The fourth case of a Zika virus infection in South Korea has been found in a 25-year-old woman who recently came back from a trip to Vietnam, local health authorities said Saturday.The unmarried woman, whose identity was withheld, worked in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam from April 10-30 and entered South Korea on May 1, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.She visited a hospital in the western port city of Incheon on May 4 to treat a chronic thyroid gland problem after having

Kang Jung-ho of the Pittsburgh Pirates homered twice in his season debut Friday (local time), punctuating a return from devastating knee injuries he suffered last fall.Kang blasted a two-run shot to right field off Tyler Lyons of the St. Louis Cardinals in the top of the sixth at Busch Stadium, putting the Pirates up 3-0.Pittsburgh Pirates' Kang Jung-ho watches his two-run home run during the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals May 6, in St. Louis. (Yonhap)Then with the Pirates nursing

Hundreds of leaflets praising North Korea were found in Seoul Saturday, police said, as the communist country held a major political event in defense of its monolithic regime.The leaflets, which were discovered by a passerby in the western Yangcheon Ward earlier in the day, contained text that hailed North Korea's nuclear weapons development and criticized South Korean President Park Geun-hye, according to the police.Police said they immediately gathered the leaflets, of which there were about 3

A South Korean father who claims to have lost his son to a harmful Oxy Reckitt Benckiser humidifier sterilizer said Saturday he will file a compensation suit against the British company later this month.Kim Deok-jong, 40, said he decided to file the damage suit against the British company after CEO Rakesh Kapoor refused his demand to visit South Korea to make an apology in front of the sterilizer's victims. His 5-year-old son died in 2009 after battling a respiratory disease.His legal representa

The massive wildfire in the heart of Canada's oil country is helping send crude prices higher.Benchmark U.S. crude rose 34 cents to $44.66 a barrel Friday in New York after earlier dropping by nearly 2 percent. Oil prices often spike when there is concern that production could be curtailed. A wildfire moves toward the town of Anzac on Wednesday, where was set up as an evacuation center for those ordered to leave Fort McMurray. (AP)Canada is the leading exporter of crude oil and natural gas to th

North Korea may be preparing for a nuclear test in the near future, a U.S. website that monitors the isolated nation said Friday.The website 38 North said commercial satellite imagery taken Thursday shows vehicles at a command center believed to control the underground explosions, which could be sign that a test is imminent.The center lies nearly four miles from the test site at Punggye-ri. The website said the level of activity at the test site continues to be low, but vehicles are not often se

The honorary chairman of South Korean cable manufacturer LS Cable & System died of a chronic disease early Saturday morning at the age of 93, his company said.Koo Tae-hwoi, the late honorary chairman of LS Cable & SystemKoo Tai-hwoi is the younger brother of LG Group founder Koo In-hwoi and was the last surviving first-generation member of the LG Group.He had served in senior posts in the early years of the LG Group founded in 1907, and established the LS Group with his two other brothers in 196

North Korea's ruling party is preparing to bestow its top title on leader Kim Jong-un, another sign that the third heir to North Korea's dynasty of Kims is firmly in control despite his country's deepening international isolation over one of his key ambitions, to keep developing more and better nuclear weapons.Kim Jong-un addresses the congress in Pyongyang. YonhapThe state-run Korean Central News Agency on Saturday said the agenda for the congress included reviewing the works of the party's Cen

The White House on Friday urged North Korea to "come out of the wilderness" by giving up nuclear ambitions as Pyongyang's leader, Kim Jong-un, hailed the country's nuclear and missile tests during a rare congress of the Workers' Party.Kim's address at the first party congress in 36 years showed that despite international pressure, he is determined to forge ahead with nuclear and missile programs under his trademark "byeongjin" policy of simultaneously pursuing economic and nuclear development. "

The chief of U.S. industrial giant General Electric, a globally renown master of change, advised Korean industrial giants to seek innovation, not to fear digital disruption. GE chairman Jeffrey R. Immelt speaks during a press conference held in Seoul on Friday. GE Kora“(For innovation), Korean (industrial) conglomerates need to be more decentralized, more digitalized and more partnership. Those are we have learned while going through the transformation (into a digital industrial giant),” GE chai

