The South Korean Cabinet plans to approve a free trade deal with Colombia on Tuesday as part of efforts to boost bilateral trade and pave the way to tap deeper into the South American market, officials said.After rounds of talks since late 2009, Seoul and Bogota concluded the deal in June last year, and initialed the pact two months later."Upon the Cabinet approval, the two countries are expected to formally sign the deal within this month, and to seek a legislative approval from each parliament

Officers stormed an underground bunker in Alabama where a 5-year-old boy had been held hostage for nearly a week, rescuing the child and leaving the boy's abductor dead, officials said Monday.Steve Richardson with the FBI's office in Mobile, Alabama said at a news conference Monday afternoon that negotiations had deteriorated with 65-year-old Jimmy Lee Dykes. Dykes, who a week earlier had abducted the child from a school bus after fatally shooting the driver, had been seen with a gun. Officers b

The U.N. Security Council will take “very stern and strong” action should North Korea carry out another nuclear test, Seoul’s top envoy to the international organization warned Monday.In a meeting with reporters, Kim Sook, who holds the rotating UNSC chairmanship this month, said Pyongyang’s third atomic test in its Punggye-ri site in the country’s northeast was imminent.“The stances of the 15 UNSC member states are united and firm. If North Korea carries out another nuclear test, (I) anticipate

A New York lawyer filed suit against his sister-in-law, who he said falsely accused him of sexual assault after the two allegedly had sex to get her pregnant.Ted McCullough, 47, sued Adrienne Mesko, 37, in the Manhattan Supreme Court for $7 million, accusing her of defamation, malicious prosecution and intentional infliction of emotional distress, the New York Post reported Sunday. McCullough said he was trying to help Mesko become pregnant out the goodness of his heart because she was unable to

Heavy snow pounded central South Korea, including the capital city of Seoul, on Monday, disrupting air and ground traffic and delaying the start of schools.According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), Seoul had received a total of 16.5 centimeters of snow as of 7 a.m., the highest amount so far this winter and also the highest for February since 2001. Incheon, west of Seoul, had 14.6 cm of snow; Munsan, a city close to the truce village of Panmunjom, got 14.5 cm; and Chuncheon, Ga

Lionel Messi extended his record streak by scoring in his 12th consecutive Spanish league game to give leader Barcelona a 1-1 draw at Valencia on Sunday, while Atletico Madrid remained perfect at home through 20 games in all competitions.Midfielder Ever Banega struck first for Valencia in the 33rd, only for Messi to level for the visitors from the penalty spot six minutes later.Former Valencia star David Villa had Barcelona's best chance late but failed to finish on the break before goalkeeper V

Phil Mickelson completed a wire-to-wire victory in the Phoenix Open, again flirting with history in a dominating four-day run at TPC Scottsdale.Mickelson shot a 4-under 67 on Sunday to finish at 28-under 256, two strokes off the PGA Tour record of 254 set by Tommy Armour III in the 2003 Texas Open.Mickelson missed a chance for a 59 in the first round when his 25-foot birdie putt on the final hole caught the right edge of the cup, curled 180 degrees and stayed out. He settled for a 60 and followe

Hugo Chavez is making steady progress recovering from cancer surgery, said the leader of Venezuela's parliament, who said the convalescing president is "clearly" moving ahead in his recovery."The health of Comandante Chavez is clearly recovering," said National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello. "He continues to make consistent but gradual progress."Chavez has not been seen or heard from since his last cancer operation on December 11 in Havana, and any news about his health is closely monitore

Paraguayan presidential candidate Lino Cesar Oviedo has been killed in a helicopter crash, authorities said Sunday, ending a dramatic political career that included coups and repeated attempts to lead this impoverished 6.5 million-person country. Oviedo was returning with his bodyguard from a political rally in northern Paraguay Saturday night when his pilot encountered bad weather. All three were killed in the crash, said Johnny Villalba, a spokesman for Paraguay's airport authority. Defense Mi

