A North Korean Army soldier looks at the southern side using binoculars at the border village of Panmunjom, (DMZ), that separates the two Koreas since the Korean War. (AP)North Korea's actual military spending is believed to be about 15 times the announced amount in 2009 as the communist regime continues to build up its military capacity despite the country's moribund economy, a South Korean defen

Defense Jan. 18, 2011

President Barack Obama and China's president Hu Jintao (AP)WASHINGTON (AP) _ When Hu Jintao makes what is likely his final trip to Washington as China's president, he will get an honor he desperately wanted but was denied during his first visit nearly five years ago: a White House state dinner.Symbolism and protocol are very important to the Chinese and the opulence of Wednesday's black-tie affair

Foreign Affairs Jan. 18, 2011

More than 250,000 expatriates from 166 nations are living in Seoul. (Yonhap News)One in four Southeast Asians living in South Korea has experienced discrimination, more than triple the corresponding figure for foreigners from OECD countries, according to a poll released on Tuesday.According to the survey conducted by the Seoul Development Institute (SDI) on 333 foreign nationals living in the capi

National Jan. 18, 2011

A Buddhist believer in his early 40 has been arreested as a suspect in last month's arson attack. (Yonhap News)A Buddhist believer in his early 40s has been arrested as a suspect in last month's arson attack on a 1,300-year-old Buddhist temple here in the southern port city, police said Monday.The fire on Dec. 16 destroyed a wooden gate of Beomeo Temple located in Busan and cast a shockwave across

Social Affairs Jan. 17, 2011

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) _ Looting, deadly prison riots and street chaos engulfed Tunisia on Saturday, the day after mass protests forced its strongman to flee. A new interim president was sworn in, promising to create a unity government that could include the long-ignored opposition.It was the second change of power in this North African nation in  less than 24 hours.Amid the political instability, lo

International Jan. 16, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak on Sunday instructed civil servants to step up efforts to stem the nationwide spread of livestock foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) ahead of the three-day Lunar New Year holidays to begin on Feb. 2. President Lee Myung-bak visiting Hoengseong in Gangwon Province to inspect the quaratine efforts against highly contagious livestock epidemic. (Yonhap News)Lee gave the instructions

Technology Jan. 16, 2011

BOK Gov. Kim Choong-soo (Yonhap News)South Korea's top central banker stressed on Sunday the need to address global imbalances in a bid to prevent global financial turmoil, calling for swiftly setting "indicative guidelines" for current account imbalances.In November, political leaders from the Group of 20 leading nations agreed to come up with indicative guidelines by the first half of this year

Jan. 16, 2011

(Yonhap News)A prolonged cold spell sent the mercury plummeting nationwide on Sunday, with temperatures in even the usually warmer southern regions dropping to their lowest in decades, the country's weather agency said.Seoul recorded minus 17.8 C, the lowest since a minus 18.6 C reading in the nation's capital on Jan. 15, 2001, said the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).The morning low dro

Social Affairs Jan. 16, 2011

  (News Corp. and iPad maker Apple Inc. have decided to delay the launch of The Daily.)NEW YORK (AP) _ News Corp. is pushing back the launch of the world's first iPad-only newspaper.The company declined to comment on why. But a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to disclose details, said Friday that News Corp. and iPad maker A

Industry Jan. 16, 2011

South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan, left, shakes hands with Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara at the joint news conference. (Yonhap News)Japan's foreign minister said Saturday that inter-Korean dialogue should be the starting point for talks with North Korea and urged the communist nation to take specific steps demonstrating its commitment to denuclearize."For dialogue with North Ko

North Korea Jan. 16, 2011

A fronzen waterfall at Mount Huangsan in ChinaA frozen waterfall at Mount Huangshan, a celebrated scenic spot in East China's Anhui province, attracts a photographer on Jan 13, 2011. A mass icefall formed when temperatures dropped at Liuguijian Waterfall, the origin of three rivers in the Huanshan scenic area [China Daily / Xinhua]An icefall adds to Mount Huangshan's winter scenery on Jan 12, 2011

Jan. 14, 2011