The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday denied allegations that President Park Geun-hye's confidante at the center of a high-profile corruption scandal purchased a large number of clothing and bags as bribes for the president.Cheong Wa Dae said that the president herself paid for all the clothes and bags, which she bought for official and private occasions through her confidante Choi Soon-sil. It said Choi did not use her own money for Park's garments and accessories.Choi has been susp

Politics Dec. 8, 2016

South Korea's three opposition parties are set to make an official report on the impeachment motion against President Park Geun-hye later Thursday at the National Assembly in regards to her alleged involvement in a corruption scandal rocking the country.The report on the motion will pave the way for a vote Friday, with the fate of the president to be decided by the country's Constitutional Court. The opposition parties handed in the motion to parliament last week, saying that Park violated the C

Politics Dec. 8, 2016

It may seem odd for the governor of a lightly populated agricultural state to be chosen as US ambassador to China, especially amid escalating talk of a trade war with the major US trading partner. But Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad boasts a 30-year relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the most powerful Chinese leader in decades.“Given Xi's penchant to keeping things close-hold, it is important for the US to have a reliable and direct communication channel to him,” said Bonnie Glaser, senior

World News Dec. 8, 2016

A girl's statue symbolizing victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery will be unveiled in Washington this week in a first step toward placing the statue in the US capital city permanently, organizers said Wednesday.The statue, made in South Korea and shipped to the United States last month, will be formally unveiled in a welcoming ceremony at the National Sylvan Theater on Saturday, organizers said. It is of the same size of a similar statue set up in front of Japan's Embassy in Seoul.Organizers

Social Affairs Dec. 8, 2016

주요 외신들은 6일 '최순실 게이트' 국회 국정조사 특별위원회의 재벌총수 청문회 소식을 관심 있게 보도하며 대기업 총수들이 이례적으로 한자리에 모여 공개적인 심판을 받은 사실을 부각했다. 외신들은 또 한국의 고질적인 정경유착 관행을 비판하면서 정치 스캔들로 경제 위기가 심해질 수 있다는 점을 지적하기도 했다. AP통신은 청문회가 TV 생방송으로 중계됐다면서 "한국의 가장 힘 있는 기업  총수들을 상대로 공개 심판(public reckoning)을 하는 것은 드문 일"이라고 전했다.AFP통신도 '한국 업계 거인들이 스캔들 조사에서 진땀을 뺐다'(S. Korean indus try titans made to sweat in scandal probe)는 제목의 기사로 청문회 소식을 자세히 다뤘다. AFP통신은 "언론 관심이 달갑지 않은(publicity-shy) 총수들이 거의 30년 만에 처음으로 유사한 청문회에서 가차 없이 들볶였다(grilled relentlessly)"고 표현했다.로

한국어판 Dec. 7, 2016

Military investigators looking into the first hacking of South Korea's cyber command intranet said Wednesday the suspected North Korean attackers accessed the network through a server in the defense ministry's main information center. The findings raised concerns that confidential information may have been compromised as the affected server is connected with the information systems of the Army, Navy and the Air Force. But the ministry said information saved on the server was not stolen.The Minis

North Korea Dec. 7, 2016

With a parliamentary vote to impeach President Park Geun-hye two days away, the glare of investor attention is focused on its outcome with a rejection more likely to increase stock market volatility than a passage, analysts said Wednesday.Opposition parties and some ruling party lawmakers are slated to put an impeachment motion against President Park to a vote at the plenary session of the 300-member National Assembly on Friday -- the first such case since 2004. Park has snubbed mounting public

Dec. 7, 2016

전남대학교가 '12월 20일 대선'이라고 표기된 새해 달력을 폐기하고 재인쇄하기로 했다.7일 전남대에 따르면 전남대는 최근 내년 새해 홍보용 달력으로 벽걸이용 3천500부, 탁상용 6천500부 등 1만부를 인쇄업체에 주문했다.당초 이 달력에는 12월 20일이 대통령 선거일로 빨간색으로 인쇄됐으나 전남대 측은 대통령 선거일 문구를 빼고 날짜 색깔도 평일인 검은색으로 다시 인쇄하기로 했다.박근혜 대통령에 대한 탄핵소추안 발의를 앞둔 상황에서 여·야 정치권이 조기 대선에 공감하면서 사실상 12월 20일에 선거할 가능성이 없어졌기 때문이다.전남대는 인쇄업체에 6일 탁상용 2페이지와 벽걸이 2페이지를 다시 인쇄할 것을 요청했다.전남대 관계자는 "촛불시위가 거듭될수록 변화하는 정국 상황에서 조기 대선 가능성이 제기돼 인쇄하기 전부터 고민했던 것이 사실"이라며 "지난주 말 정국 상황을 본 결과 자칫 잘못된 달력을 배포할 우려가 있어 다시 인쇄하기로 했다"고 말했다.반면 12월 20일을 법정 공휴

한국어판 Dec. 7, 2016