삼성전자 전동수 메모리사업 사장이 불산사고와 관련해 자신이 한 발언이 논란이 되자 9일 공식적으로 사과했다.전 사장은 지난 8일, 기자들이 불산 누출 사고가 두번이나 발생한 것에 대한 의견을 묻자 “저는 돈이나 벌어야죠”라고 한 것으로 알려졌다. 이 발언이 언론을 통해 공개되자 이를 두고 부적절하다는 지적이 빗발쳤고, 결국 전 사장은 삼성전자 블로그에 “부주의한 발언으로 물의를 일으키게 되어 진심으로 사과드립니다”란 글을 올렸다.그는 자신의 발언이 “유해물질을 한층 더 밀착 관리할 수 있는 전담조직과 환경안전 책임자가 배치된 만큼 사업부장으로서 비즈니스에 더 힘을 쏟겠다는 의미의 말”이었다면서 경황없이 대답하는 과정에서 오해를 살만한 발언을 하게 되었다고 해명했다. 전 사장은 이어 “모든 분들이 지난번 불산 노출 사고로 많이 심려하고 계신 상황에서 저의 잘못된 발언으로 걱정을 더 깊게 해 드려 다시 한번 진심으로 사과드립니다”고 밝히면서 사업장에서의 사고 재발에 더욱 힘쓰겠다고 적었

China's inflation rose slightly in April amid concern about the strength of its economic recovery. Consumer prices rose 2.4 percent over a year earlier, up from March's 2.1 percent gain, data showed Thursday. That still is well below the government's target of 3.5 percent for the year. Inflation is forecast to rise gradually as a shaky economic recovery boosts consumer demand. But mixed signals about factory activity, which slowed in April, and doubts about the strength of trade have raised ques

The combined foreign ownership of shares listed on South Korea's main bourse fell to an eight-month low as of Tuesday, apparently due to the protracted economic slowdown, data has showed.  Overseas investors held 34.02 percent of the total market value, marking the lowest number since 33.98 percent tallied in September last year, according to the Korea Financial Investment Association data that came out Thursday. Foreigners' presence on blue-chip exporters fell, with their stakes in Samsung Elec

Youth unemployment is likely to rise globally to 12.8 percent by 2018, wiping out gains made in the recent economic recovery, the U.N.'s labor office said Wednesday.As of last year, some 12.4 percent of people aged 15 to 24 worldwide were unemployed, up from 12.3 percent in 2011, according to a report published by the International Labor Organization, which is based in Geneva.In six of 10 developing countries surveyed, more than 60 percent of the young people were either unemployed or trapped in

South Korean stocks opened higher Thursday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street on rising hopes for an economic recovery, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) moved up 8.05 points, or 0.41 percent, to 1,964.50 in the first 15 minutes of trading.Shares gathered ground across the board, with market behemoth Samsung Electronics rising 0.81 percent and top steelmaker POSCO moving up 0.16 percent. Leading builder Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. advanced 0.6

Convicted ex-Enron Corp. CEO Jeffrey Skilling's more than 24-year prison sentence for his role in the once mighty energy giant's collapse could be reduced by as many as 10 years if a federal judge approves an agreement reached Wednesday between prosecutors and defense attorneys.Under the agreement, which Justice Department officials say includes a previous court-ordered reduction of as much as nine years, Skilling's original sentence will be reduced to somewhere between 14 and 17.5 years. The ag

Real Madrid delayed Barcelona's claim to the Spanish league title by trouncing 10-man Malaga 6-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.Had the Spanish powerhouse dropped a point, Barcelona would have lifted its 22nd league crown, its fourth in five seasons.Instead, a determined-looking Madrid went on a goal rampage, opening the scoring when Raul Albiol headed inside the far post from a corner launched by Luka Modric in the third minute.Roque Santa Cruz equalized in the 15th minute when he bounce

