The ruling Saenuri Party said Thursday it has seen government records backing up allegations that late South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun tried to nullify the de facto maritime border separating the two Koreas, a move that is seen as undermining South Korea's sovereignty.   The controversy centered on allegations that Roh, who stepped down in early 2008 at the end of a single five-year term, had tried to nullify the so-called Northern Limit Line (NLL) during an inter-Korean summit in 2007 with

Politics June 20, 2013

President Park Geun-hye said Tuesday she will draw on the talents of Koreans living abroad to create a more competitive South Korea in the world.Park made the remarks in a meeting with representatives of Korean communities across the world, emphasizing that her vision for "happiness of the people" includes also the millions of Koreans living overseas."I'm going to build a strong South Korea that can boldly compete in the world," she said at the meeting at a Seoul hotel. "(I) will provide ample o

Politics June 18, 2013

South Korea officially joined an international treaty on adoption to provide protection for children, the health ministry said Friday.According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, South Korea became a member state of the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, as Health Minister Jin Young signed the deal on Friday.The convention establishes protection for children, birth parents and adoptive parents while endorsing the concept of in

Social Affairs May 24, 2013

South Korean stocks are expected to gather ground next week, as the Bank of Korea (BOK)'s Thursday rate cut that kept step with the government stimulus will likely spark momentum in the market, analysts said Saturday.   The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 1,944.75 on Friday, down 1.07 percent from the previous week. Poor Chinese manufacturing data released on Monday put downward pressure on the main index, dropping it to the early 1,960 level.   The KOSPI then staye

May 11, 2013

The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae offered a public apology Friday over allegations that the now-fired spokesman for President Park Geun-hye sexually assaulted a woman while accompanying Park on her first visit to Washington earlier this week. The swift apology underlines the seriousness of the case that sparked public outrage and dealt a blow to the image of the Park administration less than three months after its inauguration.   "As senior press secretary, I am very disappointed and apologe

Politics May 11, 2013

North Korea marked the founding anniversary of its armed forces Thursday with a march-past of troops attended by leader Kim Jong-un, senior officials and top military commanders, state media said.Kim "saluted the columns marching past the tribune of honor in fine array" during a ceremony in front of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the embalmed bodies of the country's founding leader Kim Il-sung and his son Kim Jong-il lie in state, the Korean Central News Agency said in a report, monitored

North Korea April 25, 2013

 Prime Minister Chung Hong-won on Thursday dismissed a suggestion that South Korea send a special envoy to North Korea on a mission to defuse cross-border tensions, saying it is not the right time to do so.   During a parliamentary interpellation session, Chung said that past experiences show that "unilateral goodwill" alone cannot resolve problems between the two Koreas. That appears to mean Pyongyang should first soften its stance.   Earlier Thursday, South Korea formally offered North Korea d

Politics April 25, 2013

Creditors of STX Offshore & Shipbuilding agreed Thursday to provide the ailing South Korean shipbuilder with 600 billion won (US$540 million) in emergency loans, the main creditor bank said.   STX Offshore, the shipbuilding unit of STX Group, a South Korean shipping and shipbuilding conglomerate, has been suffering a credit crunch as demand for new ships has fallen sharply in the past few years.   A senior official at Korea Development Bank (KDB), the main creditor, said that seven creditor bank

Industry April 25, 2013

 DETROIT -- Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia are recalling almost 1.9 million vehicles to fix problems with air bags and brake light switches.   The brake light recall covers the Hyundai Accent, Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Santa Fe, Sonata, Tucson and Veracruz. Also affected are Kia's Optima, Rondo, Sedona, Sorento, Soul and Sportage. The vehicles are from the 2007 through 2011 model years.   U.S. safety regulators say a faulty switch can stop the brake lights from illuminating when drivers press t

Industry April 3, 2013

Eight out of 10 people employed here work more than the legal limit of 40 hours per week, a survey showed Wednesday   According to the survey of 587 workers, 81 percent, or 475 respondents said they work more than 40 hours per week. The survey was conducted by the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, one of the country's major umbrella labor unions, last month.   In 2004, the government implemented a policy to cap the weekly working limit to eight hours per day and 40 hours per week from the previ

Social Affairs April 3, 2013