President Lee Myung-bak on Monday rehearsed his presentation for PyeongChang’s 2018 Olympic bid to win over International Olympic Committee members in Durban, South Africa.Along with his aides and officials of the PyeongChang committee, Lee reviewed his presentation to be made on Wednesday, South Africa time, during the IOC session. It is the mountain resort town’s third bid for the Winter Olympic

Politics July 4, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak on Saturday will depart for Durban, South Africa, the first leg of his weeklong tour of three African nations to support PyeongChang’s Olympic bid and strengthen economic ties. Lee will also visit the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia before returning home on July 11. Lee is scheduled to arrive in Durban Saturday evening where he will have four days to promote P

Politics July 1, 2011

As the law allowing multiple unions in a single workplace took effect Friday, three companies reported the establishment of their second labor unions. Semiconductor manufacturer named KEC Corp. in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, filed a report that a new union consisting of 13 employees had been formed in addition to the existing 140-person union which is a member of the Korean Confederation of T

Social Affairs July 1, 2011

The South Korean Unification Ministry refused to receive a letter from a North Korean propaganda agency addressed to the South Korean presidential office, a ministry official said Thursday.“The (North Korean) agency tried to hand over a note addressed to Cheong Wa Dae to the South in person via the Red Cross in the truce village of Panmunjeom around 3 p.m. Wednesday, but we refused to receive it,”

North Korea June 30, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak on Saturday will fly to South Africa for a weeklong tour of three African countries, Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday. The trip is part of last-minute efforts to promote Korea’s PyeongChang as the host of the 2018 Winter Olympics and to strengthen economic ties.The president will arrive in Durban, South Africa, on Saturday evening, four days before the International Olympic Commit

Politics June 26, 2011

A plan to build South Korea's second research station in the Antarctic has gained approval from the international community, paving the way for its construction in 2014, the foreign ministry here said Wednesday.The support came at a meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina, among member nations of the Antarctic Treaty System, the ministry said in a statement. Of the 33 member states, 16 nations, includi

Technology June 22, 2011

PyeongChang, a South Korean candidate for the 2018 Winter Olympics, will hold a bid presentation before International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials next week in Togo, its bidding committee said Wednesday.The committee said PyeongChang's two rivals, Munich in Germany and Annecy in France, will also present at the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) General Assembly next

Sports June 22, 2011

North Korea is pressing to ink a deal with China to prevent double taxation, a pro-Pyongyang newspaper said Wednesday, signaling an apparent bid to attract investment from its key ally and the world's No. 2 economy.The isolated country has already signed similar accords with Egypt and 11 other countries and negotiations are under way with other countries, the Chosun Sinbo reported, citing a North

North Korea June 22, 2011

Leaders to discuss tuition, FTA, savings bank probe and other pending issuesPresident Lee Myung-bak will meet with main opposition Democratic Party leader Sohn Hak-kyu next Monday, Lee’s aide said Tuesday, to discuss pending issues such as rising tuition fees and the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement which is yet to be approved by the parliaments of both countries.The ongoing prosecutorial investiga

Politics June 21, 2011