[Newsmaker] Korail accused of overstating KTX safety

Local passengers raised their eyebrows when the state-run railway operator Korail claimed the safety and on-time operation of its trains as global No. 1 in a report submitted for evaluation in June. At the time, Korail was suffering from public condemnation after a series of frequent breakdowns and delayed schedules of the nation’s KTX bullet trains.Korail explained that it had cited official data from the International Union of Railways, or UIC, and then the agency was designated as one of the

IndustryDec. 26, 2012

[Newsmaker] Park’s aide versed in policy, not tied to partisan politics

President-elect Park Geun-hye’s first choice of her senior aides was a lawmaker versed in tax and fiscal policy and without a distinctive factional hue. Rep. Yoo Il-ho, 57, a two-term lawmaker of Park’s conservative ruling Saenuri Party, will serve as her chief of staff, assisting the incoming leader in shaping the new government in the next two months. His has a powerful post, controlling access to the president-elect, managing her schedule and also developing policies of the next administratio

PoliticsDec. 25, 2012

[Newsmaker] Conscientious Japanese Dokdo scholar dies

Seichu Naito, a Japanese historian renowned for his relentless rebuttal of Japan’s territorial claims to Dokdo, died on Dec. 16. He was 83.After news reports on his demise belatedly circulated, many Koreans lamented the passing of a “conscientious intellectual” who bravely dug into the falsity of Tokyo’s claim to Korea’s easternmost islets of Dokdo in the East Sea.His death comes as concerns are rising that the incoming Tokyo government to be led by security hawk Shinzo Abe of the Liberal Democr

PoliticsDec. 24, 2012

[Newsmaker] John Kerry tapped as America’s top diplomat

U.S. President Barack Obama tapped John Kerry, a Massachusetts senator and former presidential candidate, to be the new secretary of state on Friday.For the entirety of his career on Capitol Hill since 1985, Kerry, 69, a decorated Vietnam War veteran and son of a foreign-service officer, has specialized in foreign affairs. Since 2009, he has chaired the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.Serving as Obama’s unofficial envoy, he has played a central role in defusing diplomatic tension, particul

PoliticsDec. 23, 2012

[Newsmaker] Sighs among the cheers in Sejong City

The Finance Ministry on Tuesday took down its signboard to signal its move to Sejong City. The relocation has been anticipated for the past year, but to ministry employees, it was a moment to remember.“The era spent at Gwacheon was one of passion and devotion, and we are overcome with emotions as we prepare to let go of this era,” said a nostalgic Finance Minister Bahk Jae-wan, who will be the last minister to have experienced the Finance Ministry in Gwacheon City.It will take over 300 5-ton tru

IndustryDec. 18, 2012

[Newsmaker] Lee quits race, refuses to return funds

Former presidential candidate Lee Jung-hee and her leftist party are coming under increasingly heavy fire from the conservatives over the issue of the government election subsidy.Lee’s minority Unified Progressive Party has received 2.7 billion won ($2.5 million) from the government following her candidate registration in November.Although Lee is no longer in the race, having withdrawn her candidacy Sunday saying that she was stepping down for “the public’s desire for administration change,” the

NationalDec. 17, 2012

[Newsmaker] ‘U.S. gunman was intelligent, odd loner’

  Some described him as weird, others said he was smart, but none of the Connecticut gunman Adam Lanza’s acquaintances saw a potential killer in the 20-year-old.On Friday, Lanza opened fire at a U.S. elementary school and slaughtered 20 children and six adults before killing himself. He also murdered his mother by shooting her in the face before embarking upon the atrocious rampage.The tragic incident ― the second deadliest only to the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre, which left 33 people dead ― lef

World NewsDec. 16, 2012

[Newsmaker] Admissions scandal snares baseball managers

Former and current managers of two university baseball teams have been arrested in an admission scandal. Prosecutors said Wednesday that they have arrested former Lotte Giants manager Yang Seung-ho and current manager of the Yonsei University baseball team Jung Jin-ho to investigate charges of taking cash in return for admission. Less than two months ago, Yang was a high-profile manager of the pro baseball team. He resigned on Oct. 30 this year after Lotte failed to survive the playoff stage, th

BaseballDec. 13, 2012

[Newsmaker] 'Monti's exit could cause backfire'

His resignation may have been what former Italian President Silvio Berlusconi wanted, but the timing of Mario Monti’s resignation may cause his flamboyant evictor some problems.Berlusconi’s party agreed to pass the 2013 budget but withdrew its support for his government, effectively making Monti’s position untenable. His resignation means that an election must be held within 70 days ― likely in early February ― rather than in three months as previously scheduled. Berlusconi now has less time to

InternationalDec. 12, 2012

[Newsmaker] Anonymous donor warms the heart

A 60-something man in a dark-brown checkered coat approached a Salvation Army officer manning a red kettle in Myeong-dong, a fashion and shopping district in Seoul on Sunday. The man put a white envelope in the red kettle, saying, “Please use it for the elderly in need.”He then took a taxi and disappeared.The Salvation Army Korea Territory later found a check of around 106 million won ($98,300) with a letter in the envelope while counting up donations. “My parents kept a sense of sharing, helped

