The conservative minority Liberty Forward Party changed its name to the Forward Unification Party and elected Rhee In-je as new chairman."I have been tasked to take over the helm of this drifting party,” Rhee said, after being elected in the party’s national convention on Tuesday.The sixth-term lawmaker, who was the party’s emergency leadership council chief, won 934 out of 1,103 votes. The party

The main opposition Democratic United Party, rejected the suggestion of the Unified Progressive Party to form an inter-party unity against the prosecution’s forceful investigation.“Our top priority is to restore order within the party and to regain the people’s trust,” said the DUP’s interim chief Park Jie-won in the party’s primary in Jeju on Sunday.Park nevertheless expressed concerns over the p

JAKARTA (AP) -- Lady Gaga canceled her sold-out show in Indonesia after Islamist hard-liners threatened violence, claiming her sexy clothes and provocative dance moves would corrupt the youth.The controversy was a blow to the predominantly Muslim country's reputation for combining free speech and democracy with a mostly moderate brand of the faith.Fans were devastated, despite the promoter's offer

WUHAN (AFP) -- Superstar Lin Dan led hosts China to an emphatic victory over South Korea in the Thomas Cup final on Sunday, sending a stark message he and his teammates are in peak form for the London Olympics.Widely regarded as the best player of all time and a sporting hero in China, Lin threw his t-shirt into the Wuhan crowd after his side were far too good in seeing off the Koreans 3-0 -- repe

A millionaire's daughter was sentenced to two years imprisonment Friday for chauffeuring looters around London during last summer's riots.Laura Johnson, 20, a student at Exeter University, was convicted of burglary and handling stolen goods, The Daily Telegraph reported. She had thousands of dollars in electronic items in her car when she was arrested Aug. 9, 2011.Johnson, whose parents run a mark

Japanese-American men who did not eat foods rich in vitamin D had an increased risk of stroke later in life, U.S. researchers found.Lead author Dr. Gotaro Kojima of the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu said sunlight is generally the greatest source of vitamin D, but synthesizing it from the sun gets more difficult as one ages, so older people are advised to

The interim head of a minor opposition party said Saturday that expelling two lawmakers-elect and two other candidates linked to a primary vote rigging scandal is critical for the survival of South Korea's progressive movement.Unified Progressive Party (UPP) chief Kang Ki-kab said in an open letter addressed to party members that failure to take firm action at this juncture will lead to the extinc

South Korean gymnast Son Yeon-jae ranked fifth in the rhythmic discipline in the latest global tally announced by the International Gymnastics Federation on Saturday.The 2012 ranking by the international governing body of competitive gymnastics, whose headquarters is in Lausanne, Switzerland, had the 18-year-old Son behind Russia's Daria Kondakova, Daria Dmitrieva and Evgeniya Kanaeva, and Israel'

David Beckham is no longer Major League Soccer's highest-paid player after his salary was cut nearly 40 percent in his new contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy.The former England captain has a base salary of $3 million this year and guaranteed compensation of $4 million, according to figures released on Friday by the MLS Players Union. His previous base salary had been $5.5 million with total annu

University of Georgia researchers say human breast milk is the best source of food for infants, but a new second best-formula may be made from hazelnut oil.Casimir Akoh -- a distinguished research professor of food science and technology in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences -- developed a new nutrient based on hazelnut oil that mimics the structure of mother's milk, making it

A U.S. envoy will travel to Brussels next week to discuss North Korean human rights with the European Union, the State Department announced Friday.Amb. Robert King, the special envoy for North Korean human rights issues, will participate in the European Parliament subcommittee on the human rights situation in North Korea on Tuesday, the department said in a press release.King also plans to meet wi

 

Few overseas missions have been properly secured, according to the data submitted by the Foreign Ministry to Rep. Jungwook Hong of the ruling Grand National Party.Among the 166 offices, 53 were classified as dangerous, lacking sensors or devices to respond to terrorist attacks.More than half have no basic metal detector, making it possible for people to enter the premises with weapons or explosives.Also, 24.6 percent of the offices lacked sensors to detect trespassers, according to the data.Blas

Enjoy hot spring baths, local delicacies and cultural delightsSAGA ― People may be familiar with the name Kyushu, the southernmost island of the Japanese archipelago, but few are acquainted with Saga, the northern prefecture located between Fukuoka and Nagasaki.Visitors from Seoul or other regions would enter the area through the Fukuoka International Airport but those who depart from Busan may en

GNP calls for emergency action; DP slams Seoul’s ‘neglect’ of safety dutiesAmid the record-breaking flood damage in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, political parties cancelled most of their parliamentary schedules and focused on aid measures and victims’ relief activities.The Grand National Party was especially tense as Seocho-gu and Gangseo-gu, the two districts hardest hit, are both represented by

The ruling Grand National Party set to work on legal measures to guarantee comensation for the victims of the savings bank scandal.GNP members of the special committee met with Financial Services Commission Chairman Kim Seok-dong and Financial Supervisory Service Governor Kwon Hyouk-se on Wednesday to discuss the revision of related laws and the legislation of a special law, officials said.“The go

Grand National Party floor leader Hwang Woo-yea urged the parliamentary education committee to accelerate the university tuition cut discussions and come up with detailed measures by the beginning of the fall semester.“I have been told that the education committee has made little progress lately,” said Rep. Hwang in the ruling party’s floor meeting on Tuesday.“Should the committee fail to reach a

Lee Sang-deuk, former parliamentary vice speaker and elder brother of President Lee Myung-bak, left for South America on Monday as a special presidential envoy.Lee is to attend the Peruvian presidential inauguration ceremony Thursday and deliver President Lee’s personal letter to the new President Ollanta Humala, officials said.He is also expected to hold talks with Humala over a wide range of iss

The special parliamentary committee on the savings banks corruption scandal began its investigation on Monday, but is still mired in conflict over witness selection, the key factor in the upcoming public hearing.Members of the committee visited the central headquarters of Busan Savings Bank on Monday morning to meet with victim representatives and to audit the related documents.“Financial authorit

Hopes are rising that the long-stalled six-party talks may resume as the two Koreas held a rare official talk for the first time since 2008.The South Korean top nuclear envoy Wi Sung-lac and his North Korean counterpart Ri Yong-ho held surprise talks in the Indonesian island of Bali on Friday.“Our meeting was constructive and fruitful,” Wi told reporters after the talk. “We have agreed to make joi