A group of South Korean scientists have developed a new technology to print three-dimensional nano-sized electronic tubes, the state-run institute said Monday, a finding that may contribute to the development of wearable technologies such as bendable electronic devices.The team, led by Seol Seung-kwon at the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute, developed the printing technology using a new nozzle to print highly conductive 3D carbon nanotubes. (Photo courtesy of the Korea Electrotechnolog

Technology June 12, 2017

PARIS (AFP) -- French President Emmanuel Macron‘s party is on course for an overwhelming parliamentary majority, after Sunday’s first round of voting for the National Assembly left traditional parties in disarray.Projections showed Macron widening his centrist revolution, with his Republic on the Move party and its ally MoDem tipped to win between 400 and 445 seats in the 577-member National Assembly in next Sunday’s second round.Such a share would give Macron one of the biggest parliamentary ma

World News June 12, 2017

The United States Marine Corps. has brought light, off-road high mobility vehicles to South Korea to join an ongoing military drill, officials said Monday.The 3rd Marine Division stationed at a camp in Japan's Okinawa is conducting military maneuvers in South Korea by mobilizing US utility task vehicles, according to officials at the allies' marines. This image captured from the website of the US Defense Department on June 12, 2017, shows utility task vehicles which US Marine Corps. has brought

Defense June 12, 2017

About 14,000 people are dying prematurely every year in South Korea as a result of air pollution, a medical professor said Monday, citing a report by the US-based Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.Cheong Hae-kwan, a professor at the Medical College of Seoul's Sungkyunkwan University, said during a seminar that the number of premature deaths in South Korea caused by air pollution was tallied at 13,703 in 2013 in the IHME report.This May 2017 file photo shows people looking at the landsc

Social Affairs June 12, 2017

Unfair contracts and practices are posing a grave threat to the livelihood of cultural artists operating in Seoul, a survey conducted by the metropolitan government said Monday.In the poll of 315 cartoonists and webtoon writers and 519 illustrators from last December to February this year, four of five illustrators, or 79 percent, and 37 percent of cartoonists and webtoon writers said they were forced to sign unfair contracts.Among the unfair contracts signed by illustrators, demand for excessiv

Social Affairs June 12, 2017

GOMA (AFP) -- Eleven people were killed and more than 900 inmates escaped Sunday after unidentified assailants attacked a jail in DR Congo's restive east, an official said."The Kangwayi prison in Beni was attacked at 3:30 pm (1330 GMT) by assailants whose identity is not yet known," Julien Paluku, governor of North Kivu province, told reporters."In the exchange of fire between security forces and the attackers, authorities have (counted) 11 dead including eight members of the security forces," P

World News June 12, 2017

Three major parties agreed Monday to deliberate on a 11.2 trillion won ($9.9 billion) extra budget bill, aimed at creating jobs for youth, party officials said, amid a lingering controversy over its legality.The agreement came during a meeting involving National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun and the floor leaders of the ruling Democratic Party, and the minor opposition People's Party and Bareun Party. The main opposition Liberty Korea Party did not join the meeting. National Assembly Speaker C

Politics June 12, 2017

South Korea joined hands with the United States to boost cooperation in a wide range of cybersecurity areas, Seoul's ICT ministry said Monday. The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research will inject a combined US$3 million over the next three years to secure core technologies in the sector, according to the ministry. (Yonhap)Among the projects are developing the next-generation code, and enhancing security of the Internet of Things (IoT) and

Defense June 12, 2017

South Korea's foreign ministry said Monday that it has called for Japan to be more careful in making any comments on such thorny bilateral issues as how to resolve the long-running dispute over Japan's wartime sexual slavery of Korean women. This was in response to controversial remarks by Toshihiro Nikai, secretary-general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party. In his meeting with South Korean lawmakers on Saturday, he called for efforts to "eradicate" those seeking any tricks. Toshihiro N

Foreign Affairs June 12, 2017

BOLOGNA, Italy (AFP) -- The United States’ partners in the G-7 club of wealthy democracies vowed Sunday to pursue efforts to curb climate change despite a rift caused by the American withdrawal from the Paris accord.“G-7 countries have crucial roles and responsibilities to our own public opinion, to developing countries and to the planet,” Italy’s Environment Minister Gian Luca Galletti said at a two-day meeting of G-7 environmental chiefs in Italy. “The international community awaits our messag

World News June 12, 2017

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- Former FBI director James Comey‘s scathing testimony has boosted the case for obstruction of justice charges against President Donald Trump, legal experts say.But more evidence is needed to prove that the president attempted to stymie the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, which has several Trump campaign aides in its crosshairs.With stronger evidence, Trump could face the same sort of criminal allegations that forced president Richard Nixon to resign i

World News June 12, 2017

PARIS (AFP) -- For France‘s Socialists, the pain keeps getting worse. After five years in power under ex-president Francois Hollande, the party now faces a battle to survive after a historic drubbing in parliamentary elections.Projections on Sunday showed it crashing to 15-40 members in the new national assembly from 277 currently. Even party boss Jean-Christophe Cambadelis, a 20-year veteran of parliament, lost his seat along with a host of senior figures and former ministers.Cambadelis said th

World News June 12, 2017

The government said Monday it will consider lowering the financial burden of senior citizens getting dentures and dental implants starting next year to meet President Moon Jae-in's campaign pledge.Those aged over 65 are currently required to pay half of the costs for dentures and dental implants. (Yonhap)The 50 percent cost, however, still poses a serious financial burden to seniors who are not economically active, an official of the Ministry of Health and Welfare said, adding the ministry will

Social Affairs June 12, 2017

Female temporary employees are 1.4 times more susceptible to hypertension than regular female workers due to stress from unstable job security, a survey showed Monday.The survey of 5,338 people by professor Park Sang-min of Seoul National University, however, found no difference in the ratio of hypertension contraction between regular and nonregular male workers. Temporary workers stage a rally at the Gwanghwamun Plaza in downtown Seoul on May 11, 2017, to demand job security and a pay raise. (Y

Social Affairs June 12, 2017

Nearly 6 in 10 South Korean jobseekers are willing to work for even low-paying, temporary jobs, a poll showed Monday, pointing to the grim reality facing local job hunters.The leading online job search portal JobKorea said its survey of 1,368 jobseekers showed that 57.7 percent have intentions to work even as irregular employees.Nearly 61 percent of surveyed women answered they want to have nonregular jobs, with the comparable figure coming to 39.4 percent.Nearly 45 percent replied they want tem

Social Affairs June 12, 2017