South Korea plans to provide 26 trillion won ($23.9 billion) worth of support for small start-up companies this year as part of efforts to create a business friendly environment for such venture business activities, officials said Thursday.The support plan and other measures, including tax incentives, will be unveiled next week, which would represent the fourth large-scale policy package by President Park Geun-hye to boost the slowing economy since her inauguration in February."Details have yet

NHN Corp., South Korea's top Internet portal operator, said Thursday its first-quarter net profit jumped15.6 percent from a year earlier, buoyed by increased revenue from advertising and messenger services.Net profit reached 157 billion won ($145 million) in the January-March period, compared with a profit of 136 billion won the previous year, NHN said in a regulatory filing.Revenue rose 17.6 percent on-year to 673 billion won in the first quarter, and operating profit gained 10.5 percent to 191

A neighbor who helped free three women from nearly a decade in captivity in Ohio has become a star, offering moments of levity in an unspeakably horrible story, free publicity for a restaurant chain and unexpected lessons in race relations.Charles Ramsey lived next door to where Ariel Castro is alleged to have kept the women in a makeshift prison in a Cleveland neighborhood. On Monday afternoon, Ramsey happened to be home and heard Amanda Berry's scream.Or let him tell it: “I got the day off fro

Japan has acknowledged that it conducted only a limited investigation before claiming there was no official evidence that its imperial troops coerced Asian women into sexual slavery before and during World War II.A parliamentary statement signed Tuesday by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe acknowledged the government had a set of documents produced by a postwar international military tribunal containing testimony by Japanese soldiers about abducting Chinese women as military sex slaves. That evidence ap

The Dow Jones industrial average rose, closing above 15,000 for a second day after breaching the landmark level for the first time Tuesday.On Wednesday, a day without any major economic releases, investors focused on company earnings as reporting for the first quarter draws to a close. Although earnings growth has slowed from last quarter, profits are at record levels and projected to rise throughout the year.The Dow closed up 48.92 points, or 0.3 percent, at 15,105.12. The index is 15.3 percent

Alex Ferguson will retire as Manchester United manager at the end of this season, the English Premier League champions announced Wednesday, bringing down the curtain on one of the most successful careers football has known.Ferguson, 71, has been in charge at Old Trafford for 26 years, guiding United to 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League crowns.It was not until Tuesday that rumours of Ferguson's shock retirement started circulating but he said it was a decision he had been consider

캠브리지 대학 내의 남성동호회가 해마다 여는 여성 젤리 레슬링 행사가 학교 내 여학생들의 강력한 반대에 부딪혀 무산되었다.영국 데일리 메일 등이 7일 (현지시간) 보도한 바에 따르면 와이번 소사이이티란 동호회는 공식성명을 통해 올해는 젤리 레슬링 대회를 열지 않겠다고 발표했다. 매년 시험기간이 끝나고 열리는 여름 파티의 일환으로 실시되는 이 대회는 비키니를 입은 여성 두 명이 젤리 속에서 서로 레슬링을 해 우승자를 가린다.캠브리지 학생인 니나 드 폴라 하니카 씨는 6일, 이 행사의 중지를 요구하는 탄원서를 냈다. 그 탄원서에는 현재 1,100명 이상이 성명한 상태이다.그녀는 이 대회가 “21세기에 발붙일 곳이 없는 시대착오적인 성차별 행사”라면서 이런 대회가 아직도 있다는 것에 충격을 받았다고 비난했다.캠브리지 학생회의 여성 캠페인(Women’s Campaign) 역시 레슬링 대회를 비판하며 하니카 씨의 탄원서를 전적으로 지원할 것을 약속했다. 학생회의 수지 랭스데일 씨는 젤리 레슬

The U.N. Human Rights Council on Tuesday appointed three experts from Indonesia, Australia and Serbia to conduct a probe into North Korea’s human rights violations. U.N. Special Rapporteur Marzuki Darusman of Indonesia will lead the Commission of Inquiry along with Michael Kirby, a retired Supreme Court justice from Australia, and Sonja Biserko, founder and president of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia. The 47-nation body in March approved its first-ever formal inquiry mechanism

