hen the Nexen Heroes signed American outfielder Danny Dorn last November, it was with expectations that he would add some pop to a lineup about to part ways with big bats.First baseman Park Byung-ho would leave the Korea Baseball Organization club via posting to sign with the Minnesota Twins in December, after hitting 53 homers in 2015. Outfielder Yoo Han-joon, who set a career high with 23 home runs, left Nexen as a free agent to sign with the KT Wiz three days after Dorn's signing.Their absenc

Baseball March 15, 2016

South Korea warned North Korea Tuesday that it will face "unbearable punishment" if it conducts further provocations following its nuclear and missile tests earlier this year.The warning came after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said his country would soon conduct tests of nuclear warheads and ballistic rockets to improve its nuclear strike capabilities. Kim made the remarks while attending a simulation of the atmospheric re-entry of a long-range rocket, according to the North's state media."If

North Korea March 15, 2016

Two additional outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease have been confirmed in South Korea, the government said Tuesday, stirring up fears that the livestock disease is rapidly spreading in the country's central area.Pigs at two swine farms in Nonsan in the central region of South Chungcheong Province tested positive for the highly contagious disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.The quarantine authorities have culled affected ani

Social Affairs March 15, 2016

About five North Korean restaurants in China's northeastern border towns have closed their doors for unknown reasons, a source with knowledge of the matter said Tuesday, amid speculation that Chinese authorities might have refused to renew visas for North Korean waitresses working there. The shutdown of the North Korean restaurants in China's border cities of Yanji and Hunchun took place after the U.N. Security Council adopted new sanctions against North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. "Am

North Korea March 15, 2016

A number of minor progressive parties have been formed a month ahead of the upcoming parliamentary race, the country's election watchdog said Tuesday, a sign of general distrust toward the country's political establishment.The National Election Commission (NEC) said a total of 23 parties were formally registered as of last week. In February 2015, there were 16 political parties in the country. Except for the four parties currently holding seats in the National Assembly -- the ruling Saenuri Part

Politics March 15, 2016

The Nexen Heroes boasted the most potent offense in the Korea Baseball Organization last year, as the league leader in both runs scored and home runs.And as they move into a new, more cavernous stadium, sans some big mashers from recent seasons, the Heroes are approaching the 2016 season with an altered game plan: after launching 203 home runs and scoring 904 runs in 144 games last year, they will stop swinging for the fences and will start trying to manufacture runs.The Seoul-based club will no

Baseball March 15, 2016

North Korea appears to have secured all core mid- and long-range missile technologies except for atmospheric re-entry technology, South Korea's military officials said Tuesday, noting the communist state has made strides in improving delivery vehicles through repeated tests.Pyongyang has acquired key technologies concerning the propulsion system, guidance and control system, rocket separation and other crucial elements through a total of six long-range rocket tests including the latest in Februa

North Korea March 15, 2016

President Park Geun-hye said Tuesday that North Korea could self-destruct unless it embraces change, the latest in a series of strongly worded warnings aimed at pressuring North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to give up his nuclear weapons program.Tensions have spiked on the divided Korean Peninsula as North Korea has ratcheted up its bellicose rhetoric in response to the massive military drills under way between South Korea and the United States.North Korea could "trod the path of self-destruction b

North Korea March 15, 2016

편의점 세븐일레븐은 지난해 3월부터 선보인 '혜리 푸드'가 1년새 2천500만개 이상 팔렸다고 15일 밝혔다.혜리 푸드는 걸그룹 '걸스데이' 멤버 혜리가 포장지 등에 광고 모델로 등장하는 세븐일레븐의 도시락, 삼각김밥, 김밥 등이다. 황우연 세븐일레븐 푸드팀장은 "특히 혜리 도시락의 경우 3천~4천원으로 푸짐하고 맛있는 한 끼 식사를 즐길 수 있는 우수한 '가성비(가격대비효과)'와 1인 가구 증가 덕에 많은 사랑을 받았다"고 말했다.세븐일레븐에 따르면 혜리 도시락 등의 인기에 힘입어 올해 1~2월 세븐일레븐 도시락 매출은 작년 같은 기간의 3.5배까지 늘었고, 올해 들어 이달 13일까지 베스트 상품을 분석한 결과 혜리 11찬 도시락이 5위를 기록하며 도시락 단품으로는 처음 10위권에 들었다. 2015년 4분기(11위)와 비교해 여섯 계단이나 뛴 성적이다.세븐일레븐은 혜리 푸드 출시 1주년을 기념해 다양한 고객 사은 이벤트를 마련했다. 15일부터 이달 말까지 혜리 도시락 안에 에어아시

한국어판 March 15, 2016

더불어민주당 6선 중진인 이해찬 전 국무총리(세종시)가 15일 탈당과 함께 4·13 총선 무소속 출마를 선언했다.이 전 총리는 전날 더민주로부터 총선 후보 공천 배제 결정을 통보받아 당 소속으로는 출마를 할 수 없는 상황이다.이 전 총리의 공천배제 불복 및 무소속 출마가 현실화되면서 공천을 둘러싼 당내 갈등도 격화되는 등 당이 소용돌이 속으로 빠져들 것으로 예상된다.이 전 총리는 이날 '세종시 완성과 정권교체를 위해 돌아오겠다'라는 제목의 성명에서 "저에 대한 공천 배제 발표는 이유와 근거가 없다"며 "도덕성이든 경쟁력이든 의정활동 평가든 합당한 명분이 없다"고 반발했다.이어 "김종인 비대위는 정무적 판단이라고 어물쩍 넘어가려 한다. 정치는 그렇게 하는 게 아니다. 공당의 결정은 명분이 있어야 한다. 합의된 방식에 따라 결과에 승복할 수 있는 절차가 있어야 한다"며 "이렇게는 안 된다. 저는 부당한 것에 굴복하는 사람이 아니다. 저 이해찬은 불의에 타협하는 인생을 살지 않았다"고 말

한국어판 March 15, 2016