[Newsmaker] India's Modi arrives in Pakistan

India`s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, shakes hands with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Lahore, Pakistan, Friday. Modi arrived in Pakistan on Friday, his first visit as prime minister to this Islamic nation that has been India`s long-standing archrival in the region. (AP-YonhapISLAMABAD (AP) _ India's Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to Pakistan on Friday, his first such trip as prime minister to this Islamic nation that has been India's long-standing archrival in the region.

WorldDec. 26, 2015

[Newsmaker] Hyundai Motor, union set to end wage dispute

After marathon 11-hour negotiations representatives of labor and the management of Hyundai Motor reached a tentative deal on wages Wednesday, ending months of internal conflicts that wobbled the nation’s largest automaker already facing lower-than-expected sales this year. Hyundai Motor president Yoon Gap-han (right) and labor union leader Park Yoo-ki leave after reaching a tentative agreement on wage and other labor issues in Ulsan, Thursday. (Yonhap)The two sides agreed to raise 85,000 won in

IndustryDec. 24, 2015

[Newsmaker] Kakao in spotlight for fat paychecks

Kakao, Korea’s fast-sprawling mobile empire built on the omnipresent phone messaging service KakaoTalk, is in the public spotlight for fat paychecks. The KOSDAQ-listed firm was the highest-paying workplace among the top 100 companies by market capitalization in Korea last year, leading by a big margin a pack of older and larger corporate players such as Samsung Electronics.According to data compiled by CEO Score, an online business information provider, Kakao employees took home an average of 17

TechnologyDec. 23, 2015

[Newsmaker] Tough tasks await finance minister nominee

Rep. Yoo Il-ho. YonhapYoo Il-ho, the nominee for Korea’s top economic post of deputy prime minister and finance minister, has vowed to carry on the legacy of his would-be predecessor, but the road ahead may require more, due to the multiple challenges the economy faces.“The global economic environment now is not very favorable, and navigating the local economy against this global backdrop will be a tough job,” Yoo, 60, told reporters shortly after his nomination Monday. The nominee stressed cons

Dec. 22, 2015

[Newsmaker] With biotech, Samsung heir aims to emulate father’s chip success

Samsung Electronics vice chairman and heir apparent Lee Jae-yong is betting big on biotechnology, a move reminiscent of his father, chairman Lee Kun-hee’s entry into the chip business almost 40 years ago. 　In the 1970s, there was widespread skepticism about Samsung’s entry in the chip market that was dominated by U.S. and Japanese companies. But the company poured resources into ramping up quality chips at cheaper prices. Now the company is the No. 1 player in memory chips and the business unit

IndustryDec. 21, 2015

[Newsmaker] 'Force Awakens' crosses $250M globally

"Star Wars" fever has spread through movie theaters around the globe, even reaching the White House, as the franchise yet again began toppling box-office records with waves of lightsaber-wielding fans.The Millennium Falcon in "The Force Awakens" (Disney Korea)Following a record $57 million from Thursday night showings in North America, and packed matinees on Friday, the Walt Disney Co. projected that "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" will surpass $215 million on the weekend, besting the record dome

World NewsDec. 20, 2015

[Newsmaker] Chung, ‘man of principle,’ goes against the odds

By strongly resisting Cheong Wa Dae’s efforts to press the National Assembly to pass contentious bills, Speaker Chung Ui-hwa has remained true to his “guardian of legislation” nickname. On Wednesday, the veteran doctor-turned-politician flatly turned down the presidential office’s request to put disputed bills to a parliamentary vote, saying, “The current economic situation cannot be seen as a national emergency.” He said if he did so, he would be overstepping the law.Chung, who has never shied

PoliticsDec. 17, 2015

[Newsmaker] U.N. watchdog decides to close nuclear weapons probe of Iran

The U.N. nuclear watchdog's 35-nation board decided on Tuesday to close its investigation into whether Iran once had a secret nuclear weapons programme, opting to support Tehran's deal with world powers rather than dwell on its past actions.In a symbolic victory for Iran, the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors passed a resolution ending its long-running inquiry but allowing inspectors to continue to police the country's nuclear programme. International Atomic Energy Agency D

InternationalDec. 17, 2015

[Newsmaker] Ahn’s ‘new politics’ slogan fades out after NPAD exit

“New politics” is a catchphrase that has helped Ahn Cheol-soo become the political figure he is today.This vision for new politics was the reason voters welcomed Ahn with open arms in the 2012 presidential election campaigns, despite his total lack of political experience. It was also a title he clung to when merging with the opposition camp last year.But now that years have passed since his grand political debut, the information technology guru-turned-politician leaves crucial questions to obse

PoliticsDec. 15, 2015

[Newsmaker] N.K. female band cancels Beijing show

Much-anticipated performances in China by a North Korean female propaganda troupe were canceled abruptly Saturday, sparking many rumors including one related to a possible friction between Beijing and Pyongyang over the latter’s nuclear program. The performances by the Moranbong Band were supposed to begin at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing at 7:30 p.m., but they were called off just three hours before. They were scheduled to continue three days from Saturday.Following the