Social AffairsDec. 11, 2012

[Newsmaker] Samsung Electronics stock on record rise

Shares of top smartphone maker Samsung Electronics are getting ready to break the 1.5 million won mark as the Korean IT behemoth is gaining an edge in its ongoing global patent battle against Apple Inc.Samsung’s stocks were being traded at over 1.5 million won ($1,389) per share, up 1.62 percent from Friday, shortly after the market opening at 9:01 a.m. on Monday. The share price is setting a new record following foreign investors’ aggressive move to purchase the firm’s shares.Samsung Electronic

IndustryDec. 10, 2012

[Newsmaker] Kim Yu-na smoothly comes back to competitive form

Olympic figure-skating champion Kim Yu-na made a successful comeback from a 19-month break on Saturday at the NRW Trophy in Dortmund, Germany, scoring 72.27 points, the season’s highest, in the short program. The season’s previous high in the event was 67.95 achieved by Mao Asada of Japan at the NHK Trophy last month. Kim’s flawless routine melted away worries here that she may fail to regain competitive form after such a long hiatus, as competition is notoriously tenser than practice, no matter

More SportsDec. 9, 2012

[Newsmaker] Korean-American named PGA Rookie of the Year

Korean-American John Huh, 22, was named the U.S. PGA Tour’s Rookie of the Year on Tuesday. The award is an inspiration for Korean golfers seeking to make their names on the U.S. Tour. The award sets a milestone for golfers of Asian heritage as well. Huh is the first Asian-American to be named the PGA Rookie of the Year since it was established in 1990. His award is especially memorable as he is the only rookie to make it to the tour championship. Huh qualified for the tour playoff as the only ro

GolfDec. 6, 2012

[Newsmaker] Samsung heir one step closer to succession

Samsung’s heir-apparent Lee Jay-yong has taken the next crucial step toward inheriting the Samsung empire. His promotion to vice chairman of Samsung Electronics was widely expected, as the younger Lee has quickly gone through a number of high-ranking posts in recent years, including the position of president. Explaining the move, a Samsung press release said the junior Lee was “recognized for his leadership in building Samsung into one of the world’s most loved brands and creating shareholder va

IndustryDec. 5, 2012

[Newsmaker] 2 nuke reactors open amid protest, concerns

A belated ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Shin-Gori nuclear power plant units 1 and 2 was held near the site, located in Gijang, Busan, on Tuesday. Despite the completion of unit 1 in February 2011 and unit 2 in July this year, the ceremony had been delayed due to opposition against operations by local citizens and safety concerns raised by a recent controversy over the usage of substandard parts in other nuclear reactors.The two newly built nuclear plants each with a capacity of 1 m

Dec. 4, 2012

[Newsmaker] Park aide’s death resonates across politics

Lee Choon-sang, a long-time aide to presidential candidate Park Geun-hye, died on the campaign trail Sunday. The demise of the little-known politician seems to resonate across political spectrum amid the presidential election frenzy, creating a solemn moment of self-reflection for many politicians in the country. A vehicle carrying Lee and five other camp staffers hit a pole near Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, while heading for Chuncheon, a nearby city where Park was canvassing.The deceased had be

PoliticsDec. 3, 2012

[Newsmaker] Sailors freed from 19-month Somali ordeal

Four South Korean sailors who were captured by Somali pirates are returning to their families, ending nearly two miserable years under constant threats and fear of death.They were freed on Saturday after ransom talks between the Singapore-based owner of the MT Gemini and the pirates made a breakthrough. They are expected to arrive in Kenya on Monday on the South Korean navy vessel that operates in Somali waters as part of a multinational anti-piracy campaign. The four will go through a quick med

Social AffairsDec. 2, 2012

[Newsmaker] LG CEO breaks barriers in school background

LG Electronics appointed, for the first time, a high school graduate CEO. The Seoul-based consumer electronics giant announced on Thursday the promotion of Jo Seong-jin, former executive vice president of the company’s home appliances department, to the position of president. Jo joined the company in its Gold Star days after graduating from Yongsan Technical High School in 1976. He volunteered to work in the washing machine planning department, which was formerly looked down on by employees at t

IndustryNov. 29, 2012

[Newsmaker] Royce to chair House foreign affairs panel

U.S. Republican Rep. Edward Randall Royce, known for his efforts to address Korean Peninsular issues, was tapped on Tuesday to chair the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.The nomination should be endorsed at the party’s plenary session slated for Wednesday. As the nomination is almost certain in the Republican-controlled House, Royce is to officially take over from Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen on Jan. 3.“If selected as chairman, I will work against the administration’s most harmful foreign policies

PoliticsNov. 28, 2012

[Newsmaker] Tongil group shuts biz in N. Korea

Pyeonghwa Motors Corp. has been a symbol of reconciliation between the two Koreas since the Unification Church unveiled its ambitious joint venture with the communist North in 2000. Twelve years later, Tongil Group, the church’s colossal business empire, appears to be retreating from the partnership in favor of more lucrative, less risky sectors like retail and food. Park Sang-kwon, president of the Seoul-based auto company, is seeking to cancel its license for economic cooperation with North Ko

North KoreaNov. 27, 2012