Writing

Will Seoul block a fake North Korean Facebook page?

SEOUL, South Korea — The National Police Agency said on Thursday that it's requesting the South Korean government block the "official" Facebook fan page of Korean Central Television, or KCTV, the Korea Herald reports. In case you've never seen it, KCTV stars a cast of...

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South Koreans become world’s top credit card users

SEOUL, South Korea — South Koreans officially use the most plastic, according to the latest figures on global credit card purchases. Per capita, South Korea's credit card use rose to 129.7 transactions in 2011, according to data compiled by the Bank of Korea, up from...

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North and South Korea could hold talks as soon as Sunday

SEOUL, South Korea — North and South Korea have agreed to enter talks as soon as this weekend on the Kaesong industrial complex that they jointly operate north of the border, and which has been closed since Pyongyang pulled out its workers in April. After months spent...

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Inside North Korea’s movie industry

"Glare fiercely! Hatred in your eyes!" the director shouts at a team of actors on a war-torn movie set. "Comrades! I don't see any resentment towards the Japanese in your faces." "You're acting like: 'Oh, the Japanese are telling us to go,'" he barks. "Be vengeful...

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No more iPhones? Samsung wins Apple patent case

A US trade panel has ruled against Apple in favor of its rival Samsung in a patent dispute. The ruling means a halt to all imports and sales on AT&T-sold models of the iPhone 4, iPhone 3, iPhone 3GS, iPad 3G and iPad 2 3G. Many of those products are not on sale in...

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Does Samsung have Apple in a headlock?

SEOUL, South Korea — Koreans like to joke by welcoming foreign visitors to the “Republic of Samsung.” Among an oligarchy of competitors, South Korea’s largest conglomerate is a ubiquitous presence. Samsung builds ships, military weapons, bakeries and even operates a...

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South Korea warns North not to harm returned defectors

South Korean President Park Geun-hye has warned North Korea not to punish a group of defectors who were forcibly returned to the communist state last week after attempting to flee. Nine North Koreans, aged between 15 and 23, were detained in Laos on May 10 and...

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North Korea’s food conundrum

In the 1990s, North Korea suffered from a devastating famine that, by some estimates, left up to 1 million people dead. The Arduous March, as it was called, was partially the brought about by the end of Soviet food and fuel subsidies in the early 1990s, and Kim...

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