Switzerland has joined the United Nations-led efforts to impose toughened sanctions on North Korea for its nuclear test and other provocative actions earlier this year, a U.S.-based media outlet said Thursday.Radio Free Asia (RFA) said in a report posted on its website that the sanctions, which also included halting financial transactions related to the North, were enforced by the Swiss federal government as of 6 p.m. on Wednesday local time. The move is in tandem with the toughened United Natio

North Korea May 19, 2016

Korean artist Kim Hyun-jung opens an exhibition on Thursday in Berlin, the Korean Cultural Center in Germany said.The opening ceremony, attended by the artist herself, will take place at 6 p.m. local time in the center's gallery. One of the most promising young Korean artists, she is widely credited for pushing the boundaries of Korean art by presenting thought-provoking themes with prickly yet humorous wit and experimenting with new artistic techniques in her paintings. Last September she was t

Culture May 19, 2016

Korea and Indonesia will bolster cooperation in sports as they signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) this week following a summit between two countries. The Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism confirmed Thursday that it has signed the MOU with Indonesia's Ministry of Youth and Sports after President Park Geun-hye and her Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo held a summit at Cheong Wa Dae, South Korea's presidential office. The two sides on Monday signed 11 MOUs in areas like infras

More Sports May 19, 2016

Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-Ahn left Korea on Thursday to visit Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, his office said, in a move aimed at forging closer ties with his counterparts and finding new business opportunities for local companies.During his trip, Hwang will hold a meeting with Uzbek President Islam Karimov, as well as the country's Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev. He will also hold talks with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to discuss ways to expand ties in energy, construction an

Politics May 19, 2016

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called on a factory to modernize the process of producing machines by the founding anniversary of the ruling party in October, the North's state media said Thursday.Kim's remarks were made while inspecting a machine manufacturing plant in North Pyongan Province. The visit marks the third time he made an on-site inspection after the country concluded its key party congress on May 9.Pyongyang used the four daylong event to help strengthen Kim's heavy-handed rule

North Korea May 19, 2016

Korean Go master Lee Se-dol, who is known for having faced Google's artificial intelligence (AI) program AlphaGo in the ancient board game, has decided to withdraw from the local professional Go players' association, apparently feeling uncomfortable about how much of a cut of his prize money they take.It turns out that Lee, a ninth-dan player who turned pro at the age of 12, has already submitted a withdrawal letter to Yang Kun, the head of the Korean pro Go players' association, on Tuesday, alo

More Sports May 19, 2016

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called Wednesday for rejecting politicians who are unconcerned about climate change and make racist remarks, in what could be a swipe at U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump."We are appalled by war crimes in Syria and elsewhere. We are outraged by racism and hatred, especially when voiced by politicians and would-be leaders who have a duty to bring people together, not drive them apart," Ban said during a speech at the Columbia University commenc

International May 19, 2016

The United States is prepared to engage with North Korea if Pyongyang demonstrates its denuclearization commitment, the White House said Wednesday, after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump expressed his willingness to speak to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un."The United States has worked effectively with the international community, including countries like Russia and China, to isolate North Korea because of their failure to abide by their international obligations when it comes to t

North Korea May 19, 2016

Sales of Man Booker International Prize winner "The Vegetarian" by Korean novelist Han Kang have soared overseas, a Korean literary agency said Wednesday.Joseph Lee, president of Korean Literary (KL) Management, told Yonhap News Agency that the book has gone into a second printing of20,000 copies in the United Kingdom and 7,500 copies in the United States. KL Management handles the author's publication rights in foreign markets.He also said many countries, including India, Indonesia and some Ara

Books May 19, 2016

An appeals court handed down a 42-month jail term to the chief of a local steelmaker Wednesday for gambling abroad with millions of dollars he embezzled.The Seoul High Court also ordered Chang Sae-joo, chairman of Dongkuk Steel Mill Co., to forfeit some 1.4 billion won ($1.2 million).The business tycoon was indicted in May 2015 on charges of misappropriating more than 20 billion won from the company since 2003 and using part of it to gamble in Las Vegas.A lower court had sentenced him to 42 mont

Social Affairs May 18, 2016

China on Wednesday expressed its support for direct talks between the United States and North Korea over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program, responding to remarks by U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump that he is open to speaking with the leader of the reclusive country. "China supports direct negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea," China's foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, told Reuters in an interview that he

North Korea May 18, 2016

Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-Ahn will make a five-day trip to Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia later this week to hold talks with counterparts on expanding mutual ties, his office said Wednesday.Hwang is scheduled to leave for Uzbekistan on Thursday to meet Uzbek President Islam Karimov, and discuss expanding exchanges in various industrial segments from energy, infrastructure to information communications.Korea and Uzbekistan will also promote further exchanges in the cultural and education sectors as w

Politics May 18, 2016

Korea will play Nigeria first in an international football tournament created as a warm-up for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics, the national football governing body said Wednesday.The Korea Football Association (KFA) said that South Korea will host Nigeria at the four-nation invitational tournament on June 2 at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. The men's under-23 football team will then face Honduras on June 4 at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, north of Seoul. They will wrap

Soccer May 18, 2016

Korea will create a new visa type that links studying and working and relax requirements for issuing student visas in an effort to attract talented foreigners, the government said Wednesday.The Ministry of Justice said the new work-study visa will allow government-invited students to get a job here right after their graduation, starting next month.Currently, for a company to hire a foreigner, it has to have at least five South Korean employees. The number of foreigners should also be kept below

Social Affairs May 18, 2016