Police to use forensic hypnosis to solve serial killings from 1980s

Police are using forensic psychiatry to solve a cold case of serial killings in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, from over 30 years ago.A forensic hypnosis technique will be used to help collect memory evidence of surviving victims and witnesses, Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency said in a press briefing Thursday. Police are in the process of contacting witnesses who gave accounts that formed the basis for a sketch of the suspect released in 1988. “Two hypnosis experts have been mobilize

Social AffairsSept. 26, 2019

UNESCO head hails Moon's proposal to register DMZ as world heritage site

The head of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization welcomed South Korean President Moon Jae-in's recent proposal to inscribe the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas on the list of UN-designated world heritage sites, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday. Audrey Azoulay, director-general of UNESCO, made the remark during talks with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday (US time), the ministry said in a releas

Foreign AffairsSept. 26, 2019

S. Korea sounds N. Korea out about sending cheering squad for World Cup qualifier

South Korea is sounding North Korea out through various channels about its intention to send a cheering squad to Pyongyang for next month's World Cup qualifier between the two countries, a unification ministry official said Thursday.The move came days after South Korea's football governing body said that it was informed by the Asian Football Confederation that the North reaffirmed its will to host South Korea on Oct. 15, as scheduled, for their Group H match in the second round of Asian qualific

North KoreaSept. 26, 2019

Conflicts of interest could arise in probe of justice minister’s wife: anti-corruption body

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission said Thursday that there is a possibility conflicts of interest may be present with the justice minister overseeing the prosecution while his wife is under investigation by the prosecution.The commission said if a justice minister’s spouse is being investigated by the prosecution, the spouse can be seen as a person connected to the minister’s duties. The commission made the statement in response to an inquiry by Rep. Lee Tae-gyu of the

Social AffairsSept. 26, 2019

2 dead pigs found inside DMZ test negative for African swine fever

Two dead wild pigs found inside the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas have tested negative for African swine fever, the defense ministry said Thursday.The results came amid suspicions that the highly contagious virus might have spread from North Korea after South Korea confirmed the first ASF case on Sept. 17 in Paju, north of Seoul and near the heavily fortified border with the North. "Inside the DMZ in the areas of Cheorwon, (Gangwon Province), we've so far found two dead boars

Social AffairsSept. 26, 2019

No UN breakthrough: Iran rules out talks as US intensifies sanctions

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) -- Iran's president on Wednesday closed the door on meeting Donald Trump despite last-minute European efforts to ease tensions as the United States again ramped up punishing sanctions.French President Emmanuel Macron had shuttled between his US and Iranian counterparts over two days at the United Nations, trying to arrange a historic encounter that he hoped could reduce the risk of all-out war in the Middle East.But Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, addressing the UN General

World NewsSept. 26, 2019

[Newsmaker] Myungsung Church's father-to-son succession practically approved

An order of the Korean Presbyterian Church on Thursday practically approved the father-to-son succession by a megachurch affiliated with the order, a move expected to fuel the heated debate over hereditary leadership in Korean Protestant churches.Myungsung Church, one of the biggest Presbyterian churches in the world with a membership of 100,000, has been at the center of controversy in South Korea since its founder Rev. Kim Sam-hwan named his eldest son, Rev. Kim Ha-na, to succeed him in 2017.

Social AffairsSept. 26, 2019

Torch for sports festival lit on Dokdo

A torch for the 100th Korean National Sports Festival, the nation's biggest annual sports competition, was lit on the easternmost islets of Dokdo on Thursday. The ceremony was held at dawn at the heliport of the islets, to which Japan also claims sovereign rights.The fire will be combined at Seoul Square on Sept. 29 with flames from other symbolic places of the country. The sports contest will be held in Seoul from Oct. 4-10.  "We stand on Dokdo to remember the 100 years of the Nationa

Social AffairsSept. 26, 2019

Banks' lending rates dip to record low in Aug.

Lending rates on fresh bank loans dropped to new lows in August, central bank data showed Thursday, hinting at a further increase in the country's already record-high household borrowing.The average interest rate on fresh loans extended to households came to 2.92 percent in the month, down 0.20 percentage point from 3.12 percent the previous month, according to the data from the Bank of Korea. The average rate on fresh corporate loans also dropped by 0.20 percentage point to 3.32 percent over th

EconomySept. 26, 2019

[News Focus] Prosecution reform stands at crucial crossroads

SEJONG -- In South Korea, the military seized control of state affairs for about three decades from the 1960s to the 1980s.Though Korea is no longer a dictatorship, if asked whether the country still has a privileged class with an abundance of unchecked power, no doubt most ordinary people would not hesitate to point the finger at prosecutors.But certain segments of society -- notably prosecutors and right-wing politicians -- would vociferously disagree. They would say the prosecution has carrie

PoliticsSept. 26, 2019

Top diplomats of S. Korea, Saudi Arabia hold talks at UN gathering

The top diplomats of South Korea and Saudi Arabia held talks in New York on Wednesday (US time) and discussed ways to boost bilateral ties and other regional issues, the foreign ministry said.During the talks with her Saudi counterpart, Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz Al-Assaf, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha expressed satisfaction that the amicable bilateral relationship has led to developments in such fields as energy, infrastructure and information and communication technology, the ministry said in a r

