인천의 한 하천 인근에서 청소용 마대에 담긴 채 발견된 여성 시신은 팔과 다리가 노끈에 묶인 상태였던 것으로 드러났다.경찰은 이를 타살로 볼 결정적 단서로 판단하고 전국 지방청과 공조 수사에 착수했다.인천 삼산경찰서는 최근 인천 굴포천 인근에서 청소용 마대에 담긴 상태로 발견된 여성 시신을 살인사건 피해자로 보고 수사하고 있다고 20일 밝혔다.경찰이 제작한 '인천 굴포천 시신 사건' 제보용 전단 (독자 제공=연합뉴스)경찰 관계자는 "부패한 여성 시신은 플래카드를 걸 때 흔히 사용하는 노끈으로 묶여 있었다"며 "살해된 것으로 보고 가용 인력을 총동원하고 있다"고 말했다.시신의 두 팔은 움직이지 못하게 몸통에 붙인 뒤 노끈으로 묶여 있었고, 몸 전체를 마대에 담을 수 있게 다리를 구부려 허벅지와 몸통을 다시 묶은 상태였다.경찰의 이 관계자는 "흰색 노끈 1개와 2∼3가지 색이 섞인 노끈 등 두 종류의 끈이 시신을 묶는 데 사용됐다"고 덧붙였다.인천경찰청은 최근 전국 17개 지방경찰청에

홍대 클럽 인근에서 실종된 여대생 이수현(20)씨가 실종 8일째인 21일 오전 한강에서 숨진 채 발견됐다. 경찰에 따르면 이날 오전 11시 15분께 서울 망원한강공원 선착장 인근 수중에 빠진 채 한강경찰대에 발견됐다. (사진=연합뉴스)경찰 관계자는 "인상착의가 같고 유족이 현장에서 이씨가 맞다고 확인했다"고 말했다.이씨의 몸에 외상이 없었으며, 신발을 신은 채 발견돼 실족사했을 가능성이 커 보인다.이씨는 이달 14일 오후 마포구 홍대입구역 인근 클럽에서 친구들과 술자리를 가지고서 10시 53분께 친구와 대화를 하다 화를 내고 어디론가 사라진 뒤 연락이 끊겼다. 오후 11시 40분께 망원한강공원 지하보도로 걸어가는 모습이 CCTV에 찍힌 게 마지막 행적이었다. 망원한강공원 지하보도 CCTV 자료 (사진=연합)경찰은 이씨가 한강에서 사고를 당했을 가능성이 있다고 보고 인근 수색을 하는 한편, 실종 전단을 뿌리는 등 공개수사를 해왔다.경찰 조사에서 이씨는 특별한 원한 관계나 금전 문제가

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday that he is willing to fully devote himself to his home country, the strongest signal yet that he would run for president in South Korea next year."If what I have learned, seen and felt during my 10-year service as UN secretary-general could help advance the Republic of Korea, I am willing to fully devote myself to it," Ban said during a valedictory meeting with South Korean journalists."Though my capacity is limited, I will not be sparing of myself i

Five South Korean firms, including LG Chem Ltd., the country's largest chemicals manufacturer, received government approval to carry out voluntary corporate restructuring through fast-track legal and administrative procedures, the trade ministry said Wednesday.The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said a government panel chose the firms to endorse their proposed restructuring efforts to boost competitiveness.LG Chem, which posted 20.2 trillion won in sales last year, said it will convert it

South Korean shares traded higher late Wednesday morning, led by gains in top market cap Samsung Electronics and other market heavyweights, set to extend their winning streak to two second consecutive days.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 4.29 points, or 0.21 percent, to 2,046.23 as of 11:20 a.m.Market bellwether Samsung Electronics rose 0.29 percent. A day earlier, the tech giant gained 0.95 percent to 1,812,000, closing at a new record high.  Samsung C&T, Samsung's

SK Engineering & Construction Co., a major builder in South Korea, said Wednesday that an tunnel that goes under the Bosporus Strait has opened connecting the Asian and European continents.In 2008, SK Engineering won the $1.24 billion project along with a Turkish firm, and the consortium started work on the project in January 2013.The double-deck tunnel, dubbed the Eurasia Tunnel, is the first for cars under the Strait, and reduces driving time across the Strait from the current 100 minutes via

More than 5,500 South Koreans have their credit ratings lifted this year by paying utility bills and communication service fees on time, government data showed Wednesday.Starting in 2016, the financial authorities introduced a system to tie personal credit ratings with such nonfinancial transaction information as the payment of phone and Internet service fees, as well as utility and state health care bills.A total of 65,396 people offered related payment records to credit bureaus as of end-Novem

South Korea's exports rose 11.6 percent in the first 20 days of this month from a year earlier, raising hopes that the country may post positive growth for two straight months for the first time in more than two years, latest customs data showed Wednesday.The country's exports totaled $27.1 billion from Dec. 1-20, up from $24.2 billion tallied over the same period last year, according to the Korea Customs Service.Outbound shipments of semiconductors soared 19.5 percent on-year and those of passe