North KoreaDec. 13, 2015

[Newsmaker] Merkel named person of year by Time magazine

Time magazine on Wednesday named German Chancellor Angela Merkel its person of the year for 2015, hailing her leadership during debt and refugee crises that threatened to tear the European Union apart.In power for a decade at the helm of Europe’s biggest economy, the world’s most powerful woman beat runners-up, the leader of the Islamic State extremist group and Donald Trump as Time’s dominant personality of the year.German Chancellor Angela Merkel. EPA-YonhapThe U.S. magazine lauded Merkel as t

World NewsDec. 10, 2015

[Newsmaker] Muslim provocation, vitriol are Trump strategy: analysts

WASHINGTON― Donald Trump’s incendiary new provocation on Muslims plays on American fears about extremists and Syrian refugees, in what analysts said Tuesday was a calculated move by the Republican presidential front-runner ahead of the first primary votes.The real estate mogul unveiled the most extreme proposal of his rabble-rousing campaign for 2016 on Monday when he called for a “total and complete shutdown” of Muslims entering the United States. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump

World NewsDec. 9, 2015

[Newsmaker] ‘Big Choi’ maps way back to ruling party

Ahead of the general elections slated for next April, the government and the ruling party are intent on strengthening their campaign front, with Cheong Wa Dae eyeing one particular figure to spearhead the job.It is considered a matter of time before Choi Kyung-hwan, the deputy prime minister, finance minister, a political heavyweight with experience in both state and parliamentary affairs and, more importantly, with unrivaled confidence bestowed by President Park Geun-hye, returns to his parliam

PoliticsDec. 8, 2015

[Newsmaker] Matter of degree: Temperature

In climate math, the difference between 1.5 and 2 degrees is much greater than 0.5.Small nations say that for them, that half-degree could mean the difference between life and death. For larger nations, the question is what's realistic and what's not when it comes to limiting global warming.The broader issue is how much warming is too much. In 2010, international negotiators formally adopted a goal of limiting warming to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over pre-industrial times; Earth

World NewsDec. 6, 2015

[Newsmaker] Rousseff fighting for political life

When she was being tortured under Brazil’s military dictatorship, Dilma Rousseff could never have imagined becoming the country’s first female president.But four decades on from those dark days in 1970, when Rousseff belonged to a violent, hard left underground group, she did indeed rise to the top ― only to face the desperate new challenge of impeachment less than a year into her second term.The launching of impeachment proceedings by the speaker of the lower house of Congress, Eduardo Cunha, l

World NewsDec. 3, 2015

[Newsmaker] New dad Zuckerberg vows to give away Facebook fortune

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) ― Facebook cofounder Mark Zuckerberg announced Tuesday he is a dad and pledged to give away his fortune to make the world a “better place” for baby daughter Maxima and others.In a letter to Maxima posted on his Facebook page, Zuckerberg and wife Priscilla Chan said they were going to give away 99 percent of their company shares ― estimated value $45 billion ― during their lives in an effort to make a happy and healthy world.  Max Chan Zuckerberg is held by her parents, Mark Z

World NewsDec. 2, 2015

[Newsmaker] Samsung eyes stability in reshuffle

Samsung Electronics on Tuesday named Koh Dong-jin, executive vice president in charge of mobile R&D, as the new mastermind of the company’s flagship mobile business division amid its recent struggle for profitability. 　A surprise appointment, the 54-year-old engineer’s replacement of the current mobile chief Shin Jong-kyun, 60, hinted at a generational shift in the Korean tech giant’s top brass. “Shin will focus more on long-term strategy and foster new growth businesses,” the company said in a

TechnologyDec. 1, 2015

[Newsmaker] Kakao, KT pin hopes on Internet-only banks

Expectations are reaching new heights for Korea’s first online-only banks, or direct banks, to spark enormous changes not only in the country’s 120-year-old financial sector but also in other industries including information technology and retail.The financial authorities have given preliminary approval to two consortiums ― Kakao Bank and K-Bank, led by mobile messenger creator Kakao and mobile carrier KT, respectively ― to set up the banks with no brick-and-mortar branches. They will be the fir

TechnologyNov. 30, 2015

[NEWSMAKER] What’s next for late Kim’s ill-fated son?

　Kim Hyun-chul, the second son of the late President Kim Young-sam, had a powerful nickname when his father was in office -- “little president.” 　The junior Kim was said to have been one of the late president’s aides who stood beside him during his years of democratic struggle. After Kim Young-sam entered Cheong Wa Dae, however, Kim Hyun-chul started to peddle influence in various state affairs involving major conglomerates who wanted to reach out to the president. In 1997, as his father’s presi

PoliticsNov. 29, 2015

[Newsmaker] Justice minister warns against protests

The government Friday heaped pressure on labor unions preparing for another massive antigovernment rally next month, warning that it will sternly clamp down on illegal protests at any cost. “Illegal and violent protests are serious and clear challenges to the country’s rule of law and to the public who love peace. Those who ignore the law and deride the government’s power will rightly pay the cost in the name of the public,” said Justice Minister Kim Hyun-woong in a press briefing. Justice Minis

Social AffairsNov. 27, 2015