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Secret’s Hyosung flaunts glamorous body

Jul 21, 2014

Hyosung, leader of the K-pop girl group Secret, flaunted her sensuality in a pictorial in the fashion magazine Geek. The men’s magazine released the August edition cover photos in which the idol is showing off her glamorous body in a form-fitting dresses on its official Facebook page.The 24-year-old vocalist debuted in 2009 as a member of the four-member group Secret. The band is set to make a comeback in August. She is now starring in the KBS daily drama “My Dear Cat.”　(laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.
Paris Hilton under fire for alleged tardiness at events

TelevisionJul 21, 2014

American socialite Paris Hilton has faced criticism from some Korean news organizations for her alleged late arrivals at some events.The Hilton heiress arrived in Seoul on Thursday for a two-day trip to participate in the shooting of two TV shows on cable channels operated by CJ E&M. (OSEN)But Ilgan Sports reported on Friday that Hilton arrived at the recording studio for the OnStyle “Get It Beauty” three hours late and the StoryOn “True Live Show” three and half hours late, keeping production
Hyun Bin has no current plans for marriage

Jul 18, 2014

South Korean actor Hyun Bin said that he has no plans for marriage yet at the red carpet ceremony for the 18th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival on Thursday. During a short interview with the press ahead of the festival’s opening ceremony, he was asked if he had any marriage plans, in the wake of the announcement of Korean film director Kim Tae-yong marrying Chinese actress Tang Wei. (OSEN)Hyun gave a short answer, “Not yet,” while smiling. The 11-day film fiesta kicked off on Thursd
13 liberal leaders join hunger strike for ferry victims

PoliticsJul 18, 2014

A group of leading progressive activists joined a hunger strike by family members of victims of April's ferry disaster on Friday, demanding the early adoption of a special law on the disaster.Thirteen leaders of liberal civic, labor and religious groups joined the protest to show their sympathy for the family members who are on their fifth day of hunger strike, according to a group statement from the organizations.The bill calls for the creation of an inspection team to look into the cause of th
Farmers slam gov't decision to open up rice market

Social affairsJul 18, 2014

South Korean farmers lambasted the government Friday for its decision to open up the local rice market to imports next year, vowing to stage an all-out protest against it.The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced earlier in the day that the government will allow tariffed imports into the rice market starting Jan. 1, 2015, capping a 20-year waiver from an agreement with the World Trade Organization.Slamming the government decision, the nation's three major farmers' groups -- t
S. Korea's move to sell IBK stake falls apart: sources

Jul 18, 2014

South Korea's planned sale of part of its stakes in the Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) fell apart recently, sources said Friday.The government planned to sell about 23 million shares of its stake in the IBK through a block deal on Thursday in after-hours trading, according to the sources. The deal was estimated at around 300 billion won (US$290.3 million).The government confirmed that the deal fell apart but did not elaborate on reasons. A finance ministry official told Yonhap that it was natura
Parties to submit request for extra parliamentary session

PoliticsJul 18, 2014

The ruling and main opposition parties will submit a request Friday for an extra parliamentary session aimed at passing a special bill on April's deadly ferry sinking, party officials said.The bill calls for the creation of a parliamentary inspection team to look into the cause of the April 16 disaster as well as measures to provide compensation to families of the victims.The government has been accused of bungling its initial response to the sinking, resulting in the deaths of more than 300 peo
Seoul, Tokyo to hold sex slavery talks next week

Foreign affairsJul 18, 2014

South Korea said Friday it will resume high-level talks with Japan next week to discuss the Japanese army's sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II following a hiatus in June.Lee Sang-deok, director general of the Northeast Asian affairs bureau of the foreign ministry, will meet with his Japanese counterpart, Junichi Ihara, on Wednesday in Seoul in their third round of talks to discuss what is commonly called the "comfort women" issue, according to the foreign ministry.Seoul and T
N. Korea braces for 'serious floods' this summer: aid group

