South Korean police said Wednesday that North Korea was behind three separate cyberattacks carried out earlier this year, claiming the reclusive country sent a large number of malware-tainted emails by disguising the senders.Between January and February, North Korea sent a large number of emails to South Koreans, including local journalists, defectors and North Korea experts, said the National Police Agency, wrapping up their months-long investigation.In late January, a link to a video clip, edi

North Korea June 8, 2016

Two nuns from Austria were awarded certificates of honorary South Korean citizenship Wednesday in recognition of their contributions to the country through more than 40 years of caring for leprosy patients, government officials said.The Justice Ministry conferred citizenship on sisters Marianne Stoeger, 82, and Margareta Pissar, 81, who have treated leprosy patients on South Korea's most famous leper colony of Sorok Island off the country's southern coast. Stoeger attended a ceremony at the mini

Social Affairs June 8, 2016

North Korea ranks 134th of the world's 170 countries in terms of internet connection speed, a U.S.-based media report said Wednesday.According to the Voice of America (VOA), North Korea's internet speed remained at 2.0 Mbps, a mere one-thirteenth of South Korea, which has the fastest Internet connectivity speed at 26.7 Mbps.The media report is based on the fourth quarter report of 2015 by Akamai, a cloud services provider that helps deliver content online. The service provider publishes its "Sta

North Korea June 8, 2016

Kim Chong-in, the leader of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea, visited the headquarters of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on Wednesday as part of the liberal party's drive to highlight its commitment to national security.It marked the first time that the head of the main opposition party paid a call to the JCS.Earlier this month Kim, the interim leader, also visited a Marine Corps division located near the border with North Korea amid heightened inter-Korean tensions."The visit aims to

Politics June 8, 2016

South Korea's military and coast guard on Wednesday began two-day maritime drills aimed at better safeguarding the country's easternmost islets of Dokdo, amid Japan's persistent sovereignty claim.The South Korean military mobilized some 10 vessels, P-3 maritime surveillance aircraft and Lynx antisubmarine helicopters, along with Marine Corps personnel for the maneuvers in the East Sea, military officials said.The drills are being staged based on a scenario under which foreign forces are making a

Defense June 8, 2016

After a days-long stalemate, South Korea's ruling Saenuri Party announced Wednesday that it will allow the main opposition to appoint the new National Assembly speaker, which will allow 20th National Assembly to start work in earnest.The announcement made by Saenuri's floor leader Chung Jin-suk opens the door for the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea to designate the new National Assembly speaker. The deadlock on who will sit in the speaker's chair has stalled all parliamentary proceedings s

Politics June 8, 2016

"Ode to My Father," a major South Korean box-office hit, was screened at the Paris headquarters of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on Tuesday (local time) for its officials and diplomats there.Some 80 people, including OECD Deputy Secretary-General Rintaro Tamaki, attended the screening event held during lunch time. It was hosted by South Korea's Permanent Delegation to the OECD to mark the 20th year of Korea's membership in the organization for economic powers.S

Film June 8, 2016

A group of South Korean businessmen asked the government Wednesday to approve their visit to the now-shuttered joint industrial park in North Korea to check their factories.Twenty-three businessmen made the request to visit the Gaeseong Industrial Complex in the North's border city of the same name, saying they needed to check their facilities ahead of the summer rainy season.On Feb. 10, South Korea shut down the factory zone, some 50 kilometers northwest of Seoul, in response to the North's fou

North Korea June 8, 2016

South Korea and the European Union agreed to keep pressure on the North Korean regime to force it to abandon its nuclear weapons program, officials said Wednesday.The consensus came during a meeting between Kim Hong-kyun, South Korea's special representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs, and Alain Le Roy, secretary-general of the European External Action Service, at the EU headquarters on Tuesday, according to South Korean diplomats here.North Korea has come under growing pres

North Korea June 8, 2016