Inside a North Korean gulag
US journalist uncovers horrors of world’s toughest prison camp The international community has been concerned with the dire human rights conditions in North Korea. But the Communist state has been in adamant denial, as seen from an announcement from its state broadcaster. “There is no ‘human rights issue’ in this country, as everyone leads the […]
Why do coffee shops keep popping up?
Restaurants, and other self-run retail businesses are struggling to make ends meet as households tighten their purse strings to cope with slower income growth and a sluggish job market. But one retail sector has been immune to this prevailing trend. Riding high on Koreans’ increasing appetite for freshly-brewed, premium coffee, both foreign and local coffee […]
Korea seeks diplomats with ‘entrepreneurial spirit’
Korea is shifting the focus of selecting and training rookie diplomats by putting an emphasis on a spirit of challenge. This is aimed at enabling our corps of diplomats to better cope with the fast-changing global environment and to promote national interest. Leading this change is Kim Byung-kook, the inaugural chancellor of the Korea National […]
Mental health concerns rise with cosmetic surgery boom
“This is the nose you’ll see most if you go clubbing these days,” said Sumi Lee, a university student in Seoul. She gestured to an ad for a posh plastic surgery clinic, showcasing “before and after” images of a rhinoplasty patient. “I call it the Gangnam nose, and half of my friends have it. If […]
Suwon murder shames police
Police’s ability to perform their duty — serve and protect — has been put in serious doubt, following the revelation that they apparently mishandled a call for help by a woman being confronted by a Korean Chinese man in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, last week. The 28-year-old woman was killed and chopped into pieces on April […]
“Improved South-North relation crucial for peace in Asia”
U.S. Special Representative for North Korean Affairs Glyn Davies, left, listens to South Korean nuclear envoy Lim Sung-nam during their joint press conference at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012. <Photo=AP/Newsis> Most of the candidates running for the 19th general election, scheduled to take place on Apr. 11, said Friday […]
Top UN officials warn against growing human trafficking
*Editor’s note: High-ranking UN officials including Secretary-General Bank Ki-moon delivered speeches at the special General Assembly meeting held Tuesday (Apr. 3, 2012) in New York to raise the awareness among the members nations about the seriousness of the human trafficking. The AsiaN excerpted the story from the UN home page. UNITED NATIONS – At a […]
Transgender Woman to Compete in Miss Universe
Jenna Talackova, foreground, who advanced to the finals of the Miss Canada competition, part of the Miss Universe contest, who was recently forced out of the competition, appears with her attorney Gloria Allred at a news conference in Los Angeles Tuesday, April 3, 2012. Talackova says she was forced out of the competition because Pageant […]
Russia suffers frequent plane crashes
Russian emergency workers search the crash site of the ATR-72 plane crash outside Tyumen, a major regional center in Siberia, Russia, Monday, April 2, 2012. <Photo: AP/Newsis> MOSCOW (Xinhua) — Russia, once an aviation powerhouse, has been plagued by deadly plane crashes in recent years, with the latest claiming 31 lives on Monday when a French-Italian-made […]
Turkish energy minister hates hike but says necessary
Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz said he also did not like the new natural gas energy hike price increase of 18 percent on Monday. Yet Yildiz went on to explain that even with the natural gas discount his country had received in 2011 from Russia it was not enough to offset rising cost […]
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