박근혜 대통령이 중산층의 세금부담을 늘린다며 ‘세금폭탄’ 논란을 일으킨 세법개정안에 대해 ‘원점 재검토’를 지시했다.박 대통령은 수석비서관회의에서 “특히 서민경제가 가뜩이나 어려운 상황인데 서민과 중산층의 가벼운 지갑을 다시 얇게 하는 것은 정부가 추진하는 경제 정책 방향과 어긋나는 것”이라며 “그런 부분에 대해서는 원점에서 다시 검토해 주기 바란다”고 말했다. 이에 새누리당은 “중산층의 어려움을 인정한 것”이라면서 박 대통령의 원점 재검토 지시를 환영했다.현오석 부총리, 황우여 원내대표 등 당정 고위 관계자들은 세법개정안 수정 방향을 논의했다.　최경환 원내대표는 이날 열린 의원총회에서 박 대통령의 원점 재검토를 환영하는 입장을 밝히며, “(박 대통령의) 말씀도 있어서 세법개정안에 반영하도록 오늘 바로 당정청협의에 임하겠다”고 말했다.또한 새누리당은 장외투쟁 중인 민주당에게도 “국회로 빨리 돌아와 논의하자”자며 공세를 펼쳤다.한편 박 대통령이 세법개정안의 재검토를 지시했음에도 불구하

South Korean stocks closed 0.22 percent higher Monday amid signs of an economic recovery in advanced countries, analysts said. The local currency fell against the U.S. dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) gained 4.12 points to finish at 1,884.83. Trading volume was light at 293.9 million shares worth 3.04 trillion won (US$2.73 billion) with losers outpacing gainers 466 to 313.Analysts said the local stock market gathered ground on rising hope for recovery in the global

The English Premier League has long dominated the popularity of international football in Southeast Asia. It's newest rival for regional audiences comes not from the major leagues of Spain or Italy, but from Japan.The J-League, established in 1993 and generally regarded as Asia's best domestic competition, does not have the history or the prestige of the big European leagues. But while English clubs like Manchester United and Liverpool often play a friendly in Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur every coupl

Seoul's defense ministry said Monday it will formally ask the U.S. government to change the naming of the body of water between Korea and Japan from the "Sea of Japan" to the "East Sea" in displays at the Pentagon's Korean War exhibit. The Pentagon exhibit opened in mid-June to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the signing of an armistice agreement and bilateral alliance forged between the U.S. and South Korea at the end of the three-year Korean War.Among materials related to the Korean War, 1

A rare ABBA recording was sold Sunday for nearly 5,000 euros, in an online auction of a vast collection of the Swedish pop group's memorabilia.Thomas Nordin, a collector of all things related to the group famous for hits including "Dancing Queen", "Fernando" and "Mamma Mia", had put up some 25,000 items for sale. A limited edition maxi single produced in 1981 by the group for their manager Stig Anderson's 50th birthday was sold for 42,000 kronor (4,800 euros, $6,400), almost twice the list price

Nationalists further sour Korea-Japan ties (일본 국수주의자들이 한일간의 관계를 악화시키다) 코리아헤럴드 8월 1일자 기사 기사 내용 요약:최근 아소 다로 일본 부총리의 ‘나치 망언' 등 아베 정부의 우경화 행보에 따라 한일 관계가 급격히 냉각화되었다.본문:*Buoyed by a recent election sweep, high-flying Japanese officials are again *churning out *inflammatory remarks and backing visits to a controversial war shrine, posing another stumbling block to defrosting relations between Seoul and Tokyo.At a lecture on Monday, Deputy Premier and Finance Minister Taro Aso called for a swift constit

Saenuri-DP discord deepens as opposition *takes to streets (민주당이 장외투쟁을 강행하면서 여야간 불화가 심화되다)코리아헤럴드 8월 2일자 기사 기사 내용 요약: 민주당이 지난 대선 개입 의혹을 받고 있는 국정원의 국정조사를 두고 새누리당에 압박을 가하기 위해 장외투쟁을 강행하면서 여야간의 갈등이 더욱 심화되고 있다.본문:Conflict between the Saenuri Party and Democratic Party escalated Thursday as the DP’s street campaign to increase pressure on the ruling party over the parliamentary investigation into the National Intelligence Service *got underway.The two main parties have been *at loggerheads over who wil

Overseas investors have scaled back their exposure to Samsung Electronics Co., the country's top market cap, this year as a series of patent rows cast clouds over the firm's earnings down the road, data showed Monday.Foreigners held a 47.34 percent stake in the world's top smartphone maker as of Friday, falling sharply from 50.45 percent tallied in the first trading session of 2013, the data from the bourse operator Korea Exchange (KRX) showed.It marked the first time in 44 months for the figure

President Park Geun-hye ordered the government Monday to review its new tax code proposal, saying it should not cause additional burdens to the working and middle classes.Park's remarks follow recent criticism against the government for its plan to overhaul the tax code in a way that critics claim favors the rich and hurts the working and middle classes.Under the overhaul announced last Thursday, 4.34 million people, accounting for about 28 percent of workers, will see their tax burden increase

