North Korea has publicly executed four citizens who were recently repatriated from China after being caught by the Chinese authorities, a North Korean defector in South Korea claimed Monday.   The four were among a group of 44 North Koreans who fled to China to avoid political oppression and chronic food shortages in the North, according to Kim Heung-kwang, the head of NK Intellectuals Solidarity,

North Korea June 25, 2012

   SAN FRANCISCO -- Google shareholders gave CEO Larry Page what he wanted Thursday by approving an unconventional stock split meant to cement his authority, but he wasn't around to hail the victory.   Page missed the Internet search leader's annual shareholders meeting because he has lost his voice, a previously undisclosed problem. Google didn't provide any other details about co-founder Page's

World Business June 22, 2012

ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- In an election crucial for Greece, Europe and the world, exit polls on Sunday showed the two top contenders in Greece to be neck-and-neck.The outcome of Sunday's vote could determine whether Greece remains in the euro or is forced to leave the joint currency, a move that could drag down other European countries and have potentially catastrophic consequences for the global ec

World News June 18, 2012

North Korea on Sunday slammed U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for what it calls "reckless remarks" on the North's human rights and public livelihood issues.In a spokesman's remark given to the official Korean Central News Agency, the North's foreign ministry urged Clinton to pay more attention to the issues of U.S. economic crisis and huge hordes of jobless people, instead of "imprudently"

North Korea June 18, 2012

   YEOSU -- Dozens of K-pop groups and popular singers will hold a series of separate concerts at the World Expo here starting this week, organizers said Sunday.   The move is part of efforts by organizers to increase the number of visitors to the quadrennial fair, which opened on May 12 for a 93-day run.    A four-member boy band 2AM will hold its concert at the Expo venue on Tuesday, followed by

Performance June 17, 2012

마이크로소프트가 소셜서비스 업체인 야머를 12억불에 전격 인수할 것으로 알려졌다. 소식통에 따르면 인수계약에 대한 공식발표는 6월 말로 예정되어 있으며 마이크로소프트와 야머의 홍보담당자는 공식적인 언급을 거부했다고 블룸버그가 보도했다.마이크로소프트의 야머 인수는 최근 스마트폰과 SNS의 급격한 성장세에 밀려 마이크로소프트의 입지가 정체되어 있는 상황과 관련이 있다. 페이스북과 트위터 등의 새로운 서비스가 각광을 받고 있지만 마이크로소프트는 해당 분야에서 주목할 만한 성과를 내지 못하고 있다. 야머를 인수함으로써 마이크로소프트는 오피스 등의 프로그램과 연동해 새로운 시너지를 확보하려는 의지로 해석되고 있다.미국 IT업계에서는 최근 비슷한 SNS 업체 인수가 유행이다. 세일즈포스의 경우 6월 초 버디미디어 소셜마케팅 솔루션 회사를 인수한 것이 한 예. 오라클도 소설미디어 사이트를 분석하는 회사 2개를 최근에 인수했다. 샌프란시스코에 본사를 둔 야머는 2008년에 데이빗 삭스에 의해 만들

Podcast June 17, 2012

Microsoft Corp., the world’s largest software maker, has agreed to purchase Yammer Inc., operator of a social network for businesses, for $1.2 billion, said a person familiar with the matter.The deal is expected to be announced by the end of June, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the negotiations are private. Dee Anna McPherson, a spokeswoman for Yammer, declined to comment

Technology June 17, 2012

North Korea will field 49 athletes in 11 sports in the upcoming Olympic Games in London, the country's official news agency reported Friday.   Thirty-five female and 14 male athletes have so far qualified for the July 27 through Aug. 12 games in women's football, marathon, table tennis, wrestling and weight lifting, the (North) Korean Central News Agency said.   The weight lifters and wrestlers ar

North Korea June 8, 2012

  The Bank of Korea held off from altering borrowing costs for a 12th straight month as easing inflation gave policy makers room to wait and see how Europe's debt crisis and China's slowdown affect the economy.    Governor Kim Choong-soo and his board kept the benchmark seven-day repurchase rate unchanged at 3.25 percent as predicted by all 15 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News.    South Korea

June 8, 2012