SEOUL -- The government plans to announce a set of measures to help revitalize the country's real estate market, government officials said Sunday.   The measures, set to be revealed Monday, will be the first of their kind since the Park Geun-hye administration took office late last month.   The move comes as a downturn in the real estate market is also leading to a slowdown in the construction market, and thus affecting the entire economy and job market as well.   As of the end of February, ther

Politics March 31, 2013

SEOUL -- South Korea's Marine Corps announced Sunday they will hold multiple combined exercises with U.S. marines next month.   The South Korean marines said they will stage four exercises together with the U.S. forces in April to hone their capabilities in carrying out landing and tactical operations and in maneuvering their mechanized units.   South Korean officials also said U.S. marines training in the country will be invited to take part in tactical discussions at front-line South Korean un

North Korea March 31, 2013

  SEOUL -- The growth of the South Korean market for smartphones will begin slowing down this year and possibly post a negative growth in 2016 due to market saturation, a U.S. market research group said in a report released Sunday.   According to the report from Strategy Analytics, the local market for smartphones is expected to grow 8 percent from a year earlier to around 33.1 million units this year.   The growth rate will mark a significant slowdown from an explosive 717 percent on-year surge

Industry March 31, 2013

SEOUL -- Samsung Electronics Co.'s smartphone brand "Galaxy" was again rated as South Korea's most valuable brand in the first quarter of the year, a survey said Sunday.Samsung's Galaxy earned 938 points in the survey by local research firm, Brandstock, retaining the top spot for the second consecutive year.   Discount store chain Emart followed with 924 points, according to the survey, which didn't provide other details, including how much those brands were worth.   Last year, Samsung sold more

Technology March 31, 2013

   SEOUL -- South Korea, Japan and China made small but significant progress in their first round of talks aimed at signing a three-way free trade agreement (FTA), laying down a set of "detailed rules" on how future negotiations will proceed, Seoul's trade ministry said Thursday.   The first round of FTA talks between the three countries had been held here since Tuesday. Two more rounds of negotiations will be held before the end of the year with the second round slated to be held in China in Ju

March 28, 2013

   SEOUL -- The United States air force's nuclear-capable B-2 stealth bombers carried out its first-ever firing drill over the Korean Peninsula on Thursday, the Combined Forces Command said, sending another strong warning to North Korea, which has threatened a preemptive nuclear attack on the U.S. and South Korea.   The U.S. Strategic Command sent two B-2 Spirit Bombers for "a long-duration, round-trip training mission" from Whiteman Air Force Base in the U.S. state of Missouri to South Korea in

Defense March 28, 2013

SEOUL -- Most of South Korea's 30 major companies lack awareness about human rights, coming far short of international standards, the country's rights watchdog said Thursday.   According to the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRC), its analysis of the reports on corporate sustainability management published by 19 out of the country's top 30 corporations based on sales as of 2010 showed that a large share of them failed to meet international standards in dealing with labor and human r

Social Affairs March 28, 2013

　한양대가 윤성규 환경부 장관 (57)의 박사 학위 논문 표절의혹 조사에 착수한다. 　지난 달 27일 윤 장관에 대한 인사 청문회에서 장하나 민주통합당 의원이 제기한 논문 표절의혹을 발단으로, ‘짜깁기 여부’를 판단하기 위해 연구진실성위원회 (진실위)를 구성한다고 한양대 측은 27일 밝혔다. 통상 시행하는 예비 조사는 장 의원이 제보가 구체적이기 때문에 생략하고, 3월말에 바로 조사에 착수한다.　조사 대상은 윤 장관이 지난 달 16일 박사학위를 받은 “교호주의식 분리막 결합성 고온 혐기성 소화공정에 의한 음식물쓰레기 폐수 처리”란 논문이다. 　“표절 여부는 한양대 김승우 교수가 지휘하는 본조사위원회가 조사할 것이며, 조사 기간은 최장 90일이지만 그 전에 결론이 날 수 있다. 현재로서 사후 조처는 예단하기 어렵다”라고 한양대 관계자는 밝혔다. 위원회가 진실위에 결과를 보고하면 적절히 대처하겠지만 아직 표절 여부에 대해 구체적인 판단을 내리진 않았다는 입장이다.  　청문회 당시 윤 장

한국어판 March 27, 2013

　세계적인 화학 기업인 바스프(BASF)가 올 상반기 내로 전자소재 아태지역 본부를 서울로 옮길 예정이라고 밝혔다. 나머지 바스프의 지역 본부는 그대로 홍콩에 있을 예정이며, 서울 본부에서는 중국을 포함한 아시아 태평양 국가들의 상품 마케팅, 영업, 경영, 기획 등을 담당할 예정이다. 　지난 30여 년 동안 전자소재 부문 업계 1위인 바스프는 고순도 고품질의 공정 과정을 거친 화학 제품부터, 반도체 특화 솔루션, 평면 디스플레이, LED 조명을 포함한 조명 및 태양광 등 다양한 제품을 생산하고 있다. 　바스프 전자소재 사업부문 로타 라우피클러 부사장은 “한국에 지역 본부를 설치하게 될 경우, 시장 트렌드와 소비자 요구사항을 빠르게 읽어내 시장 경쟁력과 혁신원동력을 높일 수 있으며, 동시에 중국과 아세안 시장에서 자리잡은 성공을 계속해서 이어나갈 것이다” 라고 말했다. 　한편, 산업통상자원부는 27일 독일의 세계적인 기업 지멘스와 발전 엔지니어링 관련 투자 양해각서를 체결했다. 　“지

한국어판 March 27, 2013