Riyadh sent experts to cover up Khashoggi murder: Turkey

ISTANBUL, Nov  5, 2018 (AFP) - Saudi Arabia sent two experts to Istanbul with the specific aim of covering up evidence after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at its consulate in Istanbul, a Turkish official said on Monday.More than a month after the Saudi royal-insider-turned critic was killed inside the mission on October 2, Turkey has still yet to recover the remains amid claims that his body was dissolved in acid. The killing of the 59-year-old has severely dented the kingdom‘s image

Nov. 5, 2018

Korea hosts trade fair in Singapore to back SMEs in Southeast Asia

SINGAPORE -- About 120 Korean small and medium-sized enterprises showcased their products and services to potential customers and buyers in Southeast Asia during a two-day trade fair that ended here Friday.The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (Kotra) held the Korea Brand & Entertainment Expo for the first time in Singapore, to which 260 prospective buyers -- 160 from Singapore and 100 from neighboring countries -- were invited.Kotra has organ

Nov. 2, 2018

Korea to host tourism fair in UAE this week

South Korea will host a tourism exhibition in the United Arab Emirates this week to try to attract more Middle Eastern visitors, the state-run tourism agency said Tuesday.The three-day 2018 Korea Culture & Tourism Festival will kick off in the oil-rich capital of Abu Dhabi on Thursday, according to the Korea Tourism Organization.  (Korea Tourism Organization/Yonhap)The tourism promotion agency said 19 medical institutions, including Asan Medical Center and Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine, wil

Oct. 30, 2018

Vietjet flight makes emergency landing in HK after ‘technical problem’

Vietjet Air Flight VJ982 was forced to make an emergency landing in Hong Kong around 1 a.m. on Tuesday while en route from Hanoi to Gimhae after crew detected an issue with the aircraft.According to aviation authorities, the flight destined for Gimhae International Airport made a sudden detour to Hong Kong about an hour and 10 minutes after takeoff. The crew reportedly told Gimhae authorities that it was experiencing technical problems with the aircraft due to poor maintenance.  Passengers wait

Oct. 30, 2018

Korean NGOs protest Indian PM winning Seoul Peace Prize

More than 20 Korean NGOs, including human rights groups, protested the Seoul Peace Prize Cultural Foundation’s recent decision to award Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this year’s Seoul Peace Prize, saying he does not deserve the honor as he has a history of being complicit in violence against Muslims in India.　“We demand (the Seoul Peace Prize Cultural Foundation) retract its decision to give the Seoul Peace Prize to Mr. Modi,” the 26 groups, including the Center for Refugee Rights in Korea

Oct. 26, 2018

Korean restaurateur fatally shot in drive-by shooting in Chicago

A Korean chef and restaurateur was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting on the northwest side of Chicago in Belmont Gardens early Thursday morning (local time), police reported. According to witnesses, the 46-year-old man, identified as Peter Rim, was reported to have been sitting on the passenger side of his own vehicle when a person in a large SUV pulled up next to him and opened fire. Peter Rim (Facebook)The gunman reportedly said something to Rim before shooting, but the victim, who had sever

Oct. 26, 2018

Korea to host 19th International Anti-Corruption Conference in 2020

South Korea has been selected as the host country for the upcoming 19th International Anti-Corruption Conference, one of the biggest events of its kind, slated for June 2020, the country’s Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission announced Thursday.　　The conference is a biannual global anti-corruption event co-hosted by the host country and Transparency International, a Berlin-based international nongovernmental organization devoted to combating global corruption. Each event brings together s

Oct. 25, 2018

Leaders of Korea, Britain discuss bilateral ties, NK denuclearization

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday stressed the need to start easing international sanctions against North Korea to further motivate the communist state in its efforts to denuclearize in a summit with British Prime Minister Theresa May.    The British leader agreed on the need to come up with ways to move forward the North's denuclearization process while also stressing the need for Pyongyang to more clearly show its commitment to full denuclearization through action. South Korean Pres

Oct. 19, 2018

Moon, Merkel hold summit on bilateral ties, North Korea

BRUSSELS -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in and German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged efforts to further develop the countries' bilateral relationship during their meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Brussels on Friday.    "The two leaders noted the countries continued to develop their complementary economic cooperation based on the South Korea-EU free trade agreement, and agreed to strengthen their future-oriented cooperation in areas of mutual interest, su

