The United States is prepared to launch a pre-emptive strike on North Korea if it is certain that the communist nation is about to follow through with its sixth nuclear test, NBC News reported Thursday, citing multiple senior intelligence officials.The unidentified officials were quoted as saying that the US has positioned two destroyers capable of shooting Tomahawk cruise missiles in the region, one of them just 300 miles from the North Korean nuclear test site.US heavy bombers are also positio

Latest News April 14, 2017

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged peaceful resolution of tensions on the Korean Peninsula in his call with US President Donal Trump, Beijing's state media reported Wednesday. In his talk with Trump, Xi said China "advocates resolving the issue through peaceful means,"  the Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.The phone talks came amid mounting military tensions on the peninsula as the US is taking a hardline stance against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.Trump and Xi held summit ta

Latest News April 12, 2017

Political parties and presidential contenders showed mixed reactions after former President Park Geun-hye was arrested Friday in connection with a corruption scandal that led to her removal from office.Park's Liberty Korea Party said in a statement the arrest is "truly regrettable" and voiced hope that such a "painful history" won't repeat itself.Former President Park Geun-hye (C) is taken to a detention center south of Seoul on March 31, 2017, after a court issued a warrant for her arrest over

Politics March 31, 2017

The US Department of Commerce decided Thursday to impose an 11.7 percent duty on carbon and alloy steel plate imports from South Korea‘s steel giant Posco.The penalty is slightly higher than the department’s preliminary decision made in November to impose a 7.46 percent duty on Posco products, but is still considered a moderate level, compared with duties levied on companies in other countries.(Yonhap)The move affects cut-to-length plate imports.Japanese companies were hit with duties ranging fr

Industry March 31, 2017

The Kori-4 nuclear reactor in BusanSouth Korea's nuclear operator said Tuesday that it manually shut down a reactor to deal with a coolant problem.The Kori 4 reactor was shut down at 5:11 a.m. after there was a rise in coolant levels in a collection tank, the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. said. The reactor is located some 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul in northern Busan.The company said operation of the reactor was gradually reduced in the early morning hours as a precaution after enginee

National March 28, 2017

The Seoul Station Overpass, once a driveway passing through the heart of Seoul, is set to transform into a brand-new citizen’s park.　The Seoul Metropolitan Government said the newly renovated overpass will be open to the public on May 20. The structure comes with the new name “Seoullo 7017,” combining the year 1970 when it was first built and 2017 -- when it was remodeled to be a pedestrian-friendly road.　The overpass had been used as a major driveway connecting Mapo-gu, western Seoul, and Jung-

Social Affairs March 27, 2017

Former President Park Geun-hye remained mum and still stayed in the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae Saturday, a day after the Constitutional Court ruled to dismiss her over a massive corruption scandal.Her aides and observers said Park might need some time to cope with the sudden deprivation of the presidential prerogatives, an impending prosecutorial probe and trenchant public criticism.Participants attend a rally in front of Cheong Wa Dae to celebrate the ouster of President Park Geun-hye on

Latest News March 11, 2017

10일 박근혜 전 대통령의 파면이 결정된 이후 벌어진 탄핵 반대시위에 참가했다가 숨진 집회 참가자가 3명으로 늘었다.11일 경찰에 따르면 이날 오전 6시45분께 탄핵 반대시위 참가자 이모(74)씨가 병원에서 숨졌다.이씨는 탄핵 인용이 발표된 직후인 전날 낮 12시30분께 지하철 3호선 안국역 인 근에서 경찰과 대치하다 쓰러진 것으로 알려졌다.의식을 잃고 병원에 이송된 이씨는 20시간가량 치료를 받았지만, 결국 이날  새벽 사망했다.  박근혜 대통령 탄핵이 인용된 뒤 서울 종로구 안국역 사거리 헌법재판소로 향하는 길에서 보수단체 회원 등이 경찰을 폭행하고 있다. (연합)경찰은 사망 경위를 확인하고, 유족과 협의해 부검을 진행할 예정이다.앞서 전날 집회 현장에서 부상해 병원으로 후송됐던 2명은 전날 사망했다.  현재 병원에 이송된 또 다른 참가자 1명도 위중한 상태인 것으로 알려졌다.한편 서울 종로경찰서는 전날 집회 사망사고 피의자로 긴급체포한 정모(65)씨에 대해 이날 오후 구속영장을

한국어판 March 11, 2017

소설가 이외수가 10일 끊임없이 눈물을 흘렸다고 밝혔다. 그 이유는 헌법재판소의 8:0 만장일치 박근혜 대통령 탄핵 ‘인용’ 결정이었다.트위터 대통령이라는 닉네임을 얻고있는 이외수는 이날 자신의 트위터에 “전원일치 탄핵 결정. 울었다”며 “멋진 대한민국. 끊임없이 눈물이 난다”고 올렸다.이외수는 작년 촛불집회 이래로 SNS를 통해 최순실 국정농단 사태를 꼬집으며 비판을 이어왔다. (khnews@heraldcorp.com) 

