A controversial bill empowering parliament to open hearings more often is not likely to be dealt with at this week's Cabinet meeting due to a lack of time for review ahead of President Park Geun-hye's overseas trip, officials said Sunday.Korea's presidential office on Friday called for a revision to the bill, passed on Thursday, on concerns that a possible abuse of the law and convocation of unnecessary hearings could hamper state affairs.The National Assembly could send the legislation to the g

Politics May 22, 2016

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is expected to refine his foreign policy now that he's clinched the nomination, a senior Korean-American Republican Party official said.Michelle Park Steel, vice chair of California's Orange County Board of Supervisors, made the remark, vowing to play a bridging role between her native South Korea and Trump amid concerns about the negative effects a Trump presidency could have on the alliance between the two countries.Steel, the first Korean-America

International May 22, 2016

North Korea on Saturday proposed holding a working-level meeting with South Korea in late May or early June in preparation for military talks that can diffuse tension on the Korean Peninsula.Pyongyang's charm offensive toward Seoul came one day after it called on South Korea to immediately accept its latest proposal for inter-Korean dialogue made by the North's leader Kim Jong-un at the country's recently concluded ruling party congress."We propose to hold working-level contact for opening (the

North Korea May 22, 2016

Korea's 19th National Assembly held their last regular session on Thursday, passing some last-minute bills and paving the way for the newly-elected lawmakers whose term begins at end-May.Among the bills passed on Thursday was the so-called Shin Hae-chul law, named after a popular South Korean singer who suffered a sudden heart attack in 2014 and fell into a coma shortly after being treated for an infection of the peritoneum and intestines at a Seoul hospital.The law centers on protecting patient

Politics May 19, 2016

Korean national judo team aims to collect at least two gold medals at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Games, sources at the Korea Judo Association (KJA) said Thursday.Korea, the world No. 3 in the Olympic judo medal rankings with 11 gold, 14 silver and 15 bronze medals, will have 12 judokas -- seven men and five women --- in Brazil. This is the first time since the 2004 Athens Olympics that the country failed to send judokas in all weight divisions. In Rio, there will be no South Koreans competin

Olympic Games May 19, 2016

South Korea said Thursday it will hold an exhibition on unification next week, hoping that the event can help raise awareness about inter-Korean unification amid frayed Seoul-Pyongyang ties.The exhibition on unification will run from next Friday to next Sunday at Gwanghwamun Plaza and a park near the government complex and will involve 141 organizations including local governments, civic groups and media companies, according to the Ministry of Unification.The event will be the second of its kind

North Korea May 19, 2016

The finance director of Oxy Korea was summoned Thursday as the first among a number of foreign executives who will be questioned in relation to the production and sales of the toxic humidifier sterilizers that resulted in numerous deaths and illnesses here.Ulrich Hosterbach appeared before the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in southern Seoul to give testimony in the snowballing case that involves scores of deaths since 2011, including some pregnant women.Hosterbach has worked as the

Social Affairs May 19, 2016

The leaders of Korea and Mongolia agreed Thursday to seek an increase in flights between the two nations and expand cooperation in the latter's infrastructure construction and overall economic development.President Park Geun-hye and her Mongolian counterpart, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, signed three memorandums of understanding (MOUs) on strengthening bilateral economic cooperation and another on cooperation in the sports sector.One of the MOUs concerns joint efforts to "actively" discuss ways to inc

Foreign Affairs May 19, 2016

North Korea has actively launched a nonsmoking campaign and even set up research stations across the country to get people to stop smoking, according to North Korean media reports.In a report picked up in Seoul, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said non-smoking research stations have been established in provincial capitals and major cities and are in close touch with the Pyongyang-based Non-smoking Research Center.Their action programs include counseling for smokers and off

North Korea May 19, 2016

South Korean and U.S. officials gathered here Thursday to discuss cooperation in the cybersecurity sector as both countries are experiencing an increase in online trade.The seminar brought together about 100 government, business and academic participants from the two sides to discuss trends in cybersecurity in critical infrastructure sectors, such as finance and energy telecom.Under the New Frontier slogan, cybersecurity has emerged as a key area of cooperation between the allies, along with spa

Technology May 19, 2016

Health warnings put on alcohol labels are scheduled to change for the first time in 21 years starting September to highlight the health risks to pregnant women and youths, and the government is thinking of further raising the severity of the warnings through follow-up revisions, officials said Thursday.A public health law amended in March, to take effect from Sept. 3, requires all alcoholic beverages to carry a label that warns of the increased chances of liver-related ailments and additional se

Politics May 19, 2016

Korean government, ruling and opposition party officials are set to gather for a meeting later this week, political sources said Thursday, where they will discuss challenges facing the national economy and ways to improve people's quality of life.The meeting, slated for Friday, came after President Park Geun-hye agreed earlier this month to organize talks between the finance minister and top policymakers from major parties.She also vowed to hold consultative discussions with heads of political p

Politics May 19, 2016