동성애자라는 이유로 난민 신청을 한 알제리 남성이 1심에서는 난민 지위를 인정받았으나 2심 법원에서는 기각돼 출국당할 처지에 놓였다.이 남성은 대법원 판단에 따라 국내 3번째 '동성애자 난민'으로 인정받거나, 아니면 동성애를 죄악으로 여기는 조국으로 강제 송환돼야 한다.알제리인 A(42)씨는 2010년 8월 한국에 입국해 3년 뒤인 2013년 11월 청주외국인보호소에 난민 신청을 했다.자신을 동성애자라고 밝힌 A씨는 동성애를 인정하지 않는 알제리로 돌아가면 박해를 받을 위험이 있다며 난민으로 받아줄 것을 요청했다.인구의 99% 이상이 수니파 무슬림인 알제리는 형법상 동성애를 처벌 대상으로 삼고 있다. 특히 무슬림 율법인 샤리아법에서는 동성애를 죄악으로 간주, 보복이나 괴롭힘을 당하는 경우가 적지 않게 발생하는 것으로 전해졌다.A씨도 "알제리에 있을 때 동성애 성향 때문에 폭행이나 감금을 당한 적이 있다"고 주장했다.그는 "한국에 온 후 누나로부터 이미 고향에 (자신이) 동성애자라는

대전 충청지역 중·고등학생 100명 가운데 5명 이상이 도박중독 위험이 있는 것으로 나타났다.최근 들어서는 청소년끼리 도박자금을 빌려주고 높은 이자를 챙기기도 하는 등 청소년 도박 중독 문제가 점차 심각해 지고 있다.18일 대전도박중독예방치유센터에 따르면 지난해 한국도박문제관리센터가 대전 ·세종·충남·충북 중학교 1학년∼고등학교 2학년 학생 1천533명을 대상으로 지난 3개월 동안의 도박 경험을 조사한 결과 1.1%가 도박중독 'Red'군으로 확인됐다.센터 측은 청소년들을 도박중독 수준에 따라 Red, Yellow, Green으로 분류했다.Red군은 도박 행동으로 일상생활이 심각하게 손상되거나 통제력을 상실한 상태 로, 성인 도박 '문제군'과 유사하다.Red군보다 중독 수준은 약하지만, 도박에 과하게 의존한 상태인 'Yellow'군은 전체의 4%로 조사됐다.Yellow군은 도박에 투자하는 시간과 금액이 늘고 도박행동 및 결과를 숨기며, 개인의 조절능력을 상실할 정도로 도박에 몰입한

Overseas orders for industrial plants clinched by South Korean builders so far this year are down by nearly half from a year earlier, a report showed Thursday, suggesting an apparent failure by local companies to adapt to changes in the global market.Local builders have so far bagged $17.06 billion worth of orders between Jan. 1 and Aug. 15, down more than 40 percent from the same period last year, according to the report compiled by the Korea Economic Research Institute.The report attributed th

The United States on Wednesday called for protecting North Korean refugees and asylum seekers around the world after the No. 2 diplomat at the North's Embassy in Britain was confirmed to have defected to South Korea.Thae Yong-ho, 55, minister at the North's mission in London, recently arrived in South Korea with his family, Seoul's Ministry of Unification announced earlier Wednesday without unveiling further details. He is one of the highest-ranking North Korean diplomats to defect to Seoul."We

The United States said Wednesday North Korea's resumption of nuclear fuel reprocessing for plutonium production is a "clear violation" of UN Security Council resolutions.Pyongyang's Atomic Energy Institute said in an interview with Japan's Kyodo News published earlier Wednesday that the communist nation has "reprocessed spent nuclear fuel rods removed from a graphite-moderated reactor." It was referring to the five-megawatt reactor at the North's Yongbyon nuclear complex.It marked the first time

The U.S. International Trade Commission on Wednesday endorsed antidumping duties the Commerce Department imposed on steel pipe imports from South Korea and two other countries.Last month, the department decided to levy 2.34-3.82 percent of antidumping duties on imports of heavy walled rectangular welded carbon steel pipes and tubes from South Korea, 3.83-5.21 percent of duties on imports from Mexico and 15.08-35.66 percent of duties on imports from Turkey.The ITC said it "determined that a U.S.

