U.S. hip-hop star Snoop Dogg is staying in South Korea for the filming of South Korean rapper Psy's new music video, the latter's local management agency said Wednesday.The filming began in the western port city of Incheon on Tuesday and is likely to continue for two or three days, YG Entertainment said."Snoop Dogg is shooting the music video in Incheon after entering the country recently," a company official said. "The date of his departure has yet to be fixed."The American rapper also collabor

Performance Jan. 15, 2014

As South Korean men's national football team was getting ready to open the first overseas training camp in Brazil on Tuesday, head coach Hong Myung-bo stressed the importance of team spirit over competition for playing time.The team of 23 players from South Korean, Japanese and Chinese leagues arrived here earlier in the day to start their one-week training in Brazil, the host nation of the 2014 FIFA World Cup kicking off this summer. The national team will later fly to the United States to face

Soccer Jan. 15, 2014

China has dropped a "Cold War" mentality a long time ago in dealing with thorny issues on North Korea, a Chinese military professor said Wednesday, urging that both Seoul and Beijing must deepen bilateral relations to promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula."Long gone are the Cold War days when China was inclined to engage with the DPRK (North Korea) and estrange itself from the ROK (South Korea)," Ouyang Wei, a professor at the National Defense University of the People's Liberation

World News Jan. 15, 2014

South Korean lawmakers are seeking to invite a former Japanese prime minister known for his apology to victims of Japan's past aggressions to speak about ways to move the two countries' relations forward, a parliamentary official said Wednesday.Tomiichi Murayama, the then Japanese prime minister, issued a statement in 1995 acknowledging and apologizing for the suffering his country inflicted on neighboring Asian nations, including Korea, through its aggressions in the early 20th century.Amid sig

Foreign Affairs Jan. 15, 2014

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un vowed unsparing support for the country's science and technology sectors "to defeat enemies and to boost the economy," Pyongyang's media said Wednesday.He made the pledge during his field guidance to the country's State Academy of Sciences in South Pyongan Province, the North's official Korean Central News Agency reported, without elaborating on the date of the trip."In the face of increasingly vicious schemes of isolation and suppression by imperialists, Kim stre

North Korea Jan. 15, 2014

South Korean builders are coming under increasing pressure as they undergo investigation for suspected bid rigging amid difficult market conditions, industry sources said Wednesday.Insiders said the Fair Trade Commission is examining all large-scale public construction projects undertaken during the previous Lee Myung-bak administration. If builders are found to have rigged bidding prices, they could be fined and barred from participating in future projects.The FTC has not confirmed the investig

Jan. 15, 2014

South Korea's No. 1 mobile carrier SK Telecom Co. said Wednesday it has agreed with a Chinese counterpart to share its know-hows on the long-term evolution network.SK Telecom said it will support China Telecom Corp. in establishing the network in areas covering Shanghai by sharing its technologies and experiences related to the LTE service.The company will also send its telecommunications experts to China under the deal.China approved the adaptation of the LTE network into the country in Decembe

Technology Jan. 15, 2014

South Korea's jobless rate rose in December from a month earlier, but job creation remained strong, raising hopes that labor market conditions might be improving, a government report showed Wednesday.According to the report by Statistics Korea, the jobless rate stood at 3 percent last month, up from 2.7 percent in November. The seasonally adjusted jobless rate also inched up from 2.9 percent to 3 percent.Job creation still remained strong. The number of employed people was 24.96 million in Decem

Jan. 15, 2014

South Korea manages the largest number of mutual funds, but their sizes are smaller compared to those under management in overseas countries, data showed Wednesday.The number of investment funds under operation came to 9,857 at the end of September, topping the list of 44 countries worldwide surveyed by the U.S.-based Investment Company Institute, according to the data compiled by the Korea Capital Market Institute.But South Korean funds' net assets averaged $28.6 million at the end of September

Jan. 15, 2014

The number of locals and foreigners going in and out of South Korea rose 9.2 percent on-year in 2013, the Ministry of Justice said Wednesday.The tally came to some 54.96 million, with the number of locals reaching 33.49 million and that of foreigners coming in at 24.61 million, the ministry said.Some 3.92 million Chinese visited South Korea last year, a 44 percent jump from a year earlier, the ministry added.The ministry attributed the sharp increase to streamlined procedures in issuing visas to

Social Affairs Jan. 15, 2014

The United States plans to deploy about a dozen F-22 stealth jets to Japan along with 300 service members in mid-January, the 5th Air Force announced Monday.It is part of Washington's commitment to the security of the Asia-Pacific region as part of the rebalancing toward the region, it said."Air Combat Command continues to routinely deploy aircraft to the Asia-Pacific Region, providing Pacific Air Forces and the U.S. Pacific Command commanders a Theater Security Package in the region, deepening

World News Jan. 14, 2014

The government on Tuesday announced a plan to greatly increase the number of public libraries, their books and manpower as part of efforts to realize its goal of building a culturally thriving country.By 2018, the government will gradually increase the number of public libraries to 1,100 from 828 as of the end of 2012 and make 2.5 books per eligible user available, up from 1.53 books per user in 2012, the presidential committee on library policy said during a press briefing here.Public libraries

Social Affairs Jan. 14, 2014

South Korea logged a record-high trade surplus in 2013 thanks to strong export growth, customs data showed Tuesday.South Korea logged a trade surplus of $44 billion last year. This also marked the fifth consecutive year that the country's trade surplus has topped $25 billion since 2009, according to the data by the Korea Customs Service.Strong exports played a key role in driving the trade surplus.Exports hit a record high of $559.6 billion last year, up 2.1 percent from a year earlier. Imports

Jan. 14, 2014