President Park Geun-hye said South Korea could work with Iran to try pushing North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program.Iran maintains traditional friendly ties with North Korea and the two countries have long been suspected of cooperating in missile and nuclear programs.Still, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani voiced his country’s opposition to nuclear development on the Korean Peninsula in a news conference on Monday after his summit with Park in Tehran, in an apparent reference to Nort

Foreign Affairs May 4, 2016

Through surveys and social media this week, South Koreans have been showing their support for beleaguered swimmer Park Tae-hwan, who is hoping to get his Olympic ban lifted.A survey by local pollster Realmeter showed Tuesday that 70.9 percent of South Koreans would like to see Park race at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro in August.Park, who recently served an 18-month doping suspension, remains ineligible to make the national team under a controversial rule by the Korean Olympic Committe

Sports May 4, 2016

Recent satellite imagery shows North Korea is forging ahead with development of a submarine-launched ballistic missile, the website 38 North said Tuesday.The imagery taken of the North's Shinpo Shipyard on April 29, six days after the North's latest SLBM test, shows that a submersible missile test stand barge has been moved from its normal position."This shift in location suggests that the SLBM program may be moving towards a more advanced stage of development where the need for a submersible te

North Korea May 4, 2016

President Park Geun-hye arrived in Seoul on Wednesday after a landmark state visit to Tehran focused on boosting bilateral economic cooperation with the resource rich country that is striving to generate growth through infrastructure investment.The visit -- the first by a South Korean president in more than half a century -- represented South Korea’s efforts to tap into business opportunities in Iran, which has emerged as a promising market in recent months following the lifting of international

Politics May 4, 2016

The United States, South Korea and other regional powers should launch discussions about how to handle potential contingencies in the North, such as a regime collapse or a coup, former U.S. Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said Tuesday.Sherman, considered a key foreign policy brain for Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton, made the remark during a discussion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, stressing that China's preferred status quo on the Korean Peni

North Korea May 4, 2016

The United States is determined to identify and sanction those responsible for human rights abuses in North Korea, the top U.S. diplomat handling Asian affairs said Tuesday.Daniel Russel, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, made the remark during a discussion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, noting that the latest executive order President Barack Obama issued in March to punish the North calls for sanctions on the North's human rights violators.

World News May 4, 2016

Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on Tuesday urged the military to beef up readiness against possible North Korean provocations amid speculation that the regime could carry out another nuclear test later this week."The military should thoroughly be ready for any kind of North Korean provocation to ensure the safety of the people," Hwang said during a Cabinet meeting in Seoul.The remarks come as the North may opt to detonate its fifth nuclear weapon or launch a missile ahead of the country's rare ruli

Defense May 3, 2016

부실기업 구조조정을 위한 정부의 자금투입이 연일 도마 위에 오르면서, 개인이나 기업을 상대로 한 정부와 국책은행의 평상시 지원책에도 관심이 쏠리고 있다.일각에서는 정부의 대기업 지원을 두고 국민의 혈세를 '퍼주기' 해서는 안된다는 비판도 있지만, 반대편에서는 기업 부실로 인한 국민의 피해를 최소화하기 위해서라도 공적자금을 미리 투입하는 것이 불가피하다는 목소리도 나오고 있다.3일 금융권에 따르면 정부와 국책은행은 평소에도 경기 불확실성에 대비하고 기업들의 부실을 막기 위해 상당한 수준의 공적자금을 투입하고 있다.당장 정부가 구조조정을 위한 자본확충의 필요성을 역설하는 산업은행만 보더라도 단순히 대기업에 대한 중장기자금의 공급 및 기업 구조개선 업무에만 머무르지 않고 있다.산업은행은 올해 예비중견·중견기업에 대한 자금공급을 23조원 수준으로 확대하고, 1조원 규모의 전용 특별운영자금 대출을 출시한다.또 기업의 특성과 성장단계에 따른 육성프로그램과 경영컨설팅, 세무·법률 자문 등 비금융

한국어판 May 3, 2016

Park Byung-ho of the Minnesota Twins hit the first triple of his major league career Monday against the Houston Astros.Park touched the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel for a two-run triple in the top of the fifth, making it 5-1 Twins at Minute Maid Park in Houston.With men at first and second with one out, Park sent an 85 mph fastball over center fielder Colby Rasmus, bringing both runners home.The three-bagger chased Keuchel from the game. It was Park's second hit

Baseball May 3, 2016

At the ripe age of 22, Kim So-hui has already been to numerous international taekwondo competitions. Yet the Olympics will be a completely different animal even to the stoic athlete.Kim will make her Summer Games debut in Rio de Janeiro in August. With two world championships and one Asian Games medal to her credit, it's a wonder Kim hadn't qualified for an Olympics before this year.Attending a corporate promotional event in Seoul on Tuesday, Kim said she is carrying a mixed bag of emotions with

Sports May 3, 2016

Many North Korean defectors have experienced difficulties finding jobs in South Korea because of their accent and the way they speak, a survey carried out by a local human rights watchdog said Tuesday.The poll of 1,400 North Korean defectors aged 15 years and older was conducted by the Institute of Unification Studies of Ewha Womans University at the request of the National Human Rights Commission last year.When asked about the most difficult problem in regards to employment, 26.8 percent of the

Social Affairs May 3, 2016