한국의 인구 대비 성형수술 비율이 세계에서 가장 높은 것으로 나타났다.영국 경제주간지 이코노미스트와 일간지 데일리메일은 국제성형의학회(ISAPS)의 보고서를 인용해 2011년 인구 대비 성형수술 횟수 비교에서 한국이 1위를 차지했다고 지난달 31일보도했다.ISAPS는 국가별 공식 통계와 성형외과 전문의로부터 제출 받은 자료를 종합해 보 고서를 작성했다. 한국은 2011년 인구 1천 명당 성형수술 횟수가 13건을 넘은 것으로 집계돼 이 부문 1위에 올랐다. 한국인 77명 중 1명꼴로 성형 수술을 받은 것이다.특히 19∼49세 도시 거주 한국 여성은 5명 중 1명꼴로 성형 수술을 받은 것으로 집계됐다. 한국 여성에게 가장 인기가 많은 수술은 쌍꺼풀 수술로 드러났다. 인구 대비 성형수술은 한국이 제일 높았지만, 절대량은 미국이 311만 건으로 한국의 5배 가량으로 높았다. (코리아헤럴드)<관련 영문 기사>Korean women top plastic surgery ratioWomen in

경찰청은 1일 강압적이거나 폭력적인 졸업식 뒤풀이를 막기 위한 선도 활동을 강화한다고 밝혔다.경찰은 졸업식 시즌인 2월을 맞아 학교폭력 예방교육을 하고, 졸업식 당일에는 학교나 뒤풀이 예상지역을 순찰하기로 했다고 밝혔다. 이와 관련해 경찰은 순찰 강화가 필요하다고 판단한 학교 1,360 곳과 학생들이 뒤풀이를 하기 위해 찾을 곳으로 예상되는 1,464 곳을 선정했다.이러한 악습을 막기 위해 경찰은 뒤풀이 주도자 뿐만 아니라 단순 가담자 역시 처벌하기로 했다고 전했다.선도 대상은 단체로 길가에서 옷을 벗는 행위, 다른 학생들에게 알몸이 되게 하는 행위, 뒤풀이 명목으로 돈을 뺏는 등 가혹행위이다.대구경찰청 배기명 여성청소년계장은 “경미한 행위는 현장지도로 끝나지만 과도 한 졸업식 뒤풀이가 형사처벌 대상이라고 판단되면 주동자뿐 아니라 단순가담자도 모두 사법처리할 방침”이라며 학생들에게 “무분별한 행위를 하지 말 것”을 당부했다.경찰은 또한 술, 담배 등을 청소년에게 판매하거나, PC방이

Japan's hawkish Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told lawmakers Friday he intends to release a new statement on World War II, a move that could cause friction with neighboring nations including China."I would like to announce a future-orientated statement that will suit the 21st century," Abe said. "On the timing and the content I'd like to think thoroughly hereafter."The nationalist premier said he wanted to update a landmark statement issued in 1995 by then-prime minister Tomiichi Murayama, seen as a

지난 1월 31일 서울 올림픽공원 SK올림픽핸드볼경기장에서 열린 제 22회 서울가요상 시상식에서 가수 싸이는 대상을 수상하는 영예를 안았다. 이어 최고 앨범상과 디지털 음원상은 빅뱅 멤버 지드래곤과 시스타에게 돌아갔다.  바쁜 일정 때문에 싸이는 서울가요대상에 참석하지는 못했지만 싸이의 빈 자리를 대신해 절친한 후배이자 yg엔터테인먼트에서 한솥밥을 먹고 있는 에픽하이 타블로가 대리 수상했다. 이날 싸이는 영상을 통해 “서울가요대상 대상을 받게 됐다. 가서 받아야 하는데, 영상을 통해 수상소감 말씀 드리는 것이 죄송스럽다. 다시 한번 큰 상 주셔서 감사하고 YG 식구들 모두 감사하다.”고 소감을 밝혔다. 그는 이어 “스태프, 팬들 덕분에 지금까지 올 수 있었다. 대상 잘 먹겠습니다.” 라고 밝혀 웃음을 자아냈다. 싸이는 대상 외에 본상을 수상하며 2관왕에 올랐다. 그를 비롯해 슈퍼주니어, 빅뱅 샤이니, 2 2NE1, 이승기, 씨스타, 시크릿, 미쓰에이, 에픽하이, 에프엑스, 허각 등

