The CEO of Google Korea who formerly headed the local unit of Oxy Reckitt Benckiser was summoned again by prosecutors Tuesday to face questions over the British firm's toxic humidifier sterilizer which has caused numerous deaths and illnesses here.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office summoned John Lee as a suspect in the snowballing case that involves scores of deaths since 2011, including some pregnant women.The summons came about two weeks after he was first grilled by prosecutors la

Social Affairs June 7, 2016

The United States will talk to China to make sure that it carries out sanctions on North Korea, including the latest "money laundering concern" designation, before assessing Chinese cooperation, a senior White House official said Monday.Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes made the remark during a discussion at an annual meeting of the Arms Control Association, in response to a question how long the U.S. will wait before blacklisting Chinese banks for doing business with Pyongyang under t

North Korea June 7, 2016

The United States and South Korea are moving forward in negotiations on the potential deployment of the THAAD missile defense system in the South, and are now focused on working out unspecified "complicated issues," the Pentagon said Monday.Following the North's long-range missile test in February, Seoul and Washington launched official talks about placing a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery in the South to bolster defense against missile threats from the communist nation. The move has

Defense June 7, 2016

South Korea's defense chief said the possible deployment of a U.S. advanced missile defense system to South Korean soil will help "dramatically" enhance Seoul's capacity to counter North Korea's missile threats.Seoul and Washington have been discussing the potential deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery in the South, where about 28,500 American troops are stationed, in an effort to better defend against growing missile threats from the communist nation."South Korea only has

Defense June 7, 2016

North Korea could have started reprocessing spent nuclear fuel to harvest plutonium for nuclear weapons, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Monday."The DPRK (North Korea) resumed the activities of five megawatt reactors or enrichment or reprocessing," IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said at a press briefing in Vienna, referring to facilities at the North's Yongbyon nuclear complex."However, as we do not have inspectors on the ground, we are only observing through satellite imagery. W

North Korea June 7, 2016

China's foreign ministry said Friday that it took note of U.S. media reports that Huawei Technologies Co., a Chinese telecom equipment maker, is facing a U.S. probe over its exports to North Korea, Cuba, Iran and Syria. The U.S. Department of Commerce has ordered Huawei's U.S. units to clarify whether the Chinese company exported goods containing American technology to the rogue nations, The New York Times reported. "I have noted relevant reports," China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunyi

North Korea June 3, 2016

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has redesignated North Korea one of 37 countries suffering from a food shortage, a U.S.-based news media reported Friday.Quoting the FAO's second quarter report on the crop outlook and food situation, Radio Free Asia said North Korea's food shortage for this year is expected to reach some 700,000 tons, which may seriously impact food rations for ordinary citizens.But the reclusive country has secured a mere 23,000 tons donated by international

North Korea June 3, 2016

Police on Friday apprehended a 33-year-old woman who struck a statue symbolizing the victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery with a hammer.The woman, who has a history of schizophrenia, was caught at around 12:30 p.m. after she hit the statue in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul three to four times with a 40-cm-long hammer, investigators said.  The statue was not seriously damaged, they said.Police said that she was rambling when she was asked why she damaged the statue.Investigators foun

Social Affairs June 3, 2016

North Korea convened a meeting of workers in Pyongyang this week to promote the "200-day loyalty campaign" aimed at fueling the country's economic growth, a report by the country's official Korean Central News Agency said Friday.The news agency reported that the meeting, held at the People’s Palace of Culture in the North Korean capital, was intended to send a government message that would incite the people to work more during the 200-day campaign. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un initially kicke

North Korea June 3, 2016