[Newsmaker] Carter inherits friction with White House

WASHINGTON ― President Barack Obama’s pick to be the next defense secretary, Ashton Carter, will inherit a tense relationship between the U.S. military and the White House that is unlikely to ease even with a fresh face at the Pentagon.Carter, 60, a policy wonk with degrees in medieval history and theoretical physics, is a bona fide defense expert but also a blunt-spoken figure who could run into trouble with a White House said to be given to micro-management. With years of experience in senior

World NewsDec. 7, 2014

[Newsmaker] SPO chief hit by abuse allegations

Whenever the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra was in the news, it was usually artistic director Chung Myung-whun who got the spotlight. In the past few days, however, Park Hyun-jung, the orchestra’s president and CEO since February 2013, landed prominently in newspapers and on TV. Park Hyun-jung, the orchestra’s president and CEO. (Yonhap)She is accused of a series of cases of misconduct, including verbal and sexual abuse, by her own staff at the city-run ensemble. Seventeen of the orchestra’s 27 st

Social AffairsDec. 4, 2014

[Newsmaker] After South Stream, EU eyes new gas sources

BRUSSELS -- Europe played down Tuesday an angry Russia’s shelving of the multi-billion-dollar South Stream gas pipeline project, saying it merely reinforced the need to find other energy sources amid the crisis in Ukraine.President Vladimir Putin unexpectedly announced during a visit to Turkey on Monday that he was closing the scheme to pump Russian gas to southeast Europe, blaming Brussels for making it impossible.The pipeline has become the latest casualty of the new Cold War between the West

World NewsDec. 3, 2014

[Newsmaker] Ex-Park aide shrouded in speculation

The scandal centered on Chung Yoon-hoi continues to expand and threatens to bring rival parties to a headlong clash, but little is known about the man himself. It has been alleged that Chung is at the core of an unofficial group of advisors to President Park Geun-hye, and that he has colluded with three presidential secretaries on a regular basis to exchange classified information on her state management. Chung and his supposed collaborators are also alleged to have tried to pull strings to repl

PoliticsDec. 2, 2014

[Newsmaker] China policy in question after Taiwan polls

TAIPEI ― Taiwan’s warmer relations with China were called into question after the island’s Beijing-friendly ruling party suffered its worst-ever polls defeat in local elections Saturday, sparking the resignation of Premier Jiang Yi-huah and the cabinet.The rout came as the ruling Kuomintang party struggles to combat public fears of China’s growing influence, as well as a slowing economy and a string of food scandals.Premier Jiang quit hours after the disastrous result, seen as a key barometer ah

World NewsDec. 1, 2014

[Newsmaker] Cop who killed Ferguson teenager quits

FERGUSON ― The white policeman who shot dead an unarmed black teenager in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson has resigned, but it failed to deter angry protesters demanding justice and reform.Darren Wilson left the force citing fears for the safety of local residents and fellow police officers, according to a letter published by local media Saturday. Wilson wrote in his letter that “it is my hope that my resignation will allow the community to heal.”A grand jury decision on Monday not to charge Wi

World NewsNov. 30, 2014

[Newsmaker] N.K. leader’s sister granted official post

North Korea revealed the job title of Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of its leader Kim Jong-un, on Thursday, calling her a deputy director of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party, a post equivalent to vice minister.The North’s official Korean Central News Agency mentioned her specific title for the first time, while reporting that she had accompanied her brother on a visit to an animation film studio in Pyongyang.Her title indicates that she has become part of the nucleus of the c

North KoreaNov. 27, 2014

[Newsmaker] Can Iranian nuke talks affect N.K. issue?

North Korea may be closely watching the ongoing nuclear negotiations between Iran and the West as it explores the most beneficial way to gain concessions from the U.S. and other parties, analysts said Wednesday.Some observers argue that the talks involving the Islamic republic could help forge the mood for the resumption of the long-stalled talks over Pyongyang’s nuclear program. But others say the Iranian talks may not be helpful to resolve the North Korean issue.“The Iranian nuclear talks may

North KoreaNov. 26, 2014

[Newsmaker] Behind Hagel's ouster, tensions over Syria

WASHINGTON -- Under pressure from President Barack Obama, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel submitted his resignation Monday amid White House concerns about his effectiveness and broader criticism from outside about the administration‘s Middle East crisis management.The president said he and Hagel had determined it was an ``appropriate time for him to complete his service.’‘Hagel, a former Republican senator, never broke through the White House’s notably insular national security team. Official

World NewsNov. 25, 2014

[Newsmaker] Ko wins LPGA finale, gets record haul

NAPLES, Florida ― New Zealand teenager Lydia Ko ended her rookie year on the LPGA Tour with the biggest payoff in women’s golf.Ko won the $1 million bonus from the inaugural “Race to CME Globe” on Sunday by getting into a three-way playoff. Then, the 17-year-old added an extra $500,000 when she defeated Carlota Ciganda of Spain on the fourth extra hole at Tiburon Golf Club to win the CME Group Tour Championship.Ko made par all five times she played the 18th hole on Sunday, and the last one paid

GolfNov. 24, 2014

[Newsmaker] Immigration row kicks off presidential race

WASHINGTON ― When President Barack Obama unveiled his immigration plan and Republican rivals howled their disapproval, the drama signaled not just a clash of political positions: it kicked off the 2016 presidential campaign.Several likely Republican White House contenders ― and a very prominent Democrat, Hillary Clinton ― provided some of the most visible early reactions to the president’s controversial executive order.Their statements helped draw the battle lines of Washington’s immigration war

World NewsNov. 23, 2014

[Newsmaker] Will price controls save publishing?

