President Moon Jae-in's policy planning advisory panel on Wednesday called for a wholesale reform of the country's spy agency long suspected of meddling in politics to support the ruling elites.The State Affairs Planning Advisory Committee received a policy briefing from the National Intelligence Service, during which it stressed the need to revamp the agency's overall operations, including its management of budgets, personnel and policy divisions. This image shows National Intelligence Service

Politics May 31, 2017

HANOI -- Philippines authorities said Wednesday they have recaptured a South Korean murder suspect who escaped from a detention center three months ago.The fugitive, surnamed Park, was arrested in a surprise raid of an apartment in the northern city of Tarlac on Saturday, the Philippines' Bureau of Immigration said in a press release. This file photo provided by the National Police Agency on Nov. 18, 2016, shows a sugar cane field in Bacolor, the Philippines, where three South Koreans were found

Foreign Affairs May 31, 2017

Six North Korean fishermen rescued by South Korea were sent back home Wednesday, officials here said.They wound up in the South after their two boats drifted away from North Korea's east coast last week. An image of the North Korean fishermen rescued by South Korea in the East Sea on May 27, 2017, and sent home four days later (Yonhap)"After a test run, a ship carrying them was handed over to North Korea at around 9:05 a.m. in the East Sea," a Unification Ministry official said.The North Koreans

North Korea May 31, 2017

President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday vowed to build a stronger maritime nation by bolstering its economic and military powers at sea.As part of the efforts, he promised to establish a public corporation to provide financial assistance to the nation's ailing shipping and shipbuilding industries, and revive their global competitiveness. He also vowed to sternly deal with foreign fishing boats' illegal operation in sovereign waters.  President Moon Jae-in (Yonhap)Moon made the remark during a ceremon

Politics May 31, 2017

South Korea's top court on Wednesday confirmed a monetary penalty for a pop artist for distributing leaflets critical of former President Park Geun-hye across the country.Upholding a lower court's decision, the Supreme Court ordered Lee Byeong-ha to pay 2 million won ($1,700) in fines. Lee distributed a total of some 18,000 leaflets in Seoul and other major cities between 2014 and 2015. This provided photo, taken on Dec. 17, 2013, shows leaflets satirizing then-President Park Geun-hye and North

Social Affairs May 31, 2017

A parliamentary panel on Wednesday adopted a report on the outcome of its confirmation hearing for Prime Minister-nominee Lee Nak-yon, clearing the way for a vote on his appointment.Key members of the panel in charge of the hearing issued the report despite objection from conservative opposition lawmakers. It is a key procedure before voting on whether to approve the nominee dogged by a string of allegations surrounding his family members.Prime Minister-nominee Lee Nak-yon attends a parliamentar

Politics May 31, 2017

A private German aid agency has started a new project to help North Koreans, especially farmers, in the country's western provinces, a US broadcaster said Wednesday. Welthungerhilfe (World Hunger Aid) has secured a $1.45 million fund necessary for the project from the European Union, Voice of America said, citing the agency's spokeswoman Simone Pott.  A North Korean farm village (Yonhap)The core of the project is to teach residents in Pyongan and Hwanghae Provinces to make compost, manage weeds

North Korea May 31, 2017

Two-time National Basketball Association MVP Stephen Curry will visit South Korea this summer as part of his Asian corporate tour, officials said Wednesday.Athletics apparels brand Under Armour will bring Curry, All-Star guard for the Golden State Warriors, to South Korea from July 26 to 28. The summer's Asian tour will see Curry travel to three Chinese cities, Beijing, Chengdu and Hangzhou, before arriving in Seoul. Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors reacts after scoring against the San

More Sports May 31, 2017

South Korean stocks started marginally lower Wednesday mainly on the back of losses in top-listed firms, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index inched down 3.55 points, or 0.15 percent, to trade at 2,340.13 in the first 15 minutes of trading.Top-cap Samsung Electronics edged down 0.09 percent, with chipmaker SK hynix sliding 1.22 percent.Medical and insurance shares, however, started in positive terrain, with Samsung BioLogics, a biopharmaceutical affiliate of Samsung Gro

Market May 31, 2017

Hosts South Korea's exit will serve as a big blow to ticket sales for the FIFA U-20 World Cup as the organizers now hope South Koreans still fill the seats for other nations' matches.South Korea ended their U-20 World Cup journey in the round of 16 on Tuesday after losing to Portugal 3-1 at Cheonan Sports Complex in Cheonan, some 90 kilometers south of Seoul. South Korea's under-20 national football team players give their respect to supporters in the stands after losing to Portugal 3-1 in the F

Soccer May 31, 2017

The first PGA Tour event to be held here could have a record number of South Korean players in its field, organizers said Wednesday.CJ Group announced qualification criteria for the CJ Cup@Nine Bridges, which will be played from Oct. 19-22 at the Club at Nine Bridges on Jeju Island.And it said up to 20 South Koreans could compete at the tournament, which would be a record at a PGA tournament. Sohn Kyung-shik, chairman of CJ Group (left), and Jay Monahan, then deputy commissioner of the PGA Tour,

More Sports May 31, 2017

INCHEON -- South Korean volleyball star Kim Yeon-koung said Wednesday she hopes to duplicate her success in Europe with her new club in China.Kim, one of the world's top attackers, recently signed a one-year deal with Shanghai Guohua Life in the Chinese Volleyball League. It spelled an end of a six-season stint with Fenerbahce, with which Kim won two league championships and one continental title. She was the European Champions League MVP in 2012, the Turkish league MVP in 2015 and the Turkish C

More Sports May 31, 2017

CHEONAN -- South Korean football coach Shin Tae-young lamented his side's exit from the FIFA U-20 World Cup after losing 3-1 to Portugal on Tuesday.The tournament hosts failed to reach the quarterfinals after conceding three goals in front of 21,361 fans at Cheonan Sports Complex in Cheonan, some 90 kilometers south of Seoul. Second-half substitute Lee Sang-heon cut the deficit to two in the 81st, but South Korea didn't have enough time to create the miracle."It's really sad," Shin said. "Althou

Soccer May 31, 2017

CHEONAN -- As the host nation of the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup, South Korea harbored dreams of going deep into the 24-nation tournament. They hoped, however cautiously, to match the country's best performance at this competition -- the semifinals appearance in Mexico in 1983.But those dreams came crashing down on Tuesday in a 3-1 loss to Portugal in the round of 16.Before more than 21,000 fans at Cheonan Sports Complex in Cheonan, 90 kilometers south of Seoul, South Korea picked the worst moment

Soccer May 31, 2017

JEJU ISLAND -- Jeju Forum, an annual regional dialogue for promoting peace and prosperity in Asia, kicked off its three-day run on the South Korean resort island of Jeju on Wednesday, bringing together some 5,000 government officials and experts from around the world to discuss future visions on security, economy, environment and other major fronts.This year's forum, the 12th since its launch in 2001, opened at the Jeju Convention Center with the theme "Sharing a Common Vision for Asia's Future.

Foreign Affairs May 31, 2017