Kia Motors has set its sights on the compact sport utility vehicle market this year, armed with its first hybrid SUV, dubbed the “Niro,” to cement market leading status in the leisure vehicle market. The Korean automaker stood ahead of its sister firm Hyundai Motor in sales last year in different recreational vehicle segments, except the small SUV market in which the carmaker has no flagship model. Niro, which made its global debut at the 2016 Chicago Auto Show in February, is Kia’s first green

The Korean financial regulator’s chief said Friday he will push for drastic deregulation to ensure the freer and more independent operation of private equity funds in the local capital market.“Every regulation on private equity will be reviewed from scratch. Through deregulation, private equity’s market entry, establishment and fund management will be upgraded to the level of advanced economies,” Financial Services Commission chairman Yim Jong-yong said at a conference on private equity in Seoul

Korea is gearing up to boost the aftermarket auto tuning sector, which is less developed than its auto production. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the tuning industry of the world’s fifth-largest auto market is estimated at 600 billion won ($500 million), which is much smaller than the 29 trillion won of the U.S. and 17 trillion won of Japan.The restrictive regulations against car modifications have kept a lid on growth of the lucrative industry and the strict re

Ssangyong Motor CEO Choi Johng-sik (second from right) poses with models at a launch event for the Tivoli Air, the long-body version of the firm’s compact Tivoli SUV, in Seoul on Tuesday. Ssangyong MotorSsangyong Motor, the Korean unit of India’s Mahindra & Mahindra, launched the diesel-fueled long-body version of its best-selling compact Tivoli crossover Tuesday, targeting the growing compact SUV market. 　“The Tivoli Air, which evolved from the luxurious and stylish brand of the original crosso

Kia's facelifted Mohave SUVCarmakers are rushing to roll out full-size, luxury sports utility vehicle as demand for bigger and broader SUVs is heating up, amid falling oil prices and the extension of tax benefits.  Volvo's all-new XC90　“As the craze for SUVs continues, carmakers -- domestic or foreign -- are in competition to debut full-size SUVs to strengthen their SUV product lineup and to raise profit margins,’’ said an official from the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association. 　SUV was on

Volvo Car Korea CEO Lee Yun-mo poses next to the all-new XC90 SUV at a launch in Seoul, Wednesday. 　　 Swedish luxury carmaker Volvo Car launched the all-new XC90, a seven-seater premium SUV, in Seoul on Wednesday and started accepting preorders.　The company hopes that its latest flagship SUV will fuel growth momentum in Korea, one of the world’s most dynamic markets for luxury carmakers. 　“Considering the fast-growing premium SUV market in Korea, the company has set the annual sales target for X

   Hyundai Motor Group vice chairman Chung Eui-sun hinted Wednesday that the carmaker will proactively invest more in future car projects, adding that the company will extend the role and domain of a car in its bid to  create “mobility freedom’’ for people. Hyundai Motor Group vice chairman Chung Eui-sun (second from right) poses with David De Rothschild (right), a British adventurer and environmentalist, and Hyundai Motor executives after the launch event for Hyundai’s Ioniq line-up on the open

Doosan Group plans to elect Park Jeong-won, head of Doosan Corp., as the industrial conglomerate’s new chairman when it holds a shareholders’ meeting on March 25, group officials said Wednesday.Park, 54, will replace group chairman Park Yong-maan, who also heads the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.Doosan Group chairman Park Yong-maan (right) and his nephew Park Jeong-won who was tapped as his successor (Yonhap)The officials said the board of Doosan Corp, the group’s holding company, recom

　 　 HYUNDAI IONIQ LINEUP-- Hyundai Motor displays the full lineup of Ioniq, its dedicated electric vehicle brand, including hybrid, pure EV and plug-in hybrid models, at the media preview event for the 2016 Geneva International Auto Show in Switzerland on Tuesday. Hyundai unveiled Ioniq EV and PHEV at the show in a world premiere. (Hyundai Motor)

EXTENDED TIVOLI -- Ssangyong Motor CEO Choi Johng-sik poses next to the XLV, the extended version of Tivoli, the automaker’s best-selling compact SUV, during the media preview event for the 2016 Geneva International Motor Show on Tuesday. The XLV, which will be named the Tivoil Air in Korea, will debut this month. Ssangyong Motor