Prosecutors said Saturday that they have arrested a retired Air Force colonel on charges of stealing confidential information on South Korea’s arms procurement plans.The suspect, identified only by his surname Chang, was accused of leaking about 10 classified documents on arms buildup projects of the Air Force, including a plan to purchase Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missiles, prosecutors said.C

Social Affairs April 3, 2011

Minuscule traces of radioactive silver were found in South Korean atmosphere for the first time Saturday since Japan’s nuclear accident, the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety said.The substance was detected in air samples taken from the central city of Daejeon and the southeastern city of Daegu, the agency said. Radioactive iodine and cesium had been found in South Korean air before, but it was th

Social Affairs April 3, 2011

Officials from the ruling party and the government plan to hold an emergency meeting Monday to discuss how to tackle Japan’s repeated territorial claims over Korea’s easternmost islets of Dokdo.Japan approved Tuesday new middle school textbooks claiming the islets as its territory, drawing a strong protest from the Seoul government.It repeated its territorial claims over Dokdo in its annual diplom

Foreign Affairs April 3, 2011

Cambridge University’s English language department has launched a competition to find the best young Cambridge English speaker in Asia. Open to 18- to 25-year-olds, winning candidates will be awarded with prizes including an MBA scholarship in London.All those studying Cambridge English programs in Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and India are eligible to ap

Social Affairs March 30, 2011

South Korean Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik will visit China next month for talks with his counterpart and other senior officials on ways to develop diplomatic and economic ties, Kim’s office said Tuesday.During the April 12-14 trip, Kim will hold talks with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and pay a visit to President Hu Jintao, the office said in a statement.Kim will also meet with Wu Bangguo, China’s t

Foreign Affairs March 29, 2011

The planned relocation of most U.S. troops in South Korea to an expanded base south of Seoul will be completed by the end of 2016, the South’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday, confirming a widely expected four-year delay in the multi-billion dollar project. The Defense Ministry, in a statement, said South Korea and the U.S. have recently finalized a fresh agreement to relocate the U.S. military’s he

Defense March 29, 2011

WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― The South Korean-invested industrial complex in North Korea will eventually help promote economic and political reform in the reclusive communist state and reduce the unification cost for South Korea, a U.S. congressional report said.The Congressional Research Service report dated March 17 that was written by specialists Dick Nanto and Mark Manyin dismissed concerns over

North Korea March 27, 2011

Nuclear reactor breakdowns in South Korea have cost the country 333 billion won ($299 million) over the past 10 years, a report by a state-run atomic power company showed Sunday.In the report to the National Assembly, the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. said there were 89 malfunctions that caused reactors to go off-line temporarily from 2001 onwards.The country currently operates 21 reactors that

Social Affairs March 27, 2011

North Korea’s trade with South Korea was at about half the value of its trade with China in 2010, as the divided Koreas’ political relations worsened.The two Koreas exchanged $1.91 billion worth of goods last year, up 14 percent from 2009, the Korea International Trade Association said Wednesday.However, trade between the North and China jumped 32 percent on-year to slightly over $3.46 billion, in

North Korea March 23, 2011

WASHINGTON ― The war in Libya will hinder international efforts toward North Korea’s nuclear dismantlement as North Koreans reflect on Moammar Gadhafi’s decision years ago to abandon his nuclear weapons, a scholar said Tuesday.“The latest developments in Libya will have a strong effect on North Korea,” Ruediger Frank, a professor at the University of Vienna, Austria, said in a contribution to the

North Korea March 23, 2011

BUSAN (Yonhap News) ― Eight North Korean defectors are believed to have sought asylum in Britain after staying for years in South Korea, police said Tuesday.Police in Busan recently conducted a survey on 25 North Korean defectors who stayed in foreign countries for more than three months. The police hoped to gain insight into the North Koreans’ motivation to live overseas.Among them, eight North K

Social Affairs March 23, 2011