Driver of overturned van in Gangwon repeat road crash offender: police

A van carrying 16 passengers crashed Monday morning in Gangwon Province, leading to deaths and injuries of all those aboard. Upon investigation, police found the van’s driver, a 61-year-old surnamed Kang, had a criminal record involving another fatal car wreck.According to police, Kang was charged with a similar van crash 10 years ago. In January 2009, the van she was driving hit an excavator in Hongseong, South Chungcheong Province, killing five and injuring 11. She was sentenced to a yea

Social AffairsJuly 23, 2019

Ruling party, main opposition spar over diplomatic approach to Tokyo’s trade restrictions

The ongoing dispute between the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and the main opposition Liberty Korea Party on Tuesday spilled over to the government’s diplomatic approach in handling trade restrictions by Japan.The fresh round of tit-for-tat came a day after the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee passed a resolution pressing Tokyo to retract trade measures imposed on three key tech materials vital for Korean tech businesses.Stepping up criticism against t

PoliticsJuly 23, 2019

Huawei helped build NK’s wireless network: report

Huawei Technologies, which the US has blacklisted as a national security threat, has secretly helped North Korea build and maintain its commercial wireless network, the Washington Post reported Monday.As the report suggests the Chinese tech giant, which uses American technology in its components, may have violated US sanctions by providing equipment to North Korea, it could lead to Washington increasing pressure on Huawei and possibly affect US-China trade negotiations as well as US-North Korea

North KoreaJuly 23, 2019

[News Focus] N. Korea taking time to strategize plans for nuclear talks with US: experts

North Korea seems to be agonizing over cherry-picking key negotiators and agenda items for its fresh nuclear talks with the US in order to avoid another setback following a no-deal summit in February, according to experts. US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed to form negotiation teams “in two to three weeks” and create a framework for denuclearization negotiations after a surprise meeting at Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone between the two Koreas on

North KoreaJuly 23, 2019

LG Chem recruiting innovative tech ideas from around world

LG Chem said Tuesday the company is holding the second Global Innovation Contest to discover new technologies and ideas from universities and institutes around the world. The South Korean petrochemicals and energy solutions developer started receiving innovative ideas in the fields of petrochemicals, electronic batteries, advanced materials and biotechnology. Recruitment will run until Sept. 30. Graduates and professional researchers in the aforementioned fields are eligible to apply for the con

TechnologyJuly 23, 2019

Bolton in Seoul amid regional trade row, Hormuz issue

US National Security Adviser John Bolton began his two-day trip to South Korea on Tuesday, during which he will focus on consultations on a range of issues from North Korea to the Strait of Hormuz.It especially comes as two major allies of Washington -- Seoul and Tokyo -- are locked in a confrontation over shared history and the Shinzo Abe administration's use of trade as political retaliation.South Korea wants the US to help resolve the trade friction in a diplomatic way. Bolton landed at the U

Foreign AffairsJuly 23, 2019

[Newsmaker] Ex-SK Chem chief, 33 others indicted over humidifier sterilizer scandal

The prosecution said Tuesday it has indicted 34 people, including former company executives, for manufacturing and selling humidifier disinfectants containing toxic chemicals, wrapping up an eight-month reinvestigation into one of the worst scandals involving consumer products.The probe came after a 2011 scandal involving toxic humidifier disinfectants sold by Oxy Reckitt Benckiser rattled South Korea, leaving more than 100 people dead from lung problems. Hong Ji-ho, former president of SK Chemi

Social AffairsJuly 23, 2019

Russian aircraft violates S. Korea's airspace above East Sea twice

A Russian warplane violated South Korea's airspace above the East Sea twice Tuesday, prompting the Air Force to fire warning shots in the first such airspace violation by a foreign airplane ever, military officers here said.The Russian A-50 early warning and control aircraft trespassed in the territorial sky above the East Sea near South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo earlier in the day for two brief periods in breach of international treaties, according to officers from the Joint Chiefs of

DefenseJuly 23, 2019

[Gwangju Swimming] Water polo stars hope sport will grow after 1st world championships victory

Sometimes, all it takes is one moment to spark wider interest in a sport. And South Korean men's water polo players are hoping that theirs came Tuesday with their first world championships victory.South Korea defeated New Zealand 17-16 after four quarters of regulation and a penalty shootout at the FINA World Championships.It was South Korea's first victory at the biennial competition. "I hope our performance here will help grow water polo at the grassroots level," said captain Lee Seo

More SportsJuly 23, 2019

Overturned van in Samcheok carried 6 Thai nationals: police

Six Thai nationals were aboard the van that crashed Monday morning in Gangwon Province, that resulted in the deaths or injuries of all of the passengers, police said Tuesday.A Hyundai van carrying 16 passengers -- seven Koreans, nine foreign nationals -- crashed into a guardrail on a road in northeastern coastal area in Samcheok City at 7:33 a.m. Monday, killing four.  Of the four fatalities, two were Korean women, both aged 61, one of whom was the van’s driver surnamed Kang. The othe

