North Korean criticized the international community on Tuesday for its double standard toward the country's development of intercontinental ballistic missile.North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said in his New Year's Day address that the country has entered the final stage of preparations to test fire an ICBM, an apparent warning that the reclusive country is perfecting the capability to hit the continental United States with nukes.(Yonhap)"Acting by the double-dealing standard unilaterally set by t

North Korea Jan. 17, 2017

South Korea said Tuesday that it will take a firm stance against China's recent hostile movements against its businesses in apparent retaliation for welcoming a US-owned missile system."We will continue to object to the Chinese measures," Vice Trade Minister Woo Tae-hee said at a task force meeting to discuss pending trade issues between South Korea and China.His comments came as Beijing is heightening non-tariff barriers against South Korea as the Seoul government decided to deploy the US-led m

Diplomatic Circuit Jan. 17, 2017

Amid the hustle and bustle of city life, indoor gardening connects city dwellers to nature, provides them a respite from the digital lifestyle for a moment and makes a fine hobby. And it does not have to be expensive. For Kim Ji-hyon, a 29-year-old office worker, growing a small garden on a windowsill at home has become a crucial part of her life over the past year. (MCT)“When I water the plants and take care of them, it gives my brain a time-out from stressful office life,” said Kim, who visits

Social Affairs Jan. 13, 2017

The independent counsel investigating the scandal involving President Park Geun-hye is cooperating with German authorities to extradite Chung Yoo-ra, the daughter of Choi Soon-sil, it said Wednesday. “The court has issued a warrant to arrest Chung on charges of business obstruction,” the counsel’s spokesperson Lee Kyu-cheol told reporters. “We took a measure to invalidate her passport and requested cooperation from the German prosecution to obtain Chung’s transaction and phone records and freeze

Social Affairs Dec. 21, 2016

Woo Byung-woo, former presidential adviser for civil affairs, allegedly peddled influence over the prosecution when it was investigating the cause of the sinking of the Sewol ferry, Korean media reported Tuesday. Woo, who has been in hiding, is one of the key figures in the influence-peddling and corruption scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and her longtime friend Choi Soon-sil, which led to the embattled president’s impeachment earlier this month. Former presidential secretary Woo Byung

Social Affairs Dec. 20, 2016

A week after lawmakers impeached President Park Geun-hye over a corruption and influence-peddling scandal, South Koreans are set to take to the streets again Saturday to demand Park immediately resign and pressure the Constitutional Court to uphold the impeachment. In the eighth Saturday rally in central Seoul against the embattled president, rally organizers said they would also call for the resignation of acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, denouncing him as an “accomplice” to P

Social Affairs Dec. 16, 2016

Gripped by feelings of worthlessness, isolation and despair, 17-year-old Kim Mi-sun (not her real name) considered jumping from the roof of the building she lived in. Without anyone to share her feelings, she often cried to sleep. She has searched online for ways to kill herself and people to attempt suicide with, and even left a suicide note. “I was not close to my mother. I suffered from sociophobia and depression since I was in the middle school. I felt like there was no one who sympathized w

Social Affairs Dec. 15, 2016

The Korea Equestrian Federation gave unlawful favors to Chung Yoo-ra, a former member of the national dressage team and the daughter of President Park Geun-hye’s close confidante Choi Soon-sil, a state audit found Wednesday. The KEF issued fabricated documents to excuse her from missing classes and possibly helped her gain selection as a national athlete, according to the result of the 15-day joint inspection by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Olympic Committee. Earlie

Social Affairs Dec. 14, 2016

A day after South Korean lawmakers impeached scandal-hit President Park Geun-hye, hundreds of thousands of South Koreans gathered in central Seoul, this time to celebrate the impeachment.　Despite the sub-zero temperature, some 800,000 people bundled up in thick jackets and flocked the Gwanghwamun Square to express their joy at the result. But they said firmly that the impeachment was not the end of their fight. 　Many of the protesters vowed to hold up candles until Park resigns and those who ass

Social Affairs Dec. 10, 2016

As in previous weekends, many South Koreans are expected to gather in central Seoul with candles, this time to celebrate the impeachment of Park Geun-hye. Rally organizers said Friday that this Saturday’s candlelight vigil, the seventh against President Park since a scandal involving her confidante erupted late October, will be a festive event with lots of cultural performances, stand-up comedy and displays of satirical messages. The messages will center on demanding President Park immediately s

Social Affairs Dec. 9, 2016

The parliament on Friday voted to impeach President Park Geun-hye, bringing her presidency to the brink of collapse. The impeachment was a victory for many of South Koreans who have taken to the streets for the past six weeks in massive street rallies to demand her resignation.It was the candle-holding protesters who unwaveringly demanded Park’s immediate removal ever since the scandal broke in late October and pushed lawmakers to cast ballots to impeach her. The National Assembly in Seoul, a da

Social Affairs Dec. 9, 2016

While the historic vote to impeach President Park Geun-hye gets underway inside the National Assembly on Friday, citizens will be holding a sit-in outside the parliamentary building to ramp up pressure on politicians to oust Park. An association of some 1,500 civic groups demanding President Park’s resignation plan to hold a large-scale debate session at the front gate of the National Assembly main building in southwestern Seoul from 1:30 p.m. Friday until the vote ends. Citizens demanding or op

Social Affairs Dec. 8, 2016

Ko Young-tae, one of the key aides to President Park Geun-hye’s embattled friend Choi Soon-sil, offered new testimonies about his relationship with Choi and his job as a clothes manufacturer for Park during a parliamentary inquiry into the influence-peddling and corruption scandal. 　During the hearing, Ko, the chief of handbag manufacturing company Villomillo, provided a clue which may implicate Choi and Park for bribery. 　Ko said he made not only up to 40 bags, but also about 100 pieces of clot

Social Affairs Dec. 7, 2016

South Korea’s rankings in the 2015 international student assessment slightly slipped compared to three years ago, though it still remains among the top eight the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development members, the OECD report showed Tuesday. The OECD announced the results of its 2015 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), which surveyed about 540,000 15-year-olds in 72 different countries, including 35 member nations of the OECD. South Korea ranked “first-fourth” in

Social Affairs Dec. 6, 2016

Seoul’s education office said Monday that it would cancel the high school credentials of Chung Yoo-ra, the daughter of President Park Geun-hye’s confidante Choi Soon-sil, over revelations the school gave her special treatment in attendance and grading. After an inspection into Sunhwa Art School and Chungdam High School, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said it would ask the prosecution to launch an investigation into Chung, her mother and 10 faculty members involved in the scandal.Chun

Social Affairs Dec. 5, 2016