Hong Kong’s Margaret Chan voted to lead World Health Organization in 2006 – SCMP archive

South China Morning Post - Nov 8, 2026

This article was first published on November 9, 2006. Margaret Chan wins WHO race in coup for China, HK by Mary Ann Benitez Hong Kong’s former director of health Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun made history yesterday (November 8, 2006) when she was nominated World Health Organisation director-general in a resounding victory that saw her lead all the way in four rounds of voting. Dr Chan, 59, is expected to be endorsed today by the 193-member World Health Assembly, making her the first Chinese to lead...

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[COVER STORY] Ruling party leader's credibility put on line as Shincheonji claims backfire

[COVER STORY] Ruling party leader's credibility put on line as Shincheonji claims backfire

Kim Min-seok, chairman of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and former prime minister, is facing a test of his credibility after an internal investigation failed to substantiate his claims of a “secret alliance” involving his leadership rival and the nonmainstream religious sect Shincheonji. On Friday, Kim apologized again during the party’s Supreme Council meeting. It was his third apology over the controversy, following remarks at Tuesday’s closed-door meeting of party lawmakers and on the party’s YouTube channel on Thursday. “I once again offer my apologies to everyone who was hurt as I raised serious concerns and warned about religious interference in politics during the party’s leadership election,” Kim said. He was referring to his allegation in the run-up to the Aug. 17 party leadership election that the anti-President Lee Jae Myung faction within the party and Shincheonji had formed a secret alliance. The claim targeted the camp of his leadership rival, former Chairman Rep. Jung Chung-rae. After raising the allegation and winning the leadership race, Kim

UN chief calls for restoration of inter-Korean communication channels amid DMZ tensions

UN chief calls for restoration of inter-Korean communication channels amid DMZ tensions

WASHINGTON — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for the restoration of communication channels between South and North Korea amid concerns over a potential escalation of tensions across the border. "The Secretary-General remains concerned about the situation in the Korean Peninsula, including potential escalation of tensions across the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)," United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said during a regular press briefing Thursday. Dujarric said that Guterres encourages relevant parties "to initiate the resumption of communication channels, including military-to-military communications, all of this in order to avoid unintended accidents or miscalculations." The spokesperson also stressed the importance of diplomatic efforts to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula. "Diplomatic engagement and renewed dialogue remain the only pathway to reduce tensions and to achieve sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula," he said. The remarks came amid heightened tensions along the inter-Korean border following a Sept. 21 land mine explosion inside the DMZ that in

Hechyeomoyeo opens 18th mass exhibition at KOTE featuring over 500 artists

Hechyeomoyeo opens 18th mass exhibition at KOTE featuring over 500 artists

The Hechyeomoyeo (HCMY) opened its 18th mass exhibition at KOTE in central Seoul's Insa-dong on Wednesday. The opening party featured music, live drawing, face painting, clowns and flash tattoos, as art lovers from Korea and all around the world crowded into all five floors plus the roof and basement of the aging building that houses KOTE. “My approach is straightforward: If someone tells me they have a creative skill to share, I try to find a place for them in the event,” Neil Wheelock Deforest Smith, the American artist who started HCMY, told The Korea Times. HCMY is an independent art initiative that began in Korea as an effort to make exhibition opportunities more accessible to Korea-based artists. It has grown into an international community, connecting hundreds of creators across continents. Despite its global reach, HCMY maintains a strong connection to its Korean roots. Smith estimates that approximately 65 percent of the participants at HCMY's Korean exhibitions are Korean nationals, while around 20 to 30 percent are foreign residents, and the rest are international artists

'Have I caused any harm?' Nana hits back at malicious comments over romance with T.O.P

'Have I caused any harm?' Nana hits back at malicious comments over romance with T.O.P