Korea will introduce a new book price control system on Friday in an effort to salvage its moribund publishing industry. But whether it will be sufficient to turn around Koreans’ dwindling interest in books remains an open question. “The new measure is about taking the bubble off book prices and bringing about a healthier ecosystem in Korea’s book industry,” said Kim Hee-bum, vice minister of culture, sports and tourism. “It is intended to plug loopholes in the existing regulations, which have l

CultureNov. 20, 2014

[Newsmaker] Uber exec under fire

An executive at Uber Technologies Inc. is facing criticism for saying that the mobile car-booking startup should hire a team of opposition researchers to dig up dirt on journalists who scrutinize the company. Emil Michael, Uber’s senior vice president of business, was speaking at a dinner in New York last week that included BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith, who reported on the comments yesterday. Michael suggested the San Francisco-based company was willing to spend a million dollars to look i

World BusinessNov. 19, 2014

[Newsmaker] Surprise recession threatens Abenomics

With Japan’s slump into its fourth recession since 2008 threatening the failure of the Abenomics reflation program, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration is taking steps to shore up growth for the coming year.Economy Minister Akira Amari told reporters Monday in Tokyo there is a high chance of a stimulus package. Etsuro Honda, an adviser to Abe, said a 3 trillion yen ($26 billion) program was appropriate and should go toward measures that directly help households, such as child care support

World BusinessNov. 18, 2014

[Newsmaker] Shanghai-H.K. link leaves KOSPI intact

The Shanghai-Hong Kong stock connect scheme ― touted as a milestone in the liberalization of China’s capital markets ― launched Monday, with very little impact on the Korean bourse. Korea’s stock market dipped only slightly as investors appeared to be taking a wait-and-see attitude. The government too said it would watch for further developments before taking any actions.“As we do not expect the trading scheme to lead to an immediate surge in capital outflows from Korea’s stock market in the sho

Nov. 17, 2014

[Newsmaker] Tensions up as Putin quits G20 summit

MOSCOW (AFP) ― Vladimir Putin’s early exit from a G20 summit in Australia after an icy reception from world leaders may further stoke Russia-West tensions and lead to renewed fighting in Ukraine, analysts said.Western leaders piled huge pressure on the Russian strongman at the Group of 20 meeting in Brisbane, with host Tony Abbott calling on Putin to “atone” for the shooting down of Malaysian flight MH17 over rebel-held east Ukraine and Britain’s David Cameron branding him a “bully.”Analysts sai

World NewsNov. 16, 2014

[Newsmaker] Rosetta makes historic touchdown on comet

DARMSTADT, Germany ― Landing with a bounce after traveling 6.4 billion kilometers, a European spacecraft made history Wednesday by successfully reaching the icy, dusty surface of a speeding comet ― a cosmic first designed to answer big questions about the universe.The landing by the washing machine-sized craft after a decadelong journey required immense precision, as even the slightest error could have resulted in stellar calamity.Indications were that the spacecraft touched down almost perfectl

World NewsNov. 13, 2014

[Newsmaker] Obama fails to quell tension with China

BEIJING ― When Xi Jinping took the reins of a booming China two years ago, President Barack Obama saw an opportunity to remake America’s relationship with the Asian power. But even after Obama’s unusually robust efforts to forge personal ties with Xi, the two leaders are meeting in Beijing amid significant tensions, both old and new.Xi has consolidated power since taking office, deepened China’s provocative maritime disputes with its neighbors and stands accused of continuing cyberattacks agains

World NewsNov. 12, 2014

[Newsmaker] Celebs barred from Japan amid Dokdo dispute

Singer Lee Seung-chul was denied entry to Japan on Sunday in an apparent retaliation for a performance on the easternmost Korean islets of Dokdo in August. The singer performed on the islet on Aug. 14, a day before the 69th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule. Lee sang a song with a choir of young North Korean defectors.The Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed regret over Lee’s entry refusal on Tuesday. “It’s regrettable for a Korean national to have been report

TelevisionNov. 11, 2014

[Newsmaker] In China, Obama tests global clout post-election

BEIJING  ― His influence at home quickly fading, President Barack Obama is looking east to China, the opening stop of a three-country tour that will test his ability to play a commanding role on the world stage during his final two years in office.Once treated like a global superstar, Obama arrived Monday in Beijing under far different circumstances, with his most powerful days behind him. At home, Republicans are still rejoicing at having pummeled Obama’s political party in the midterm election

World NewsNov. 10, 2014