South Korea

1952000

Steven Borowiec
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A Delicate Balance: Moon Seeking a New Path in Beijing

The most sensational news to come out of President Moon Jae-in’s state visit to China this week is a reported incident of two South Korean photo journalists getting beat up by Chinese security guards while Moon was attending a trade event in Beijing Thursday morning. Grainy footage of suited

Rachel Oh
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North Korean Soldier's Choco Pie (NOT Lifetime Supply)

Last month, Oh Chung-sung, a 24-year-old North Korean soldier, made an audacious sprint across the intensely guarded border that separates North and South Korea. He was dragged to safety by South Korean soldiers after fleeing a hail of gunfire. He sustained five gunshot wounds, and after undergoing surgeries, he woke

Youjin Do
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"Black Protests" Call End to Outdated Abortion Law

These “black protesters” want to put an end to South Korea’s outdated abortion law, which activists argue places most of the burden on women, who must not only bear the brunt of the pregnancy, but also face the social stigma and shame surrounding abortion.   Abortion

Haeryun Kang
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South Korea's Trolling Game

Prologue   I’m glad that a**hole died. I heard that actress b**** is sleeping with that CEO. You’re a fake, and everyone sees through you.   Imagine watching a trolling competition on television. The players are professors, teenagers, unemployed trolls, your regular Joe in the office trolls

Youngjoo Lee
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Suneung: The Judgment Day

This year’s Suneung took place on Nov. 23, delayed a week after the earthquakes in Pohang. The test results are coming out today, on Dec. 12. A Twitter user wrote, displaying a dramatic mixture of different emotions, “F***~~~ The report cards are coming out~~~~~ F*** Suneung~

KOREA EXPOSÉ
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That Phenomenon of Couple Looks

Born and raised in South Korea, I still shudder at the sight of couples in matching outfits. Unfortunately, Seoul abounds with young, besotted pairs donning unmistakably matched looks — usually wearing same t-shirts, hats or sneakers. Known for its edgy street style and overall appearance-obsessed culture, South Korea somehow doesn’

Jieun Choi
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Faster Than Men

Too many occupations are still perceived as “a man’s job,” or “a woman’s job.” Meet Hyemin Moon, a car racer in a sport still dominated by men. She’s not afraid to break stereotypes, and she’s not afraid

Steven Borowiec
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Government Roasts Paris Baguette for Half-Baked Employment Practices

Going by its name, you probably wouldn’t guess that Paris Baguette’s company history begins in the poverty-stricken Korea of 1945. In a video on its website, South Korea’s SPC Group, parent company of the ubiquitous bakery chain, claims that everything started with a bakery in what is

Steven Borowiec
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When the Moons Align: Black Bears Back to the Wild

Asiatic black bears occupy a special place in Korean folklore. The cute creatures, called ‘moon bears’ due to the crescent of white fur on their chests, appear as characters in stories, and cartoon depictions of moon bears were chosen as the mascot for the Paralympics held in Seoul in 1988

Steven Borowiec
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Nameless and Faceless

Last year, students at Pusan National University treated campus cleaning and security staff to a meal and some live music, in an event titled “We’re happy because of your effort.” Local newspaper Busan Ilbo was on the scene, and quoted someone from the university as saying, “We hope the

Youjin Do
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South Korean War Crimes in Vietnam War

An unknown number of Vietnamese civilians were killed, wounded and raped by South Korean soldiers during the Vietnam War. There’s no consensus on the number of victims — some say around 5,000; some say more, or less. In mid-November, Moon Jae-in visited Ho Chi Minh City and

Ben Jackson
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Pretty and Polluted: Jeju Overfilling With Tourists

2011 was a busy year for the civil servants of Jeju Island. South Korea’s most famous island — bar Dokdo — had made the shortlist for the so-called “new seven wonders of nature.” With no restrictions on the number of telephone votes cast by each individual, Jeju’s public