북한의 3차 핵실험 준비로 한반도 긴장이 고조되고 있는 가운데, 미국의 핵잠수함과 이지스 순양함이 한국을 방문했다. 북한에게 강력한 경고의 메시지를 보내는 일종의 무력시위로 분석된다. 내주 초 동해에서 열릴 것으로 보이는 대잠수함 훈련을 위해, 6천900t급 핵잠수함인 ‘샌프란시스코함’ 과 ’9천800t급 순양함 ‘샤일로함’이 진해와 부산에 각각 입항해 대기 중이다. 7함대 소속 항공모함도 곧 한국을 방문할 것으로 알려졌다. 한미 당국자들은 이번 훈련이 연간 훈련 계획에 의해 진행되는 것으로, 북한 핵 문제와는 별개라며 선을 그었다. 이와 같은 발언은 불필요하게 중국을 자극시킬 수 있다는 우려 때문인 것으로 보인다.한 군 고위 관계자는 “이전에 계획된 훈련이라고 하더라도 이번 연합훈련을 통해 북한에 대해 잘못된 행동을 했을 경우 그냥 넘어갈 수 없다는 메시지를 충분히 전달할 수 있을 것”이라고 말했다. 정승조 합참의장은 31일 로스앤젤레스급 핵잠수함을 방문한 자리에서 “(핵실험 장소

North Korea has covered the entrance to one of the tunnels at an underground nuclear site in an apparent effort to avoid satellite monitoring as the communist nation makes final preparations for an imminent nuclear test, intelligence sources said Friday. The latest move comes as South Korea and the United States are mobilizing intelligence assets, including spy satellites, to detect early signs of a third atomic test in Punggye-ri in the North's northeastern tip. The sprawling nuclear test site

SK Innovation Co., the holding company of South Korea's biggest refiner, said Friday that its net income rose 50.8 percent in the fourth quarter from a year earlier thanks to a strong won. Net profit came to 228 billion won (US$209.5 million) in the October-December period, compared with 151 billion won a year ago, SK Innovation said in a regulatory filing. Sales rose 1.4 percent on-year to 17.15 trillion won, but operating profit fell 44.1 percent to 202 billion won, the company said."The South

A Massachusetts woman who posed as a teenage boy and carried on a relationship with a 15-year-old girl has been sentenced to seven years in prison.Carissa Hads, 24, of Quincy, was sentenced Wednesday in a West Virginia court to 87 months in prison after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors, The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, Mass., reported.In the plea agreement, Hads admitted to traveling to West Virginia on Feb. 23 to engage in a sexual act with the 15-year-old girl.Hads posed as "Puryear Wilson," a

Japan's jobless rate stood at 4.2 percent in December, edging up from 4.1 percent in the previous month, the government said on Friday.For the entire 2012 period, the unemployment rate fell 0.3 percent on-year to 4.3 percent, marking two straight years of improvement, according to the internal affairs ministry.The December data, slightly higher than market expectations of 4.1 percent, comes after Japan's new government under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe unveiled a huge stimulus plan aimed at boosti

China has the highest risk of a downturn among 32 of the world’s largest economies stemming from its outsized proportion of investment spending, according to Standard & Poor’s. Australia, India and Vietnam show an “intermediate risk” of a slowdown based on comparisons of investment, size of gross domestic product and growth, Terry Chan, a Melbourne-based analyst for the credit-ratings company, wrote in a report released today. China has the highest investment-to-GDP ratio in the world, the repor

Unemployment, recession, debt, crisis and bailouts: These have been the sort of words that have been associated with the euro currency over the past few years.So it may come as a bit of a surprise to hear that a relatively poor country on the edge of the European Union is hurtling toward full membership within the year.Latvia is the country in question and its lawmakers passed legislation Thursday that brought membership one step nearer in spite of widespread worries among the population. Latvia