The Korea Herald

Lee agrees to cooperate with Japan's new PM on bilateral relations, N. Korea

PoliticsSept 6, 2011

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Japan's new Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda spoke by phone Tuesday and agreed to work closely together in improving relations between the two countries and dealing with North Korea, an official said. During a 15-minute conversation, Lee said t
Kwak questioned over funds for second day

Social affairsSept 6, 2011

Interrogation focuses on source of 200 million won paid to ParkSeoul’s education chief Kwak No-hyun faced a second day of interrogation by prosecutors Tuesday on allegations that he bribed a rival candidate out of the race during last year’s education election. Following the interrogation, prosecuto
Lee names vice ministers of finance, home affairs

PoliticsSept 6, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday shuffled three senior finance officials to fill an empty post a week after promoting first vice minister of finance Lim Jong-ryong to minister of the Prime Minister’s Office.Shin Je-yoon, vice chairman of the Financial Services Commission, will succeed Lim, preside
Ahn won’t run, supports Park for Seoul mayoral by-election

PoliticsSept 6, 2011

Popular professor, civic activist agree on latter’s candidacyAfter days of speculation, Professor Ahn Cheol-soo ended his dalliance with candidacy for Seoul mayor on Tuesday, giving an endorsement to lawyer-turned-civil activist Park Won-soon.“Park has long dedicated himself to promoting civil right
N.K. boosts electronic warfare capabilities

Social affairsSept 6, 2011

North Korea is independently developing a GPS jamming system effective over more than 100 kilometers, according to a government report on Tuesday.The report by the Ministry of National Defense said the North imported some 20 different kinds of communication and radar jamming instruments from the the
Ahn-Park alliance to sway election

PoliticsSept 6, 2011

Park’s unified candidacy keeps both ruling, opposition parties waryThe weeklong media hype over Ahn Cheol-soo’s hint at running for Seoul mayor ended up as a litmus test of his popularity and the prevailing dissatisfaction with existing political parties.Some even say that the 49-year-old entreprene
Colleges in shock after management blacklisting

Social affairsSept 6, 2011

The naming and shaming of 43 poorly managed universities by the Education Ministry on Monday has spawned confusion and concern among universities, with some decrying the label or expressing worries about next year’s freshmen recruitment. Several major universities in operation for more than 50 years
Ministry, hospitals clash over fees for cancer surgeries

Social affairsSept 6, 2011

General hospitals and the government are at odds over discounted fees for a state-of-the-art method of gastric cancer surgery, with hospitals cancelling scheduled procedures because of reduced revenues.Concerns are mounting over whether cancer patients will be able to get the surgery that involves a
Groups gather in Japan to save S. Korean prisoner in N. Korea

Social affairsSept 6, 2011

Nearly 40,000 sign petition as Seoul makes efforts to draw world attentionDozens of international human rights groups will gather in Tokyo on Wednesday to urge the North Korean regime to halt its inhumane activities and release a South Korean woman believed to be held captive at a prison camp, an ac
To cut or not to cut

PoliticsSept 6, 2011

Budget planners, politicians in head-on clash over tax cuts for the rich, corporationsBillionaire investor Warren Buffett’s recent call for higher taxes on the U.S.’s super rich drew much attention from Koreans.Korean media also reported moves by wealthy Europeans to follow Buffett’s lead by offerin
Chemistry professor to lead science council

Social affairsSept 6, 2011

Kim Keon, 62, chemistry professor of Korea University, has been appointed as the sixth chairman of the Korea Research Council of Fundamental Science and Technology, which supports the government’s policy on science research and development and sets up programs to improve affiliated research institut
Envoy leaves literary legacy behind him

Foreign affairsSept 6, 2011

The Swedish ambassadorial couple left a piece of themselves here in Korea before moving to their next posting in Japan.Before they left, Lars Vargo was the guest of honor during the last Seoul Literary Society meeting.It was not because the president of the society was leaving; it was because Vargo
[URGENT] Ahn gives up Seoul mayor candidacy

PoliticsSept 6, 2011

Popular professor, civic activist agree on latter’s candidacyAfter days of speculation, Professor Ahn Cheol-soo ended his dalliance with candidacy for Seoul mayor on Tuesday, giving an endorsement to lawyer-turned-civil activist Park Won-soon.“Park has long dedicated himself to promoting civil right
Cabinet passes bill to extend paternity leave to 5 days

PoliticsSept 6, 2011

Male workers will be able to have up to five days off for paternity leave when their wives give birth under a revision bill that passed the Cabinet meeting Tuesday, the government said.Workers can currently get three days of unpaid leave when their spouses give birth. The bill, which awaits parliame
Couple commits suicide together in Busan motel

Social affairsSept 6, 2011

(MCT)With the Chuseok holidays just around the corner, a married couple committed suicide together in a motel room after suffering from poverty. The owner of the motel called the police, who found the couple dead in a motel room in Busan.The room had been completely sealed with adhesive tape.