Best-selling Korean author Shin Kyung-sook’s novel “Please Look after Mom” has hit the shelves in France amid heightened attention to Korean literature overseas. To mark the official publication of the hit novel depicting the distinctive character of a Korean mother, a publication party was held on Tuesday at the Korean Culture Center in Paris.Reflecting the novel’s popularity in the U.S. and else

People June 9, 2011

An American woman named Karen Butler went to the dentist to remove several teeth and came out speaking a foreign -- slightly Irish -- accent.  She is believed to be suffering from a rare neurological disorder called foreign accent syndrome (FAS). This complication was first diagnosed in Norway in 1941 when a woman was hit by shrapnel from an air raid in World War II. Since then, there have only be

Podcast June 9, 2011

Wild jinseng jackpot found in Jeonnam Province About 120 roots of wild ginseng were found in Jeonnam Province, which may be worth up to $100,000.Wild ginseng is very rare and traditionally considered sacred -- according to legend it can only be found by those with a pure heart. It is also invaluable to Oriental medicine, often referred to as a “cure-all,” or symbol of longevity.Two men, known by t

Social Affairs June 9, 2011

   LONDON (AFP) - Most people would think twice before buying a boat named Titanic II. And sure enough, when Briton Mark Wilkinson took the 16-foot (4.8-metre) cabin cruiser out for its maiden voyage, it promptly sank.    "If it wasn't for the harbourmaster I would have gone down with the Titanic," Wilkinson, who had to be fished out of the sea at West Bay harbour in Dorset, southern England, told

World News June 8, 2011

To mark the Queen's diamond jubilee in 2012, the world's biggest drinks company said it plans to produce a limited edition scotch whisky costing £100,000 ($152,465) a bottle. John Walker & Sons said the limited edition of 60 crystal decanters of `Diamond Jubilee Blended Scotch Whisky by John Walker & Sons` is a unique blend of whiskies distilled in 1952 and finished in a marrying cask of English o

Industry June 8, 2011

A man enraged after his girlfriend was molested was accused of threatening police officers.Park, 25, crashed into a police station and demanded to be shown a sex offender in custody who had assaulted his girlfriend. Gwangju Seobu Police Station, however, refused Park’s demands to protect the privacy of the offender. After failing to find out who molested his girlfriend, Park took out a weapon and

Social Affairs June 8, 2011

   HAMBURG, Germany (AP) _ First they pointed a finger at Spanish cucumbers. Then they cast suspicion on sprouts from Germany. Now German officials appear dumbfounded as to the source of the deadliest E. coli outbreak in modern history, and one U.S. expert has called the investigation a ``disaster.''   Backtracking for the second time in a week, officials Monday said preliminary tests have found n

Technology June 7, 2011

    LOS ANGELES (Yonhap) -- A South Korean lawmaker and businessman, internationally known for his role in the football governing body FIFA, said Monday that he has set his sights on next year's presidential election.   "Personally, I have much to improve (about myself) but I will try hard to become the presidential candidate of the Grand National Party (GNP)," Rep. Chung Mong-joon said in a meeti

Politics June 7, 2011

   The presidential office called for caution Monday in parliament's handling of a proposal to scrap an elite investigation team in the prosecution, as the chief prosecutor warned that the proposal, if adopted, would seriously undermine the prosecution's power to battle corruption.   The move was seen as a de-facto opposition to the parliament's move to abolish the Central Investigation Department

Politics June 6, 2011

Months after registration, no sign of operations at Facebook Korea  By Cho Ji-hyun　Nearly eight months have passed since Facebook, the biggest name in social media, filed paperwork to establish a corporation in Korea. But Facebook Korea is still nowhere to be seen. 　 According to industry sources, Facebook Korea turned in its application to Korean authorities to set up a corporation in Korea in Oc

June 6, 2011