North Korea denounced the United States' forward deployment of additional nuclear bombers to Guam on Wednesday, threatening that American military bases in the Pacific region will face "ruin" in the event of reckless acts."The introduction of the nuclear strategic bombers to Guam by the US... proves that the US plan for a preemptive nuclear strike at the DPRK has entered a reckless phase of implementation," the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency reported in a statement issued by the fo

 진행자: 윤민식, Kevin Lee Selzer1. 박근혜 개각 두고 논란, 야당 등에서 비판기사요약: 박근혜 대통령이 지난 16일 개각을 단행했다. 그러나 비리 의혹에 휩싸인 우병우 민정수석을 유임시킨 것과 "탕평 인사"의 부재 등에 대한 비판적인 시각이 언론과 야권을 중심으로 이어지고 있다.아이튠즈(아이폰): https://itunes.apple.com/kr/podcast/koliaheleoldeu-paskaeseuteu/id686406253?mt=2 팟빵 (안드로이드): http://www.podbbang.com/ch/6638Park reshuffles Cabinet, keeps disputed aide[1] President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday carried out a partial Cabinet reshuffle, replacing three ministers and four vice-ministerial officials, to tighten h

South Korean stocks fell slightly on Wednesday, sliding for a second consecutive session, as investors sought to cash in on recent gains amid growing expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve may raise its interest rate. The Korean won dropped against the U.S. dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 4.01 points, or 0.20 percent, to close at 2,043.75. Trade volume was light at 388 million shares worth 4.31 trillion won ($3.89 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers outnumb

South Korea's defense chief on Wednesday defended the government's decision to select Seongju, a southeastern county, as the site for an advanced anti-missile system to counter threats from North Korea, according to military officials. In a meeting with representatives of Seongju residents held in the rural town from 2:00 p.m., Defense Minister Han Min-koo apologized for the selection process that did not provide an explanation in advance to residents about the deployment of the Terminal High Al

The number of foreign residents in South Korea subscribing to the country's national pension program has reached over 260,000, but the number represents only a fraction of foreigners here, a lawmaker said Wednesday.As of end-May, the number of subscribers with foreign citizenship came to 264,651, the highest number since the national pension program was launched in 1988, Rep. Kim Sang-hoon of the ruling Saenuri Party said, citing related data from the National Pension Service.The government bega

The regional governments of South Korea's Gangwon Province, China's Jilin Province and Russia's Maritime Province in Northeast Asia agreed Wednesday to cooperate in resuming a maritime route involving the three regions, the Gangwon provincial government said.Gangwon Gov. Choi Moon-soon, Jilin Gov. Jiang Chaoliang and Vladimir Miklushevsky, governor of Primorsky region in the Russian Far East, signed a pact to join hands toward the resumption of the route linking Sokcho on South Korea's east coas

President Park Geun-hye on Wednesday called on provincial governments to make concerted efforts to create jobs, bolster tourism and revitalize the economy, saying their unity was a driving force for South Korea's national development."There will be nothing we cannot address if we work together in the face of many challenges," Park said as she hosted a luncheon with dozens of top officials from 15 provinces and large cities."I believe you will play a big role in leading us as one to make another

The head of South Korea's No. 2 automaker Kia Motors Corp. said Wednesday that his company will eventually have to produce vehicles in India, one of the world's fastest growing markets, but that it was in no hurry to do so.Speaking to reporters at a Seoul hotel, Kia Motors CEO Park Han-woo acknowledged the company was looking at possible sites for a production facility in India."Because we are not shipping a single car to India, we will eventually have to go," Park said. He, however, said buildi

Night tours at Gyeongbok Palace, one of the royal palaces in Seoul, will begin on the first day of September, the Cultural Heritage Administration said Thursday.Set to run from Sept. 1 to 17, the "Starlight Tour with Daejanggeum" will include a Korean traditional music performance and a 12-plate royal dinner. The visitors will be treated as if they were invited to dine with the king of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), according to the state culture agency. "Daejanggeum" is the title character of

