South Korea and the U.S. have agreed to carry out a joint study on safe ways to store spent nuclear fuel, including exploring the feasibility of pyroprocessing technology, the government said Sunday.The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said the two sides agreed to conduct two years of preliminary storage-related research up till 2012 that is technologically and economically viable, an

Social Affairs April 17, 2011

JEJU (Yonhap News) ― It is “premature” for the two Koreas to hold governmental talks for a joint survey of a North Korean mountain to assess the risk of its potential volcanic eruption, a high-level Seoul official said Sunday.The remark came days after the two Koreas agreed to conduct a joint on-site survey of Mount Baekdu during a rare civilian-led meeting that experts say may help open the way f

North Korea April 17, 2011

The government resorted to expedience and bypassed set inspection rules to extend the operational life of South Korea’s oldest nuclear reactor, an opposition lawmaker claimed Saturday.Rep. Kim Young-hwan of the main opposition Democratic Party said when engineers tested the pressure vessel of the Gori-1 reactor in 2005, the critical system did not meet minimum safety requirements.He also argued th

Social Affairs April 17, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak is expected to carry out a minor Cabinet reshuffle early next month that could affect at least four ministers, which likely includes the agriculture minister, who was in charge of handling the recent foot-and-mouth disease crisis, an official said Thursday.The reorganization is expected to take place about one to two weeks after the April 27 by-elections, the official said.

Politics April 14, 2011

WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― North Korea will not abandon its nuclear weapons as it views them not only as a deterrent against regional interference but as a tool to attract international attention and economic aid, the commander of U.S. forces in Korea said Tuesday.“I do not see that he will give up his nuclear capability,” Gen. Walter Sharp told the Senate Armed Services Committee, referring to No

North Korea April 13, 2011

WASHINGTON (AFP) ― The U.S. State Department has confirmed an American is being held in North Korea, though declined to identify the individual as it called for the detainee’s release on humanitarian grounds.Swedish officials, who represent the U.S. in the absence of diplomatic ties between Pyongyang and Washington, “have been able to visit” the detained individual, State Department spokesman Mark

North Korea April 13, 2011

South Korea’s military will complete building its own missile defense system by 2015 that is designed to intercept ballistic missiles from North Korea, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday, amid high tensions following the North’s two deadly attacks last year. South Korea, which has ruled out joining the U.S.-led global missile defense system, has gradually built the independent, low-tier missile def

Defense April 12, 2011

South Korea’s military plans to create a new top commander to coordinate operations of its armed forces as part of its efforts to enhance the interoperability among the Army, Navy and Air Force, the defense minister said Tuesday.A four-star general will be appointed as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a group of military leaders from each branch of the armed services. The vice JCS chair

Defense April 12, 2011

Ruling and opposition lawmakers raised a total of 47.7 billion won ($44 million) in political donations last year with the ruling party drawing more funds than the competition, the election watchdog said Monday.While the total amount increased by 16 percent from 41.1 billion won in 2009, it came short of the 63.4 billion won collected in 2008 when a nationwide general election was held, according

Politics April 11, 2011

South Korea censured North Korea on Monday for terminating an exclusive tourism deal with a South Korean company that has been unable to operate in the communist state for years amid strained inter-Korean relations.North Korea said Friday it has terminated exclusive tourism rights for Hyundai Asan at Mount Geumgang, a resort on its east coast, voicing skepticism over the resumption of the joint ve

North Korea April 11, 2011

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter will be accompanied by as many as three former heads of state on his visit to North Korea slated for April 26-28, a diplomatic source here said Sunday.Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari will join Carter’s delegation to North Korea, said the source, noting that the group has already been known to include former Irish President Mary Robinson and former Norwe

North Korea April 10, 2011