한국어판 March 11, 2017

 한국에 있는 한 영국인 교수가 헌법재판소의 박근혜 대통령 탄핵 결정에 관한 영국 BBC 방송과 생방송 인터뷰 도중 아이들의 '방해'를 받은 영상이 10일(현지시간) 영국 주요 언론들에서 관심을 끌었다.BBC 방송은 "아이들이 BBC 뉴스 인터뷰를 방해했다"며 이 동영상을 자사 홈페이지 첫 화면에 올렸다.동영상에 따르면 로버트 켈리 교수가 BBC 앵커로부터 박 대통령의 파면이 남북관계에 미칠 영향을 묻는 질문을 받는 순간 어린 자녀가 켈리 교수의 옆에 다가와 화면에 잡힌다.BBC 캡쳐잠시 답변을 못 한 그는 '사과한다' '미안하다'고 했다. 하지만 다시 답변하려는 순간 이번엔 유모차를 탄 작은 아이가 화상 연결된 방에 들어오는 바람에 다시 '방해'를 받는다. 곧바로 한 여성이 아이들을 방에서 데려나간 후에야 평온이 찾아왔다.BBC는 "그가 침착을 유지했고 인터뷰를 성공적으로 마쳤다"고 적었다.이 동영상은 가디언, 텔레그래프 등 다른 영국 주요 언론들의 홈페이지에도 오르고 트위터 등으

한국어판 March 11, 2017

Malaysia said it expelled North Korea's ambassador on Saturday for refusing to apologize for his strong accusations over Malaysia's handling of the investigation into the killing of the North Korean leader's half brother.Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said a notice was sent to the North Korean Embassy at around 6 p.m. declaring Ambassador Kang Chol persona non grata. The notice said Kang must leave Malaysia within 48 hours.Earlier in the week, Malaysia demanded that North Korea formally apologize

Latest News March 5, 2017

The US State Department expressed concern Thursday about a series of retaliatory measures China has been taking against South Korean businesses over Seoul's decision to host the US THAAD missile defense system, calling the reaction "unreasonable and inappropriate.""We are concerned and closely monitoring reports that China has taken actions against South Korean private sector entities for the US.-ROK (South Korea) decision to deploy THAAD in the ROK," a State Department spokesperson told Yonhap

Latest News March 3, 2017

China has instructed travel agencies in the country to stop selling trips to South Korea, sources said Thursday, in what is seen as another retaliatory move against Seoul's decision to deploy an advanced US anti-missile defense system. According to industry sources in China, the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) called travel agencies in Beijing for a meeting on Thursday and gave them verbal instructions to suspend sales of all travel packages, both online and offline, to South Korea.

Latest News March 3, 2017

이재용 삼성전자 부회장을 구속한 박영수  특별 검사팀이 구속 당일인 17일에는 이 부회장을 즉시 소환 조사할 계획이 없다고  밝혔다.이 부회장은 전날 서울중앙지법에서 열린 구속 전  피의자심문(영장실질심사)에 서 약 7시간 30분에 걸쳐 치열한 법리 다툼을 벌였다. 법원은 심문 자체를 포함해 검토 시간까지 합해 약 19시간여에 이르는 장시간의 심사 끝에 영장을 발부했다. 서울 구치소로 향하는 이재용 삼성전자 부회장 (연합)이후 서울구치소로 이동한 이 부회장은 6.56㎡(약 1.9평)짜리 독방(독거실)에서 하루를 넘겨 이날 오전 5시 30분께를 전후해 구속이 결정될 때까지 거의 잠을  이루 지 못한 것으로 전해졌다. 수사 시한이 이달 28일까지로 촉박한 특검이 이 부회장을 이날 오후 소환할  거 라는 관측이 한때 나오기도 했지만, 특검은 이 부회장과 특검 수사팀 등의 피로도 등을 고려해 굳이 급히 소환할 필요성은 낮다고 본 것으로 여겨진다. 전날 영장심사에 참석한 특검팀의 윤석열 수사

한국어판 Feb. 17, 2017

Samsung Group, South Korea's biggest business conglomerate, is on high alert on Friday as the group's de facto leader, Lee Jae-yong, has been formally detained over his alleged role in a widening corruption scandal that led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye.Special prosecutors investigating the scandal filed an arrest warrant against Lee, vice chairman of the group's crown jewel, Samsung Electronics Co., earlier this week for a second time in a month with expanded charges. Samsung he

Latest News Feb. 17, 2017