The Korea Herald

Mayoral race becomes mud-slinging match

Oct 12, 2011

Major candidates tout policy blueprints on welfare, environment, child careParties stepped up their mud-slinging attacks against rival mayoral candidates Wednesday, a day before official by-election campaigning began.The ruling Grand National Party continued questioning the qualifications of the lib
Lawmakers pushing for probe into sex crimes on disabled

Oct 12, 2011

SEOUL (Yonhap) -- South Korean lawmakers are pushing for a parliamentary investigation into years-long sex crimes against disabled students that have recently emerged as a key social issue, a lawmaker said Wednesday.The move came after a local box-office hit sparked a widespread public outrage again
S. Korea raises issue of Japan's wartime sex crimes at U.N.

Oct 12, 2011

SEOUL, Oct. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea demanded that Japan take "legal responsibility" for the aging Korean women forced into sexual slavery to serve Japan's World War II soldiers, formally raising the issue at a U.N. meeting for the first time in 14 years, a foreign ministry official said Wednesday
U.S. Congress set to pass free trade pact with Korea

Oct 12, 2011

Senate Finance Committee endorses FTA on first day of Lee’s official state visitWASHINGTON D.C. ― The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives were set to pass the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement on Wednesday, a day ahead of President Lee Myung-bak’s summit talks with U.S. President Barack Obama.The
GNP urges ratification of U.S. FTA

Oct 12, 2011

As the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement awaits the parliamentary panel discussion on Wednesday, the ruling party leader once again urged parties to ratify it by the end of the month.“The U.S. Congress is expected to pass their bill this week, and in order to move in step, we should also wrap up the i
Lee arrives in Washington for state visit centering on free trade deal

Oct 12, 2011

WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak arrived in Washington on Tuesday for talks with U.S. President Barack Obama as Congress prepares to endorse a long-pending free-trade agreement with Seoul, a landmark deal expected to bring the two allies further closer together.Wi
Time to shatter political glass ceiling?

Oct 11, 2011

GNP candidate for Seoul mayor Na Kyung-won waves to supporters in Seoul early this month. (Yonhap News)More women take center stage as Korea braces for major elections next yearAsked to comment on his rival contender announcing policy pledges every day, Park Won-soon, who is running for Seoul mayor
Lee arrives in D.C. for official visit

Oct 11, 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday arrived in Washington D.C. for a five-day official state visit during which he will hold summit talks with U.S. President Barack Obama.Lee is the sixth South Korean president to make an official state visit to the U.S. The last to visit was forme
Parties dispute ethics of mayoral candidates

Oct 11, 2011

Parties clashed Tuesday over the ethical records of Seoul mayoral candidates Na Kyung-won of the Grand National Party and unified liberal Park Won-soon.The GNP focused its attacks on Park’s family registration records, denouncing him for allegedly evading military duty through false family records.P
Lee transfers retirement home plot deeds from son to himself

Oct 11, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak decided to transfer the ownership of a housing lot where he will live after retirement from his son to himself immediately, in an apparent bid to resolve suspicions over the land deal, such as Lee’s possible attempt to give property to his child expediently.Before leaving the
Lee calls on parliament to ratify FTA

Oct 10, 2011

President vows to increase spending on infrastructure, welfare, women and elderlyPresident Lee Myung-bak on Monday called for swift parliamentary ratification of the Korea-U.S. free trade pact and defense reform bills in an administrative policy speech at the National Assembly.“The U.S. Congress is
Lawyers seek compensation from Japan

Oct 10, 2011

Details of fund for forced Korean laborers during colonial rule revealedA record of Japanese enterprises’ wage arrears for forced Korean laborers during the Japanese colonial rule (1910-1945) amounts to 2.7 trillion won ($2.3 billion), the Korean Bar Association claimed Monday. The survivors and ber
Attacks get personal in first mayoral debate

Oct 10, 2011

Park garners 45.5% of support to Na’s 37.2% in latest surveyThe first official debate for the upcoming Seoul mayoral race was a bruising affair, as an agreement to restrict the debate to policies failed to last.The ruling Grand National Party’s Na Kyung-won and the liberal bloc’s Park Won-soon
KMA launches English mobile weather forecast

Oct 10, 2011

The Korea Meteorological Administration has launched its English mobile website (m.kma.go.kr/eng) for smartphone users. Information to be provided includes current weather, digital forecast, mid-term forecast, world weather, satellite images, radar images, sea weather, mountain weather and weather i
Committee to discuss U.S. FTA bill Thursday

Oct 10, 2011

The National Assembly’s foreign affairs committee will discuss the long-disputed Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement bill in its general meeting on Thursday, according to its chairman.“The U.S. Congress is expected to pass its bill within the week, and parties have agreed to follow suit,” said Grand Nat