Singer-turned-actor Nana has hit back at malicious online comments following her confirmation of a romantic relationship with T.O.P, a former member of K-pop boy group BIGBANG, saying her private life is not something she should have to apologize for. Nana took to social media on Thursday to address the criticism she has faced since going public with her relationship. "I want to say something to those who call themselves fans but deliberately post malicious comments while disregarding my choices and freedom following the confirmation of my relationship," she wrote. "I hope you take a hard look at what you really want and expect from a celebrity, and from me as a person." Nana expressed frustration over the hostile comments left by some internet users, questioning why her personal relationship had become a target of criticism. "I've tried to understand everything you've said and done, but I simply can't," she wrote. "Have I done something terribly wrong? Have I caused you any harm? Have I done anything morally questionable?" She went on to defend her right to make personal decisions withou

Korean stars hit by wave of unverified online allegations

Korean stars hit by wave of unverified online allegations

Korean celebrities are increasingly finding themselves at the center of controversy over unverified online allegations, with actors Choi Woo-shik and Cha Ye-ryun among the latest targets of anonymous claims about their past behavior. Choi recently became the subject of an online post written by an internet user claiming to be a flight attendant. The user alleged that the actor had behaved rudely toward his manager during an in-flight meal service. The account has not been independently verified, and some internet users have questioned its credibility. As the post spread online, Choi's agency, Fable Company, issued a warning on Friday against the creation and circulation of false rumors. "Indiscriminately posting false information or maliciously distorting and exaggerating claims to create and spread rumors is clearly an illegal act that seriously infringes upon an actor's reputation and rights," the agency said. "We are continuously monitoring the posts in question and how they are being circulated, while collecting relevant evidence." The agency said it plans to take legal action against

From 'The King: Eternal Monarch' to 'The Remarried Empress': Why fictional royalty keeps captivating K-drama fans

From 'The King: Eternal Monarch' to 'The Remarried Empress': Why fictional royalty keeps captivating K-drama fans

Crowns, palaces, emperors and empresses may seem far removed from modern life, but they remain irresistible subjects in Korean dramas. Ordinary people can become members of the royal family overnight, emperors can rule in modern-day Korea and an empress can even demand the right to remarry after her husband asks for a divorce. Because these royal worlds exist only in fiction, the possibilities are virtually endless. From romantic fantasies to political intrigue and parallel universes, Korean dramas have repeatedly reinvented royalty in imaginative ways. Here are four series that bring fictional royal families to life, each with its own take on life behind palace walls. 'The Remarried Empress’ "The Remarried Empress" follows Navier (Shin Min-a), the empress of the Eastern Empire, whose husband, Emperor Sovieshu (Ju Ji-hoon), demands a divorce after falling for Rashta (Lee Se-young), an escaped slave. Rather than fighting to save her marriage, Navier accepts the divorce on one condition: She wants to remarry Heinrey (Lee Jong-suk), a prince of the Western Kingdom. Set in the fictional Easte

Labor minister urges tougher action on industrial accidents

Labor minister urges tougher action on industrial accidents

Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon on Saturday called on officials to play a more active role in preventing industrial accidents and protecting workers. The minister presided over an emergency teleconference with senior labor officials from across the country. Emphasizing that safety at worksites cannot wait, he said companies should bear heavy responsibility when serious accidents occur. "We must treat with real urgency any business where the same kind of serious accident keeps happening," he said, telling officials to keep such companies under particular scrutiny. He also called for stern action against employers who cut safety spending to protect their profits. "We must make it clear to business owners if they still put cost-cutting ahead of safety even when a worker has died, they will be held heavily responsible," he added. Kim also vowed to work closely with the ministry's regional offices. Under the new Labor Inspector Act, which takes effect Dec. 8, some of the ministry's inspection authorities will be delegated to local governments.

Park Han-byul says changing shampoo helped her hair loss — but does it really work?

Park Han-byul says changing shampoo helped her hair loss — but does it really work?