China’s decision to end financial dealings with a key North Korean foreign exchange bank is a “significant” step that may severely punish North Korea for its internationally condemned nuclear ambitions, a Seoul official said Wednesday.Bank of China Ltd has shut down the account of North Korea’s Foreign Trade Bank, which was hit with U.S. sanctions in March after Washington accused it of helping finance Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program.The North’s state-run bank was told its transactions had b

대리점주에 대한 폭언 사건으로 곤욕을 치르고 있는 남양유업이 불매운동 확산이란 악재까지 맞았다.국내 편의점 3대 업체인 CU(구 보광 훼미리마트)ㆍGS25ㆍ세븐일레븐의 점주 단체 연합회인 전국편의점가맹점사업자단체협의회(이하 전편협)는 8일 공식 성명을 내고, 남양유업 제품 불매운동을 본격적으로 시작한다고 밝혔다.전편협은 성명을 통해 남양유업의 폭언과 제품 강매(일명 ‘밀어내기’)를 “비인륜적이고 야만적”이라며 비난하면서 진심어린 사과와 재발방지책을 요구했다. 이들은 “홈페이지에 올려놓은 대표이사 명의의 형식적 사과로는 부족하다”며 “진심을 담아 대국민 사과를 하고, 다시는 이런 일이 일어나지 않도록 관련 임직원 징계 등 국민들이 이해할 수 있는 대책을 발표하라”고 촉구했다.전편협은 편의점 가맹점을 운영하는 전국의 점주 1만5000여명으로 구성된 단체다. 이들이 불매운동을 공식 선언한 만큼, 매출 하락 등 남양유업이 입을 타격이 적지 않을 것으로 전망된다.강중호 전편협 대표는 “편의점

South Korean stocks closed 0.11 percent higher Wednesday on rising hope over the global economic recovery following a series of advanced countries' stimulus moves, analysts said. The local currency gained against the U.S. dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 2.1 points to finish at 1,956.45. Trading volume was moderate at 332.7 million shares worth 4 trillion won (US$3.7 billion) with gainers outnumbering decliners 493 to 315."Seoul shares gathered ground on the m

Six out of 10 elderly people are not economically independent, a survey showed Wednesday, in the latest sign that South Koreans are not well-prepared for their retirement.The biennial survey by the National Pension Research Institute found that 59.3 percent of 4,105 households said they do not have the economic means to remain independent while 40.7 percent said they can support themselves.The survey also showed that 53.2 percent of retirees said they wanted to receive financial support from the

독일 프로축구 함부르크SV에서 뛰고 있는 손흥민(21)의 거취를 두고 루머가 계속해서 나오고 있다.영국의 더 위크 (The Week) 매거진은 7일 (현지시간) 영국 프리미어리그의 명문 구단 아스날과 토트넘, 그리고 분데스리가의 도르트문트 등이 손흥민을 두고 스카우트 경쟁을 벌이고 있다고 보도했다. 이와 관련해 함부르크의 경영진 역시 손흥민의 이적을 고려하고 있는 것으로 알려졌다. 프랑크 아르네센 함부르크 단장은 손흥민에 관해 “현재 (손흥민과) 새로운 계약과 관련해 협상을 하고 있으며 만약 새 계약을 하지 못하면 당연히 그를 팔게 될 것”이라고 밝혔다.이어 에드가 야호브 함부르크 구단주 역시 8일(한국시간) 독일 일간지 ‘디 벨트’와의 인터뷰에서 “올 여름 손흥민을 팔지 못하면 큰 손해를 보게 된다”고 밝혔다. 그는 “수백만 유로에 달하는 이적료를 포기할 클럽은 전 세계 어디에도 없다”며 손흥민의 이적을 시사했다.이는 손흥민을 무조건 지키겠다는 기존의 입장과는 상반된 것인데, 이는