Ex-justice minister's wife seeks bail

Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk's wife, who was arrested over allegations related to their daughter's college admission and a financial investment, has applied for bail on grounds of failing health and her right to defense, the court said Wednesday. Chung Kyung-sim, a university professor, filed the request at the Seoul Central District Court.She was arrested in late October and faces trial on 15 counts related to her involvement in a dubious private equity fund and alleged fabrication of her da

Social AffairsJan. 9, 2020

Pentagon chief: US has restored 'level of deterrence' on Iran

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Wednesday that the United States has reestablished some deterrence toward Iran in the wake of the January 3 drone strike that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad."I think at this point with the strikes we took against KH in late December and then our actions with regard to Soleimani, I believe that we've restored a level of deterrence with them," he told reporters, referring to Kataeb Hezbollah, an armed Iraqi group

World NewsJan. 9, 2020

Trump pulls back from war with Iran

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- President Donald Trump pulled back from the brink of war with Iran on Wednesday, saying that Tehran appeared to be "standing down" after firing missiles -- without causing casualties -- at US troops based in Iraq.In a televised address to the nation from the White House, Trump emphasized there were "no Americans harmed" in the ballistic missile salvo aimed at two bases.While he promised to immediately impose "punishing" new economic sanctions on

World NewsJan. 9, 2020

S. Korea replaces senior prosecutors leading investigations into high-profile scandals

The Justice Ministry on Wednesday replaced senior prosecutors in charge of investigations into two major scandals involving presidential officials.Among those affected are Han Dong-hoon, the head of the anti-corruption department, who led probes into alleged irregularities by former Justice Minister Cho Kuk and Cho's suspected role in ending an inspection into bribery allegations involving a former Busan vice mayor. Han was assigned to the No. 2 post in the High Prosecutors Offices in the southe

PoliticsJan. 8, 2020

NK media slams Moon's peace diplomacy

A North Korean radio station on Wednesday slammed President Moon Jae-in's move to rally international support for Korean peace as a "bad habit of relying on external forces." "The South Korean official disgracefully begged the leader of another country to continue its efforts for the safety and peace of the Korean Peninsula while pleading for close cooperation in denuclearization and resuming negotiations between North Korea and the U.S in a so-called summit," the North's Pyo

North KoreaJan. 8, 2020

[팟캐스트](334) '기생충' 골든글로브상 수상 / 美-이란 갈등에 유가 영향

 진행자: 임정요, Kevin Lee Selzer1. 'Parasite’ wins Korea’s first Golden Globe아이튠즈(아이폰): https://itunes.apple.com/kr/podcast/koliaheleoldeu-paskaeseuteu/id686406253?mt=2팟빵 (안드로이드): http://www.podbbang.com/ch/6638기사요약: 봉준호 감독 '기생충', 한국 영화 최초로 미국 골든글로브 외국어영화상 수상. 다음 달 아카데미 시상식도 기대. [1] Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s satirical drama “Parasite” marked another milestone for Korean cinema when it became the first Korean film to win a major US film award.*satirical: 풍자적인*mi

PodcastJan. 8, 2020

FM, envoys discuss measures to ensure safety of S.Koreans in Middle East

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha instructed the ministry and ambassadors to Middle Eastern countries Wednesday to take active measures to ensure the safety of South Koreans in the region amid sharply rising tensions in the wake of Iran's missile attacks on American forces in Iraq.Fear of a full-blown war is rising in the region as Iran fired over a dozen ballistic missiles against at least two Iraqi military bases hosting US-led coalition personnel early Wednesday in retaliation for last week's U

Foreign AffairsJan. 8, 2020

S. Korea reports suspected case of mysterious pneumonia

Korea on Wednesday reported a suspected case of a mysterious pneumonia-like illness that has been spreading in China, the public health and safety agency said.According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a 36-year-old Chinese woman who had visited the city of Wuhan in Hubei Province last month showed symptoms of the illness.The patient has been isolated and is undergoing treatment after going into a local hospital in Dongtan, some 50 kilometers south of Seoul, on Tuesday.Ch

Social AffairsJan. 8, 2020

Veteran actors to play ‘Money Game’

Cable channel tvN is starting this year big with its first-ever finance drama, “Money Game,” featuring top-tier actors Go Soo, Lee Sung-min and Shim Eun-kyung.“Money Game” tells the story of three people who work at South Korea’s finance control towers -- the Financial Services Commission and the Ministry of Economy and Finance -- fighting to save the nation from going bankrupt. Go is returning to the small screen after two years as Chae Yi-hun, a government of

TelevisionJan. 8, 2020

Human rights commission asks government to improve housing quality, affordability

