North Korea's latest launch of a long-range rocket prompted Seoul and Washington to begin talks on the deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defense system in South Korea, a move that has been strongly opposed by the North's important ally, China. North Korea said Sunday it successfully put a satellite into orbit, but the international community swiftly condemned the launch as a covert test of ballistic missile technology, which is banned under U.N. resolutions.China's reaction to North Korea's

North Korea Feb. 8, 2016

South Korea said Monday that gaining the public's support is a prerequisite for Seoul to review whether to seek a pact on sharing military intelligence with Japan.Japan's Kyodo News reported Sunday that South Korea and Japan seem to hold the view that conditions are ripe for deepening military cooperation, saying that Defense Minister Han Min-koo said Seoul is mulling reviewing whether to clinch a Seoul-Tokyo pact on sharing military intelligence.In 2012, the two nations initialed such a pact to

Defense Feb. 8, 2016

China summoned South Korea's ambassador on Sunday to protest Seoul's decision to begin talks with Washington on the deployment of an advanced American missile defense system to South Korea following the North's long-range rocket launch.Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin summoned the South Korean ambassador to China, Kim Jang-soo, and lodged representations to Kim over the decision, China's foreign ministry said in a brief statement. Hours after North Korea claimed it had successfully put

Foreign Affairs Feb. 8, 2016

China's foreign ministry expressed "deep concern" on Sunday as Seoul and Washington agreed to begin talks on the deployment of an advanced American missile defense system to South Korea following the North's long-range rocket launch. Hours after North Korea claimed it had successfully put a satellite into orbit, South Korea and the U.S. announced that they would begin talks on the deployment of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery to South Korea. The launch is widely viewed as

Foreign Affairs Feb. 8, 2016

North Korea's long-range rocket should be viewed as a ballistic missile as the satellite it put into orbit is worthless, lawmakers said Sunday, citing South Korea's spy agency.The satellite is presumed to weigh 200 kilograms, two times heavier than a satellite launched in 2012, the lawmakers said after being briefed in a close-door session by the National Intelligence Service.A satellite weighing about 200 kilograms "is worthless as a satellite," Lee Cheol-woo of the ruling Saenuri Party said, n

North Korea Feb. 8, 2016

A North Korean patrol boat on Monday crossed the de facto western maritime border between the two Koreas following the North's long-range rocket launch a day earlier, a South Korean military official said.The South's Navy fired five rounds of warning shots against the North's patrol boat, which trespassed across the maritime border in the Yellow Sea, widely known as the Northern Limit Line (NLL), at around 6:55 a.m., according to the official.The vessel retreated northward about 20 minutes after

North Korea Feb. 8, 2016

President Park Geun-hye said Monday that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has expressed appreciation for her leading a youth employment fund to spread the spirit of donations."Thank you for leading the Youth Hope Fund effort to expand the spirit of giving in Korea," Zuckerberg said in an email to Park earlier this month, according to Cheong Wa Dae, South Korea's presidential office.He also said, "We are focused on doing our part to improve the world for future generations and we are committed to the

Politics Jan. 25, 2016

Defense Minister Han Min-koo said Monday South Korea needs to consider the deployment of the U.S.' advanced defense system THAAD, reflecting growing security threats from North Korea's emerging nuclear and missile capabilities. "Speaking from the military's perspective, there's enough need to review it because our (defense) capabilities are limited," the defense minister said during his appearance in a news program by MBC, a mainstream broadcasting channel."The issue of THAAD should be considere

Defense Jan. 25, 2016

A quarry used during the Japanese colonial era will turn into a public park as part of Seoul City’s urban restoration project, officials said Sunday. Seoul Metropolitan Government said a 19,000-square-meter-large quarry cutting area in Jongno will transform into a sightseeing park with an observatory. The cutting side of a 40-meter-high stone pit will be the main ground of the park. The stones quarried were used in constructing historical buildings such as the Japanese Government General of Kore

Social Affairs Jan. 10, 2016

The number of flu patients has been steadily rising since late last month, health officials said Sunday, stirring concerns over the further spread of the influenza virus. According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the ratio of flu-suspected patients per 1,000 outpatients in the country reached 10.6 from Dec. 28 to Jan. 2. This is higher by 1.6 from the previous week and about 3 points higher on-year. The disease control agency conducted an influenza sample test at 200 med

Social Affairs Jan. 10, 2016

Seoul City will provide better free high-speed Wi-Fi Internet access in subways starting from next year to offer faster and more stable Internet service to the public, officials said Thursday. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said it would change the existing in-train wireless broadband, or Wi-Bro, system to high-speed Wi-Fi. Currently, the free Internet access in trains has been provided only through wireless broadband by telecommunications business operators since 2011. The speed of the Wi-br

Social Affairs Jan. 7, 2016

The government earlier this week lifted ad regulations to create a Korean version of New York City’s Times Square as part of its efforts to boost the ad industry and attract more visitors, officials said.The Interior Ministry said Monday it had eased the rule to create a zone where outdoor digital screens and billboards can freely be installed without any restrictions on types or sizes. The size, type and location of outdoor ads had been strictly restricted prior. The revised rules have been pro

Social Affairs Jan. 7, 2016