The disclosure of a so-called "bribery list" left behind by an embattled businessman at the center of a snowballing corruption scandal before he committed suicide continued to put the government of President Park Geun-hye on edge Saturday.Sung Wan-jong, head of Kyeangnam Enterprise Ltd., killed himself by hanging on Thursday, hours before he was to appear before a Seoul court set to decide whether to issue an arrest warrant for him on various corruption charges.   A brief memo found in his trous

Social Affairs April 12, 2015

A group of South Korean activists has resumed its cross-border scattering of anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets and thousands of DVDs of a U.S. movie last week, officials said on Thursday, in what could be a source of tension between the two Koreas.   "On Saturday afternoon near the military line in Gangwon Province, we have sent DVDs of 'The Interview' and U.S. dollars to the North with balloons," a South Korean activist group said.   "We are planning to send balloons whenever weather condition

North Korea April 9, 2015

South Korea's nuclear watchdog delayed a decision on the operational license of a new nuclear reactor on Thursday as safety concerns remain nearly four months after shutting it down following a deadly toxic gas leak. The state-run Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) said it will hold another meeting on April 23 to decide the fate of the Shin Kori-3 reactor, which has been dormant since late December after nitrogen gas was leaked from a construction site, killing three workers.   The 1,

April 9, 2015

BEIJING--South Korea and China held a ceremony in Beijing on Thursday as the number of the two nations visitors to each others' country surpassed 10 million people last year.    The number of Chinese visitors to South Korea soared 46 percent from a year ago to 6.33 million people last year, while the number of South Korean visitors to China, excluding Hong Kong and Macau, grew 3.6 percent to 4.1 million, according to the South Korean Embassy.    The surge was fueled by a growing popularity of Ko

Foreign Affairs April 9, 2015

첫 성매매특별법 공개변론…특정 지역 허용-일부 허용 불가 맞서"개인의 내밀한 부분까지 국가가 형벌을 가해야 하나", "인간의 존엄 지키는 공익적 필요성 크다"    9일 헌법재판소 대심판정에서 열린 성매매 특별법 위헌심판 공개변론에서  생계 를 위한 자발적 성매매를 처벌대상으로 삼을 수 있는지를 두고 격렬한 논쟁이  이어 졌다.    성매매 특별법 21조 1항은 성판매자와 구매자를 모두 처벌대상으로 삼고 있지만 , 위헌법률심판 제청을 신청한 성매매 여성 김모씨 측에서는 전면 합법화보다는  생계를 위한 어쩔 수 없는 성매매만큼은 허용해야 한다고 주장했다.    김씨 측 대리인인 법무법인 정률의 정관영 변호사는 "이 여성들은 성매매  이외에 다른 생계수단이 없는 상황"이라며 "가장 원하는 것은 제한된 구역의 성매매는 처벌하지 말고 그 외의 지역은 처벌하는 것"이라고 말했다.    독일이나 네덜란드처럼 특정지역에서 이뤄지는 생계형 성매매는 처벌대상에서 제외하고, 성매매 알선자나 포주들에

한국어판 April 9, 2015

Samsung Electronics Co. may end up saving arch nemesis Apple Inc. about $533 million.That's how much Apple was told to pay after a jury in February said its iTunes service infringed patents owned by Texas licensing firm Smartflash LLC.This week, Samsung, which is being sued over the same technology, convinced U.S. regulators to review whether two of Smartflash’s patents should have been issued in the first place.If a review board at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office tosses those patents, it w

Industry April 4, 2015

BEIJING--China has returned a shipment of anthracite coal to North Korea because it failed to meet standards for mercury emissions, according to a local report on Saturday.This appears to be the second rejection by China of the North Korean mineral this year.The shipment arrived at the Longkou port of China's northern coastal province of Shandong late last month, but was returned as its quality did not satisfy China's environmental regulations, iQiru.com, a local Shandong Internet news site, rep

International April 4, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP)--The framework nuclear deal sealed by world powers and Iran leaves major questions: Could Iran cheat? Possibly. Would the U.S or anyone else be able to respond in time? In theory, yes. Are they prepared to use military force? Questionable.Would a final deal settle global fears about Iran's intentions? Almost surely, no.But the surprisingly detailed fact sheet released by the United States after Thursday's diplomatic breakthrough in Switzerland provides President Barack Obama sign

International April 4, 2015

BEIJING--The framework nuclear deal reached by Iran and world powers is also positive for bilateral relations between the United States and China, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a telephone call with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. Wang told Kerry that the agreement with Iran was sealed because of joint efforts by all parties that seized the "historic opportunity." Also, he said the deal "adds positive energy to Sino-U.S. relations," according to a statement posted by China's forei

International April 4, 2015

North Korea on Saturday criticized the United States for its moves to deploy an advanced missile defense system on the Korean Peninsula, apparently amid rising concerns that such a move may weigh down on its state defense.The Rodong Sinmun, an organ of the Workers' Party, said it is "unlikely" that South Korea and the United States did not discuss the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) last month during the visit of Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chief

North Korea April 4, 2015

South Korea's ruling Saenuri Party said Saturday it greets Iran's latest move to join the denuclearization drive, adding that North Korea should also take similar steps in response to international efforts."(The Iran agreement) came as a result of the international cooperation for denuclearization. We hope the move will have a positive impact on talks with North Korea as well," the party said in its statement."We hope that North Korea follows the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and joins the d

Politics April 4, 2015

South Korean stocks are expected to move in a tight range next week as investors wait for the upcoming earnings season that will start with Samsung Electronics' earnings estimate later in the week, analysts said.The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,045.42 on Friday, up 1.3 percent from a week earlier. The index started off on a positive note on anticipation that Beijing will take additional measures to spur growth. It slipped on Thursday as both institutions and foreigners u

April 4, 2015

North Korea said Saturday it has built statutes of its two former leaders, Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-Il, at the northern free-trade city of Rason, apparently to show off the regime's stability to foreigners.   "They were erected on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung," the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in its English report. "Present there on invitation were staff members of the Russian consulate-general in Chongjin and foreigners staying in the city."   North Ko

North Korea April 4, 2015