South Korea’s public human rights watchdog asked the government on Wednesday to improve basic residential standards and increase the availability of housing for disadvantaged groups.The National Human Rights Commission of Korea said in a report addressed to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport that the country’s minimum requirements for housing needed revisions in order to ensure better protection of housing rights. In the report, the commission quoted the United N

Social AffairsJan. 8, 2020

[Graphic News] S. Korea records lowest-ever December snowfall

　Last month, South Korea saw its lowest monthly snowfall on record for December, amid relatively warm weather, according to the meteorological agency. 　The amount of snowfall reached 3 millimeters in December 2019, the lowest since weather authorities began to compile December data, the Korea Meteorological Administration said.　The previous record-low snowfall was 5 millimeters in December 1998. The data was compiled by measuring the depth of the most accumulated snow over the past 24 hours. (Yo

NationalJan. 8, 2020

[News Analysis] Can Delivery Hero-Woowa deal reshape Korea’s food delivery market?

For decades, free door-to-door food delivery service has been a common option for all kinds of South Korean restaurants.Not just pizzas, fried chicken and Chinese food, but also soups and meat dishes are just a phone call away – for delivery to homes, offices and even parks and other public spaces. The advent of digitalization, however, has led to the rise of online on-demand food delivery service platforms. Homegrown mobile apps, including Baedal Minjok, Yogiyo, Baedaltong, as well as exp

MarketJan. 8, 2020

Danish pop icon Christopher bound for Seoul in March

Mesmerizing the city with his Danish charm last year, singer-songwriter Christopher Nissen is reuniting with his fans in less than a year this March.Known as Christopher professionally, the 28-year-old pop sensation debuted in 2011 with his single “Against the Odds” and has since released four studio albums, including “Colors,” “Told You So,” and “Closer.” The singer rose to stardom in 2014 with his second studio album “Told You So,&rdqu

PerformanceJan. 8, 2020

Iran's retaliation dents Korean financial market

To combat economic fears stemming from the escalating geopolitical tensions, the financial authorities have bolstered their monitoring and reiterated their commitment on Wednesday to swiftly stabilize the market via contingency plans if necessary.Global markets were rattled by escalating tensions in the Middle East, as Iran fired more than a dozen ballistic missiles at a US air base in Iraq early Wednesday in retaliation for last week’s American drone strike to kill a top Iranian commander

EconomyJan. 8, 2020

[Newsmaker] Prosecutors seek 23-year prison term for ex-President Lee

Prosecutors have asked an appeal court to increase the jail term for former President Lee Myung-bak to 23 years on charges of bribery and embezzlement, and sought a fine of 32 billion won ($27.3 million). The Seoul High Court heard appeals from the disgraced president and prosecutors over a lower court’s October 2018 ruling that sentenced Lee to 15 years in prison on convictions of bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power, and ordered him to pay a fine of 13 billion won. Charges against Le

Social AffairsJan. 8, 2020

[Monitor] Young chaebol scions promoted faster

According to local corporate tracker CEOScore, members of the owner families of the nation’s conglomerates joined their groups at the age of 29 and became executives at 33.6 on average. The survey was carried out on 40 groups, in which both parents and their children participate in the management, among the nation’s top 59 groups that are defined as chaebol by the Fair Trade Commission. The survey showed the young chaebol scions were promoted to executives after 4.1 years after joini

IndustryJan. 8, 2020

[CES 2020] LG, Luxoft to set up JV for in-vehicle infotainment

LG Electronics and Switzerland’s Luxoft announced Wednesday they will set up an in-vehicle infotainment joint venture in Santa Clara, California, in the first half of 2020. The partnership deal was signed by LG Electronics Chief Technology Officer Park Il-pyung and Luxoft CEO Dmitry Loschinin on the sidelines of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. They vowed to strive for innovations in the intelligent mobility field. The JV, whose name or ownership ratio will be decided later, wil

IndustryJan. 8, 2020

[Doyle Mcmanus] Trump’s Orwellian doublespeak on Iran

The US missile strike that killed Iranian Quds Force leader Qassem Soleimani was a stunning escalation of the conflict between the United States and Iran -- an act of open war in a struggle that has been carried out in the shadows for decades.Yet President Donald Trump and his aides oddly called the airstrike a “de-escalation,” as if it were a step toward peace.“We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war,” the president told supporters

ViewpointsJan. 8, 2020

Adoption becomes open topic on TV

More celebrities are opening up about their adoption stories on the small screen. 　Actor couple Jin Tae-hyun and Park Si-eun will appear on the SBS reality show “You Are My Destiny,” starting Jan. 20. The show will deal with their family life with their adopted daughter, Sae-yeon.  In October the couple revealed that they had adopted Sae-yeon, now in her early 20s, after meeting her at an orphanage on Jeju Island while on their honeymoon in 2015. They stayed in close touch and S

TelevisionJan. 8, 2020