BEIJING (AFP) - A top North Korean official made a rare visit to China on Tuesday in an apparent attempt by Pyongyang to mend frayed ties with its powerful neighbour.　China is North Korea‘s largest trading partner and has been its key diplomatic protector for decades. But relations have soured following Pyongyang’s internationally-condemned nuclear tests, with Beijing supporting UN sanctions against its isolated neighbour.　The visit by Ri Su Yong, vice chairman of the North‘s ruling Workers’ Par

Prosecutors indicted a former chief of the South Korean unit of Oxy Reckitt Benckiser on Tuesday over the British firm‘s toxic humidifier sterilizers which resulted in numerous deaths and illnesses here. 　The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office said it indicted Shin Hyun-woo over the snowballing case that has fueled public concerns over the safety of household chemicals. Third from left, former CEO of Oxy Korea Shin Hyun-woo (Yonhap)　The 68-year-old, who headed the company between 1991 an

Aiming to become the Asian version of the World Economic Forum, the Jeju Forum is once again inviting some 4,500 policymakers, business leaders and experts to Korea’s “Island of Peace” to discuss standout topics shaping the political and business landscape of East Asia and the world today.　The 11th Jeju Forum will take place under the theme “Asia’s New Order and Cooperative Leadership,” touching on a wide range of key regional and global issues, from the North Korean nuclear threat and regional

 As its title suggests, the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity has always been driven by a central mission to build peace in East Asia by facilitating a multilateral dialogue on peace, diplomacy and security among related stakeholders.　Though its core vision remains unchanged, the forum has been expanding its scope and boundaries to devote attention to not just international relations, but also a wide range of subjects from other fields.Politicians, academics and other participants attend the 1

KOREA’S 1ST HOMEGROWN TRAINER JET -- President and CEO of Korea Aerospace Industries Ha Sung-yong (seventh from left), South Korea’s Air Force Chief of Staff Jeong Kyeong-doo (center) and other high-level military and government officials partake in an event Wednesday at the Korea Air Force Academy in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, to celebrate the fielding of the KT-100, the country’s first indigenous trainer jet developed by KAI. The same day, the South Korean Air Force commenced its de

AID FOR ECUADOR EARTHQUAKE — Dongwon Industries CEO Lee Myoung-woo (right) delivers $150,000 to the Ecuadorian ambassador to Korea Oscar Herrera Gilbert in Seoul on Monday. Dongwon is delivering the funds to aid relief efforts to help those affected by a 7.8-magintude earthquake that hit Ecuador on Apr.16. (Dongwon Group)

CHINESE-PACKED DUTY-FREE SHOP -- Hundreds of Chinese tourists shop at a major duty-free store in Seoul on Sunday morning. Around 63,000 Chinese tourists are estimated to be visiting Korea during the Chinese Labor Day holiday (April 30 - May 2). (Yonhap)

Samsung BioLogics confirmed Thursday morning that it will officially pursue an initial public offering on South Korea’s main bourse KOSPI. 　(Samsung BioLogics)The decision will be confirmed at the company’s board meeting today, which starts at 9 a.m., Korean time. The firm will reveal the specific details of its scheduled IPO after the meeting concludes.By Sohn Ji-young (jys@heraldcorp.com)

삼성전자가 스위스 명품 쥬얼리 및 시계 업체인 ‘드 그리소고노’와 손잡고 올해 하반기에 선보일 ‘기어S3’ 스마트 워치의 한정판 럭셔리 모델을 출시한다.　　지난 주 서울에서 열린 컨데나스트 인터네셔널 럭셔리 컨퍼런스에 참석한 드 그리소고노 관계자는 “현재 삼성과 함께 차세대 스마트워치 출시를 위해 협업 중”이라고 본지 기자에게 밝혔다.　　업계에 따르면 한정판 삼성 기어S3는 내년 3월에 스위스에서 열릴 세계 최대 규모 시계 박람회인 ‘바젤월드 2017’때 출시될 가능성이 높다. 삼성은 올해 9월 열릴 세계 소비자가전 박람회 IFA(이파) 2016에서 일반 기어S3를 선보일 것으로 예상된다.   지난 달 출시된 100여개의 다이아몬드가 박힌 한정판 삼성 기어S2 (드 그리시고노 웹사이트)　럭셔리 한정판 기어S3는 삼성과 드 그리소고노의 두 번째 공식 합작품이다. 양사는 지난 3월 세계 최대 규모 시계 박람회인 ‘바젤월드 2016’ 에서 100여개 이상의 블랙∙화이트 다이아몬드 장식이

RIYADH (AFP) -- Saudi Arabia will sell shares in state oil giant Aramco and set up the world‘s largest wealth fund under a long-term economic reform plan, the deputy crown prince said Monday.　Prince Mohammed bin Salman said the plan, dubbed “Saudi Vision 2030”, aimed to end the country’s dependence on oil by 2020.　“We have all developed an oil addiction in Saudi Arabia and this is dangerous and has hampered development in many sectors during past years,” 　Prince Mohammed said in an interview wit

