The Korea Herald

Court upholds 16-month jail term for lawmaker over bribery

An appeals court upheld a jail sentence passed by a lower court on a lawmaker, formerly affiliated with the main opposition party, for taking bribes from a businessman.The Seoul High Court handed down a 16-month jail term to Park Ki-choon, formerly of the Minjoo Party, for receiving some 280 million won ($243,000) from the head of a distribution agency, only known by his surname Kim, in return for business favors. The court also convicted Park of making one of his aides hide the bribes he receiv

Politics April 15, 2016

U.S. detects N. Korea's failed missile launch: Pentagon

The United States detected North Korea's failed missile launch and confirmed the latest action did not pose any threat to North America, the Defense Department said."U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) systems detected and tracked what we assess was a failed North Korean missile launch at3:33 p.m. CDT (central daylight time)," the Pentagon said in a statement. "According to North American Aerospace Defense Command, the missile launched from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America.""Th

North Korea April 15, 2016

Chilean university opens course on Korean language

Chilean university has launched a course on the study of the Korean language as learning Korean appears to be the latest craze among Chileans, the South Korean Embassy in Santiago said Thursday.The Virginio Gomez Professional Institute, affiliated with the University of Concepcion, located in Chile's second-largest city of Conceptcion, held a ceremony along with the embassy the previous day to celebrate the opening of the course.It marks the first time a Korean language course has been launched

International April 15, 2016

Korea slams Japan's renewed claims to Dokdo

South Korea denounced Japan Friday after Tokyo issued a diplomatic report renewing the country's claims to the South's easternmost islets of Dokdo.The annual report, Diplomatic Bluebook 2016, was reported to the Cabinet with claims that Dokdo is clearly Japanese territory historically and under international law."It is beyond deplorable that the Japanese government repeated its unjustified territorial claims to Dokdo, which is our territory historically, geographically and by international law,"

International April 15, 2016

Lawmakers vow efforts for lower mobile service fees

Lawmakers here said Friday they will continue efforts to cut mobile phone service rates in the upcoming session of the National Assembly.Last year, Rep. Woo Sang-ho of the main opposition Minjoo Party and 14 party colleagues proposed legislation on eliminating basic fees, standing at around 10,000 won ($8.60) a month.Chances are slim, however, the bill will pass the current parliament scheduled to finish at the end of May."I will first submit a bill on eliminating basic fees, returning to the Na

Industry April 15, 2016

Lawmakers vow efforts for lower mobile service fees

N. Korea promotes top military official to vice marshal

North Korea has promoted Gen. Ri Myong-su, chief of the military's general staff, to vice marshal, the North's media said Friday, a move designed to help its leader tighten his grip on power.The 82-year-old Ri, chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army, was bestowed with the title on Thursday, a joint decision made by the North's key military commissions, the Korean Central News Agency said.Early this year, Gen. Ri was promoted to the chief of the KPA's general staff to replace his

North Korea April 15, 2016

Bond funds favored over stock funds for stable returns

Investors have pumped in more cash in bond funds than stock funds so far this year as they seek more stable returns, a fund rating and consulting company said Friday. Domestic bond-focused funds have seen a cash inflow of 1.37 trillion won ($1.2 billion) this year through April 12, KG Zeroin said in a statement. In contrast, investors withdrew a total of 465 billion won from their stock funds. Cash outflows from the exchange traded funds were not included in the tally, it said. Investors are inc

April 15, 2016

Bond funds favored over stock funds for stable returns

Korea's jobless rate drops to 4.3% in March

South Korea's jobless rate dropped to 4.3 percent in March from the previous month's 4.9 percent, with the number of newly employed people rebounding to over 300,000 last month, a government report showed Friday.The unemployment rate for young adults also edged down to 11.8 percent last month from an all-time high of 12.5 percent in February, but the figure is the highest youth unemployment rate on record for March, the report compiled by Statistics Korea said, raising concern that the sluggish

April 15, 2016

Korea's jobless rate drops to 4.3% in March

N.K. celebrates founder's birthday with attempt to launch missile

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un paid tribute to the North's founder on Friday, the birthday of his grandfather, as Pyongyang made a botched attempt to launch a ballistic missile.The young leader Kim visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, accompanied by senior military officials, to commemorate the 104th birthday of Kim Il-sung, known as the Day of the Sun, according to the Korean Central News Agency. Since 1997, the North has celebrated the April 15 anniversary with lavish festivals to show its

North Korea April 15, 2016

Korean mobile game to feature Lee Kwang-soo as new character

A South Korean game will feature a character based on actor and TV personality Lee Kwang-soo, his management said Friday.Lee will be a new character in the mobile board game "Game of Dice" created by South Korean mobile game company Joy City Co., King Kong Entertainment said. Lee Kwang-soo (OSEN)"The character 'Kwang-soo' will reflect the star's cheerful characteristics loved by many Asia fans," it said.Nicknamed "Asia's Prince," Lee is widely popular in Asia for his delightful role on variety

Industry April 15, 2016

Korean mobile game to feature Lee Kwang-soo as new character

Kia Motors to showcase Niro hybrid SUV at Beijing motor show

Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's No. 2 carmaker, said Friday that it plans to showcase its Niro hybrid SUV at a motor show to be held in China later this month in a bid to test customer response ahead of its official launch there.The Niro crossover SUV will be displayed at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, which kicks off on April 25, according to the company. The Niro is to be launched in China in October. (Yonhap)Kia Motors' first hybrid SUV whose production is based on its own

Mobility April 15, 2016

Kia Motors to showcase Niro hybrid SUV at Beijing motor show

N.K. ballistic missile launch ends in failure: military

North Korea attempted to launch what is presumed to be a medium-range ballistic missile Musudan early Friday from its east coast, but the attempt ended in failure, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. "North Korea seems to have tried a missile launch from the East Sea area in the early morning today, but it is presumed to have failed," the JCS said. Sources said the launched missile was the intermediate-range ballistic missile Musudan, also known as the BM-25. (Yonhap)The missile lifted off at 5:30 a

North Korea April 15, 2016

N.K. ballistic missile launch ends in failure: military

No report of Korean victims in Kyushu earthquake: official

No South Korean victims have been reported so far in a deadly earthquake that struck southern Japan, a South Korean official said Friday.The 6.4-magnitude temblor hit Kumamoto Prefecture and the surrounding areas on the island of Kyushu at around 9:26 p.m., Thursday, leaving at least nine people dead and hundreds injured."We have not received any reports yet of South Koreans being harmed in the earthquake," Park Ki-jun, deputy chief of the South Korean consulate general in Fukuoka, told Yonhap N

International April 15, 2016

Koreans consume less meat than OECD average

Koreans’ meat consumption has surged nearly fivefold in the last 30 years, but still falls behind the average intake of other rich nations, a report by Food Ministry showed Friday. (123RF)According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Koreans had 51.3 kilograms of meat on average in 2014, less than 63.5 kilograms consumed by the member countries of the Organization for the Economic Cooperation and Development.The U.S. topped the list with 89.7 kilograms per capita, followed by

Industry April 15, 2016

Koreans consume less meat than OECD average

Korean-American scientist named to U.S. cybersecurity commission

A renowned Korean-American computer scientist has been named a member of a U.S. commission set up by President Barack Obama to bolster cyber defenses.Peter Lee, corporate vice president of Microsoft Research, was one of the 10 members of the Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity that Obama announced on Wednesday.Lee, a U.S.-born citizen of Korean descent, graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, taught at Carnegie Mellon University and served at the Defense Advanced Researc

International April 15, 2016

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