Renault Samsung Motor Co., the South Korean unit of French automaker Renault SA, said Monday that it started mass production of its completely new SM7 luxury sedan.The carmaker said the flagship luxury car is being manufactured at its Busan plant 453 kilometers southeast of Seoul with the vehicles to reach consumers in mid August. Renault Samsung Motor Co. executives and workers applaud at a cerem

Park Tae-hwan aims to add to medal collection in 200 metersIt was a much-anticipated victory, but Park Tae-hwan could not hide his disappointment after winning the 400-meter freestyle crown at the FINA World Championships in Shanghai on Sunday.There were no pumped fists or cheers. Instead, the South Korean swimming star just stared at the record board for a while after touching the pad first. “I w

The southeastern metropolitan of Daegu is more than ready to host the world’s finest athletes this summer at the World Championships in Athletics, which will kick off in about a month’s time, organizers said Monday.Run by the International Association of Athletic Federations, the championships, set for Aug. 27-Sept. 4, will come to South Korea for the first time. The inaugural event was held in He

GLASGOW (AP) ― Celtic opened its attempt to end Rangers’ run of three straight Scottish Premier League titles with a 2-0 win at Hibernian on Sunday.Former Hibernian striker Anthony Stokes put Celtic ahead from close range in the 14th minute after goalkeeper Graham Stack spilled a free kick at the back post and South Korea international Ki Sung-yueng made it 2-0 in the 63rd with a shot low from the

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) ― Ai Miyazato clinched her first title of the year at the Evian Masters on Sunday and pledged to share her prize money with the people still suffering in the aftermath of the disasters back home in Japan.Miyazato shot a 2-under 70 to protect her two-shot lead and hold off a surge from Stacy Lewis of the United States, the Kraft Nabisco winner who missed a golden chance

 

Kia Motors Corp., South Korea second largest carmaker, has launched the small-medium K2 sedan in China. Kia’s compact sedan K2. (Yonhap News)More than 500 prominent figures, including Chinese government officials and executives from Hyundai Automotive Group, attended the function in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on July 20.Kia officials said K2 is a compact car strategically designed for Chinese cust

NARRAGANSETT, Rhode Island (AP) ― Twenty dollars for a parking place wasn’t going to ruin Ellen Majka’s day at the beach. But she was still taken aback when she arrived at Rhode Island’s popular Scarborough state beach and learned that parking fees had nearly doubled.“It seems a little steep to me,” said Majka, of Westfield, Massachusetts. “Add in the price of gas and it starts to add up. But I di

RICHMOND, Virginia (AP) ― The union attempting to represent workers at IKEA’s only U.S. plant is challenging the Swedish furniture giant’s vaunted corporate ethos, accusing the retailer of paying its American workers low wages and tolerating unsafe working conditions.Approximately 320 workers at IKEA’s Swedwood Danville plant will vote Wednesday whether to join the International Association of Mac

WASHINGTON (AP) ― Efforts to avert a shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration failed Friday amid a disagreement over a $16.5 million cut in subsidies to 13 rural communities, ensuring that nearly 4,000 people will be temporarily out of work and federal airline ticket taxes will be suspended.Lawmakers were unable to resolve a partisan dispute over an extension of the agency’s operating autho

WASHINGTON (AP) ― Strong second-quarter earnings from McDonald’s, General Electric and Caterpillar on Friday are just the latest proof that booming profits have allowed Corporate America to leave the Great Recession far behind.But millions of ordinary Americans are stranded in a labor market that looks like it’s still in recession. Unemployment is stuck at 9.2 percent, two years into what economis

GRENOBLE, France (AP) ― Cadel Evans seized the Tour de France yellow jersey in the next-to-last stage Saturday, all but giving Australia its first victory in cycling’s showpiece event and capping one of the most dramatic races in years.The two-time runner-up took the overall lead by overcoming a 57-second deficit to Andy Schleck of Luxembourg in the time trial.A red-eyed Evans choked up on the vic

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) ― An emotional Suzann Pettersen spoke Saturday of the devastation the twin attacks in Norway have had in her home country, honoring the victims with a black armband at the LPGA’s Evian Masters.The No. 3-ranked player in the world, talking moments after completing her third round, said she was deeply upset by Friday’s bombing and shooting deaths, calling them “the bigge

The Indian Embassy in Seoul will close its consular wing from July 26 to July 27 due to Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil’s state visit to South Korea from July 24-27.The aim of President Patil’s visit, which comes at the invitation of President Lee Myung-bak, is to increase cooperation between India and Korea.Presdient Lee previously visited India in January 2010 as Chief Guest for India’

The U.K. has announced a new visa program to welcome leaders in science, humanities, engineering and the arts to the country.The new “Exceptional talent” category will go into effect from Aug. 9, and will be open to those recognized as being at the top of their field, and people who display sufficient potential. There will be 1,000 places available in the first year ― 500 between the start date an

Two events were organized by the South African Embassy to honor the life of former president Nelson Mandela and teach orphaned children about his life and South African cultures.The embassy, in cooperation with Mannam Volunteer Association, organized the events with the theme “Take Action! Inspire change!” to coincide with Mandela’s birthday, which fell on July 18. Volunteers from Mannam Associati

It was the game that proved why many say baseball is more than a game. The Korea Baseball Organization’s All-Star game ended Saturday in dramatic fashion, with West beating East 5-4 in the 10th inning, delighting the crowd of more than 27,000 at the Jamsil Stadium.Playing in front of a packed stadium, the West All-Stars, comprised of players from the Kia Tigers, LG Twins, Hanwha Eagles and Nexen H

The transfer window in South Korea can be a fast-moving beast. If you take your eyes off it for a second, it can slip out of sight and then catch you by surprise. Already this month we have seen deals from out of the blue. Incheon United’s star striker Yoo Byung-soo is out of the blue of Incheon United and on his way to the desert with Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia. In his first season as a professiona

LONDON (AP) ― Scotland Yard, still reeling from the alleged police role in Britain’s phone hacking scandal, was asked Thursday to investigate another explosive claim: that journalists bribed officers to locate people by tracking their cell phone signals.The practice is known as “pinging” because of the way cell phone signals bounce off relay towers as they try to find reception.Jenny Jones, a memb