The Korea Herald

‘Voting an innate right granted to all citizens’

PoliticsOct 17, 2011

The right to vote is a constitutional right granted to all citizens regardless of their location, a senior official of the National Election Commission said. “One does not have to perform taxpaying or military duties nor prove one’s qualification to exercise one’s constitutional rights,” said Jeong
Japan to return ancient books upon P.M. visit

Foreign affairsOct 17, 2011

Japan is expected to return part of the Korean royal archives it took during its decades-long colonial rule during Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s visit to Seoul this week, according to officials here. Noda, who will arrive in Seoul on Tuesday, is expected to discuss the return of the ancient books,
N. Korea, U.S. to hold more nuclear talks in Geneva

Foreign affairsOct 17, 2011

North Korea and the United States will hold a second round of bilateral talks next week in Geneva to discuss the stalled six-nation talks on the North’s nuclear weapons programs, a diplomatic source in Seoul said Monday.“I have learned that a high-level dialogue between North Korea and the U.S. will
DP digs in heels over U.S. FTA bill

PoliticsOct 17, 2011

Opposition leader calls trade deals more difficult to change than ConstitutionThe ruling and opposition parties once again clashed on Monday over the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.Following the U.S. Congress’ ratification of the bill last week, the ruling Grand National Party urged the parliamenta
Lee drops plan for Naegok-dong retirement

PoliticsOct 17, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak on Monday decided to cancel his planned move after retirement to a newly purchased housing lot on the edges of Seoul in an apparent bid to quiet down controversy ahead of the Seoul mayoral by-election next week.He will move back to his existing home in Nonhyun-dong, Gangnam-g
Jeonse giving way to monthly rent: report

Oct 17, 2011

Nearly half of all tenants in South Korea have signed up for a monthly rent contract, a report showed on Monday, underscoring the shift in tenancy agreements accelerated by a prolonged period of low interest rates and stagnant property prices. According to Real Estate 114, the proportion of the mont
Samsung widens campaign to ban iPhone 4S sales

IndustryOct 17, 2011

Samsung heir apparent attends Steve Jobs’ memorial in the U.S.Samsung Electronics said Monday it filed for a sales ban on Apple’s latest smartphone in Japan and Australia, while its heir apparent Lee Jae-yong visited the U.S. to attend the memorial service of Apple’s late co-founder, Steve Jobs.The
Credit card firms to cut transaction fees

Oct 17, 2011

Regulator’s move to promote ‘shared growth’ is met with protestKorea’s major credit card firms said on Monday they would slash the transaction fees they collect from small merchants as a reluctant response to the growing calls for a rate cut to bolster their shaky profits amid regulatory pressure. S
International air defense exhibition to kick off Tuesday

DefenseOct 17, 2011

SEONGNAM ― An international air defense exhibition will open in South Korea on Tuesday with the aim of boosting local defense exports and exchanges among local and foreign firms, organizers said Monday.Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition 2011 will take place through Sunday at Seoul Ai
Hwang claims to have cloned coyotes

Social affairsOct 17, 2011

Hwang Woo-suk, a veterinary scientist who doctored his research data claiming to have cloned the world’s first human embryonic stem cells, claimed Sunday that he had become the first to succeed in cloning endangered coyotes. “We produced the cloned coyotes by extracting adult skin cells from coyotes
Seoul asks expats to make town meeting suggestions

Social affairsOct 17, 2011

Seoul city government is asking foreigners in the capital to voice their complaints and make suggestions for improving the city, officials said Monday. Foreign residents in Seoul can post complaints and suggestions about life in Seoul on the Seoul Global Center website (global.seoul.go.kr) from Oct.
Top colleges in East Asia to launch joint degree program

Social affairsOct 17, 2011

Top universities in South Korea, China, Japan and Vietnam have agreed to launch a joint degree program over the next couple of years as part of academic exchanges, officials said Monday. According to Seoul National University, presidents of Seoul National University in South Korea, Peking University
Effectiveness of USFK’s curfew questioned

Social affairsOct 17, 2011

Some find loopholes by enjoying nightlife in areas outside of MP patrolU.S. military personnel are getting around the recently reinstated curfew by deserting Itaewon at the weekend for areas such as Hongdae, Sinchon and Apgujeong, according to bar and restaurant owners.“The soldiers who used to part
Readers’ VOICE

Oct 17, 2011

On the Jeju base...I’m not Korean nor have I even been to Jeju, but I have seen many pictures of Jeju Island, read about it and dream to go there one day. I voted for it for the 7 Wonders of the World. I watched 1N2D go there and I was there in spirit with them as they showed me the wonders of Jeju
[VOICE] Should Jeju have a naval base?

Oct 17, 2011

With construction under way and opposition not letting up ...Should Jeju have a naval base?Battleground of ideasThe proposed naval base at Gangjeong on Jeju Island has been a source of bitter controversy since it was first announced in 2007. The South Korean Navy argues that the $970 million dollar