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East Asia
S. Korea to invest 3 tln won in biotech sector this year
South Korea’s government will invest nearly 3 trillion won (US$2.6 billion) this year into biotech-related research and development (R&D) and commercialization efforts as the country strives to promote innovative growth, sources said Monday. The earmarked spending marks a 2.9 percent on-year increase from 2018. The Ministry of Science and ICT…
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East Asia
S. Korea rolls up sleeves to foster hydrogen fuel-cell cars
The South Korean government seeks to nurture the so-called hydrogen economy as one of the country’s new growth engines in line with the government’s policy of shifting toward emission-free energy resources, government officials said Monday. The country’s next-generation auto industry centers on the fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). An FCEV…
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East Asia
N.K. leader’s Russia visit may involve tours to art theater, fleet headquarters: report
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could visit the world-renowned Mariinsky Ballet theater or a Russian Navy fleet headquarters during his widely expected trip to Vladivostok this week for a summit with President Vladimir Putin, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported on Monday. According to the Kremlin, Kim will visit Russia later…
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East Asia
S. Korea consoles Sri Lanka over deadly Easter Sunday explosions
South Korea expressed words of consolation Monday to the people and government of Sri Lanka over the deadly Easter Sunday bombings that claimed over 200 lives in the South Asian country. “We offer our condolences and consolation to those who were killed in the April 21 explosions and their families,…
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East Asia
S. Korea’s exports drop 8.7 pct in first 20 days of April
South Korea’s exports fell 8.7 percent in the first 20 days of April from a year earlier on decreased overseas shipments of semiconductors, customs data showed Monday. The country’s exports stood at US$29.7 billion in the April 1-20 period, compared with $32.5 billion in the same period last year, according…
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East Asia
Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Parasite’ chosen for competition in Cannes
The Cannes Film Festival on Thursday announced the feature selection for the 2019 competition, which includes South Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite.” It is Bong’s second time competing for the Palme d’Or, or Golden Palm, following the selection of his adventure film “Okja” in 2017. The Korean-language film will be…
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East Asia
M4.3 quake strikes off S. Korea’s east coast
A 4.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the eastern city of Donghae on Friday, the Korea Meteorological Administration said. The temblor occurred at 11:16 a.m. in waters 54 kilometers northeast of the city. Residents of the region are believed to have felt the quake, though it resulted in no…
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East Asia
N. Korea calls for replacing Pompeo with ‘more careful and mature’ negotiator
North Korea called Thursday for replacing U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with a “more careful and mature” negotiator, accusing the top American diplomat of failing to understand Pyongyang’s position and causing the denuclearization talks to become “entangled.” A senior North Korean foreign ministry official made the demand, claiming that…
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East Asia
Moscow says Kim Jong-un to visit Russia in late April: report
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will visit Russia later this month for talks with President Vladimir Putin, Russian news service RIA Novosti reported Thursday, citing the Kremlin. Kim will make the visit at Putin’s invitation, the news service and other Russian news outlets quoted the Kremlin as announcing in a…
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East Asia
City-run used bookshop offers to keep alive things from bygone days
Lee Ji-yeon gasped with surprise as she grabbed a worn-out book from a row of similar tomes neatly arranged on a stand at a used bookstore on a recent afternoon. “It’s the history textbook from back in my day. Korean History was one of the few classes I actually paid…
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