South Korea is working to recover Sunday from the damage caused by Typhoon Lingling, which hit the Korean Peninsula with heavy rains and strong winds the previous day.   Lingling, this year's 13th typhoon, made landfall here Saturday, killing at least three people. Hundreds of other minor incidents, mostly uprooted trees, have also been reported throughout the nation.   Tens of thousands of homes suffered power outages, with hundreds of passenger flights at major airports can

Social AffairsSept. 8, 2019

Typhoon winds toppled trees, grounded planes and left thousands of South Korean homes without electricity on Saturday as a powerful storm system brushed up against the Korean Peninsula.Strong winds and rain from Typhoon Lingling caused power outages in more than 31,000 homes on the southern resort island of Jeju and in southern mainland regions, South Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety said. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said there were no immediate reports of typhoon-re

Social AffairsSept. 7, 2019

South Korea is considering holding a PR event to mark the introduction of F-35A stealth fighters into the country as part of next month's Armed Forces Day ceremonies, officials said Saturday.South Korea has so far brought in eight F-35As, beginning with two in late March, under a plan to deploy a total of 40 fifth-generation jets through 2021. But the military has dealt with the introduction in a low-key manner, sparking speculation the government is concerned about objections from North Korea.

DefenseSept. 7, 2019

MARSH HARBOUR, Bahamas (AFP) -- The death toll from Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas has risen to 43, media outlets said late Friday, and was expected to grow "significantly."US network CNN and Bahamas newspaper The Tribune cited Health Minister Duane Sands as confirming the new toll, up from 30. "Forty-three is the official count, many missing and this number is expected to grow significantly," Erica Wells Cox, a spokeswoman for Prime Minister Hubert Minnis, told NBC News.Dor

World NewsSept. 7, 2019

The main opposition Liberty Korea Party again lashed out at Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk on Saturday, calling on President Moon Jae-in to withdraw his nomination of Cho.The call came hours after Cho was grilled in his parliamentary confirmation hearing that ended close to midnight over various allegations involving his wife and daughter.Cho's wife was formally charged by the prosecution Friday on suspicion of forging a school certificate for the couple's daughter that many believe may have p

PoliticsSept. 7, 2019

The South Korean won is expected to further advance against the US dollar for some time on what analysts called long-awaited but unanticipated positive developments that helped remove some uncertainties facing Asia's fourth-largest economy.The local currency closed at 1,196.90 won to the greenback on Friday, up 3.30 won from Thursday's close, extending its gains to a third consecutive session. It marked the first time since Aug. 1 that the won-dollar exchange rate breached the 1,200-won mark.Fri

EconomySept. 7, 2019

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong authorities were limiting airport transport services and controlling access to terminals Saturday as they braced for a second weekend of disruption following overnight demonstrations that turned violent.Express train service will run from the station in downtown Hong Kong direct to the airport, skipping all stations in-between and only those with flight tickets can enter the terminals, airport officials said. Bus services will also be adjusted to ensure smooth tr

World NewsSept. 7, 2019

South Korean stocks are expected to gain further ground next week as market sentiment remains upbeat over planned trade talks between Washington and Beijing, analysts said Saturday.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index closed at 2,009.13 points on Friday, up 2.1 percent from a week ago, on growing hopes that the world's two largest economies may find a compromise in their drawn-out trade talks. This month, the US imposed 15 percent import duties on a wide range of Chinese consumer good

MarketSept. 7, 2019

WASHINGTON -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo acknowledged Friday that North Korea has the right to defend itself and assured Pyongyang of Washington's security guarantees should the regime dismantle its nuclear weapons program.In an interview with KCMO radio in Kansas City, Missouri, Pompeo said the US is committed to continuing denuclearization negotiations with North Korea and hopes the regime will return to the table as agreed during a June meeting between US President Donald Trump and Nor

North KoreaSept. 7, 2019

WASHINGTON-- US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun called on the North on Friday to halt its demonstrations of hostility and return to denuclearization talks.In a speech at the University of Michigan, the top US envoy to North Korea negotiations said both countries must work together to ensure progress on denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula.His remarks came as dialogue has stalled despite an agreement between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim

