A nuclear reactor along the west coast suddenly halted operation due to a malfunction caused by problems in the coolant pump, the state-run Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. said Saturday. The Hanbit No. 2 reactor at the nuclear power plant in Yeonggwang, 320 kilometers southwest of Seoul, stopped at 2:59 a.m., the company said.One of the four coolant pumps was found to have a problem, which led the reactor to shut down automatically. A fire also broke out caused by overheating in a circuit breake

Business Aug. 8, 2015

The widow of former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung on Saturday returned home after her rare visit to North Korea, a trip which she hoped could pave the way for inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation.But Lee Hee-ho, 93, failed to have a much-anticipated meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un who extended her the invitation for a four-day visit to the North that started Wendesday."I visited North Korea with a sense of duty, believing that I should contribute to helping inherit the spirit

National Aug. 8, 2015

The number of people diagnosed with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in South Korea remained unchanged for 34 days at 186 as of Saturday.The country's death toll from the disease also has remained unchanged at 36 for the past 28 days.Ten patients are still hospitalized, but nine have already tested negative for the disease and are recovering from other complications caused by MERS.MERS is a viral respiratory disease that is also known as camel flu and is often linked to countries in the A

Social Affairs Aug. 8, 2015

A United Nations agency for telecommunications said Saturday it has not been notified of North Korea's bid to change its standard time, amid rising concerns the move may further isolate the country.The remark came as North Korea said Friday it will push back its standard time by 30 minutes to mark the 70th anniversary of liberation from Japan's colonial rule. Accordingly, North Korea's clocks will be moved back a half-hour starting on the upcoming Aug. 15 anniversary.Currently, the two Koreas us

North Korea Aug. 8, 2015

The United States is willing to show flexibility in nuclear talks with North Korea, if resumed, as demonstrated in a recent deal with Iran, a key Washington official on Pyongyang said Monday."We have long been open to dialogue with the DPRK and we have made quite clear to the DPRK that we are willing to engage in discussions on a range of issues," Sydney Seiler, the U.S. special envoy for the six-party talks, told reporters here. The DPRK is the acronym for the North's official name, the Democra

North Korea July 27, 2015

South Korea and the United States will work even more closely together to reunify the two Koreas, Seoul's point man on Pyongyang said Monday.Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo made the remark during an address at a security conference, saying the South Korea-U.S. alliance is "key" to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula."South Korea and the U.S. will work even more closely together to defend the values important to achieving a peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula, such as human

North Korea July 27, 2015

ZURICH, (AFP) - FIFA leader Sepp Blatter said Saturday he was "shocked" at the way the US judiciary has targeted football's world body and slammed what he called a "hate" campaign by Europe's football leaders.In an interview with Swiss television, Blatter said he suspected the arrest of seven FIFA officials on Wednesday under a US anti-corruption warrant was an attempt to "interfere with the congress" at which he was elected Friday.Commenting on the fact that it came only two days before his ele

Soccer May 30, 2015

U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) said Saturday the possible deployment of the U.S. advanced missile defense system on Korean soil should be considered as threats by North Korea have grown."The THAAD system is a very effective and excellent deterrent. I think it is something that has to be considered in light of recent information about the advanced step North Korea has made," McCain said in a press conference in Singapore on the sidelines of the Asia Security Summit, also known as the Shangri-La

North Korea May 30, 2015

U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Saturday stressed the need to maintain the current multilateral and diplomatic approach to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear ambitions."North Korea remains a troubling and provocative exception to the general rule in this (Asia-Pacific) region of countries that pursue systems of peace and stability," Carter said in his speech delivered at the Asia Security Summit, better known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, in Singapore.Five members of the six-party

Defense May 30, 2015

The Singaporean prime minister urged Japan on Friday to acknowledge its wartime wrongdoings, while also encouraging South Korea and China to make efforts to move forward.Lee Hsien Loong made the remarks in his keynote speech at the 14th Asia Security Summit, also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, which kicked off that day for a three-day run.  The forum, hosted by the British think tank the International Institute for Strategic Studies, brought together defense chiefs and experts from major Asia

Politics May 30, 2015