 BRUSSELS (AFP) - From exploding hoverboards to cancer-causing children‘s pyjamas, the EU on Monday warned of a tide of dangerous products for sale with most still coming from China.　Brussels said it had issued 2,072 alerts on unsafe products ranging from toys to clothing and appliances last year, down slightly on the figure for 2014 but still a cause for concern.　China remains by far the number one country of origin for dangerous goods, accounting for 62 percent of all dodgy products detected b

Former Olympic swimming champion Park Tae-hwan won a race in his first competition in nearly 18 months on Monday.　Park captured the men‘s 1,500m freestyle race at the 88th Dong-A Swimming Competition in Gwangju, some 330 kilometers south of Seoul. He clocked 15 minutes and 10.95 seconds. He was nearly 15 seconds faster than the runner-up, Park Seok-hyun.　It was Park’s first competitive appearance since the National Sports Festival in November 2014. Park served an 18-month international doping su

HANNOVER, Germany (AP) -- President Barack Obama mounted a strong defense of international trade deals Sunday in the face of domestic and foreign opposition, saying it‘s ``indisputable’‘ that such agreements strengthen the economy and make U.S. businesses more competitive worldwide. But he acknowledged that the clock is ticking on his faltering trade agenda. 　 　Obama, on a farewell visit to Germany as president, is trying to light a fire under stalled talks about a trans-Atlantic trade deal, a m

The fate of Korea’s two largest container carriers, which handle the bulk of Korea’s exports, now rests in the hands of creditors, after years of overcapacity and slowing trade globally led to a free fall in shipping prices.　Hanjin Shipping, the nation’s No. 1 carrier by capacity, on Monday officially filed for creditor-led rehabilitation, becoming the second major shipping line to succumb to a mountain of debt this year. 　Along with the application for debt restructuring, the firm submitted a w

Around half of South Korean biotechnology or biopharmaceutical companies currently do not generate any sales, according to a recent report by the Korea Industrial Technology Association.　Of some 226 local bio companies surveyed by KOITA, 45.6 percent do not generate any sales today. Among those which do, 18.7 percent said that they began generating sales less than a year ago.　A majority of Korean bio firms surveyed were found to be small or midsized as well. Around 66.4 percent of the surveyed c

삼성바이오에피스의 류머티즘 관절염 치료 바이오시밀러 (바이오의약품 복제약) ‘베네팔리’가 덴마크 의약품 국가 입찰에서 에타너셉트 (etanercept) 치료물질 부문의 대표 의약품으로 선정 되었다.　　12일 덴마크 바이오의약품 입찰기관 앰그로스 (Amgros) 및 업계 관계자에 따르면 베네팔리는 암젠이 개발한 오리지널 의약품 ‘엔브렐’을 제치고 해당 의약품 부문의 우선 치료제로 선정 되었다.　본 관계자는 “덴마크 내 의사 및 병원들은 통상 국가 입찰에서 선정된 의약품 처방을 선호한다”며 “앞으로 베네팔리는 덴마크 내 엔브렐 시장의 약 50%를 선점할 수 있을 것”이라고 전망했다.(삼성바이오에피스 제공)　또한 “덴마크는 유럽 내 비교적 작은 시장이지만 타 국가에 비해 바이오시밀러 처방율이 가장 빠르게 증가하고 있는 곳이다”며 베네팔리의 판매 전망에 대해 긍정적인 의견을 표했다.　향후 베네팔리는 삼성바이오에피스의 유럽 마케팅 및 판매 협력사인 바이오젠을 통해 덴마크에서 판매될 예정이다.

MENLO PARK, Calif. (AP) -- Facebook is training its computers to become seeing-eye guides for blind and visually impaired people as they scroll through the pictures posted on the world‘s largest online social network.　 　The feature rolling out Tuesday on Facebook’s iPhone app interprets what‘s in a picture using a form of artificial intelligence that recognizes faces and objects. The iPhone’s built-in screen reader, VoiceOver, must be turned on for Facebook‘s photo descriptions to be read. For n

BEIJING (AP) -- China imposed restrictions Tuesday on imports of coal from North Korea and exports of jet fuel to the North in a potentially significant increase in pressure on Pyongyang following U.N. sanctions over its nuclear and missile tests. 　 　China is the impoverished and politically isolated North‘s main trading partner, making its cooperation essential for penalties approved by the U.N. Security Council last month to succeed.　 　North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has intensified nuclear ac

SK Chemicals, a pharmaceutical affiliate of South Korean conglomerate SK Group, on Sunday said it has submitted its patch-type Alzheimer’s drug SID710 to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval.　SID710 is a generic drug referencing Novartis’ Exelon Patch (rivastigmine), a transdermal medication to treat dementia symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease.SK Chemicals` patch-type Alzheimer`s medication S170 (SK Chemicals)　The Korean drug maker expects the FDA to grant approval in 201

With health becoming a priority for most people around the world, some turn to taking dietary supplements as a potential means to make up for their otherwise unhealthy eating habits and lifestyles. 　However, supplements are by no means a substitute for a balanced meal or physical activity as there are absolutely no shortcuts to health, according to Amway-based Nutrilite Health Institute’s technology strategist.　“Supplements are not magic bullets. They are not miracles. They are merely products m