A presidential official on Thursday expressed displeasure after a Japanese magazine reportedly derided President Park Geun-hye as "imbecile of the week" for taking a tough stance on the former colonial ruler.The latest edition of the weekly Shukan Bunshun carried an article about Park's stance on Tokyo, accusing her of "creating disturbances" with regard to rows over the sovereignty of the South's easternmost islets of Dokdo and Japan's enslavement of Korean women as sex slaves during World War

Three-time former Premier Silvio Berlusconi was ousted from Parliament on Wednesday after two decades as a lawmaker, defiantly calling it `'a day of mourning for democracy” and pledging to continue in politics. After weeks of maneuvering, appeals and even an attempt to bring down the government, Berlusconi's delay tactics ran their course when the Senate voted to kick him out of the chamber due to a tax fraud conviction. Ever a populist, the 77-year-old billionaire chose the piazza over the Sena

South Korean institutions' investments in foreign securities rose to the highest level in five years in the third quarter as stock markets rose globally, the central bank said Thursday.The value of foreign securities held by institutional investors totaled US$70.47 billion as of end-September, up 5.3 percent from three months earlier, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).It marked the largest tally since the third quarter of 2009 when such investments in overseas securities hit $72.1 billion, th

South Korea's current account surplus hit a record high in October on the back of brisk exports of cars, chips and tech products, the central bank said Thursday.The current account surplus reached US$9.51 billion in October, up from a revised $6.54 billion in the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK). The current account is the broadest measure of cross-border trade.The October data marked the highest level since January 1980 when the BOK began to compile related data.Korea posted

A local nuclear reactor was once again shut down for what appeared to be mechanical flaws, elevating concerns about the nation’s power supply situation this winter.Kori Reactor 1, located in Busan, halted operation at 1:18 a.m. on Thursday due to “problems in its turbine system,” according to the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Corp.The number of inactive nuclear reactors in Korea thus increased from five to six out of 23, including Shin-Kori Reactors 1 and 2, which were involved in a certificate fo

South Korean stocks began higher Thursday on the back of optimistic economic data from the United States, analyst said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) gained 9.19 points, or 0.45 percent, to 2,038.00 in the first 15 minutes of trading.Tech shares led the market gain, with Samsung Electronics adding 1.02 percent and its smaller local rival LG Electronics advancing 1.05 percent. Top chipmaker SK hynix climbed 0.87 percent.Builders also traded bullish, with Hyundai Engineeri

Pakistan's prime minister chose the brother of a dead war hero to be the next army chief Wednesday, promoting an experienced general to arguably the most powerful position in the country. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's move to appoint Gen. Raheel Sharif was undoubtedly watched closely by the United States, which relies on support from the Pakistan army to battle Islamic militants and negotiate an end to the war in neighboring Afghanistan.It was a sensitive decision for the prime minister since he

 조윤희가 <하퍼스 바자> 12월 호에 진행된 화보를 통해 또 한번 색다른 매력을 발산했다.쿨하고 미니멀한 의상과 카리스마 넘치는 표정으로 카메라 앞에 선 조윤희는 모델 못지 않은 포즈와 몸매로 현장을 놀라게 했으며, 스모키한 헤어 메이크업을 통해 평소 깨끗하고 어려 보이는 얼굴과는 사뭇 다른 분위기를 연출했다.  사진: 하퍼스 바자 제공<관련 영문 기사>Actress Jo Yoon-hee poses for magazineActress Jo Yoon-hee poses for the pictorial that will be published in the December edition of Harper‘s Bazaar magazine.　

South Korea's antitrust watchdog said Wednesday that it has decided to launch a streamlined and less time-consuming process called "commitment decision" in probing two major Internet portal operators accused of hurting fair market competition by using their dominant position. This move would likely help NAVER Corp. and Daum Communications Corp. avoid a huge amount of penalties from the Fair Trade Commission's probe. The two have been under investigation for hurting fair market competition since

Defector-turned-lawmaker Cho Myung-chul on Wednesday sued for defamation a university professor who called for the execution of North Korean escapees.In a news briefing held at the National Assembly, Cho accused Yoon Jae-man, a Daegu University professor, of defamation and called his remarks in messenger app KakaoTalk "shocking." He said a complaint has been filed with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, calling for a probe into the matter.The progressive scholar allegedly characteri

Greek President Karolos Papoulias will visit South Korea next week for talks with President Park Geun-hye about enhancing all-round cooperation, Park's office announced Wednesday.Papoulias, who will arrive Monday, will be the first Greek president ever to visit South Korea.The four-day trip inclues talks with Park set for Tuesday that are expected to center on expanding cooperation in trade and investment, shipbuilding and shipping, infrastructure, defense and tourism, presidential spokeswoman K

South Korean stocks inched up 0.31 percent on Wednesday as institutional investors scooped up local shares with telecommunication shares and shipbuilders rising, analysts said. The local currency fell against the U.S. dollar.After trading in a narrow range, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) gained 6.17 points to 2,028.81. Trading volume was moderate at 252.8 million shares worth 3.63 trillion won ($3.42 billion) with gainers outpacing losers 446 to 367."Foreign selling cont

