The Korea Herald

Fitch downgrades Greece

ATHENS, Greece (AP)--Fitch ratings agency says it has downgraded Greece further into junk status, from 'CCC' to 'C' following the announcement of the details of the country's debt swap deal with private creditors.The agency said Wednesday the downgrade indicated ``that default is highly likely in th

Feb. 22, 2012

Court grants asylum to gay Nigerian refugee

A Nigerian man who claimed he could not return home for fear of being persecuted for his sexual orientation was granted refugee status by a local court on Monday.A Seoul administrative court ruled in favor of a lawsuit filed by the gay Nigerian man, which sought to overturn an earlier government dec

Feb. 13, 2012

Tribesmen release Korean tourists in Egypt’s Sinai

Three South Koreans were freed on Saturday a day after they were kidnapped by armed tribesmen in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula when clan elders negotiated their release, officials here and in Egypt said.“We were not assaulted, or treated badly,” said Pastor Lee Min-song, 53, one of the freed Koreans. “We are all well.”The other two freed South Koreans are Lee Jong-dal, 62, and Mo Jong-mun, 59. They were on a 10-day Christian pilgrimage to Egypt, Israel and Jordan.The three and their Egyptian tour guid

Feb. 12, 2012

Tribesmen release Korean tourists in Egypt’s Sinai

Foreign Ministry vows to take all measures for release of kidnapped citizens

In this Wednesday, Jan. 7, 1998 file photo, the shadow of Mount Sinai stretches across the valley at the foot of the Greek Orthodox Monastery of St. Catherine in the Sinai peninsula some 240 miles southeast of Cairo, Egypt. (AP-Yonhap News)SEOUL/CAIRO (Yonhap News) -- South Korea's foreign ministry

Feb. 11, 2012

Foreign Ministry vows to take all measures for release of kidnapped citizens

Korea to fight U.S. anti-dumping probe on washing machines

Korea said Saturday that it will fight a planned U.S. government probe into alleged dumping of Korean washing machines in its market, voicing strong objection to the investigation triggered by a complaint from Whirlpool Corp. On Friday, the U.S. Commerce Department announced its plan to p

Jan. 21, 2012

Israel air strike targets Gaza militants

GAZA CITY(AFP) - An Israeli air strike targeted Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip early on Saturday, sources on both sides said.A security source from the Islamist Hamas movement which controls the territory said that the warplanes struck in the south of the enclave, close to the border with I

Jan. 21, 2012

Victim identified in Hollywood human head mystery

LOS ANGELES(AFP) - Los Angeles police have identified the victim whose severed head and other parts were found near the world-famous Hollywood sign, the LA coroner's office said Friday.As police claimed progress in the hunt for his killer, the dead man was named as 66-year-old Hervey Medellin, who w

Jan. 21, 2012

Divers suspend Italy ship search over bad weather

GIGLIO ISLAND (AFP) - Bad weather forced divers Monday to temporarily suspend the search for survivors in the wreckage of the Costa Concordia, the head of the coastguard's diving team said.Rodolfo Raiteri told AFP that a storm was on the way and "so we have removed all units ... It is impossible to

Jan. 16, 2012

Seoul suspected of inflating oil deal with UAE

The South Korean government is suspected of having exaggerated an oil development deal with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which it earlier claimed would "guarantee" participation by South Korean companies, informed sources said Thursday.The government had claimed its memorandum of understanding (M

Jan. 12, 2012

Seoul reviews plans to reduce Iranian oil imports to 2010 levels

The government is reviewing plans to reduce oil imports from Iran to 2010 levels as part of efforts to reduce aftershocks of joining the U.S. sanction on Iran’s oil trade.According to reports citing an unnamed government official, Seoul is reviewing plans to reduce oil imports from Iran as it seeks an exemption for Korea in the application of the U.S.’ National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, and to prepare for possible developments in the region. The National Defense Authorizati

Jan. 8, 2012

Taiwan ushers in year of polls

Taiwan will open the year that is likely to be seen as a political landmark by holding presidential and parliamentary elections on Jan. 14. The results may stiffen relations with mainland China and put the U.S. in an uneasy position between the two.President Ma Ying-jeou and his main opponent Tsai Ing-wen have been engaged in a tight race. A recent poll showed Tsai from the Democratic Progressive Party trailing Ma, who is running to win a second term, by 1 percentage point. If elected, Tsai will

Jan. 3, 2012

Pakistan crisis deepens as governor killed

Jan. 1, 2012

15 beheaded of 23 dead in Acapulco: police

Jan. 1, 2012

Millions of Southern Sudanese in historic independence vote

Jan. 1, 2012

Chinese stealth fighter makes first test flight

Jan. 1, 2012

China test of stealth jet no surprise: U.S.

Jan. 1, 2012

Brazil rescuers find trapped flood victims