  12일 한강에 투신한 것으로 알려진 김종률 (51) 민주당 충북도당 위원장이 이날 새벽 페이스북에 자신의 처지를 비관하는 글을 남긴 것으로 밝혔졌다.김 위원장은 이날 오전 3시께 페이스북 글에서 “고향과 지역주민으로부 터 큰 사랑과 은혜만 입고 보답도 못했다”면서 “이 땅의 서민, 농민, 어렵고 소외받는 분들 눈물을 닦아주고 조금이라도 위로가 되고 힘이 되는 정치를 하고 싶었는데…”라고 적었다.또한 그는 “과분한 사랑으로 맡겨주신 막중한 소임을 다하지 못했다”며 “민주당과 당 원동지들에게 한없이 미안하다”고 밝혔다. 김 위원장은 “부디 용서해 주시고, 어렵고 힘들더라도 새로운 희망을 찾는 노력, 포기 하지 말아달라”면서 “그저 미안하고 감사하다”는 말로 글을 마무리했다.이날 오전 5시45분께 김종률(51) 민주당 충북도 당 위원장이 한강에 투신했다는 신고가 들어와 경찰과 소방당국이 한강에서 긴급 수색 작업을 벌이고 있다.경찰 관계자는 투신신고를 받았지만 아직 투신했는지 여부가 확

The prosecution on Monday questioned former President Chun Doo-hwan’s brother-in-law in a widening probe into the former military strongman’s hidden assets. Investigators believe that Lee Chang-seok, brother of Chun’s wife Lee Soon-ja, played a crucial role in concealing massive slush funds of the former president’s family for nearly 30 years. Not only is he suspected of managing Chun’s slush funds, Lee also allegedly helped Chun’s children amass fortunes through illegal transfers of wealth.Lee

An Israeli-born software engineer shot his 9-year-old son to death before taking his own life during supervised visitation at a YWCA office, officials said Sunday.An adult supervisor was present when Muni Savyon, 54, of Manchester, took out a handgun and shot 9-year-old Joshua Savyon of Amherst before shooting himself around 10 a.m., the attorney general's office said.The father sent an email to a friend suggesting he was suicidal before the shootings, said Rabbi Levi Krinsky of Chabad Lubavitch

Japan's economy grew at a slower-than-expected rate of 2.6 percent last quarter, suggesting demand has been slow to pick up despite strong public spending and ultra-lax monetary policies.More than 3.0 percent growth in annual terms had been forecast for the April-June period, after the economy expanded at a 4.1 percent pace in January-March.The GDP figure reflects a 0.6 percent increase from the previous quarter, as the recovery was sustained, despite the weaker than anticipated growth.The data

South Korea's import prices declined for the 11th straight month in July as the local currency's gain helped offset higher oil costs, the central bank said Monday.In local currency terms, the country's import prices declined 4.3 percent in July from a year earlier after falling at the same pace of 4.3 percent in June, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).The import prices have fallen every month since September last year when such prices dipped 2.2 percent on-year. In March, the import prices fe

Jason Dufner finally cracked a smile, and gave a slight pump of the fist, saving all that emotion for a big occasion.He won the PGA Championship.Dufner played the kind of golf that wins majors Sunday with a steady diet of fairways and greens that made it too tough for Jim Furyk or anyone else to catch him. Making bogeys on the last two holes at Oak Hill, Dufner closed with a 2-under 68 to capture his first major and atone for a meltdown two years ago in Atlanta.“It's been a tough day. It was a l

South Korean stocks opened higher Monday on the back of gains in tech firms and carmakers, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) gained 8.03 points, or 0.43 percent, to 1,888.74 in the first 15 minutes of trading.Tech shares gathered ground, with No. 1 player Samsung Electronics adding 0.49 percent and leading chipmaker SK hynix moving up 2.06 percent.Carmakers also traded higher, with leading Hyundai Motor rising 0.68 percent and its auto-parts affiliate Hyundai

South Korea qualified for its first men's basketball world championship in nearly two decades on Sunday, after handily beating Taiwan to finish third at the Asian championship in the Philippines.At the Mall of Asia Arena, South Korea cruised past Taiwan 75-57 in the third-place contest, securing the final Asian ticket to the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.It will be South Korea's first appearance at the world championship since 1998.Kim Min-goo led South Korea with a game-high 21 points

A tearful Philippine woman recounted Sunday how she was kidnapped by Japanese troops during World War II and coerced into sex slavery, as she and her supporters gathered to demand Japan do more to bring justice to former “comfort women.”Estelita Dy, 83, and her supporters met in Tokyo as part of events by the group to commemorate the day the first victim of Japanese sex slavery came forward on Aug. 14, 1991, and helped lay the groundwork for other victims, including Dy, to come out.Dy's supporte

South Korea may be forced to take extreme measures to avoid a nationwide blackout Monday with six nuclear reactors still out of work for maintenance, the government said.The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy earlier said the country's power reserve was expected to drop to as low as 1.8 million kilowatts during the peak hours of 2-5 p.m., far below what is considered a safe level of 4 million kilowatts.Conditions worsened after a 500,000-kw generator at a thermal power plant in Dangjin halte

His legs were hurting, the rain was pouring and he was trailing late in the race.Doesn't matter. This is Usain Bolt.And nothing gets in the way of him and first place, especially when he's driven as he was Sunday in the 100-meter final at the world championships.Bolt blew by Justin Gatlin with about 30 meters to go and never glanced back. He also didn't even crack a smile when he crossed the finish line because this took a lot more work than the world's fastest sprinter usually needs.Gatlin was