North KoreaSept. 7, 2019

At least three South Korean were reported killed and dozens of others were injured Saturday as Typhoon Lingling made landfall here, bringing heavy rains and strong winds that also caused hundreds of minor accidents throughout the nation.A woman in her 70s died after she was knocked over by strong winds gusting at 39 meters per second or 140 kph in Boryeong, some 150 kilometers southwest of Seoul, according to rescue officials there. In Incheon, 40 kilometers est of the capital, a bus d

Social AffairsSept. 7, 2019

This year's Ulju Mountain Film Festival kicked off on Friday for a five-day run in the southeastern county of Ulju, with 31 movies from 20 countries set to be screened.Under the slogan of "The Road Together," the fourth edition of the mountain-themed film fest runs from Sept. 6-10 in the county near the eastern coastal city of Ulsan."Piano to Zanskar," a British documentary film by Michal Sulima, will open the festival, according to organizers. It depicts an attempt by a reti

FilmSept. 6, 2019

The heir apparent of South Korea's food and entertainment conglomerate CJ was arrested Friday on drug charges.The Incheon District Court issued an arrest warrant for Lee Sun-ho, the eldest son of Chairman Lee Jay-hyun, saying that he may try to flee or destroy evidence. Lee, 28, was caught Sunday attempting to smuggle liquid marijuana in cartridges into the country via Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. He also tested positive for the banned substance.Prosecutors, however, releas

IndustrySept. 6, 2019

Local governments of South Korea and Russia's Far East agreed Friday to enhance cooperation in a wide range of areas at an annual forum in Vladivostok, Seoul's foreign ministry said.Representatives from six South Korean and 11 Russian local governments participated in the Korea-Russia Local Cooperation Forum, which was established last year following an agreement between President Moon Jae-in and Russian President Vladimir Putin.In the second annual meeting, they adopted the "Vladivostok De

Foreign AffairsSept. 6, 2019

The parliamentary confirmation hearing of Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk Friday focused on the number of times he communicated with the president of Dongyang University.There are speculations that his wife surnamed Chung falsified the President’s Award her daughter received from the university in 2012 without the approval of President Choi Seong-hae, which is based in North Gyeongsang Province. Main opposition Liberty Korea Party lawmakers on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee

PoliticsSept. 6, 2019

President Moon Jae-in returned home Friday following a weeklong visit to Thailand, Myanmar and Laos, amid an escalating political row over suspected ethical lapses surrounding one of his most trusted aides.The Southeast Asian nations rolled out red carpets for Moon, who promised win-win economic cooperation and development aid and publicized a plan to play host to a special group summit with ASEAN member states in late November. He's now back in "the eye of a typhoon," confronted

PoliticsSept. 6, 2019

Unionized workers at GM Korea said Friday they have decided to stage a full-time walkout for three days next week in protest against the rejection of their demands during wage negotiations with the management.This is the first time GM Korea workers will stage all-out protests, after the US carmaker acquired now-defunct Daewoo Motor in 2002.The union said it has 8,000 members from GM Korea and also 2,000 workers at GM Technical Center Korea. GM Korea currently has around 13,000 employees. Leaders

MobilitySept. 6, 2019

The Doosan Art Center will stage Kim Su-jung’s “Egalia’s Daughters: A Satire of the Sexes” from Oct. 1-19 at the center’s Space111 theater in Seoul.Kim is an up-and-coming theater director whose works aim to increase awareness of social and political issues. She currently leads the New Universe Theatre Company and is a DAC artist. Kim’s latest work is a contemporary reimagining of the 1977 feminist classic “Egalia’s Daughters” by Norwegi

PerformanceSept. 6, 2019

An intensive investigation into multiple allegations against Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk has led Cheong Wa Dae to lock horns with the prosecution. On Friday, a Cheong Wa Dae official said the prosecution raids on dozens of locations connected to the embattled justice minister nominee and his family were “politically motivated” and amounted to “plotting a rebellion.” The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office had called on Cheong Wa Dae and the ruling party to stop meddlin

PoliticsSept. 6, 2019