North KoreaJul 18, 2014

North Korea has begun full-scale preparations for "serious floods" expected this summer, a global humanitarian group said Friday.The country's meteorological department has shared its predictions of serious floods with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and some other aid agencies abroad, according to IFRC.The North's Red Cross, supported by IFRC, held a two-day pre-disaster meeting in Pyongyang last week with the nation's relevant authorities, it added."
JYJ decides on R&B song as title track for new album

Jul 18, 2014

K-pop boy band JYJ has chosen the title track of its upcoming album, the group’s label said Friday. The group will make a grand return to the K-pop scene with their second studio album, “Just Us,” to be released on July 29. The title track, “Back Seat,” will be an urban R&B song. (OSEN)“Instead of feeling the burden of making a great album, we just wanted to portray our true selves in the album,” the group said. The teaser video for “Back Seat” is set to be unveiled online on July 22. “A recentl
Rain in talks about starring in upcoming TV rom-com

Jul 18, 2014

The K-pop singer and actor Rain is in talks about starring in an upcoming TV drama, local news outlets reported Friday. Rain was offered roles in several dramas and films, but finally decided to return to the screen with the SBS rom-com “Song for You” to be aired in September, according to news reports. (OSEN)　Rain’s label, however, denied the reports, saying that nothing has been confirmed yet. He is currently going over a few more offers, the agency said. 　If the singer-turned-actor makes a co
N. Korea blames 'absurd' South for Asiad talks failure

North KoreaJul 18, 2014

North Korea on Friday blamed South Korean duplicity for the breakdown of talks on Pyongyang's participation in the upcoming Asian Games in Incheon and threatened to pull out of the event.The North's official KCNA news agency said the talks in the border truce village of Panmunjom on Thursday had turned sour following what it suggested was the intervention of the presidential Blue House in Seoul.After a long delay, the South began the afternoon session with a series of "absurd" demands that overt
S. Korea, China make headway in latest round of FTA negotiations

Foreign affairsJul 18, 2014

South Korea and China have made a small but clear breakthrough in the latest round of negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), reaching an agreement on how they will pursue liberalization of their service and investment markets, the South Korean government said Friday."Regarding the service and investment sectors, (the twocountries) reached an agreement in principle on the way of market liberalization that had been one of the largest remaining issues,"the Ministry of Trade, Indus
World to celebrate 1st Mandela Day since icon's death

World NewsJul 18, 2014

People around the world will celebrate "Mandela Day" Friday for the first time since the iconic South African leader's death by doing good deeds on what would have been his 96th birthday.For the past five years millions have volunteered 67 minutes of their time on July 18 for the common good to mark Nelson Mandela's 67 years of activism for South Africa's freedom.Mandela died on December 5 last year aged 95 after a lengthy illness. Tens of thousands of mourners, including world leaders, attended
해투 박기량, 야구선수에 받은 대시만 5번 '연애금지?'

Jul 18, 2014

치어리더 박기량이 야구선수 5명으로부터 직접 대시를 받은 사연을 전했다.　지난 17일 KBS2 ‘해피투게더3’에는 여신 특집으로 김신영, 천이슬, 티아라 지연, 레이디제인, 박기량, 김나희 등이 출연했다. 박기량은“학창 시절 인기가 많았냐”는 질문에 “학창 시절 큰 키와 자리 잡히지 않은 외모로 인기는 많지 않았다”며 “이성에게 인기를 얻은 것은 최근”이라고 밝혔다. MC들은 선수들한테도 대시를 받아 본 적이 있는지 물었고, 이에 박기량은 “실장님을 통해 듣는다. 실장님을 통해서 들어오는 것은 실장님이 막는다”며 “총 5명 정도 대시했다”고 답했다.　이어 박기량은 “내가 SNS를 관리하기 힘들어서 잘 안하는데 3번은 미니홈피 쪽지로 대시를 받았다”며 “나중에 실장님한테 말했더니 엄청 화를 내셨다. 선수와 만나면 안 된다”고 말했다. 　해투 박기량 소식을 접한 네티즌들은 “해투 박기량, 대단하다” “해투 박기량, 멋지네” “해투 박기량, 놀랍군” 등의 반응을 보였다.　(onlinene