[Newsmaker] Kiev in flames as world warns of sanctions

Thousands of helmeted protesters steeled themselves Wednesday for new clashes with riot police on Kiev’s flame-engulfed main square after the deadliest night of violence in Ukraine’s post-Soviet history.U.S. President Barack Obama warned starkly of “consequences” after apocalyptic scenes on Tuesday in which 26 officers and civilians died as battles broke out across central Kiev.Obama said he held President Viktor Yanukovych’s pro-Russian government responsible for ensuring that Ukrainians could

World NewsFeb. 20, 2014

[Newsmaker] Brainwashing, surveillance, fear in N.K.

Brainwashed from birth, under constant surveillance, cowed by the all-embracing state and facing the specter of disappearing forever in its vast network of camps if they step out of line.The cruel lot of North Koreans was spotlighted Monday in a landmark report by a U.N.-mandated human rights panel, which said it was time for regime officials to face international justice.Its 400 pages were filled with shocking testimony from North Koreans who have managed to escape the clutches of the totalitar

World NewsFeb. 18, 2014

[Newsmaker] Italy’s Renzi enjoys popular support

Aged just 39, Italy’s brash center-left leader Matteo Renzi could be in line to be the next prime minister with a wave of support from Italians who seem to like his brand of plain-speaking and web-savvy politics.Elected leader of the Democratic Party in December, the photogenic former Boy Scout is liked because he has never been in government or parliament on a national political scene tainted by corruption scandals.But his critics accuse him of being arrogant and supporters of Prime Minister En

World NewsFeb. 16, 2014

[Newsmaker] Viktor Ahn calls defection 'right choice'

With his first Olympic gold medal for his adopted Russia around his neck, Viktor Ahn, the short track star born as Ahn Hyun-soo in South Korea, said he made "the right choice" in switching allegiances.Ahn captured the men's 1,000m gold medal on Saturday at Iceberg Skating Palace. It was Russia's first Olympic gold in short track. Earlier, Ahn had won the bronze in the 1,500m.The 1,000m title was Ahn's fourth career gold medal, making him the most decorated male short tracker in Olympic history."

Olympic GamesFeb. 16, 2014

[Newsmaker] ‘Happy’ skater closes door on career

SOCHI, Russia (Yonhap) ― The man who once shed tears over a fruitless Winter Games ended his love-and-hate relationship with the Olympics with a smile.South Korean speed skater Lee Kyou-hyuk finished the men’s 1,000 meters on Wednesday at the Sochi Winter Olympics in 21st place in a time of 1:10.049.It was Lee’s final race in his sixth Olympics. The flag bearer for South Korea at the opening ceremony here, Lee, 35, has competed in more Olympics, summer or winter, than any other South Korean.Lee

World NewsFeb. 13, 2014

[Newsmaker] ‘Bolt on ice’ defends title

Speed skater Lee Sang-hwa was labeled “Usain Bolt of the ice track” on Tuesday as she successfully defended her Olympic title for the women’s 500 meters to earn Korea’s first gold in Sochi.Lee not only won the gold, but broke the Olympic record while doing so.The 25-year-old Korean skater displayed a true champion’s class and composure at Adler Arena, maintaining the lead during the entire race.Lee, who competed in the last and 18th pair, showed promise right from the get-go.She began the first

SportsFeb. 12, 2014

[Newsmaker] Champ Kim Yu-na has Russian competition

Tension is building between Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yu-na and the much praised Russian prodigy Julia Lipnitskaia with the individual event just over one week away.The Vancouver Olympics gold medalist and record holder, also known as Queen Yu-na at home, is determined to defend her title against the younger Lipnitskaia, who was the driving force behind Russia’s first gold medal of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in team figure skating.Born on June 5, 1998, in Yekaterinburg, Lipnitskaia

SportsFeb. 11, 2014

[Newsmaker] Loan scandal slaps KT in the face

Incoming president Hwang Chang-gyu of the embattled telecom company KT Corp. faced his first test last week as chief executive after the discovery that a KT affiliate was involved in a loan scandal.KT ENS, a KT affiliate specializing in network integration, will be subject to an extensive probe this week on the allegation that one of its employees played a leading role in a large-scale loan fraud case involving hundreds of billions of won.The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on Sunday arrested a

IndustryFeb. 10, 2014

[Newsmaker] Conservatives push agenda at NHK

TOKYO (AP) ― Minutes of a recent governing board meeting of Japan’s public broadcaster NHK seem to back up suspicions that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, despite his denials, is trying to use Japan’s news giant to promote his nationalist agenda.The minutes, posted on NHK’s website but not widely reported, show conservatives appointed to the board by Abe voicing their opinion on coverage at the Jan. 14 meeting.One of the four new members favored by Abe proposed that NHK should do more to educate the

World NewsFeb. 9, 2014

[Newsmaker] Questions hang over Park’s new spokesman

Selecting a talented, problem-free aide is not President Park Geun-hye’s strong suit. Take, for example, her former presidential spokespeople, one of whom she helplessly fired amid embarrassing sexual harassment allegations toward a female intern. Her latest choice for the post is also being put to the test. At the center of the disputes is Min Kyung-wook, former reporter at Korean Broadcasting System, who accepted the presidential spokesman post on Wednesday. Min, who raised his public profile