Social AffairsJuly 23, 2019

NK leader inspects new submarine to be deployed in East Sea: state media

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inspected a newly constructed submarine, calling for the development of naval armed forces to boost the country's military capabilities, Pyongyang's state media reported Tuesday.The inspection came less than a month after Kim and US President Donald Trump held a surprise meeting at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom and agreed to resume working-level talks on denuclearization. Accompanied by senior officials from the ruling party and the field of nat

North KoreaJuly 23, 2019

Pompeo says he thinks NK was 'perplexed' by high priority of remains return

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday he thinks North Korea was "perplexed" by the high priority the United States placed on retrieving the remains of American troops from the North.Pompeo made the remark at a national convention of veterans in Orlando, Florida, as he spoke of the Trump administration's commitment to taking care of the American people."I remember sitting in the room negotiating with my counterpart. He's a former senior North Korean general, and I remember

North KoreaJuly 23, 2019

Students released after 8 hours of questioning over protest in Japan consulate

Six South Korean college students who were taken into police custody after staging a protest performance over Japan's export restrictions inside the Japanese Consulate in Busan were all released later that day after eight hours of questioning, according to the Busan Dongbu Police Station on Tuesday.The students, who belong to an activist group named the Busan Youth and Student Action Group, were detained at 2:35 p.m. on Monday for trespassing on the consulate premises and underwent questioning f

Social AffairsJuly 23, 2019

Kim Seo-yeong not dwelling on disappointing result

During her training for the women's 200m individual medley at the world championships, South Korean swimmer Kim Seo-yeong was so confident that she felt she could break her own national record.And that confidence never waned in the warmup at Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Center in Gwangju on Monday. And the 25-year-old carried that self-assurance into the pool in the final.Kim left the water wondering where it had gone. She finished sixth among eight finalists at the FINA World Championshi

More SportsJuly 23, 2019

Trump says there was 'very positive' correspondence recently with N. Korea

US President Donald Trump said Monday there was "very positive" correspondence recently with North Korea and that the two sides will meet for nuclear talks when the communist regime is ready.Trump's remark comes after he and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held an impromptu meeting at the inter-Korean border on June 30 and agreed to resume working-level talks on the denuclearization of the regime.Asked by reporters if the talks have been scheduled, Trump said, "No, we just have a

North KoreaJuly 23, 2019

Swimmers 'don't trust' Sun as doping row boils over

 GWANGJU, South Korea (AFP) - World championship swimmers slammed China's Sun Yang over lurid doping allegations and said competitors were firmly behind Australia's Mack Horton, who snubbed the Olympic star on the podium.    America's Matt Grevers claimed many competitors "don't trust" Sun, while world record-holder Lilly King revealed athletes "erupted in applause" after Horton refused to join his rival on the podium for photos after the 400 metres f

More SportsJuly 22, 2019

Malfunctioning equipment forces solo re-races in preliminary

Malfunctions with the starting equipment forced two swimmers to race alone in the heats of the men's 100m backstroke at the world championships on Monday.    Simone Sabbioni of Italy and Dylan Carter of Trinidad and Tobago both had their initial races disrupted when the wedge, which allows backstroke swimmers to gain leverage off the wall, gave way.     Sabbioni had to race alone twice, as the wedge failed again in his second attempt. On his third race, Sabbion

More SportsJuly 22, 2019

Embattled defense minister visits Army command, calls for tighter discipline

Defense Minister Jeong Kyeog-doo visited an Army command near Seoul on Monday in the wake of a series of incidents that highlighted lax discipline in the military and prompted opposition parties to demand his resignation.    The Ground Operations Command, located in Yongin, southeast of Seoul, was the first destination of his tours to key armed services headquarters this week, which will also take him to the Navy, the Air Force and the Marine Corps operations commands. &

DefenseJuly 22, 2019

Indonesia seeks reduction in share of expenses in joint fighter jet project

Indonesia is seeking a reduction of its share of expenses in the fighter jet development project with South Korea, as it is running about 300 billion won ($254 million) in arrears. According to Indonesian news reports, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Politics and Security Wiranto reiterated the need to renegotiate the deal for the Korean Fighter Experimental, citing the government’s lack of budget.Korea and Indonesia have been working together to develop a new fighter jet for t

DefenseJuly 22, 2019

[Graphic News] Face value of damaged currency rises in H1

　The face value of damaged banknotes and coins in South Korea rose in the first half of the year, data from the central bank showed. 　A total of 2.27 trillion won ($1.92 billion) worth of damaged bills and coins were discarded by the Bank of Korea in the first half, up 42.5 billion won from six months ago. 　The central bank spent 48.3 billion won replacing the damaged banknotes over the six-month period. (Yonhap)

NationalJuly 22, 2019