중국 국방당국은 미국의 전략폭격기가 중국 이 최근 선포한 방공식별구역을 사전 통보 없이 비행한 데 대해 27일 "중국은 관련 공역에 대해 유효통제 능력을 갖추고 있다"고 경고했다.중국 국방부 겅옌성(耿雁生) 대변인은 이날 중국의 법제만보(法制晩報) 측이 제 기한 관련 질문에 대해 "(방공식별구역에 진입한 미국 항공기의) 전 과정을 감시했고 즉각 식별했다"며 이같이 밝혔다.겅 대변인은 “강조할 필요가 있는 것은 중국은 ‘동해 방공식별구역 항공기 식별 규정 공고’에 따라 앞으로 관련 구역 내에 있는 모든 항공기의 활동을 식별할 것”이라며 “중국은 관련 공역에 대해 유효하게 통제할 수 있는 능력이 있다”고 말했다.중국은 지난 23일 우리나라와 일본이 각각 실효 지배 중인 이어도와 센카쿠(중국명 댜오위다오) 열도 상공을 포함하는 방공식 별구역(ADIZ)을 설정해 미국과 주변국들의 반발을 사고 있다.이런 와중에 미국의 B-52 폭격기 두 대가 지난 25일 중국 측에 알리지 않은 채 동중국해

새누리당은 27일 민주당이 제안한 ‘4인 협의체’를 통한 대선개입 의혹 특검 도입 논의를 수용하지 않는 쪽으로 가닥을 잡았다. 새누리당은 28일 의원총회를 열어 전체 의원의 의견을 모아 수용거부 공식입장을 확정할 예정이다.민주당 김한길 대표는 이날 최고위원회의에서 “새누리당은 정국 정상화의 기회를 스스로 걷어차지 말고 빠른 응답을 해주길 바란다”며 거듭 촉구했다.황우여 대표는 이날 최고중진연석회의를 주재한 자리에서 전날 최고위원들의 의견에 이어 중진 의원들의 의견을 수렴했지만 결론을 내리지 못했다. 중진 의원들 역시 특검 논의를 위한 협의체는 받아들일 수 없다는 의견을 황 대표에게 전달했다. 이들은 민주당의 제안을 사실상 ‘특검-특위 일괄 도입’의 변형판으로 해석한 것으로 전해졌다.황 대표가 회의가 끝난 뒤 기자들과 만나 “주말까지 의견을 모아보겠다”고 했지만, 의총에서도 야당의 제안을 찬성하는 의견이 나올 가능성은 희박한 상황이다. 정치권에서는 새누리당이 28일 본회의에서 2012

A few days ago, I bought subway train tickets with my adopted youngest son, who’s 12 years old. After looking at them and fiddling with the change he murmured, “My birth mother may have touched these same coins.”He’s been missing his birth mother, who bore him and brought him into the world, even though he has never met her. He was expressing a bone-deep longing, which would hurt my wife’s heart if she heard him express it.Every person has a unique personality. Personality basically starts with

South Korea's economic activity inched up in October and November, compared with the third quarter on improving exports and marginal increases in consumption and facility investment, the central bank said Wednesday.Asia's fourth-largest economy has been on a modest recovery track since the fourth quarter of last year and the recovery momentum is seen as being further strengthened, the Bank of Korea (BOK) said in the report dubbed the BOK Golden Book.The BOK released the Korean version of the U.S

China's declaration of its air control zone over the East China Sea has come under strain to counter the "aggressiveness of Japan" amid an increasingly acrimonious dispute over a set of islands claimed by the two nations, a Chinese expert said Wednesday. The territorial dispute between China and Japan has been escalating since China announced Saturday its Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the sea that partly overlaps those of South Korea and Japan. Defying the Chinese move, the U.S. on

Ten-man Ajax held on for a shock 2-1 win over Barcelona on Tuesday to keep alive its hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League.The young Amsterdam team dominated the first half against a Barcelona side that had already qualified and took a well-deserved 2-0 lead into the break thanks to goals from Thulani Serero and Danny Hoesen.But Ajax gifted Barcelona a way back into the Group H match almost immediately after the break when Joel Veltman brought down Neymar, earning t

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on Tuesday stood by his warning that his country was not ready to sign a key agreement with the European Union, but said he would still attend a summit at which the signing was to take place for further talks.Kiev announced last week it was halting efforts to integrate with the European Union, saying the economy could not afford to sacrifice trade with Russia and would rather focus on restoring ties with Moscow. But EU officials have remained hopeful that he

Israel has resolved a diplomatic spat with the European Union over a funding ban on institutions operating in occupied areas claimed by the Palestinians, Israeli officials said Tuesday.The dispute had shaken Israel's relations with Europe, its biggest trading partner, and drawn attention to Israel's much-maligned policy of building settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. The Palestinians claim both areas, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, as parts of a future independent state