South Korean and U.S. troops launched their annual joint drills on Friday, military officials said, amid heightened tension following North Korea's third nuclear test last month.The Key Resolve/Foal Eagle exercises come after North Korea warned the top U.S. commander in South Korea of "miserable destruction" if the American military goes ahead with the two-month-long joint drills.Earlier in the day, the allies started the Foal Eagle drills, which are field training exercises involving tens of th

TOKYO, (AFP) -- The head of the committee tasked with evaluating bids for the 2020 Olympic games arrived in Japan on Friday as Tokyo readied to showcase its facilities.International Olympic Committee Vice President Craig Reedie, who leads the Evaluation Commission, was met by Tokyo Governor Naoki Inose ahead of the four-day inspection, which starts Monday."Just welcomed 2020 Evaluation Commission Chairman Sir Craig Reedie to Tokyo. The race for the 2020 games is now in full gear #Tokyo2020," Twe

TOKYO (AP) -- Stock markets in Asia were mixed Friday as China's manufacturing waned and many investors watched for progress on resolving an impasse that could bring on drastic spending cuts by the U.S. government.China's manufacturing grew at its weakest rate in five months in February as demand faltered and factories shut down for the Lunar New Year holiday. Economic data from Japan showed a slight improvement in unemployment but a plunge in business investment and persisting deflation. That d

South Korea's trade balance posted a surplus last month, continuing to stay in the black for the 13 consecutive month, as a drop in imports outstripped a fall in exports, the government said Friday.The country's exports came to US$42.32 billion in February, down 8.6 percent from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Knowledge Economy. Imports sank 10.7 percent on-year to $40.26 billion, leaving a $2.06 billion trade surplus.Last month's fall contrasts with the on-year growth in both expor

In spite of leadership changes in both South Korea and Japan, efforts to mend frayed bilateral ties are likely to be bogged down for the time being and prospects for better relations will depend on how Japan responds to historical and territorial issues.Relations between Seoul and Tokyo have chilled following an unprecedented visit to the South Korean islets of Dokdo last August by the South's former President Lee Myung-bak, who cited Tokyo's unrepentant attitude over its brutal 1910-45 colonial

South Korea's new President Park Geun-hye urged Japan on Friday to face up to history and be more responsible for its wartime wrongdoing, saying they are preconditions for the two neighbors to build genuine trust and cooperation. Park issued the appeal in an address marking Korea's 1919 nationwide uprising against Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule. The speech was watched closely as it came just days after her inauguration and could set the tone for relations between the two countries.The March 1st I

After watching a basketball game with former NBA star Dennis Rodman in Pyongyang, North Korea's young leader Kim Jong-un expressed his "expectation" that a sports exchange with the United States could help promote "mutual understanding" between people of the two nations, the North's state media said Friday.On his third day visiting North Korea with New York-based VICE media company, Rodman watched a mixed basketball game with Kim between American players of the Harlem Globetrotters and North Kor

The number of South Korean nationals who left their home country for the purpose of permanent residence in foreign nations fell to a record low last year, government data showed Friday.A total of 538 people applied for emigration in 2012, compared with 753 a year ago, according to the data by the foreign ministry.South Korean emigrants have been on a steady decline since 1977 due mainly to the country's economic development. The number of South Koreans departing to live in foreign nations peaked

아놀드 슈왈제네거가 김지운 감독의 열정과 재능을 극찬했다.김지운 감독의 할리우드 진출작 “라스트 스탠드”의 주연배우로 한국을 찾은 아놀드 슈왈제네거의 내한 기자회견이 20일 오전 서울 여의도의 한 호텔에서 열렸다. 이날 행사에는 김지운 감독이 동석했다.슈왈제네거는 “김지운은 열정적으로 원하는 연기를 주문하는 스타일” 이라고 칭찬하며 “스턴트 동작과 계단에서 구르는 장면을 직접 보여주는 등 감독으로서 몸을 사리지 않았다. 덕분에 그가 원하는 것을 쉽게 이해할 수 있었고 다른 언어를 사용함에도 소통에 전혀 문제가 없었다” 고 말했다.그는 또 “영화 연출이란 심리학자나 정신과 의사가 하는 일과 비슷하다고 생각한다. 배우에 대해서 완벽히 연구하고 이해해야만 그의 내면 깊숙한 곳까지 파고들 수 있고, 또 그래야지만 원하는 연기를 이끌어 낼 수 있다. 김지운 감독은 그런 작업들을 훌륭하게 해냈고, 함께 일한 배우로서 매우 감사하고 있다” 고 말했다.‘라스트 스탠드’에서 슈왈제네거는 한때 L.A

