A North Korean diplomat who was reported to have defected from his post in Russia last month entered South Korea with his family and huge holdings of foreign currency, a source said Thursday.   "The diplomat involved in Pyongyang's trade representatives under its consulate general in Vladivostok defected and went to South Korea via a third country," the source said.     The first secretary-level diplomat brought a "considerable" sum of foreign currency with him to the South along with his wife a

North Korea Sept. 1, 2016

Apple's chief executive says the company has put aside ``several billion dollars'' to pay tax liabilities in the United States as it repatriates some of its huge overseas earnings.    Tim Cook told Irish state network RTE in an interview broadcast Thursday that the money, part of profits from 2014, should be brought back to the U.S. next year. He did not specify how much would be repatriated.    Apple holds nearly $215 billion in cash and securities outside the U.S., much of that generated by it

World News Sept. 1, 2016

South Korea on Thursday hailed the latest United Nations resolution on North Korea for putting significant pressure on the communist country to give up its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.   "(Seoul) assesses that a significant level of progress has been achieved," foreign ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck said as Resolution 2270 passed by the United Nations Security Council hits the six month mark.   On March 2, the U.N council approved its toughest resolution yet in response to North Ko

North Korea Sept. 1, 2016

A new drama co-produced by South Korea and China will attempt to depict the famous 1592 war against Japan in a way that promotes viewers' understanding of the people and warfare involved in the conflict, producers said Thursday.   The "Imjinwaeran" war, which lasted from 1592-98, is best remembered in Korea as a series of successful naval battles led by Admiral Yi Sun-shin. With a significantly smaller fleet, Yi won all46 battles he fought against invading Japanese forces, making him one of the

Television Sept. 1, 2016

The Dalai Lama called for love, mercy and sympathy for a better future at a meeting with a South Korean Buddhist group advocating for his visit to the country.   "I have not been able to visit Asian countries except Japan," the 81-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader told about 10 representatives from the group and the accompanying Korean journalists at his residence in Dharamshala, northwestern India, on Tuesday. "I am certain about my future visit to South Korea, if the South Korean believers' re

Culture Sept. 1, 2016

North Korea says it has resumed plutonium production from spent fuel rods and has no plans to stop nuclear tests as long as the United States still "threatens" Pyongyang, Kyodo News reported Wednesday.   The North's Atomic Energy Institute, which has jurisdiction over the country's main atomic complex Yongbyon, told Kyodo it had been producing highly enriched uranium for nuclear arms and power "as scheduled".   "We have reprocessed spent nuclear fuel rods removed from a graphite-moderated reacto

North Korea Aug. 17, 2016

Open water swimming star Rachele Bruni was hailed Wednesday as the first Italian athlete to publicly declare her homosexuality.   Bruni, who won silver in the 10km swim in Rio on Monday, dedicated her medal to her family, her coach and her girlfriend Diletta Faina.   Italian media and gay rights groups said it was a landmark moment for a country which has been slower to recognise same sex relationships than other Western states.   La Reppublica reported that Bruni was the first Italian sportsman

World News Aug. 17, 2016

A lawyer says a German convert to Islam who was convicted over a thwarted plan to attack American soldiers and civilians in Germany has been granted early release from prison.    Fritz Gelowicz was one of four men arrested in 2007 and convicted in 2010. A Duesseldorf court found that they operated as a cell of the radical Islamic Jihad Union and plotted to attack Americans at facilities including the U.S. Air Force's Ramstein Air Base.      Gelowicz was sentenced to 12 years in prison for member

World News Aug. 17, 2016

The man killed in a police shooting that sparked two nights of violence in Milwaukee suffered from cognitive and mental health issues, and he carried a gun because he had been shot more than once in the past, his grandfather said.    Sylville K. Smith had a lengthy criminal past, but was just trying to survive in the inner city, William Brookins told The Associated Press.    ``In this city, there's a lot of killings going on in the street,'' said Brookins, who detailed Smith's problems in a lett

World News Aug. 17, 2016

After making history at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, South Korean shooting champion Jin Jong-oh has returned to his homeland Wednesday with a warm reception from his family and fans.    Jin won the 50m pistol gold medal at the Rio Games and became the first shooter, man or woman, to win a single event at three Olympics in a row. The 36-year-old also became the first South Korean athlete to win a gold medal at three consecutive Olympics, winter or summer.   "I really wanted win the gold medal (at

Olympic Games Aug. 17, 2016

Crowds flocked to the grass lawn in front of Bucheon City Hall on Thursday night for the opening of Asia’s biggest genre film event, the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. The festival kicked off with fireworks, a modern dance performance, and an outdoor screening of “Captain Fantastic,” this year’s opening film directed by American actor-turned-director Matt Ross. 　　“This is a very personal film, about parenthood and parenting, choices we make as people and how they impact those aro

Film July 22, 2016