Hong Kong leader says public dialogue aimed at easing tensions to begin next week

HONG KONG (Reuters) -- Hong Kong's leader said on Tuesday that she would engage directly with her governing team in a dialogue with the community next week, while reiterating calls for an end to the violence that has roiled the city for over three months.Carrie Lam said the first session of a dialogue would be held next week, adding added the sessions would be as open as possible, with members of the public able to sign up to attend.The protest movement opposing a contentious extradition bi

World NewsSept. 17, 2019

Personal transporter accidents on sharp increase

 The number of accidents involving electric skateboards, electric kick scooters and other personal transporters doubled last year from a year ago, a lawmaker said Tuesday. There were 225 such accidents recorded in 2018, leaving four dead and 238 others injured, compared with 117 accidents the previous year, in which four died and 124 were injured, Rep.Song Seog-jun of the main opposition Liberal Korea Party said, citing data from the Korea Transportation Safety Authority."The shar

Social AffairsSept. 17, 2019

S. Korea, UNC kicked off official discussions on UNC's future role

Nations Command launched senior-level talks last month to narrow differences over the command's role after Seoul takes back the wartime operational command of its forces from Washington, government sources said Tuesday.The allies have shown differences over the UNC's future authority and roles amid speculation that the US could be trying to expand and strengthen the UNC in an attempt to keep control of the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command even after the OPCON transfer.After the transfer, a

DefenseSept. 17, 2019

Seoul likely to lose megacity status

Seoul is getting smaller and older in terms of population and could soon cease to be a megacity with over 10 million inhabitants, the capital's government said Tuesday. According to the city government, the total number of residents in the capital was 10,049,607 as of the end of last year, including 283,984 foreign residents. The number is forecast to sink below 10 million at the end of the year or in the first half of next year given the average net number of people moving out has been mor

Social AffairsSept. 17, 2019

Prosecution summons daughter of justice minister for probe

The prosecution has summoned the daughter of the justice minister as part of a probe into allegations that she entered prestigious colleges on the back of exaggerated internship experiences or fabricated certificates.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office called in the 28-year-old daughter of Justice Minister Cho Kuk on Monday over its widening investigation into a set of corruption allegations involving the minister's family.The daughter is at the center of the education-related scandal

PoliticsSept. 17, 2019

Singer-actor Park Yoo-chun ordered to pay compensation to alleged rape victim

Park Yoo-chun, an actor and former member of K-pop boy band JYJ, must pay compensation to one of four women who claimed to have been raped by him years ago, following a local court's mandatory mediation, court officials said Tuesday.The Mediation Center of Seoul Court decided on July 15 on a damage suit filed against the 32-year-old Park by one of the four, identified only as A, the officials said.The court's mandatory mediation was delivered to Park on Aug. 27 before taking effect last Wednesda

Social AffairsSept. 17, 2019

S. Korea to mull releasing oil reserves in case of supply disruption

South Korea will consider releasing its strategic oil reserves in case supply is disrupted following drone strikes on Saudi Arabia's crude processing facilities, a senior official said Tuesday.The combined oil reserves held by the South Korean government and local refiners came to 200 million barrels as of 2018."The government will swiftly push for measures to stabilize supply and demand ... in case oil supply is disrupted," Kim Yong-beom, vice minister of economy and finance, said in

IndustrySept. 17, 2019

Trump declines to comment on report Kim invited him to North Korea

WASHINGTON/SEOUL (Reuters) -- US President Donald Trump on Monday declined to comment on a newspaper report that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had invited him to visit Pyongyang and said conditions were not ready yet for such a visit."The relationship is very good but I don't want to comment on that," Trump told reporters at the White House when asked whether Kim had invited him to North Korea.A South Korean newspaper on Monday cited diplomatic sources as saying Kim had invited

North KoreaSept. 17, 2019

Trump: It looks like Iran hit Saudis, no military option yet

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump declared Monday it "looks'' like Iran was behind the explosive attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities. But he stressed that military retaliation was not yet on the table in response to the strike against a key US Mideast ally.Oil prices soared worldwide amid the damage in Saudi Arabia and fresh Middle East war concerns. But Trump put the brakes on any talk of quick military action earlier he had said the US was "locked and loaded'' and he said

World NewsSept. 17, 2019

Pompeo urges 'constructive dialogue' between S. Korea, Japan

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday emphasized the need for "constructive dialogue" between South Korea and Japan, two US allies that have been locked in a bitter dispute over trade and history.Pompeo discussed the matter in a phone call with new Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi as he congratulated his counterpart on the new position and reaffirmed the strength of the bilateral alliance, according to the State Department."Secretary Pompeo emphasized the need for

Foreign AffairsSept. 17, 2019

Trump says it isn't time for him to visit N. Korea

US President Donald Trump said Monday it is not the right time to visit Pyongyang after a newspaper reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un invited him for what would be their third summit.Trump said last week that he expected to meet Kim again "at some point" this year.The South Korean newspaper JoongAng Ilbo reported Monday that Kim invited Trump to Pyongyang in a letter sent in August."I don't want to comment on that," Trump told reporters at the White House when ask