PoliticsFeb. 6, 2014

[Newsmaker] Cloud computing chief to head Microsoft

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― As longtime Microsoft insider Satya Nadella becomes the company’s CEO, he is declaring a new focus on a “mobile-first, cloud-first world.” So far, he only has the latter half of the formula figured out.Microsoft is trying to catch rivals such as Apple, Google and Amazon, which are building a thriving ecosystem for mobile devices. At the same time, the company wants to expand its business as a provider of software and services over the Internet.Nadella, the Indian-born head of

World BusinessFeb. 5, 2014

[Newsmaker] Limbo looms for Thailand after election

BANGKOK (AFP) ― Thailand’s protest-plagued elections have ushered in a new chapter of political uncertainty that experts say leaves the embattled government increasingly vulnerable to court intervention or a military coup.Millions were denied the opportunity to cast ballots on Sunday, with blockades by protesters seeking to prevent the reelection of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra causing the closure of some 10 percent of polling stations.Hundreds of antigovernment demonstrators took to the s

World NewsFeb. 4, 2014

[Newsmaker] LG Uplus rises on LTE leadership

LG Uplus was always the smallest and branded the worst telecommunication service provider that stood in the shadows of SK Telecom and KT.Feature phones carried by LG Uplus did not work especially in provincial areas, and its fiber optic broadband was weak compared to its rivals, leading many a consumer to shun its services.Just when it was struggling to find the next big thing that could help the company surpass the formidable No. 2 KT, if not SKT, LG Uplus headed by CEO Lee Sang-chul pounced on

TechnologyFeb. 3, 2014

[Newsmaker] Bernanke: Final chapter yet to be written

WASHINGTON (AP) ― Ben Bernanke on Friday closed the door on a precedent-breaking eight years as chairman of the Federal Reserve.Bernanke took office on Feb. 1, 2006, more the shy Princeton professor than a likely combatant in Washington’s knock-down political culture, though he had served on the Fed’s board and for eight months as head of President George W. Bush’s Council of Economic Advisers.On his watch, the U.S. economy and financial system fell into their gravest crisis since the Great Depr

World NewsFeb. 2, 2014

[Newsmaker] Samsung nixes hiring plan after backlash

Samsung Group, South Korea’s largest conglomerate, said Tuesday it would scrap its heavily criticized plan to introduce a new recruitment path that favors top-tier universities in Seoul.The new hiring method proposed by the country’s most preferred workplace would have allowed universities to recommend students as prospective applicants. Its purpose was to hire students with a wide variety of skills that are not demonstrated by traditional qualifications like English scores.The plan came under f

Social AffairsJan. 28, 2014

[Newsmaker] Samsung, Hyundai vie for Gangnam site

A bidding war is heating up between the nation’s two top conglomerates Samsung and Hyundai as the two are seeking to secure an 80,000-square-meter site in the affluent district of Gangnam in southern Seoul. According to industry sources on Monday, Hyundai Motor Group has recently expressed its intention to acquire the lucrative property, which is currently owned by Korea Electric Power Corp. The Korean auto giant is said to be hoping to relocate its existing Yangjae headquarters to the site. Thi

IndustryJan. 27, 2014

[Newsmaker] Can former chip guru save KT?

Time has come for Hwang Chang-gyu to prove his ability to overcome a crisis as he officially takes the helm at KT, Korea’s second largest mobile carrier, Monday.Faced with a lackluster earnings outlook and negative public image due to a corruption scandal concerning Hwang’s predecessor Lee Suk-chae, not to mention an overgrown bureaucracy, Hwang will be expected to roll up his sleeves as soon as he takes office to start fixing the mess with a solid business plan for the future.KT is currently fa

TechnologyJan. 26, 2014

[Newsmaker] El-Erian’s departure surprises investors

When Mohamed El-Erian first told Bill Gross several weeks ago that he wanted to leave to “recharge the batteries,” the co-founder of Pacific Investment Management Co. was “shocked” and “discouraged.”El-Erian, 55, for years had been putting in long hours as the public face of Pimco next to Gross, appearing in the office as early as 5 a.m., speaking on national television throughout the day, and responding to messages well past regular working hours. Gross, battling record redemptions from his big

World BusinessJan. 23, 2014

[Newsmaker] Chinese display makers catching up fast

Dominance is shifting in the global display market as Chinese companies are fast emerging to challenge Korea’s giants in advanced technology.Korea’s liquid crystal display panels in terms of global output and shipment saw their market share slide from 48.9 percent in 2010 to 48.8 percent in 2013.The share taken up by the Chinese players, meanwhile, jumped from 4.7 percent to 12.5 percent during the same period, according to DisplaySearch, a global display market researcher.This impact from the C

TechnologyJan. 22, 2014

[Newsmaker] Korea-Japan tension rises over memorial

Tension is intensifying further in Northeast Asia after Japan protested the launch of new facilities devoted to a Korean independence fighter in China, triggering strong condemnation from Seoul. Tokyo’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga on Monday slammed the memorial hall that opened a day before to honor Ahn Jung-geun, who fatally shot Japan’s first Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito in Harbin in 1909 in protest against its colonial rule. Suga said Ahn was a “terrorist sentenced to death” for the

Foreign AffairsJan. 21, 2014