South Korea's health authorities and one of the nation's three mobile carriers launched a collaboration on Wednesday to monitor and further prevent the spread of infectious diseases.Under an agreement between the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and LG Uplus Co., the authorities will provide information about virus outbreaks in other countries to people using roaming service overseas provided by LG Uplus.Also, the mobile carrier will deliver roaming data pertaining to whether the

Special prosecutors raided the state-run pension service and the health ministry's pensin division Wednesday as they started a full-fledged probe into an influence-peddling scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and her close friend.The team led by independent counsel Park Young-soo officially began its investigation after 20 days of preparation. (Yonhap)The National Pension Service, South Korea's largest institutional investor, supported Samsung Group's controversial merger of two affiliates

False health insurance claims in South Korea are expected to flirt with 600 billion won this year despite a crackdown on scammers, data showed Wednesday.According to the data by the National Health Insurance Service, medical providers' false and unfair insurance claims came to 545 billion won ($456 million) in the first 11 months of this year, compared with 594 billion won in 2015. At the current pace, the amount for all of 2016 is widely expected to reach nearly 600 billion won.  Experts said t

Ruling Saenuri lawmakers who have been at odds with President Park Geun-hye announced their intent to leave the party within the year on Wednesday, citing the incumbent leadership's reluctance to embrace reforms despite the impeachment crisis.A total of 31 lawmakers met earlier in the day to outline their resolve to leave next Tuesday. The figures include Rep. Yoo Seong-min and Rep. Kim Moo-sung, the former floor leader and the chief of Saenuri, respectively.The group said at least 35 lawmakers

South Korea's Navy on Wednesday conducted a maritime drill to defend the country's easternmost islets of Dokdo in the East Sea, officials said, as Japan has laid persistent claims to the sovereign territory.The Navy kicked off a biannual military exercise to guard Dokdo from unlawful intrusion by mobilizing its warships and maritime patrol planes, it said.If weather conditions permit, the Marine Corps is also expected to conduct a landing drill on the islets, it said.Since 1986, the South Korean

South Korea's top 100 large-cap companies have seen their surplus cash more than double over the past year as they are reluctant to invest amid the economy's prolonged sluggishness, data showed Wednesday.According to the data by market tracker CEO Score, the leading companies had a combined surplus cash flow of 55.2 trillion won ($46.2 billion) as of the end of September, up 118 percent from a year earlier.Cash flow refers to the cash that flows into and out of a company, while a surplus cash fl

Lotte Mart, a discount store chain operated by retailer Lotte Group, said Wednesday it has opened its 46th store in Indonesia in line with its global growth strategy. With floor space of 5,572 square meters, the Pramuka shop opened on the underground floor of a commercial-residential building in Jakarta with some 7,000 households.Lotte Mart's 16th retail outlet in Indonesia has a health and beauty section, as well as young children and fresh food corners, the company said.Lotte Mart also operate

Ford Sales & Service Korea, the local importer and distributor of Ford vehicles, will recall certain model year Ford Explorer SUVs sold here for a problem related to the cars' suspension, the transportation ministry said Wednesday.The recall affects 489 Explorer cars produced between Jan. 17 and May 31 of 2014, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.The ministry said the toe link in the rear suspension of the vehicle may not have been welded properly, possibly causing it

A South Korean diplomat accused of sexually harassing two teenage girls in Chile returned home Tuesday to face investigation by the foreign ministry, a diplomatic source said.The embassy official in charge of cultural affairs was accused of making improper physical contact with a 14-year-old Chilean girl in September while teaching Korean. A Chilean broadcaster also aired on Sunday (local time) the scene of his sexual abuse of another female teen captured by a hidden camera early this month, spa

South Korea is set to face record damage from the latest outbreak of avian influenza with more than 10 percent of all poultry here already slaughtered for infection or in preventive measures, a report suggested Tuesday.According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, over 19.9 million birds at 378 farms here have been destroyed or set to be culled as of Monday. The number accounts for more than 12 percent of the total 165.25 million poultry being raised here, according to the st

The number of primary and secondary school students with the influenza virus has reached an all-time high, health authorities said Tuesday, while the country's education ministry is instructing schools to consider starting winter vacation earlier than scheduled in an effort to stop the spread of the contagious yet not deadly virus.The number of flu patients from elementary, middle and high schools per 1,000 came to 152.2 from Dec. 11-17, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Pre

South Korea's unification ministry said Tuesday it is checking relevant information to verify whether President Park Geun-hye's 2005 letter sent to the former North Korean leader violated a law on inter-Korean exchanges.A local media outlet reported that in July 2005, Park, then head of the conservative party, sent a letter to then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-il on inter-Korean exchanges, sparking criticism that she may have been too submissive in her attitude toward Kim.In May 2002, Park visit