• Politics

    S. Korean dramas gain hold in NK

    It’s no longer just South Korean dramas causing a stir in North Korea: America’s “Desperate Housewives” and “Sex and the City” are also being circulated in the isolated state. This was unveiled by Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun of the ruling Saenuri Party, who in a report Monday shed new light on…

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  • Politics

    Rivals wary of Ahn’s future course of action

    Campaign strategists and senior politicians are curious about what course of action Ahn Cheol-soo will take regarding the December presidential election, a day after a talk show featuring Ahn drew positive responses from viewers. The viewer rating of late-night talk show “Healing Camp” stood at 18.7 percent, higher than that…

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  • Politics

    Lee apologizes for bribery scandals

    President Lee Myung-bak offered an apology for the corruption row involving his elder brother Lee Sang-deuk and aides Tuesday. His brother and political mentor is scheduled to be soon indicted on charges of receiving bribes from troubled savings banks. This is the sixth time that President Lee has made a…

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  • President Lee’s approval rate recoreded lowest

    According to a survey conducted by Gallup Korea in the third week of July, only 18 percent of those polled replied positively about President Lee Myung-bak’s performance of duty while 62 percent of the respondents said negatively about Lee’s performance. The survey marked the lowest approval rating for President Lee during his tenure of office. The…

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  • Politics

    Rodong Sinmun stresses economy over politics

    Economic coverage by a major North Korean newspaper has increased in recent months amid signals that the isolated state could experiment with reform, experts said Monday. The Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party, carried 506 economy-related articles during the first quarter of the year, up from…

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  • DUP seeks 3-way race with Ahn, UPP

    Rep. Lee Hae-chan of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) is optimistic that Ahn Cheol-soo will become a contender for the opposition camp during the process of choosing a candidate for the December presidential election. Speaking at a news conference with foreign correspondents based in Seoul, the DUP chairman…

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  • Politics

    KBS head to visit NK over Olympic coverage

    Kim In-kyu, president of state-run broadcaster KBS, will head to Pyongyang Tuesday to discuss the sharing of broadcasting rights for the 2012 London Olympics and other matters, Seoul said Monday. Kim will travel in his capacity as head of the Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), which is coordinating the broadcasting…

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  • Park’s remark over May 16 causes controversy

    Rep. Park Geun-hye, strong presidential hopeful of the ruling Saenuri Party, assessed that the May 16 coup d’etat was “my father’s indispensable best choice,” in a meeting last Monday (July 16). It was a step back from her earlier estimation in 2007 that “it was a revolution for salvaging our country.”…

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  • View of Chinese expert on NK’s dismissal of Ri Yong-ho

    China’s experts on North Korea are producing diverse analyses in connection with recent dismissal of North Korea military chief Ri Yong-ho by its new leader Kim Jong-un. China’s major press including government-controlled Xinhua News Agency reported swiftly the news on July 16. Other news media analyzed about the background of…

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  • Korea-bashing in China sparks soul-searching

    Bloggers here blamed some Koreans for their alleged double standards on foreigners, arguing their immaturity could trigger anti-Korean sentiment in China. “Koreans tend to be nice to Americans or Europeans and try to help them when they are in trouble here. But those who are from Asia, Africa or China…

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