Top military officials of N. Korea, China highlight bilateral ties

Top military officials of North Korea and China have reaffirmed the importance of bilateral relations, saying defending them is a "notable duty" of their armies, Pyongyang's state media reported Tuesday.Kim Su-gil, director of the General Political Bureau of the North's army, met with Miao Hua, director of the political affairs department of China's Central Military Commission, in Pyongyang on Monday, according to the Korean Central News Agency. During the meeting, Kim emphasized that

North KoreaOct. 15, 2019

Police officially book suspect in Hwaseong serial killings

SUWON -- Police have officially booked Lee Chun-jae, a 56-year-old man already in jail for a separate crime, as a suspect in a series of infamous murders that took place in Hwaseong, south of Seoul, following his confession, officials said Monday.The move could lead to the disclosure of his personal details and current appearance though he will not be punished for the killings as the statue of limitations has expired. Investigators booked Lee on rape and murder charges as he confessed to 14 murd

Social AffairsOct. 14, 2019

Sulli confirmed dead on the scene: police

Sulli was already dead when authorities arrived at the scene, according to police.Police said a report was filed by a staff member at her agency at around 3:20 p.m. The agency staffer, who visited Sulli’s home in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, discovered Sulli’s body in her bedroom on the second floor.  The agency employee had gone to the two-story house after phone calls to the entertainer went unanswered, although she had an engagement on Monday. Their last telephone call ended

Social AffairsOct. 14, 2019

Sulli leaves behind 15-year entertainment career

Singer and actress Sulli, also known as Choi Jin-ri, was found dead Monday at her home outside Seoul. She was 25. 　Sulli entered the entertainment industry at just 10 years old, making her debut in 2004 in SBS drama “Ballad of Seodong.” In 2009, Sulli joined the highly competitive K-pop scene as a member of five-piece girl group f(x). She was 15 at the time. While she was the youngest of the act, she was also the tallest, leading fans to affectionately call her “Giant Baby

PeopleOct. 14, 2019

Liberal, conservative fronts divided over Cho’s resignation

News of embattled Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s resignation on Monday did little to close the stark gap between liberals and conservatives still unwilling to conciliate their opposing views on the former justice minister’s appointment. Liberals were disappointed with the news. “It is highly regrettable that Cho had to resign before completing reforms he promised,” said Hong Ik-pyo, spokesperson for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. “Despite mounting difficul

Social AffairsOct. 14, 2019

[Graphic News] New York world’s top financial center

　New York has extended its lead as the world’s top financial center, with London barely holding on to second place ahead of Hong Kong, as uncertainty over Brexit takes its toll on the UK capital, a Z/Yen Group survey showed.　Singapore, Shanghai, Tokyo, Beijing, Dubai, Shenzhen and Sydney make up the remainder of the top 10 centers, the Global Financial Centers Index said in a statement. 　South Korea’s two largest cities, Seoul and Busan, ranked Nos. 39 and 43, respectively.　The GFCI

World BusinessOct. 14, 2019

What lies ahead for prosecution reform?

With Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s resignation on Monday, questions remain on the future course of prosecution reform -- a key Moon Jae-in agenda.In his resignation letter, Cho said he was a “kindling” to spark the fire of the reform drive, and that his resignation was necessary to complete the bigger goal of prosecutorial reform. The second reform draft hereleased on Monday morning centers on scaling down the prosecution’s special investigation divisions, known for dealing

PoliticsOct. 14, 2019

Newspaper reports defense minister sent letters stating S. Korea’s approval needed for UNC expansion

South Korea has told members of the United Nations Command that its approval must be granted for any expansion plans, a local media outlet reported Monday.According to the Kyunghyang Sinmun, Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo sent a letter to the embassies of 16 sending states here in July stating that the US-led UNC would have to obtain approval from South Korea to proceed with its plans to “revitalize” the organization. In the letter, Jeong is said to have stated that the UNC would

DefenseOct. 14, 2019

[Update] Singer and actor Sulli found dead

Singer-actor Sulli, 25, was found dead Monday at a house in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Provice, police said.　Her manager found her dead on the second floor of the house at around 3:21 p.m. He visited the house as he had been unable to reach Sulli after their last phone call, which ended at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. 　Police are investigating the case, but suspect suicide. A suicide note had not been found as of late Monday afternoon.　“It seems that Choi was living alone at the house,”

PeopleOct. 14, 2019

[Noah Smith] Five unpopular policies the US should adopt

Not every good policy is going to be popular. Sometimes either the public, activists or the commentariat -- or all three -- just get something wrong. This can happen for ideological reasons, or simply because of a lack of information. I’m more optimistic than most pundits, in that I think the public usually gets at least the outlines broadly right. But there are a few issues where the tide of opinion simply seems to be against me. Here are a few:No. 1. The Trans-Pacific PartnershipThe TPP

