South Korea's defense ministry said Monday it has responded to North Korea's latest offer for military talks by saying that the North's denuclearization steps should be a top priority.The government said it sent its reply to Pyongyang earlier in the day as North Korea on Saturday proposed holding a working-level meeting with South Korea in late May or early June in preparation for military talks. Seoul has rejected it as a proposal without sincerity."We expressed regret that North Korea had prop

North Korea May 23, 2016

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is looking at the possibility of allowing limited use of medical instruments made through 3D printers before final government approval, hoping to change relevant regulations by November, officials said Monday.The attempt falls in line with the results from an inter-ministerial deregulation meeting last week where 3D-printed medical instruments were specified as a subject of eased restrictions.The ministry mentioned through public symposiums that it is conside

Technology May 23, 2016

Top officials from ruling and opposition parties plan to visit the shipyard of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. on Monday, amid rising concerns over the prolonged industrywide slump in one of Korea's key growth sectors.Chung Jin-suk, the floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party, will visit a South Gyeongsang Province-based shipyard to receive input from workers and the company. The party also aims to continue discussions with the management on restructuring programs that may emerge a

Politics May 23, 2016

North Korea held a state funeral for Kang Sok-ju, a top North Korean diplomat who had negotiated the now-collapsed 1994 nuclear deal with the United States, the North's state media said Monday.On Sunday, the North carried out the funeral of Kang, a former party secretary in charge of international affairs, who died of esophagus cancer at the age of 77, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA)."The death of Kang Sok-ju, genuine revolutionary and able political activist, was a great loss

North Korea May 23, 2016

Two Korean clubs will be chasing quarterfinals berths at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League this week after failing to pick up victories in the opening legs of the round of 16.Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors will host Melbourne Victory at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. The two played to a 1-1 draw last week in Australia.With an away goal in the bag, Jeonbuk can advance to the quarters for the second straight year with at least a scoreless

Soccer May 23, 2016

Korean politicians from ruling and opposition parties are set to gather in Gimhae on Monday to mark the seventh anniversary of former President Roh Moo-hyun's death.Officials from the ruling Saenuri Party, as well as the main opposition Minjoo Party and the minor People's Party, will visit Roh's home in Bongha Village, about 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul.Roh, who led the country from 2003 to 2008, killed himself at a mountainside precipice above his provincial hometown in May 2009, expressin

Politics May 23, 2016

Encouraging South Korea to develop nuclear weapons could undermine American influence in Asia, unravel the U.S. alliance system and spark a nuclear arms race in the region, a congressional report said in apparent criticism of Donald Trump's suggestion to do so."Presidential candidate Donald Trump in spring 2016 stated that he was open to South Korea's developing its own nuclear arsenal to counter the North Korean nuclear threat," the Congressional Research Service said in the recent report on So

International May 23, 2016

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said Sunday that her Republican rival Donald Trump's foreign policy views, including "heaping praise on a dangerous dictator in North Korea," pose "immediate dangers.""Look what he's done this past week, you know, attacking our closest ally, England. Heaping praise on a dangerous dictator in North Korea. Reiterating his call to pull out of NATO, our strong military alliance. Talking about letting other countries have nuclear weapons," Clinto

International May 23, 2016