North KoreaSept. 17, 2019

S. Korea on high alert after 1st African swine fever case confirmed

South Korea was on alert Tuesday to prevent the spread of African swine fever after the first case of the animal disease was confirmed near the border with North Korea.The agriculture ministry announced the beginning of operations to slaughter some 4,000 pigs as a precautionary step.Kim Hyeon-soo, minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs, said quarantine officials are set to complete the culling of the pigs at three farms, including the one where the disease was detected, in Paju, just so

Social AffairsSept. 17, 2019

Arrest warrant issued for Cho's relative in fund investment probe

A Seoul court on Monday issued a warrant to arrest a relative of Justice Minister Cho Kuk as part of a widening probe into corruption allegations surrounding the minister's family. Cho took office earlier this month despite a heated debate among political parties and the general public over suspicions regarding his daughter's education and a family fund investment.The Seoul Central District Court's decision is expected to speed up the probe as the relative, also surnamed Cho, is at the center of

Social AffairsSept. 16, 2019

Dongwon Industries' US unit fined in tuna price-fixing case

A US federal court has ordered Dongwon Industries' US unit StarKist Co. to pay a $100 million (118 billion won) fine in a canned tuna price-fixing case, the Korean tuna company said Monday. StarKist plans to pay the fine in installments over the next five years. Of the planned payment, $50 million has already been reflected in the upcoming second-quarter earnings results, and the remainder will be factored in the bottom line later, Dongwon Industries said in a regulatory filing. The Pittsburgh,

IndustrySept. 16, 2019

After early tournament exit, half Korean tennis player turns eyes to business

Jessica Pegula's campaign at the Korea Open tennis tournament lasted just one match, but the American player of Korean descent still has much on her plate during her stay in the country -- namely, finding inspiration for her business.Pegula, world No. 60, dropped a grueling match against Ysaline Bonaventure of Belgium, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, in the first round of the Korea Open on Monday at Olympic Park Tennis Center in Seoul.After outlasting Bonaventure in the first set, Pegula found herself down 5-0 i

More SportsSept. 16, 2019

Seventeen explores solitude, fear in 3rd full album

K-pop boy band Seventeen on Monday dropped its third full-length album, "An Ode," a collection of dark, charismatic numbers.The 11-track album marks a sharp turnaround from the characteristic energetic, uplifting music style the band has pursued since its debut in 2015. The record is led by the main track, "Poison: Fear," an R&B dance number, heavy with booming bass sounds.The song comes with a stronger-than-ever dance performance by the mob of 13 performers clad in black

PerformanceSept. 16, 2019

Korean-American tennis player feels on cusp of reaching next level

Kristie Ahn's quest for her maiden WTA title got off to a rousing start in Seoul on Monday, as the Korean-American star enjoyed a breezy victory in the land of her parents' birth.Ahn overwhelmed Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland 6-0, 6-0 in the first round of the Korea Open at Olympic Park Tennis Center. This is Ahn's first appearance at this tournament in three years. She was eliminated in the second round in 2017 and didn't play here in 2018.Ahn is riding high from a fourth-round appearance at t

More SportsSept. 16, 2019

Seoul has world’s 6th priciest groceries

Groceries are more expensive in Seoul than in New York or Tokyo, with only five Swiss cities surpassing the South Korean capital in grocery costs, data showed Monday.According to city and country database website Numbeo, Seoul’s groceries price index amounted to 105.01, placing it at No. 6 on a list of 375 major cities. The groceries price index is calculated according to the retail prices of items such as meat, vegetables and fruit, based on data contributed by users. Swiss citi

IndustrySept. 16, 2019

Daewoo E&C clinches LNG plant project in Nigeria

South Korean builder Daewoo Engineering & Construction has clinched a liquefied natural gas plant project in Nigeria, becoming the first Korean builder to be chosen as a prime contractor in the competitive global LNG plant sector.According to Daewoo E&C, it signed a letter of intent with Nigeria LNG last week to undertake planning, equipment purchasing and construction for the Train 7 liquefaction and purification facility on Bonny Island, Nigeria. The Train 7 project is expected to

IndustrySept. 16, 2019

[Graphic News] S. Koreans hold W61.5tr in overseas accounts

　South Korean individuals and corporations held a combined 61.5 trillion won ($51.5 billion) worth of wealth in overseas accounts this year, down 7.4 percent from a year earlier, the country’s tax agency said.　The National Tax Service said 696 corporate entities held 55.1 trillion won in June, compared with 551 companies with 59.5 trillion won in overseas accounts a year earlier.　The corporations held the largest amount, 14.81 trillion won, in their accounts in Japan, with their accounts i

MarketSept. 16, 2019