A new South Korean victim of Japan's wartime sexual enslavement has registered with the government, increasing the total known victims to 239 and the current number of survivors to 40, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said on Friday."The elderly woman has recently applied for registration after she got to know about the government support program," a ministry official said. The ministry declined to disclose her identity following the wishes of those caring for her.The ministry has prov

National Dec. 30, 2016

BRUSSELS (AFP) -- The European Commission launched legal action on Thursday against authorities in seven EU nations including Germany and Britain for failing to crack down on emissions cheating exposed by the Volkswagen "Dieselgate" scandal.The commission, the EU's executive arm, "is today acting against seven member states on the grounds that they have failed to fulfil their obligations" under EU law, said a statement.The Dieselgate scandal blew open when Volkswagen admitted in September 2015 t

World News Dec. 8, 2016

LONDON (AFP) -- Britain will ban junk food ads aimed at children from both print and social media from next year, the advertising rules watchdog said Thursday, a move welcomed by campaigners against child obesity.The new rules, which come into effect in July 2017, extend an existing ban on television ads for "high fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) food or drink products"."The new restrictions will lead to a major reduction in the number of ads for HFSS food and drinks seen by children," the Committees o

World News Dec. 8, 2016

President Park Geun-hye, mired in a high-profile corruption scandal centering on her confidante, remained silent Thursday, as political parties barreled towards an impeachment showdown.Since she signaled her determination to accept an impeachment trial during talks with the leaders of the ruling Saenuri Party Tuesday, the embattled leader has kept a wait-and-see stance, failing to deliver on a pledge to hold a press conference to explain her stance on the scandal.On Friday afternoon, the Nationa

Politics Dec. 8, 2016

South Korea on Wednesday approved three major defense projects, including a long-range rocket system, to help bolster its capabilities to better counter growing North Korean military threats.The government's approval comes amid mounting geopolitical uncertainties surrounding the Korean Peninsula as Pyongyang ratchets up its saber rattling and many countries in the region feel uneasy about Donald Trump's surprise victory in last week's U.S. presidential race.During the 2017-2020 period, Seoul wil

Defense Nov. 16, 2016

PARIS (AP) -- Donald Trump's election in the U.S. has given a new boost to conservative leaders in what may be the next major populist battleground, France, where far-right leader Marine Le Pen is convinced that her anti-immigration, anti-Islam views can lead her to the presidency in five months.Former President Nicolas Sarkozy, running to get his job back, says that Trump’s election shows that politicians must listen to "the wrath of the people.""Mr. Trump wants to defend American interests? Fi

World News Nov. 16, 2016

BRUSSELS (AFP) -- The EU said Wednesday that draft budgets from Italy and seven other eurozone countries risk breaking the bloc's rules, setting up a row with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi ahead of a crucial referendum.The European Commission said the budgets for Spain and Portugal were also problematic, just a year after the two countries became the first to officially face sanctions for public over-spending.But the commission, the executive arm of the European Union, dropped a threat to suspend

World News Nov. 16, 2016

NEW YORK (AFP) -- Demonstrators took to the streets in New York City to oppose Donald Trump's election as US president for a fourth straight day Friday.Some 1,200 people gathered in the Washington Square neighborhood of lower Manhattan, some carrying enormous red balloons and placards with hearts and the words "peace and love."Others held signs reading "Your Wall Can't Stand in Our Way" -- a reference  to the anti-immigration barrier the billionaire real estate baron has promised to build on the

World Nov. 12, 2016

Tens, and possibly hundreds, of thousands of South Koreans were expected to rally in Seoul on Saturday demanding the ouster of President Park Geun-hye in what would be one of the biggest protests in the country since its democratization about 30 years ago.Police anticipate about 170,000 people to turn out near City Hall and an old palace gate, while the protest organizers estimate as much as a million participants. It will be the latest of a wave of massive rallies against Park, whose presidency

National Nov. 12, 2016

Police have failed to carry out an autopsy on the body of a farmer who died after being hit by a police water cannon during a protest late last year, sources said Tuesday, and instead will seek to re-apply for a new warrant amid strong protests from his family.Baek Nam-gi, 69, died on Sept. 25 after spending months in a coma. While critics argue Baek died due to excessive force, police have maintained the stance that there is no clear link between the water cannon and his death.Authorities have

Social Affairs Oct. 25, 2016