Oct. 19, 2018

[Newsmaker] Passenger dies of heart attack onboard Asiana Airlines

A male passenger on an Asiana Airlines flight from Incheon to Chicago died of a heart attack last Thursday around two to three hours after takeoff, Chicago’s Korean-language media outlet reported Tuesday. The captain reported a medical emergency on board after the man, 76, experienced heart attack symptoms and collapsed. Flight attendants made an announcement and found a physician, who performed CPR in an attempt to save the sick man, but he was pronounced dead. Authorities say the deceased man

Oct. 17, 2018

Korean military planes to operate in quake-hit Indonesia through next week

South Korea said Wednesday it will extend the mission of two military jets in Indonesia hit by a powerful earthquake and ensuing tsunami.The C-130 Hercules planes were dispatched to the central island of Sulawesi on Sept. 28 to support emergency aid supplies.Their mission was supposed to end Wednesday.But the government has decided to prolong it until Oct. 26 at the request of the Indonesian authorities, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This photo taken on Oct. 2, 2018, shows a coll

Oct. 17, 2018

Vietnam blogger sentenced again after Facebook posts

HANOI (AFP) -- Vietnam on Friday jailed a blogger who posted critical material on Facebook for five years, his second sentence in less than a month as a hardline administration tightens its grip on dissent.　More than 50 activists, rights campaigners and bloggers have been put behind bars in 2018, in one of the harshest crackdowns in years. 　Observers say a conservative administration in charge since 2016 is behind the sweeping campaign, which shows few signs of easing. Vietnam`s Prime Minister N

Oct. 12, 2018

Pope accepts Washington cardinal‘s resignation amid scandal

VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Pope Francis accepted the resignation Friday of Washington Cardinal Donald Wuerl after he became entangled in two major sexual abuse and cover-up scandals and lost the support of many in his flock.　 　But in a letter released by Wuerl‘s office, Francis praised his longtime ally and suggested Wuerl had unfairly become a scapegoat, having made some “mistakes” in handling sex abuse cases, but not having covered them up.  　 　With the resignation, Wuerl becomes the most prominent

Oct. 12, 2018

Philippine, Vietnam leaders discuss disputed sea boundaries

MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has discussed with Vietnam‘s leader efforts by their countries to delineate their maritime boundaries in the disputed South China Sea, most of which is claimed by China.　 　Duterte said Friday, without elaborating, that he told Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in a meeting in Indonesia that such boundary talks may take longer because the Philippines is still establishing its continental shelf limit, or the country’s outerm

Oct. 12, 2018

UK‘s Princess Eugenie marries wine merchant

LONDON (AFP) -- Queen Elizabeth II‘s granddaughter Princess Eugenie married a wine merchant on Friday in a Windsor wedding clouded by complaints over costs and struggling to recapture the magic of past royal nuptials.　The big day for the ninth in line to the throne and Jack Brooksbank -- a “commoner” with blue-blood friends -- comes on the heels of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s fairytale service in May.　That event was watched by adoring masses and followed by months of fawning UK headlines ab

Oct. 12, 2018

UN panel unveils special report calling for action on climate change

INCHEON -- A UN panel on climate change released a special report Monday calling for urgent action to cut carbon emissions so as to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels.The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change unveiled the "Summary for Policymakers" of the "Special Report on 1.5 degrees" after unanimously adopting it at last week's meeting in Incheon, west of Seoul.(Yonhap)IPCC Chair Lee Hoe-sung of South Korea said during a press briefing Monday that it's

Oct. 8, 2018

Japan to skip fleet review ceremony amid flag row with Korea

Japan has decided to skip an international naval event in South Korea next week amid a dispute over its plan to fly the Rising Sun flag, a Seoul government source said Friday.Japan informed South Korea of the decision to not send a warship to the International Fleet Review to open for a five-day run at a military port on Jeju Island on Wednesday.(AP/Yonhap)"This morning, Japan notified South Korea that it won't send a Maritime Self-Defense Forces warship to the Jeju International Fleet Review,"

Oct. 5, 2018

Korean firms offer aid for quake-hit Indonesia

South Korean companies are joining international efforts to support Indonesia, which was hit by a deadly earthquake and tsunami, amid rising concerns over the safety of survivors in the region, firms said Thursday.KT&G Corp., a major tobacco maker, said it will offer 100 million won ($88,700) to Indonesia, becoming the latest South Korean firm to provide emergency relief aid.The sum will be handed over to the Korean Red Cross for the purchase of relief goods and restoration of damaged areas, it

Oct. 4, 2018