The National Assembly on Wednesday decided to hold a confirmation hearing for National Intelligence Service chief-nominee Suh Hoon later this month, parliamentary officials said.The parliament's intelligence committee plans to hold the hearing on May 29 and adopt a report on its outcome the following day, the officials said.This image shows National Intelligence Service chief-nominee Suh Hoon. (Yonhap)The appointment of a new spy chief does not require parliamentary approval.President Moon Jae-i

Politics May 17, 2017

The floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party on Wednesday raised the possibility of sending back a recently installed missile defense system to the United States if there are any procedural problems in the deployment.Rep. Woo Won-shik also reiterated that the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery to South Korea requires parliamentary approval. This photo, taken on May 16, 2017, shows Democratic Party floor leader Rep. Woo Won-shik speaking during a party meeting at the

Politics May 17, 2017

BEIJING -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in's special envoy will leave for China later this week to deliver the president's message and discuss cooperation, the Chinese foreign ministry said Tuesday.On Monday, Moon named former prime minister Lee Hae-chan as his special envoy to China. He is tasked with delivering Moon's message to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.President Moon Jae-in (left) shakes hands with his special envoy to China, Lee Hae-chan, at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on May 16, 201

Politics May 16, 2017

North Korea said Tuesday it will continue to conduct nuclear or missile tests with smaller and more diversified nuclear weapons, according to its state media.The pledge came at a meeting between a senior North Korean foreign ministry official and diplomatic representatives from four Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam and Laos, over its latest test of a new ballistic missile. This set of photos carried by North Korea's main newspaper Rodong Sinmun on May 15, 2017, shows a new North Kore

North Korea May 16, 2017

South Korea's foreign ministry said Tuesday that it is reviewing a UN panel's recent recommendation that a 2015 deal reached with Japan on its wartime sexual slavery be modified to sufficiently help and support the victims. South Korea and Japan agreed to the deal in December 2015 under which Tokyo provided 1 billion yen ($9.1 million) to support the lives of South Korean victims. Critics, however, have accused it of lacking any prior consultation with the victims, as well as Japan's sincere apo

Foreign Affairs May 16, 2017

Prosecutors on Tuesday indicted a former prosecutor over allegations he received bribes from a former chief of a local cosmetics company in a high-profile scandal that rocked the country's legal sector last year. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office said the ex-prosecutor, identified only by his last name Park, is accused of receiving 100 million won ($89,600) from Jung Woon-ho, former chief of Nature Republic, in 2014 in return for peddling influence in relation to the state watchdog'

Social Affairs May 16, 2017

Former President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday asked a Seoul court to separate her case from her friend's, who is at the center of a corruption scandal that brought Park down from office. During the second preparatory session for her trial at the Seoul Central District Court, Park's legal representatives denied all charges leveled against her and said her case should be reviewed apart from Choi Soon-sil's case.The former president was indicted last month over a string of corruption allegations, inclu

Social Affairs May 16, 2017

South Korea's Defense Minister Han Min-koo warned Tuesday that his country will launch a pre-emptive strike if there are clear signs of an imminent North Korean missile attack.His remarks came two days after the communist state fired another ballistic missile, which it claimed was a mid- to long-range missile capable of carrying a "large-size, heavy" nuclear warhead and targeting the continental United States. Defense Minister Han Min-koo speaks during a parliamentary session at the National Ass

Defense May 16, 2017

South Korea and the United States agreed Tuesday to work toward the "complete" denuclearization of North Korea, also vowing to seek new and practical ways to rid the communist North of its nuclear weapons, Seoul officials said.The agreement came at a meeting between South Korean officials and US National Security Council officials."The United States reaffirmed its strong commitment to the security and defense of South Korea," Yoon Young-chan, the top press secretary of South Korean President Moo

Foreign Affairs May 16, 2017

South Korea's unification ministry said Tuesday that it is illogical for North Korea to call for the South to honor inter-Korean agreements on cooperation while testing a new ballistic missile.Ji Jae-ryong, North Korea's top envoy to China, on Monday called on South Korea's new government to respect and fully implement inter-Korean agreements on reconciliation and cooperation during his meeting with foreign reporters. (Yonhap)The Ministry of Unification in Seoul said that the North's call cannot

North Korea May 16, 2017

North Korea maintains preparedness to conduct another nuclear test at any time, South Korea's defense ministry told lawmakers Tuesday, a day after Pyongyang asserted the success of its weekend ballistic missile test.In a report to the National Assembly's national defense committee, the ministry pointed out the North seems determined to show to the world that it's not kowtowing to US-led sanctions and pressure. (Yonhap)"There's a possibility of various strategic and tactical provocations in case

North Korea May 16, 2017

Almost half of South Koreans living alone are skipping breakfast, with a growing tendency of the younger generation to consume more instant meals and less vegetables and fruit, a survey showed Tuesday. Only 53.5 percent of the respondents who live on their own said they have breakfast every day, far lower than the 65.3 percent of people who were asked the same question in the latest survey conducted by Gallup Korea and Amway Korea. The latest poll checked 1,011 people aged between 20-59. Egg fri

Social Affairs May 16, 2017

A 56-year-old man was sentenced to eight months in prison Tuesday on charges of attacking three journalists during a violent street rally against the Constitutional Court's decision to dismiss Park Geun-hye as president.  Supporters of ousted President Park Geun-hye attempt to cross over the barricades of police buses during a protest held against the Constitutional Court's decision to remove her from office on the same day. (Yonhap)The Seoul Central District Court convicted the defendant, ident

Social Affairs May 16, 2017

The money supply in South Korea jumped 6.2 percent in March from a year earlier, the central bank said Tuesday. The nation's "M2" totaled 2,436.9 trillion won ($2.1 trillion) in March, compared with 2,294.5 trillion won a year earlier, the Bank of Korea said in a statement.Month-on-month, the money supply gained 0.8 percent, the statement said.M2 is a measure of the money supply counting the currency in circulation, including bank debentures and deposits with a maturity of less than tw

Market May 16, 2017

Foreign currency deposits held by banks operating in South Korea fell in April as exporters reduced their deposits of dollar-denominated earnings, central bank data showed Tuesday.Outstanding foreign currency deposits held by local banks, domestic and foreign, reached $67.39 billion in April, down from 70.54 billion a month earlier, the Bank of Korea said in a statement.  Broken down, foreign currency deposits held by domestic lenders came to $57.98 billion in April, down from $60.33 billio

Market May 16, 2017