President, opposition leader disagree on timing, extent of college tuition cutsPresident Lee Myung-bak on Monday declined main opposition leader Sohn Hak-kyu’s request for a revised supplementary budget bill, citing the proposal’s failure to meet legal conditions.The Democratic Party leader called for more government spending to help cut college tuition, create jobs, recoup damages from typhoons a

President Lee Myung-bak on Saturday will fly to South Africa for a weeklong tour of three African countries, Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday. The trip is part of last-minute efforts to promote Korea’s PyeongChang as the host of the 2018 Winter Olympics and to strengthen economic ties.The president will arrive in Durban, South Africa, on Saturday evening, four days before the International Olympic Commit

Casino gamblers sit around a gaming table. The government is seeking to allow more casinos to admit Korean nationals. (The Korea Herald)The government plans to review whether to allow foreigner-only casinos to admit Korean nationals, citing the lack of casinos as one of the main reasons for the country’s unfavorable trade balances in tourism.Currently, only one casino, Kangwon Land in Gangwon Prov

A plan to build South Korea's second research station in the Antarctic has gained approval from the international community, paving the way for its construction in 2014, the foreign ministry here said Wednesday.The support came at a meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina, among member nations of the Antarctic Treaty System, the ministry said in a statement. Of the 33 member states, 16 nations, includi

PyeongChang, a South Korean candidate for the 2018 Winter Olympics, will hold a bid presentation before International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials next week in Togo, its bidding committee said Wednesday.The committee said PyeongChang's two rivals, Munich in Germany and Annecy in France, will also present at the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) General Assembly next

North Korea is pressing to ink a deal with China to prevent double taxation, a pro-Pyongyang newspaper said Wednesday, signaling an apparent bid to attract investment from its key ally and the world's No. 2 economy.The isolated country has already signed similar accords with Egypt and 11 other countries and negotiations are under way with other countries, the Chosun Sinbo reported, citing a North

A North Korean government text disclosed by a South Korean protestant missionary group named Caleb Mission earlier this week offered a glimpse of the reclusive state’s unique adaptation of the market economy.North Korea, was also seeing attempts to dodge military duty, widespread bribery and patients opting for euthanasia.The classified guidebook for law enforcement authorities published by the No

Leaders to discuss tuition, FTA, savings bank probe and other pending issuesPresident Lee Myung-bak will meet with main opposition Democratic Party leader Sohn Hak-kyu next Monday, Lee’s aide said Tuesday, to discuss pending issues such as rising tuition fees and the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement which is yet to be approved by the parliaments of both countries.The ongoing prosecutorial investiga

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which provides advice and guidance to donor countries on aid programs to developing nations, is Korea’s key partner in formulating green growth strategies as well.The OECD’s Development Cooperation Directorate tracks aid performance of the OECD member nations, the volume and effectiveness of their aid programs, undertakes peer reviews, or

The world economy is seeing some signs of a slowdown due to the eurozone’s debt problems and a weak U.S. housing sector, but is not headed for a double-dip slump, Angel Gurria, secretary general of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, said Monday.“No, that is not the case,” Gurria said when asked if recent signs of a slowdown pointed to the global economy facing another downt

The most important shift from the current economic paradigm to a green growth paradigm is a shift of the mindset, Noeleen Heyzer, the executive secretary of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, said Monday.“We need to change the way we talk about green growth, which used to be seen simply as a reaction to climate change,” Heyzer said in an interview with Korean m

An ex-prosecutor who led the investigation into bribery allegations surrounding former president Roh Moo-hyun said Thursday he treated the late president with respect, rebuking a Roh aide’s claim that he didn’t.Roh killed himself during a prosecutorial probe in 2009 into suspicions that his associates and family took kickbacks from a Busan-based businessman named Park Yeon-cha. As then chief of th

Former professor from North sends S. Korean media content across border to show the world to North Koreans North Korea is a country that has been almost entirely isolated from news around the world for the past 60 years. The regime in Pyongyang allows Internet access to only a fraction of government officials and its power elite as it prepares for a third-generation hereditary succession to a youn

Arrest warrants sought for 2 tradersThe police on Tuesday sought arrest warrants for two people suspected of brokering illegal sales of human eggs and booked 13 ovum donors without detention.The ovum brokers identified only by their last names Koo and Chung ran a website where people shared information on fertility and received applications for ovum transplants or donations for a year until last S

President Lee Myung-bak on Monday stressed he would root out the widespread practice among government officials and judges of giving favors to their retired colleagues.The “jeon-gwan-ye-woo” practice, which means giving “honorable treatment to former officials,” refers to the custom of private companies offering high-paying jobs to retired senior government officials in exchange for their connecti

Students, civic group members and politicians flocked to Seoul’s Gwanghwamun area Friday evening for the candle light vigil urging the government and the ruling party to follow up on their pledge to halve college tuition.Students, nongovernmental organizations and opposition politicians have called on the ruling Grand National Party to keep its promise to halve college tuition. GNP’s new floor lea

A rookie lawmaker of the ruling Grand National Party lost his parliamentary seat as the top court Friday upheld his conviction for accepting illegal political donations.Rep. Hyun Kyoung-byoung of the GNP became the 21st member of the 18th National Assembly to lose his seat for violation of the election or political fund laws.Hyun was indicted on charges of accepting a total of 130 million won ($12

Reshuffle affects key posts of politics, publicity and welfarePresident Lee Myung-bak on Thursday replaced his top aides for political affairs and public relations as well as his spokesperson in a partial shakeup of presidential secretaries 10 months ahead of the general elections next year.The reshuffle of senior secretaries, which was previously scheduled for after the ruling Grand National Part

Ex-FSS governor to be summoned, arrest warrant sought for FIU chief By Bae Hyun-jungThe investigation into the high-profile corruption scandal involving savings banks was picking up pace Tuesday as prosecutors were set to summon former governor of the Financial Supervisory Service Kim Jong-chang for questioning.The central investigation unit of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office was expected to inter

President Lee Myung-bak on Monday urged North Korea to end its hostility and seek peace and prosperity, less than a week after Pyongyang apparently rejected Seoul’s behind-the-scenes proposal for summit talks.“North Korea should break away from the path of confrontation and conflict, and come out onto the path of peace and prosperity,” Lee said during a Memorial Day speech at the National Cemetery