그룹 신화의 데뷔 15주년 콘서트 티켓이 예매 오픈 5분만에 전석 매진됐다.신화는 3월 16일과 17일 이틀에 걸쳐 서울 올림픽 공원 체조경기장에서 “2013 SHINHWA 15th Anniversary Concert” 란 타이틀로 공연을 펼친다.신화컴퍼니에 따르면 13일 오후 8시에 온라인 예매가 시작된지 단 5분만에 2만 5천석 전석이 팔렸다. 예매 사이트엔 30만명이 넘는 접속자가 몰려 서버가 수차례 다운되기도 했다는 후문이다.그룹 신화는 98년 데뷔 이후 멤버 교체나 해체 없이 15년을 이어온 국내 최장수 아이돌 그룹이다. SM 엔터테인먼트 소속으로 90년대 말 데뷔하였으나 2003년 계약을 종료하였다. 이후 굿 엔터테인먼트과 계약을 체결, 멤버별 개인활동을 이어가다 2011년 자체 회사인 ‘신화컴퍼니’를 설립하였다.신화는 서울 공연을 시작으로 아시아 투어에 나선다. 오는 4월 말에는 정규 11집을 발표할 계획이다. 코리아 헤럴드 이다영 기자 (dyc@heraldcorp.c

NEW DELHI (AP) --  Scores of demonstrators have gathered near India's Parliament to protest a new sexual violence law they say is inadequate. The government Monday defended its decision to approve an ordinance over the weekend that prescribed harsher punishment for rapists.But activists say the law only partially followed the recommendations of a government panel set up after the fatal gang rape of a woman in New Delhi two months ago.Activists say the new law does not deal with marital rape or s

South Korea's tax agency has launched an investigation into the nation's top Internet portal operator NHN Corp for the first time since 2007, a company official said Monday.The official said the probe is a regular tax investigation that occurs every four or five years but NHN's first tax probe in 2007 forced the company to pay 1.48 billion won (US$1.3 million) in additional taxes.The 2007 tax probe was the first on NHN since it was founded in 1999.Naver is NHN's flagship Web portal that features

JERUSALEM (AP) -- Both Israeli and Palestinian schoolbooks largely present one-sided narratives of the conflict between the two peoples and tend to ignore the existence of the other side, but rarely resort to demonization, a study released Monday said.The study by Israeli, Palestinian and American researchers, billed as setting a new scientific standard for textbook analysis, tackled a particularly fraught issue -- longstanding Israeli claims that the Palestinians teach hatred of Israel and glor

The heads of the world's biggest display makers, Samsung Display Co. and LG Display Co., agreed Monday to resolve their patent dispute through dialogue in an effort to stem the legal tussle from escalating.The two companies, affiliates of the country's biggest electronics firms Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc., have been embroiled in a patent suit over display technology as they race to bolster market leadership.Samsung Display and LG Display are currently involved in four litigat

South Korean rapper Psy said Monday his follow-up to his global hit "Gangnam Style" will likely be released in April."I finished the song but it's hellish to make its music video," he told reporters at Incheon International Airport.The video for Psy's "Gangnam Style" became the most-viewed YouTube clip in December, topping 1 billion hits, and broke the 1.2 billion mark last month.He recently starred in a Super Bowl ad for Wonderful Pistachios, a popular U.S. snack brand.The singer's first ad in

He was king of England, but for centuries he lay without shroud or coffin in an unknown grave, and his name became a byword for villainy.On Monday, scientists announced they had rescued the remains of Richard III from anonymity _ and the monarch's fans hope a revival of his reputation will soon follow.In a dramatically orchestrated news conference, a team of archaeologists, geneticists, genealogists and other scientists from the University of Leicester announced that tests had proven what they s

MOSCOW,  (AFP) -- At least 20,000 Russians marched on Sunday through Moscow to protest a Kremlin law that banned US adoptions of Russian orphans and led to a further split in an already polarised society.The protest dubbed "the March Against Scoundrels" was aimed at naming and shaming the lawmakers who fast-tracked the anti-adoption bill through the lower house of parliament, the State Duma.Besides slogans such as "Stop Lying," participants carried pictures of lawmakers Alina Kabayeva, a former

MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- A 150-day ban on the carrying of firearms outside residences across the Philippines began Sunday to prevent violence that could erupt during May 13 congressional and local elections in a country awash with weapons and plagued by a history of deadly poll rivalries.Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said the ban, which ends June 12, suspends all permits to carry firearms in public areas and exempts only top officials, on-duty troops and police, and pe

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) -- Serbia on Sunday adopted a set of guidelines for reconciliation talks with the leaders of Kosovo, in a strong first signal it is loosening its claim to its former province in hopes of getting closer to European Union membership.In a resolution adopted by an overwhelming majority in Parliament, Serbia maintained it will never recognize Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence. But in a big shift in policy, the document called for wide autonomy for minority Serbs within K

BERLIN, (AFP) -- US Vice President Joe Biden is expected to travel to Berlin soon for talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel, a German government spokesman said Sunday."There are plans for a visit," the spokesman told AFP. "The details and timings will be made known when they are confirmed."The newsweekly Der Spiegel had previously reported that Merkel would host Biden for an official visit in early February.Biden is to address the Munich Security Conference, an annual meeting of top brass and fore