South Korean rapper-singer Psy's hit-single "Gangnam Style" on Friday rose to the top of a major chart of the U.S. music publication Billboard boosted by the viral popularity of the song's music video on the Internet."Gangnam Style" sits on top of Billboard's "Social 50" chart, beating famous North American pop stars such as Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber as well as British idol group One Directio

Performance Aug. 31, 2012

DUBAI -- U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon met with North Korea's ceremonial head of state in Tehran and expressed hope for improved relations between the two Koreas, his spokesman said Friday. Ban's meeting with Kim Yong-nam, North Korea's ceremonial head of state and chief of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, took place Thursday on the sidelines of a Non-Aligned Movement summit hosted by Iran

Foreign Affairs Aug. 31, 2012

Japan strongly protested against South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's surprise visit to Dokdo.Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda expressed regrets and said the visit is unacceptable.Tokyo's Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba recalled the country's ambassador to Seoul, Masatoshi Muto, filed official complaints with South Korean Ambassador to Japan Shin Kak-soo and made a protest call to South Korean Fore

Foreign Affairs Aug. 10, 2012

The ruling Saenuri Party on Friday vowed to get to the bottom of allegations that one of its lawmakers bribed her way into parliament as it scrambled to contain the fallout ahead of December's presidential election.The scandal centers on suspicions that Rep. Hyun Young-hee secured a proportional representative seat in April's general elections after paying 300 million won ($265,960) to Hyun Ki-hwa

National Aug. 10, 2012

Kim Ki-duk, one of the best known Korean directors overseas, said on Thursday he has realized that filmmaking makes him happy, in his first appearance before local media in four years."It will be my first feature film to be shown in four years,"Kim said during a news conference in Seoul to promote his new film "Pieta." "I haven't worked on any movie for many reasons so far.This time, I surely felt

Film July 19, 2012

Labor unionists of South Korea's biggest umbrella union said Thursday that an estimated 130,000 members will stage a second nationwide strike to demand better working conditions.Affiliated companies of the Korean Metal Workers' Union (KMWU), one of the largest industrial guilds under the progressive Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), will go on a one-day walkout on Friday, following the

Social Affairs July 19, 2012

JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- Double amputee Oscar Pistorius is going to the London Olympics after being selected for South Africa's 4x400 relay team.Pistorius is set to become the first amputee track athlete ever to compete at the Olympics. South Africa's Olympic committee picked him Wednesday.The selection eased Pistorius' disappointment at his failure to qualify in the individual 400 meters. The 25-year

More Sports July 4, 2012

A South Korean unification activist on an unauthorized visit to North Korea met with the communist nation's No. 2 leader on Wednesday, Pyongyang's official news agency reported.Ro Su-hui, 68, a leader of a pro-Pyongyang organization, has been in North Korea since March 24 on an unsanctioned trip to attend a memorial service to mark the 100th day anniversary of the death of Pyongyang's long-time le

North Korea July 4, 2012

President Lee Myung-bak met with Laotian Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong on Wednesday and discussed ways to expand cooperation in energy and resources as well as development aid between the two countries, the presidential office said.Thongsing arrived in Seoul earlier Wednesday for a two-day visit that also includes talks with South Korean Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik and a business forum aime

Foreign Affairs July 4, 2012

South Korea's ruling Saenuri Party will stick to its current presidential candidate selection process, but will check to see if there are shortcomings that can be addressed, the party's chairman said Saturday.At the end of a workshop event for lawmakers, Hwang Woo-yea said meeting the primary election timetable set by the party's constitution will be a challenge in itself. He said that because the

Politics June 9, 2012

China will launch a manned spacecraft this month, state news agency Xinhua said Saturday, in the latest step in a programme aimed at giving the country a permanent space station by 2020.The Shenzhou-9 spacecraft and its carrier rocket have already been moved to the launch platform at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China, Xinhua said, quoting an official with the country's manned

Technology June 9, 2012

The main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) was set to pick its new leadership at a national convention Saturday ahead of this year's presidential race.Party sources said that Reps. Kim Han-gil and Lee Hae-chan were in the lead for the top post as the party gathering got underway at the KINTEX convention center, northwest of Seoul.They added that Kang Gi-jung, Choo Mi-ae, Woo Sang-ho and Cho

Politics June 9, 2012