A ruling party lawmaker Sunday denied an allegation that he sexually assaulted a 40-year-old woman in Daegu, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, last month.In a telephone interview with Yonhap News Agency, the lawmaker repudiated the claim, saying that he was cleared of the charges and he didn‘t harm the woman.  The woman, whose name was withheld, claimed the Saenuri lawmaker took her clothes off against her will and sexually assaulted her at a hotel. The case was reported to the police by t

Politics Aug. 2, 2015

Scud missiles fired into Saudi Arabia by Yemeni rebels in recent months came from North Korea, a South Korean intelligence official said Wednesday, in the latest case that illustrated North Korea's support for the weapons programs of some countries in the Middle East.Saudi Arabia has shot down about 40 percent of some 20 Scud missiles fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels, said the official, who is familiar with the issue.He did not give further details on how South Korea reached the conclusion that th

Defense July 29, 2015

South Korea will complete a major upgrade on the home-grown dual-barrel K-11 rifle by the end of 2016, the head of the state defense development agency said Wednesday, after the use of the Army assault rifle was suspended last year due to a glitch in the shooting control system."(We) are pushing to improve the K-11 dual-barrel rifle by a large scale before the end of next year in order to turn what has become an ugly duckling into a swan in the shortest time possible,"Jung Hong-yong, president o

Defense July 29, 2015

Korea’s top spy agency chief Monday categorically denied allegations the agency used a hacking program to wiretap citizens during the first session of a bipartisan parliamentary committee that aims to probe any wrongdoings by the NIS. 　Lee testified before the National Assembly Intelligence Committee’s closed-door session, saying that the NIS had found no evidence of civilian surveillance following an internal investigation into computer files believed to hold evidence.   　“(The NIS) has never s

Politics July 27, 2015

Senior South Korean and Japanese diplomats had talks here Wednesday on Tokyo's push for the listing of its early industrial locales, some associated with its wartime use of forced labor, as world heritage.Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun met with his Japanese counterpart Shinsuke Sugiyama, according to the Foreign Ministry.The meeting came as the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO will soon make its decision on Japan's bid to have the 23 coal mines, ship yards and other facilities registere

Foreign Affairs July 1, 2015

President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday visited a primary school in southern Seoul, which has reopened following the weeklong shutdown over the deadly MERS virus.The visit is the latest in a series of public activities designed to allay public fears about the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome that has killed 19 South Koreans.The school had been closed for seven days last week as a precautionary measure against the virus. The school is located near Samsung Medical Center, which has been a maj

Politics June 16, 2015

South Korean footballer Cha Du-ri bid a teary farewell to international football on Tuesday, wrapping up a 14-year career that included appearances at two FIFA World Cups.Cha, 34, played in his 76th and final match for South Korea against New Zealand at Seoul World Cup Stadium. The right fullback served as the team captain and stayed on for 42 minutes before leaving the field to a rousing standing ovation from thousands of fans. New Zealand players also applauded Cha on his way to the bench.Cha'

Soccer March 31, 2015

A South Korean sexual minority group said Tuesday the nation's communications watchdog shouldn't try to ban a local TV series showing the first on-screen lesbian kiss in South Korea.Earlier this month, the Korea Communications Standard Commission (KCSC) said it would evaluate whether "Seonam Girls High School Investigators" is appropriate for broadcast.The show, which started in December on cable channel JTBC, featured two lesbian love scenes between this month and last. KCSC said there have bee

Social Affairs March 31, 2015