SEOGUIPO -- A US Aegis destroyer visited South Korea's naval base on the southern resort island of Jeju on Saturday, becoming the first foreign warship to visit the base since it opened in February last year, officials said.The 8,400-ton USS Stethem arrived at the base at around 9:50 a.m. for a two-day stay, after participating in the Foal Eagle joint military drills with South Korea in the East Sea from March 17-21, according to the officials. An Aegis-equipped US destroyer USS Stethem enters S

Defense March 25, 2017

CHICAGO (AP) -- A blogger from Singapore who was jailed for his online posts blasting his government was granted asylum to remain in the United States, an immigration judge ruled.Amos Yee, 18, has been detained by federal immigration authorities since December when he was taken into custody at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. Attorneys said he could be released from a Wisconsin detention center as early as Monday.Judge Samuel Cole issued a 13-page decision Friday, more than two weeks afte

International March 25, 2017

South Korea's state-run think tank on diplomacy on Saturday called for a temporary hike in the nation's defense budget to secure sufficient deterrence against North Korea's nuclear weapons program.Yun Duk-min, chancellor of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, proposed in a website post that the Seoul government increase its defense budget by about 3 trillion won ($2.8 billion) annually for the time being in order to establish reliable deterrents against the North's nuclear threats. Yun Duk-mi

Defense March 25, 2017

JINDO -- The 6,800-ton Sewol ferry fully emerged from the water on Saturday showing its entire hull nearly a day after being loaded onto a semisubmersible transport vessel before later heading to shore, the South Korean government said."The semisubmersible ship buoyed up to lift the entire Sewol ferry off the surface of the water as of 9:15 p.m.," the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said through a text message sent to reporters. The Sewol emerges to the surface in waters off the southwestern co

Social Affairs March 25, 2017

TOKYO, (AFP) -- If gender bending fashion is suddenly all the rage in the West, think Pharrell Williams promoting Chanel’s new unisex handbag, then nowhere has the look excelled more than in Tokyo.Japan, for decades a pioneer of the androgynous look in the style of Comme des Garcons, Yohji Yamamoto and Kenzo, is spawning young designers blurring the lines expertly between masculine and feminine.Genderless-looking boys are gaining traction in fashion circles and on the streets of Tokyo -- gay but

Culture March 25, 2017

Several F-35B stealth fighter jets conducted bombing practice on the Korean Peninsula earlier this week in support of joint training between South Korean and US marines, military authorities and sources said Saturday.The US Marine Corps F-35 Lightning II aircraft are known to have returned to Japan after the Korea Marine Exercise Program as part of the allies' annual joint combined defense drills. The US Marine Corps F-35 Lightning II aircraft in a photo provided by the US Forces Korea. (Yonhap)

Defense March 25, 2017

JINDO/ANSAN -- Families of Sewol ferry victims hugged one another and erupted in bittersweet joy on early Saturday morning, as the sunken ferry was successfully moved onto a giant semisubmersible ship after being pulled from the water earlier this week.The families of the disaster's 295 found victims, most students at Ansan's Danwon High School, could hardly sleep over the past few days while praying for a successful lifting and transport of the vessel that was trapped underwater for 1,073 days.

Social Affairs March 25, 2017

The combined market capitalization of 11 affiliates of LG Group, including LG Electronics Inc., has surpassed 80 trillion won ($71.3 billion), boosted by their better-than-expected earnings, industry data showed Saturday.According to the data compiled by industry tracker FNGuide, the market value of LG's 11 affiliates stood at 80.1 trillion won as of Friday, up 13.9 percent from the end of last year. During the period, shares of LG Electronics jumped 39.9 percent to 72,200 won, buoyed by expecta

Companies March 25, 2017

Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo won a landslide victory at the first primary of South Korea's minor centrist People's Party that kicked off on Saturday, gaining great leverage to become the party's presidential nominee.Ahn, one of the party's founders, garnered 37,735 votes, or 60.69 percent, routing former opposition leader Sohn Hak-kyu who received 22.91 percent and Deputy National Assembly Speaker Park Joo-sun with 16.4 percent, according to the party. Ahn Cheol-soo of the People's Party pose for a photo.

Social Affairs March 25, 2017

Supporters and opponents of ousted President Park Geun-hye staged rival mass rallies in central Seoul on Saturday as prosecutors mull over whether to seek to arrest the country's former leader on multiple corruption allegations.Anti-Park protesters have taken to the streets each Saturday since late last year until the Constitutional Court upheld the parliament's decision to remove Park from office earlier this month. Opponents of ousted President Park Geun-hye stage a massive rally in central Se

Social Affairs March 25, 2017

WARSAW (AP) -- A major World War II museum opened in northern Poland on Thursday amid plans by the conservative government to change its content to fit the government’s nationalist views.The Museum of the World War II in Gdansk is at the center of a standoff between the historians creating it and Poland’s populist government, which is seeking a court order to have it closed and then wants to reshape its current multi-national focus.The museum was initiated in 2008 by then-Prime Minister Donald T

Culture March 24, 2017

MONTREUX -- As travel becomes cheaper and more personalized with the advent of online lodging services like Airbnb, feedback sites like TripAdvisor, and itinerary planners like Google Trip, the notion of “hospitality” is changing.Some say the emerging services have led to a decline in the hotel business. The leaders of Swiss Education Group, however, argue that the field of hospitality -- a sector which incorporates hotel management, fine dining, concierge services and luxury branding -- has exp

Travel March 24, 2017

This Chinese-style stir-fried chicken with baby bok choy (cheonggyeongchae) is quick and easy to put together, making it perfect for a weeknight meal.First, coat the bite sized chicken with cornstarch and egg white. This keeps the chicken moist and tender, and gives it a nice sheen. Then, the chicken is quickly pan-fried before the actual stir-frying happens with the sauce and vegetables. The sauce is light yet rich in flavor. I used good quality chicken broth as a sauce base, but water is fine

Food March 24, 2017

NEW YORK (AFP) -- Bob Dylan has hailed Amy Winehouse as the last great artist with an individual style as the rock legend shared his views on music in a rare interview.In a lengthy dialogue with writer Bill Flanagan posted on Dylan’s website, the new winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature hailed the English soul singer who died in 2011 at age 27.“She was the last real individualist around,” Dylan said.Dylan, 75, also praised two living female singers with blues and folk influences, Valerie Jun

Performance March 24, 2017