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. Actress Park Han-byul, 42, recently shared her concerns about thinning hair, saying that changing her shampoo made a noticeable difference after other remedies failed to deliver results. But can switching shampoos really prevent or reduce hair loss? In a video posted to her YouTube channel on Wednesday, Park said she had noticed her hair becoming thinner as she got older. "I used to have incredibly thick hair. I really had so much of it, but as I've gotten older, I've felt like I've been losing quite a bit," she said. "I tried eating black beans, which are supposed to be good for hair loss, and using hair masks, but I didn't see much improvement." Park said she believes consistent daily care is the key to managing hair and scalp health. "I'm someone who truly believes that taking care of yourself consistently every day is the answer," she said. "So I thought, why not try changing the shampoo I use every day? I switched shampoos, and for me, that worked better than anything else." Can shampoo really help with hair loss? Whether shampoo can effecti

N. Korean envoy holds 3rd high-level meeting in China

N. Korean envoy holds 3rd high-level meeting in China

A senior North Korean ruling party official has met his counterpart in Beijing, the North's state media said Saturday, the latest in a series of high-level meetings during his visit this week. Kim Song-nam, a Political Bureau member and Central Committee secretary of North Korea's Workers' Party of Korea (WPA), met Liu Haixing, head of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) Central Committee's International Liaison Department, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse on Friday, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. It was Kim's third meeting with a senior Chinese official since he arrived Tuesday, as the two countries are seeking to deepen ties and expand cooperation after Chinese President Xi Jinping's June summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang. Kim briefed Liu on Pyongyang's "successes" in party-building work and said the whole country has been striving to meet the targets of the five-year plan adopted at the party's ninth congress in February. For his part, Liu called the visit significant for strengthening relations, according to the report. The two sides reaffirmed su

Why Lee Chang-dong's award-winning 'Possible Love' struggled to find investors

Why Lee Chang-dong's award-winning 'Possible Love' struggled to find investors

Director Lee Chang-dong's "Possible Love" has earned international acclaim, winning the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival and securing invitations to major film festivals worldwide. Yet behind its remarkable success lies an uncomfortable reality: The film nearly never got made because it could not attract enough investment. The acclaimed project, released on Netflix on Friday, highlights a growing problem in the Korean film industry, where even internationally respected filmmakers and star-studded casts can struggle to secure financing. "Possible Love" follows two married couples whose lives intersect through the making of a documentary. One couple consists of a laid-off worker and his wife, while the other comprises a documentary filmmaker and her husband. As they become involved in the project, their contrasting lives and hidden desires come to the surface. The film marks Lee's return to directing eight years after "Burning" and features an ensemble cast led by Sol Kyung-gu, Jeon Do-yeon, Zo In-sung and Cho Yeo-jeong. Even before its official s

Court issues arrest warrant for woman accused of stabbing doctor at hospital

Court issues arrest warrant for woman accused of stabbing doctor at hospital

A Seoul court on Saturday issued a warrant to formally arrest a woman for allegedly stabbing and injuring a doctor at Severance Hospital in western Seoul. The Seoul Western District Court issued the warrant for the woman in her 50s on charges of attempted murder, citing the risk of flight. The woman was apprehended Wednesday after allegedly stabbing a psychiatry professor with a knife at Severance Hospital. The doctor sustained injuries to his face and hand. Arriving in court for an arrest warrant hearing, the suspect rambled that Severance Hospital's psychiatry department did not provide her with internal medicine treatment in 2018 and caused her diabetes, when asked by reporters about the motive of her attack. According to sources, the woman was not a patient waiting for psychiatry treatment at the hospital. The doctor sustained a wound measuring around 5 centimeters and was taken to an emergency room for treatment. The injury was not life-threatening.

History repeats in Shenzhen? China hosts another lame-duck US president

History repeats in Shenzhen? China hosts another lame-duck US president

A decade after hosting a politically hobbled Barack Obama at a Group of 20 (G20) summit in Hangzhou, China is preparing to welcome another “lame-duck” US president for a multilateral gathering: Donald Trump. Following the Republicans’ loss of both chambers of the US Congress in the midterm elections on Tuesday – a drubbing that reached deep into historically red states – Trump is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in two weeks on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation...

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