South Korea has rejected a protest by Japan over Seoul's annual defense report that reaffirms its bid to protect the easternmost islets of Dokdo, a senior official said Monday.Japan recently sent the South Korean government an official letter protesting the defense white paper that made clear Seoul's sovereignty over Dokdo, which Tokyo has also claimed as its own.In a rebuttal letter to Japan, South Korea reiterated that, "Dokdo is an integral part of Korean territory historically, geographicall

Defense Dec. 31, 2012

NEW DELHI (AP) -- A young woman who died after being gang-raped and beaten on a bus in India's capital was cremated Sunday amid an outpouring of anger and grief by millions across the country demanding greater protection for women from sexual violence.The cremation took place during a private ceremony in New Delhi soon after the woman's body arrived in the capital on a special Air India flight from Singapore, where she died at a hospital Saturday after being sent for medical treatment.The traged

International Dec. 31, 2012

U.S. Internet company Yahoo Inc. on Monday halted its South Korean service, pulling out of one of the world's most wired countries after 15 years.Yahoo will halt all products, services and content of Yahoo Korea starting Dec. 31 in addition to ending customer support in Korea on the same day, the company wrote on its Korean Web site.In October, Yahoo announced a plan to pull out of South Korea as chief executive officer Marissa Mayer focuses more on stronger markets."The decision is part of Yaho

Technology Dec. 31, 2012

North Korea's possible nuclear test and a "post-Gangnam" era are among stories that will draw keen global media attention in the year ahead, CNN said Sunday.Releasing a list of 13 things to closely watch in 2013, the U.S. cable news channel said North Korea may step into the global media spotlight with another nuclear test."On the subject of nuclear states that the U.S.-wishes-were-not, the succession in North Korea has provided no sign that the regime is ready to restrain its ambitious program

International Dec. 31, 2012

The combined market capitalization of South Korean firms listed on the main and secondary bourse ranks 15th among global peers by claiming 2.15 percent of the total, data showed Monday.The combined market cap of the world's 20 major stock markets reached US$52.7 trillion as of the end of November, increasing 9.56 percent from end of 2011, according to data by the bourse operator Korea Exchange.The KRX, which operates the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index and the tech-heavy KOSDAQ marke

Dec. 31, 2012

utgoing President Lee Myung-bak said Monday he believes South Korea will be the first country to see the "bright light at the end of the dark tunnel" of the global economic slump if the nation works hard with his successor Park Geun-hye.Lee made the remark in his New Year's message, using an ancient adage made up of four Chinese characters, "Sudoseonbu," which meansa large ship automatically floats up if water levels rise. Lee used ship and rising water to refer to South Korea and its national s

Politics Dec. 31, 2012

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un again hailed this month's largely successful launch of a long-range rocket, saying the launch boosted "great national self-esteem," the North's official media said Monday.Kim delivered the remarks to scientists, technicians, workers and officials involved in the Dec. 12 launch that put a satellite into orbit at a banquet which he hosted on Sunday, the North's Korean Central News Agency reported.The young leader "once again warmly congratulated those people on suc

North Korea Dec. 31, 2012

South Korea's consumer prices grew at the slowest pace in four months in December, indicating that the country is keeping inflationary pressure under control, a government report showed Monday.The country's consumer prices index rose 1.4 percent in December from a year earlier, slowing from a 1.6 percent on-year gain in the previous month, according to the report by Statistics Korea. From a month earlier, it grew 0.2 percent.The on-year figure marked the slowest growth since August when the inde

Industry Dec. 31, 2012

South Korea's antitrust watchdog said Sunday it has decided to fine top steelmaker POSCO and six other industry players a combined 291.7 billion won ($273.5 million) for colluding to fix prices of some steel products.The Fair Trade Commission also said it plans to lodge a complaint with the prosecution against six steelmakers, including POSCO and Hyundai Hysco.According to the FTC, they colluded to fix prices of cold-rolled plates, galvanized steel sheets and color steel sheets between 2004 and

Industry Dec. 30, 2012

South Korea has retrieved what appears to be part of the engine from North Korea's long-range rocket launched earlier this month, a finding that could provide clues to the communist nation's rocket technologies, a military source said Friday."We recovered an object believed to be the engine debris of North Korea's long-range rocket last night from the bottom of the sea about 160 kilometers off" the western port city of Gunsan, the source said. "It appears to have been damaged a lot from the shoc

North Korea Dec. 28, 2012

Authorities in Kenya said they were on high alert Christmas Day because of terrorism threats and other crime countrywide."To ensure that criminal elements do not interfere with our festivities, we wish to remind the general public it is necessary to remain alert," Deputy Police Commissioner Francis Okonya said in a statement."Terrorism has been a security threat for most of this year, whereas the government has put in place extensive measures to guarantee security, we would like to advice the pu

World News Dec. 26, 2012