Court rules men’s sex toys not obscene material
Men’s sex toys are not obscene material, a court said Wednesday, countering a previous top court ruling. The Cheongju District Court acquitted an adult products shop owner, 52, accused of displaying vagina-shaped masturbation devices in an appeals case. She was indicted for displaying 13 men’s sex toys in her shop. The lower court had fined […]
Park to play in Asian Cup
Park Eun-seon, a footballer who has recently weathered a controversy over her gender, will represent Korea in next month’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) women’s Asian Cup. Park, 28, a forward for Seoul City Amazones in the WK-League, was among the 23 players Korea manager Yoon Deok-yeo picked for the tournament in Vietnam, which doubles as […]
Ferry may have hit submerged rock
What caused the Sewol, a 6,852-ton car ferry, to sink? According to Coast Guard and news reports, survivors said that they heard a big “thumping” sound before the vessel started to list. Based on initial investigations, the authorities said that the Sewol might have hit a submerged rock. Some reports said that the vessel was […]
‘Wrong instructions increased death toll’
Survivors of the ferry Sewol said an announcement from the captain asking passengers to stop moving worsened the situation. “I ran into my room, after I heard the announcement. But things didn’t seem right,” a female student who jumped into the water told a local TV station. She injured her hand. Rescue teams were still […]
Housing rentals for expats now thriving business
Renting housing to expatriates has turned into a booming business thanks to a rise in the number of long-term residents. Many multi-home owners have entered the market because they are exempted from paying lease tax when their properties are rented out to foreigners under a revised government measure. The demography of the expats show their […]
290 missing; six dead
Ferry boat Sewol capsizes in foggy morning near Jindo, 179 rescued Two hundred and ninety people remained unaccounted for and six were confirmed dead after a ferry apparently hit a submerged rock and capsized off the southwest coast Wednesday morning. The Korea Coast Guard said that 179 passengers were rescued as of Thursday 01:30 a.m. […]
University student bodies lose reputation, popularity
College student bodies are losing their previous reputation as the champions of students’ rights, suffering from a double whammy of internal problems and students’ indifference. Back in the 1970s and ’80s, when the Korean thirst for democracy was strong, university student councils stood at the forefront, paving the way. Young and intelligent, the students considered […]
Solid S5 sales to bolster Samsung
Samsung Electronics is expected to see a better-than-expected earnings in the second quarter as its flagship smartphone ― the Galaxy S5 ― has beaten market expectations. Analysts and fund managers said they are impressed by the initial sales of the phone, adding that the Korean electronics giant is doing well enough to reduce investor concerns […]
War-torn Afghanistan holds successful election
The first round of Afghanistan’s presidential election was held Saturday and, based on most reports, so far so good. That is particularly true in light of the threat of violence posed by the Taliban and, potentially, other heavily armed elements in and outside the country. Turnout among the 12 million eligible voters was about 60 […]
Chaebol’s undue gains
The entrenched business malpractice of chaebol owners and their family members receiving huge dividends through unlisted companies remains intact despite an avalanche of criticism. Rather, such “dividend parties’’ are becoming more conspicuous amid slack public scrutiny. Some of the unlisted companies made hefty dividend payouts while in the red, which often serves as an illicit […]
Media in Tie-up with The AsiaN 
Trump, Kim, and the Three P’s of Summit Diplomacy: 
