalizing the election of each of three presidential candidates. ― ED. President Ahn Cheol-soo was alone at his chief executive office in the heart of Cheong Wa Dae. Ahn appeared to be relaxed with his feet up on the…

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  • East Asia

    Questions on candidates’ NK plans

    With the presidential candidates entering the homestretch before the Dec. 19 election, promises come hard and fast, even when it comes to the most unpredictable variable, North Korea. The three candidates have each expressed interest in reengaging with Pyongyang following a dearth of talks under the Lee Myung-bak administration, during…

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  • East Asia

    Will social media be game changer?

    Utilizing social media was an important part of Barack Obama’s consecutive successes in the two U.S. presidential elections. It remains to be seen whether services such as Twitter and Facebook will play a similar pivotal role in Korea where voters will elect a new president on Dec. 19. Social media…

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  • East Asia

    Life of Daehan’s royals is revealed through exhibition

    The ups and downs of the royal family from the Daehan Empire, which existed from 1897 to 1910 at the end of Joseon Kingdom, is revealed through photographs in an exhibition. Titled “Photographs of the Daehan Imperial Family: 1880-1989,” the exhibit is currently under way at the National Museum of…

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  • East Asia

    Kakao unveils new mobile platforms

    Kakao, the company that runs mobile messenger Kakao Talk, showcased its three new mobile platforms Tuesday. Chairman Brian Kim highlighted three key words ― mobile, social and platform ― as the new trend in the mobile market in a rare appearance at a press conference at the Westin Chosun Hotel…

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  • East Asia

    [Korea Report] Seoul National Science Museum enables children to learn about nature while enjoying

    Korea is known for its high level of educaiton among its people. A group of Korean high school students have won six gold medals to finish top for the first time at the 53rd International Mathematical Olympiad in Juy 2012. The passion and awareness on education can be shown on…

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  • East Asia

    Classic Korean Story “Tale Of Chun Hyang” Performed At Circus Theater In Pyongyang, North Korea

    A North Korean acrobat, center in red, plays the female lead Song Chun Hyang during a theatrical performance of the classic Korean story “Tale of Chun Hyang” at the Pyongyang Circus Theater in Pyongyang, North Korea, Monday, Nov. 19, 2012. The traditional folktale tells the love story of the daughter…

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  • East Asia

    The death of Korean cities

    Amid the flurry of interest in the upcoming presidential election, a new issue is emerging: the death of Korean cities. The results of a recently developed “Decline Index” showed that of the 144 cities and districts in the country, 96 are experiencing decline. The index was based on twelve components,…

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  • 10-million tourist arrivals

    Time to beef up infrastructure, service spirits Korea is expected to reach another industrial landmark Wednesday when this year’s 10-millionth foreign visitor enters the country. The doubling of inbound tourists in a decade, from 5 million in 2002, is meaningful as it shows the industry’s spectacular growth and the nation’s…

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  • East Asia

    ‘Gender card’ makes little appeal to woman

    Will the gender of the candidates have any effect on voting behavior in the upcoming presidential election? Most women answered “no” to this question. Rep. Park Geun-hye, the standard bearer of the ruling Saenuri Party, has played the gender card to woo female voters, saying the nation needs its first…

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