Foreign AffairsSept. 26, 2019

Trump calls Democratic impeachment inquiry a 'joke'

NEW YORK (AFP) -- A downbeat Donald Trump on Wednesday dismissed as a "joke" the grounds laid out for the impeachment inquiry into him, as Democrats stood firm in accusing the US president of a "mafia-style shakedown" of his Ukrainian counterpart.Trump denied claims he abused his office by repeatedly urging President Volodymyr Zelensky to probe his rival Joe Biden -- as confirmed in a call transcript released by the White House.The next explosive episode in the rapidly unfold

World NewsSept. 26, 2019

Seoul to clamp down on taxi drivers overcharging foreign tourists

The government of Seoul on Thursday announced a plan to crack down on taxi drivers who overcharge foreign tourists in time for the peak autumn tourist season.The crackdown is scheduled for Sept. 30-Oct. 9, a period that coincides with China's National Day holiday falling on Oct. 1-7, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said.The crackdown will be intensively conducted in airports, hotels and popular tourist destinations, it said, noting that municipal officials who can speak foreign languages such

Social AffairsSept. 26, 2019

Korea's financial stability slightly worsens amid economic slowdown: BOK

South Korea's financial stability worsened slightly in August due to a rise in household and corporate debt in the face of an economic slowdown, a central bank report showed Thursday.The country's financial stability index came to 8.3 at the end of last month, breaching the 8-point mark for the first time since early 2016, according to the Bank of Korea.The 8-point mark is the lower boundary for a warning, while an index of over 22 means the country may be in a financial crisis, according to the

EconomySept. 26, 2019

Movement ban extended amid looming concerns over further spread of swine fever

South Korea's quarantine authorities on Thursday extended a movement ban on all pig farms, feed factories and other related facilities as multiple suspected cases of African swine fever raise concern over the nationwide spread of the deadly animal disease.Since the first-ever ASF case in South Korea was confirmed on September 17, there have been six further confirmed instances of the highly contagious disease. Two other suspected cases were reported earlier in the day.The agriculture ministry, w

Social AffairsSept. 26, 2019

S. Korea, US hold biannual defense talks

South Korea and the United States opened biannual defense talks in Seoul on Thursday to discuss regional security and other pending alliance issues, the defense ministry said.The 16th Korea-US Integrated Defense Dialogue, set to run through Friday, came at a time when the allies are facing sensitive issues, such as Seoul's termination of a military information-sharing deal with Japan and ongoing negotiations on the sharing of costs for the stationing of American troops here.Deputy Defense Minist

Foreign AffairsSept. 26, 2019

70% of S. Koreans expect Kim Busan trip to be positive for nuclear talks, cross-border ties

About 70 percent of South Koreans think that a trip to the South by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for a summit with Southeast Asian leaders would have a positive impact on denuclearization talks and inter-Korean relations, a survey showed Thursday.On Tuesday, the country's spy agency raised the possibility that Kim could visit the southern port city of Busan for the special summit that South Korea is to host in November for the leaders of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations.Ac

North KoreaSept. 26, 2019

[팟캐스트] (319) 영양제 맞으러 온 임산분에 '낙태 수술' / 올 가을 즐길 수 있는 째즈뮤직 페스티벌

 진행자: 김보경, Kevin Lee Selzer1. [Newsmaker] Doctor performs abortion on wrong patient아이튠즈(아이폰): https://itunes.apple.com/kr/podcast/koliaheleoldeu-paskaeseuteu/id686406253?mt=2팟빵 (안드로이드): http://www.podbbang.com/ch/6638[1] A pregnant woman here *lost her child when a doctor *performed an *abortion after medical staff *mixed up her *medical chart with that of another patient.*lost: 잃다*perform: 행하다*abortion: 낙태*mixed up: 뒤죽박죽하다*medical chart: 진료 기록[2] Seoul Gangseo Police Station on Monday said

PodcastSept. 26, 2019

Foreign ministers of S. Korea, China agree to continue cooperation on NK

The foreign ministers of South Korea and China met in New York Wednesday and agreed to continue cooperation over North Korea's denuclearization, a Seoul official said.South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, held talks for 30 minutes on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, according to the South Korean foreign ministry official, who added that it was their first meeting since Wang visited Pyongyang in early September. On that trip, Wang

Foreign AffairsSept. 26, 2019

Moon leaves New York after talks with Trump, UN address

South Korean President Moon Jae-in headed back to Seoul on Wednesday after a hectic visit here highlighted by talks with US President Donald Trump and a speech at a UN session.Moon had his ninth summit with Trump on Monday, in which they discussed ways to make headway in working-level nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington that will resume soon. They reaffirmed the principle of avoiding hostile acts against Pyongyang and help it move toward a bright future in case of denuclearization.The

Foreign AffairsSept. 26, 2019