우기를 맞은 동남아시아에 폭우가 쏟아져 인명 피해가 속출하고 있다.17일 필리핀 재난관리위원회(NDRRMC)에 따르면 지난주 초부터 마닐라와 루손, 일로코스 등 필리핀 북부 지역에 폭우로 홍수와 산사태 등이 일어나 지금까지 9명이 숨졌다. 또 9명이 실종되고 6명이 다쳤다. 약 22만 명의 수재민이 발생했으며 이 중 2만 2천여 명은 대피소에서 지내고 있다.이들 피해 지역의 학교는 휴교에 들어갔다. 필리핀 정부는 1천470만 페소(3억4 천800만 원) 규모의 의료 구호물자를 배치, 수재민 지원에 나섰다.베트남에서는 지난주부터 박깐 성과 라오까이 성 등 북부지역에 내린 폭우로 홍수와 산사태가 발생해 10명이 사망했다고 신화통신이 전했다. 일부 지역에는 최고 400㎜의 비가 쏟아졌다. 600채 이상의 가옥이 파손됐으며 1천300㏊ 넘는 농경지가 침수됐다. 베트남 정부는 새로운 열대성 저기압이 동쪽에서 접근하고 있어 이번 주말까지 북부지역에 큰비가 계속 내릴 것으로 보고 추가 피해를 막

대낮에 여고생을 성추행한 20대가 사건 현장을 지나던 고등학생 무술 유단자에게 붙잡혔다.전북 정읍 배영고등학교에 다니는 김형낙(18) 군은 광복절인 15일 친구와 함께 전주시 한옥마을을 찾았다.즐겁게 한옥마을 여기저기를 둘러보던 김 군 오후 6시20분께 한옥마을 인근 한 신발가게 앞에서 길을 건너려고 신호를 기다리고 있었다.그때 건너편에서 한 여성이 "저 사람 좀 붙잡아주세요"라고 소리를 질렀다.유도와 검도 유단자인 김 군은 순간적으로 자기 쪽으로 뛰어오는 한 남성을 붙잡아 바닥에 쓰러뜨렸다.이 남성은 김 군을 뿌리치려고 발버둥 쳤고, 몸을 다시 일으켰다.김 군은 몰려든 사람들로부터 "이 사람이 저 여학생 엉덩이를 만졌다"는 이야기를 듣자마자 도망치려던 남성을 유도 기술인 업어치기로 다시 제압했다.여학생을 성추행한 정모(28)씨는 김 군의 업어치기에 호되게 당한 뒤 다시 도망칠 엄두를 내지 않았다. 잠시 뒤 경찰이 현장에 출동했고, 김 군은 정씨를 경찰에 넘겼다.김 군은 "맞은 편에

Foreign currency deposits held at banks in South Korea grew from a month earlier in July on a sharp rise in U.S. dollar deposits from exporters, central bank data showed Wednesday.Outstanding foreign currency deposits held by local residents came to $66.23 billion as of end-July, up $6.62 billion from the previous month, according to the data from the Bank of Korea.Foreign deposits include deposits held by foreigners who have stayed in South Korea for more than six months, as well as foreign com

Over 10,000 employees of a major Japanese funeral service company will visit South Korea between this fall and next spring, the state-run Korea Tourism Organization said Wednesday.The unprecedented group of Japanese visitors will arrive in Seoul and Busan in a period spanning six months starting from October, KTO said. The KTO and Busan Tourism Organization said they jointly attracted the largest number of travelers on the incentive tour program from Japan, with the first group scheduled to begi

South Korea is to declare itself free of bird flu later this week as it has not reported any confirmed cases of the virus for the past three months, the government said Wednesday.The declaration slated for Thursday is in accordance with guidelines set by the World Organization for Animal Health and follows detailed tests conducted on 11,738 poultry farms throughout the country in the past three months, the Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs said. "We've met the OIE requirements to