ViewpointsOct. 14, 2019

Low-cost carriers to go on leading Korea’s flight industry: Boeing

Low-cost carriers are expected to continue to lead the growth of South Korea’s flight industry and to expand the country’s passenger transport capacity and air traffic, an executive from American aircraft manufacturer Boeing said Monday. Randy Tinseth, Boeing’s vice president of commercial marketing, said in a press conference in Seoul that South Korea’s low-cost carriers lead the market in Northeast Asia, accounting for 65 percent of the region’s total capacit

IndustryOct. 14, 2019

[News analysis] PM’s Japan trip raises hopes for Seoul-Tokyo relations, but administration remains cautious

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon’s upcoming trip to Japan is raising hopes for a way out of the impasse in South Korea-Tokyo relations, but Seoul appears cautious on the outlook. On Sunday, the Prime Minister’s Office announced that Lee will be traveling to Japan on a three-day schedule to attend the enthronement ceremony of Japanese Emperor Naruhito.  Lee will attend the ceremony on Oct. 22 and a banquet hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe the following day. Although Lee&rsq

Foreign AffairsOct. 14, 2019

Viva Republica to acquire LG Uplus’ mobile payment unit

　Viva Republica has been picked as the preferred bidder for LG Uplus’ mobile payment business unit, according to industry sources Monday.　The operator of mobile payment app Toss is expected to sign a deal worth more than 300 billion won ($253.6 million) within this month. The two companies have not yet confirmed the agreement. 　“The bottom line is whether Viva Repblica can secure that much amount of money to fund the acquisition,” said an industry source. “We ha

IndustryOct. 14, 2019

LTE speed gap in Seoul metropolitan area widens: lawmaker

　The fourth-generation Long Term Evolution internet speeds are not consistent and vary across the Seoul metropolitan area, a lawmaker said Monday. 　Citing a 2018 survey conducted by the Ministry of Science and ICT, Rep. Park Gwang-on of the ruling Democratic Party said the LTE speed gap between the fastest and slowest neighborhood was as much as three times.　Of the 85 areas in Seoul and surrounding metropolitan areas, residents of Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, experienced the fastest speed of 201

TechnologyOct. 14, 2019

[News brief] Kazakh man suspected of hit-and-run extradited to Korea

A Kazakhstan national who fled the country after allegedly hitting a 7-year-old boy in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, with the vehicle he was driving was extradited to South Korea on Monday and handed over to Jinhae Police Station.The suspect, whose name is being withheld, is accused of a hit-and-run accident at around 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 16, resulting in serious injuries to the victim. He fled to his home country via Uzbekistan the next morning.He was an undocumented immigrant and did not

Social AffairsOct. 14, 2019

Justice Minister Cho Kuk steps down

Scandal-stricken Justice Minister Cho Kuk stepped down from his post Monday amid an ongoing investigation into corruption allegations involving his family, 35 days after he was appointed despite strong objections from the opposition bloc. President Moon Jae-in accepted his resignation. During his meeting with senior aides on Monday afternoon, Moon reiterated his determination to push for the overhaul of the prosecution and expressed regret at having caused “conflicts” among Koreans.　

Social AffairsOct. 14, 2019

[Newsmaker] Seoul subway workers to go on strike Wednesday

The labor union of Seoul Metro, which operates eight subway lines, announced a three-day walkout starting Wednesday if their demands are not met by the government.The union urged the Seoul Metro, Ministry of Interior and Safety and Seoul Metropolitan Government to meet the demands regarding enhancement of working conditions during a press briefing on Monday. “Seoul Metro has the highest rate of industrial accidents among all public corporations, and this results from the insensitivity to s

Social AffairsOct. 14, 2019

Korando, perfect choice for modern families in Korea

Storage for strollers, golf clubs and boxes of groceries, spacious backseats and high-end safety features are increasingly becoming important factors to customers in Korea seeking vehicles that fit their family-oriented lifestyles.Rather than choosing sedans with better driving performance, a growing number of customers -- particularly those in their 30s and 40s -- are looking for mid-sized sport utility vehicles in consideration of fuel economy, passenger convenience and ease of use.According t

MobilityOct. 14, 2019

S. Korea to lift regulations to boost exporters: Deputy PM

The government plans to eliminate various regulations that hinder the development of new technologies and overseas expansion of local firms amid the recent economic uncertainties, South Korea’s top financial policymaker said Monday.It is proposed to allow overseas affiliates of securities companies to take loans from Korean lenders, simplify the screening procedures for chemical facilities, and alleviate the authentication of certified industrial robots. “(The government) will lead t

EconomyOct. 14, 2019