South Korea expressed "strong regret" over steps taken by Japan on Friday, including recalling its ambassador, in protest against a statue recently set up in front of its consulate office to shed light on its wartime atrocities of forcing women into sexual slavery. "We express our strong regret over the action taken by Japan with regard to the statue," the foreign ministry said in a comment issued in the name of its spokesman. "The government wants to make it clear again that both countries shou

Diplomatic Circuit Jan. 6, 2017

Samsung Electronics Co. predicted Friday that its fourth-quarter operating profit last year may have jumped about 50 percent on-year, beating market expectations as strong sales of chips and displays appeared to help offset losses from a global recall of the Galaxy Note 7 smartphones.Operating profit is estimated at 9.2 trillion won ($7.72 billion) in the October-December period last year, up 49.84 percent from the same quarter of 2015, Samsung said in a statement.  (Yonhap)Compared with a quart

Latest News Jan. 6, 2017

 North Korea's development of banned long-range missiles is in ``final stages,'' the country's leader Kim Jong-un was quoted as saying in his New Year's message. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un delivers a New Year message on Sunday. (Yonhap) Kim also threatened to boost his country's military capability unless the US ends war games with rival South Korea, according to Seoul's Yonhap news agency, which monitored Kim's address on Sunday.  Under Kim, who rose to power following his father's death i

North Korea Jan. 1, 2017

  HONOLULU (AP) -- In a sweeping response to election hacking and other bad behavior, President Barack Obama on Thursday sanctioned Russian intelligence services and their top officials, kicked out 35 Russian officials and shuttered two Russian-owned compounds in the US. It was the strongest action the Obama administration has taken to date to retaliate for a cyberattack. ``All Americans should be alarmed by Russia's actions,'' Obama said, adding, ``Such activities have consequences.''  A file p

World News Dec. 30, 2016

Special prosecutors took South Korea's state-run pension fund chief into emergency detention early Wednesday over suspicions he pressured the fund to back a major merger deal between Samsung subsidiaries when he was health minister last year.Moon Hyung-pyo, chief of the National Pension Service (NPS), was put into custody after appearing before the special investigation team for questioning earlier in the day.Investigators said they decided to put him under arrest over concern he could try to de

Social Affairs Dec. 28, 2016

South Korea's customs service on Saturday announced six new operators for duty-free shops in Seoul and two other cities.The Korea Customs Service said that it selected Hyundai Department Store, Shinsegae DF and Lotte Duty Free for three outlets in Seoul. Top City Corp. took the Seoul slot reserved for a small and medium-sized firm. (Yonhap)Busan Duty Free won the license for a shop in the southern port city of Busan, while Alpensia clinched the license for an outlet in Gangwon Province. The anno

Business Dec. 17, 2016

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Park Geun-hye clashed with anti-Park protesters Saturday, as large crowds of demonstrators again gathered in Seoul to demand the scandal-ridden leader's immediate ouster. Protesters gather in Gwanghwamun in central Seoul on Saturday to demand impeached President Park's immediate resignation. (Yonhap)  Supporters of President Park and conservative civic groups hold a rally in central Seoul to show their opposition to the impeachment of the president

Social Affairs Dec. 17, 2016

North Korea on Saturday held a large-scale gathering in Pyongyang to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the death of its former leader Kim Jong-il, the communist country's state media reported.The North's official Korean Central Television said that the massive gathering took place at the square in front of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun where the embalmed bodies of the current leader's father Kim Jong-il and grandfather Kim Il-sung lie in state.From 3:30 p.m. (South Korean time), the state tele

Latest News Dec. 17, 2016

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un conducted a large scale military drill targeting South Korea's presidential Blue House, state media said Sunday.The military exercise of the North's special operation forces -- carried out as Kim watched with binoculars at an observation post -- was aimed at "destroying specified targets of the enemy," including the South's Blue House, KCNA said. (Yonhap) (Yonhap) (Yonhap) (Yonhap)The ruling Workers' Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun also carried a two-page report of

Latest News Dec. 11, 2016

South Koreans acted "peacefully, with calm and responsibility" in the run-up to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye, the White House said Friday, reaffirming that the United States will remain a steadfast ally of Seoul."We are closely following events in the Republic of Korea. We note that throughout this time of political change, South Koreans have acted peacefully, with calm and responsibility, in the spirit of ROK democratic principles," Emily Horne, a spokesperson at the National Secu

Diplomatic Circuit Dec. 10, 2016

The justice minister and a presidential aide offered to resign earlier this week after President Park Geun-hye was implicated as an accomplice in a high-profile corruption scandal involving her confidante, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday.Justice Minister Kim Hyun-woong and Choi Jai-kyeong, senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, tendered their resignations after the prosecution claimed Sunday that Park was complicit in wrongdoings involving her friend Choi Soon-sil

National Nov. 23, 2016