• 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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  • NK leader ready to push his agenda

    Pyongyang’s recent military reshuffle gives leader Kim Jong-un the stability to implement his own governing style, which has shown hints of balancing security and the economy, analysts said Sunday. The replacement last week of army chief of staff Ri Yong-ho with Kim’s own man, Hyon Yong-chol, has raised questions over…

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  • Politics

    Young NK defector beats ‘English stress’

    Hong Sung-il, a North Korean defector, found himself alienated in his first English class on the first day of high school in Seoul in 2000. Hong was 17 then. “I had never studied English before,” said Hong, a 29-year-old Yonsei University graduate with a bachelor’s in psychology, in an interview…

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  • Politics

    [Indonesia Report] ASEAN Hopes to settle dispute on South China Sea

    Amid tension in South China Sea, ASEAN countries are expected to release a statement of unity of their stands on South China Sea dispute this week. ASEAN Ministerial Meeting’s unprecedented failure to issue communiqué last week, raised concern over ASEAN’s unity. They failed to reach a consensus after Cambodia objection…

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  • Park Geun-hye’s view of May 16 revolution cititicized

    The recent remarks of Rep. Park Geun-hye, the presidential hopeful of the ruling Saenuri Party, about May 16 Revolution staged by her late father Park Chung-hee, invited criticism from some local newspapers. In a forum hosted by the Korea News Editors Association on July 16, she said “I think it…

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  • Politics

    Ahn steps forward presidential bid

    A new book, “Ahn Cheol-soo’s Thoughts” was released Thursday detailing the information technology mogul-turned-professor’s thoughts about key campaign issues, including unemployment among young people, education, school bullying, North Korea and the Jeju naval base plan. It was written by Jae Jeong-im, a professor of Semyung University Graduate School of Journalism,…

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