North Korea is using Canadian and European equipment at its newly opened ski resort, a website reported, indicating that Pyongyang likely skirted United Nations sanctions banning the transfer of luxury goods to the country.A snowmobile, snow blowers and snow cats were seen in photos released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on Wednesday when it reported that the North opened its Masik Pass ski resort ahead of New Year's Day.NK News, a Washington-based website that specializes i

North Korea Jan. 3, 2014

South Korean LPGA Tour star Park In-bee has been voted the top female golfer for 2013 by American golf journalists.The Golf Writers Association of America announced on Thursday, U.S. time, that Park received 91 percent of the vote to easily capture the Female Player of the Year honors.Park won the first three major championships of the LPGA Tour season in 2013 and led women's golf with six wins overall. The 25-year-old became the first LPGA golfer to win the first three majors of a season since

Golf Jan. 3, 2014

Samsung Electronics Co., the world's No. 1 maker of smartphones, said Friday it plans to disclose its latest high-end cameras at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show featuring improved connectivity.Samsung said it will roll out the Galaxy Camera 2, which uses an upgraded 1.6 GHz quad-core processor supported by a massive 2.0 GB of RAM with a 21x optical zoom function, adding to the photographers' conveniences.The Android-powered camera also boasts 4.8-inch high-definition touch screens, an enh

Technology Jan. 3, 2014

South Korea has slashed the budget for an ambitious plan to build a peace park inside the heavily fortified border with North Korea, the unification ministry said Thursday.The National Assembly has earmarked 30.2 billion won ($28.7 million) for the pet project of President Park Geun-hye, 10 billion won less than requested by the ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs. The Assembly cited a lack of feasibility as the reason for the reduction. Last year, Park proposed that the two Koreas build

Jan. 2, 2014

South Korea has slashed the budget for an ambitious plan to build a peace park inside the heavily fortified border with North Korea, the unification ministry said Thursday.The National Assembly has earmarked 30.2 billion won ($28.7 million) for the pet project of President Park Geun-hye, 10 billion won less than requested by the ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs. The Assembly cited a lack of feasibility as the reason for the reduction. Last year, Park proposed that the two Koreas build

Politics Jan. 2, 2014

The 2013 sales of Renault Samsung Motors Co. dropped 15.1 percent from a year earlier, a result of weak overseas demand, the South Korean division of French automaker Renault SA said Thursday.The country's smallest car manufacturer sold a total of 131,010 vehicles last year, compared with 154,309 units tallied in 2012, the company said in a press release.Domestic sales edged up 0.2 percent on-year to 60,027 units, thanks to the rise in demand for the SM3 compact sedan and QM5 small crossover uti

Industry Jan. 2, 2014

The government remains reserved about hiking tax rates, the finance minister said Thursday, adding that he prefers expanding the overall revenue base by reducing existing tax breaks and exemptions.The remarks by Hyun Oh-seok came a day after the National Assembly passed laws that will lower the taxable annual income threshold subject to the highest tax rate.This change would eventually result in more people paying more taxes, which critics say would run counter to the President Park Geun-hye gov

Jan. 2, 2014

GM Korea Co., the local unit of General Motors Co. of the United States, said Thursday that its 2013 sales contracted 2.5 percent from a year earlier mainly due to sluggish overseas demand.South Korea's third-largest carmaker sold a total of 780,518 vehicles last year, down from 800,635 sold for the whole of 2012, the company said in a press release.Its domestic sales climbed 3.7 percent on-year to a high of 151,040 units, on the back of demand for steady-selling models such as the Aveo subcompa

Industry Jan. 2, 2014

South Korean footballers plying their trade in the top-flight German league said Thursday they're excited about the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Brazil, adding they will try to build good momentum in the second half of their European season.Son Heung-min, a dynamic scorer for Bayer Leverkusen, and Park Joo-ho, a steady defensive back for Mainz 05, wrapped up their mid-season winter break from the Bundesliga and flew back to Germany on Thursday. The second half of the season there will begin on Jan

Soccer Jan. 2, 2014

Leaders of the state-run rail operator's labor union have no plans to appear before police to face questioning over a recently-ended strike by thousands of its members, the union spokesman said Thursday.The longest-ever rail strike in South Korea ended on Monday when rival parties cut a deal with the labor union of state-run Korea Railroad Corp. to form a parliamentary subcommittee on preventing the privatization of rail services.Despite the dramatic closure, police vowed to continue with execut

Social Affairs Jan. 2, 2014

South Korea's top diplomat on Thursday called for "extra caution" over implications from recent political developments in North Korea, vowing continued efforts to induce positive changes in the communist neighbor.North Korea is widely believed to be experiencing a political upheaval including, most notably, the shock execution of its leader Kim Jong-un's once-powerful uncle Jang Song-thaek for treason last month."We have to pay extra caution for effects that the North's execution of Jang Song-th

Politics Jan. 2, 2014

Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's second-largest automaker, said Thursday that its sales rose 3.9 percent in 2013 from a year ago on the back of solid overseas demand.The carmaker sold a total of 2,827,321 units last year, up from 2,720,735 vehicles a year earlier, the company said in a statement.Overseas shipments led the increase, with 2,369,321 units sold, up 5.8 percent on-year, while domestic sales, affected by sluggish economic conditions, contracted 5.0 percent to 458,000 units.Its best-sel

Industry Jan. 2, 2014

South Korea's point man on North Korea urged Pyongyang Thursday to give up its nuclear weapons programs and improve ties with Seoul.Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae said the North's nuclear weapons won't help the communist country to revive its moribund economy and enhance the livelihoods of its 24 million people."North Korea should lay down its nuclear weapons if it chooses to develop its economy," Ryoo said in a speech to his officials. "Then, North Korea can earn serious and sincere coopera

North Korea Jan. 2, 2014