Prosecutors on Tuesday indicted a man who broke the news on a corruption scandal involving former President Park Geun-hye on charges of influence-peddling.Ko Young-tae, a former associate of Park's close friend Choi Soon-sil, is accused of receiving some 22 million won ($19,500) from an official at the Incheon-based customs office in exchange for exerting influence on personnel issues. This image shows Ko Young-tae (center), a former associate of ousted President Park Geun-hye's friend Choi Soon

Social Affairs May 2, 2017

South Korea's foreign ministry on Tuesday expressed its reservations about civic activists' move to erect statues symbolizing Korean victims of forced labor under Japan's colonial rule near its diplomatic missions.A civic group is pushing to install such statues near the Japanese Embassy in Seoul and its consulate located in the southeastern port city of Busan. Japan raised strong objections and recently asked the Seoul government to take appropriate action. South Korean foreign ministry spokesm

Foreign Affairs May 2, 2017

St. Louis Cardinals closer Oh Seung-hwan has suffered his first loss of the season, with his scoreless appearance streak coming to a halt at six.The South Korean right-hander gave up three runs -- all of them unearned -- on two hits, including a home run, in 1 2/3 innings of work against the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium on Monday (local time) in St. Louis. The Brewers won the game 7-5 in 10 innings, and Oh dropped to 1-1, to go along with six saves in 12 appearances. Oh Seung-hwan of the S

Baseball May 2, 2017

The Cabinet on Tuesday passed an ordinance detailing the makeup and operational duties of a committee that will investigate the cause of the deadly ferry sinking that killed more than 300 people.The ordinance establishes a 53-member committee led by a minister-level chairman, a vice chairman and standing committee member. Officials from the maritime, interior, education and personnel management ministries, the Office of Government Policy Coordination, the National Police Agency and the Korea Com

Social Affairs May 2, 2017

WANDO -- The number of visitors to an international seaweed expo under way on this southwestern island exceeded its target of 600,000 on Tuesday, organizers said.The second Wando Seaweeds Expo received its 600,000th visitor Tuesday morning, 19 days after the exposition kicked off for a 24-day run. The 600,000th visitor to the second Wando Seaweeds Expo (center) poses with officials at the venue on the southwest coast on May 2, 2017. (Yonhap)The organizing committee expected at least 200,000 more

Travel May 2, 2017

Escalating tension between North Korea and the United States over the North's defiant pursuit of nuclear weapons is "credit negative" for South Korea, although the possibility of conflict is very low, international ratings agency Moody's said Tuesday. North Korea has conducted repeated ballistic missile tests in recent months and threatened to carry out its sixth nuclear test.  (Yonhap)The US sent its warships to the Korean Peninsula in a show of strength as Washington officials have not taken t

North Korea May 2, 2017

The hack into South Korea's military internet server several months ago was the work of North Korean agents working in China, investigators announced Tuesday.Wrapping up a drawn-out probe led by military prosecutors, the Ministry of National Defense added more than two dozen officials here will be disciplined for bungling the response. They include a two-star general leading the South's Cyber Command.An image of hacking attacks on South Korea's military. (Yonhap)"The Cyber Command triggered the

North Korea May 2, 2017

The South Korean government will hold counter-terror drills later this month as part of its preparations for the upcoming FIFA U-20 World Cup, Seoul officials said Tuesday. (Yonhap)The drills will be held in Suwon, some 46 kilometers south of Seoul, on May 16 to practice procedures to respond to a number of terrorism scenarios. The international competition is slated to take place in six cities -- Suwon, Jeonju, Incheon, Daejeon, Cheonan and Jeju -- from May 20 through June 11.The scenarios for

Defense May 2, 2017

North Korea on Tuesday poured out raw criticism on South Korea's security chief over his latest conversation with his US counterpart on the installation of an advanced US missile defense system, condemning him as "an ugly pro-American running dog." During a 25-minute phone call on Wednesday, National Security Adviser Kim Kwan-jin and his US counterpart H.R. McMaster agreed to maintain close cooperation over the North's saber-rattling and prompt the smooth installation of the Terminal High Altitu

North Korea May 2, 2017

A South Korean presidential committee on Tuesday released a white paper on its preparations for inter-Korean unification to help people better understand South Korea's unification policy, officials said.The white paper was published to document the Presidential Committee for Unification Preparation's activities for the past three years and present tasks needed for a united Korea, according to the committee.In July 2014, South Korea set up the 50-member committee, chaired by former President Park

Politics May 2, 2017

South Korea's top diplomat will meet with ambassadors of the United States and Japan on Tuesday to discuss cooperation in dealing with North Korea and its growing nuclear threat.Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se will meet with Marc Knapper, acting US Ambassador to South Korea, and Japanese Ambassador Yasumasa Nagamine in his office in the afternoon, according to the ministry.South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se (Yonhap)The unusual three-way meeting, arranged at the request of the ministry, fol

Foreign Affairs May 2, 2017

South Korea's Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn renewed his call for a "fair and clean" presidential vote Tuesday, warning against any election crimes, such as bribery, smear campaigns and opinion manipulation.During a Cabinet meeting likely to be the last one under his interim leadership, Hwang also stressed the importance of the May 9 election to pick a new leader tasked with overcoming a string of security and economic challenges. Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-

Politics May 2, 2017

A historic bridge in Gyeongbok Palace, which was reconstructed in 1953 after being destroyed during the 1950-1953 Korean War, will be returned to its original site after 60 years, the Cultural Heritage Administration said Tuesday.The administration said the Chwihyang Bridge, constructed over the artificial Hyangwon Lake, will be dismantled and moved to north of Hyangwon Pavilion -- where it used to stand.  Hyangwon Pavilion and Chwihyang Bridge inside Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul. (Yonhap)The name

Social Affairs May 2, 2017

An international human rights organization has called for the UN Security Council to refer those responsible for infringing on human rights in North Korea to an international court, a US broadcaster reported Tuesday.  The UN Security Council adopts Resolution 2321 against North Korea for its fifth nuclear test at a meeting in New York on Nov. 30, 2016. (Yonhap)The UN council should handle an issue to punish the North's human rights violations as well as its nuclear issue in order to realize just

Foreign Affairs May 2, 2017

American troops in South Korea confirmed Tuesday that their advanced missile defense system, called THAAD, has been put into operation despite controversies over its deployment here and cost."US Forces Korea confirms the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system is operational and has the ability to intercept North Korean missiles and defend the Republic of Korea," the USFK's spokesman Col. Rob Manning said in an emailed statement.He was calling South Korea by its official name.(Yonhap)The anno

Defense May 2, 2017