South Korea's unification ministry on Tuesday said it plans to set up an archives to compile North Korea's human rights abuses and a bureau to handle the implementation of a new law aimed at improving Pyongyang's rights record.It said that the Cabinet approved an enforcement ordinance over the ministry's overhaul as North Korea's human rights law went into effect on Sept. 4.In accordance with the law, South Korea plans to establish an archives aimed at collecting cases on the North's abuses and

South Korea's meteorological chief on Tuesday said strong earthquakes exceeding magnitude 6.5 are unlikely to occur in South Korea although more moderate temblors can happen at anytime.A record magnitude-5.8 earthquake struck the southern part of the country late Monday, causing public concerns. South Korea does not lie on any fault lines and has been relatively untouched by serious seismic activities compared with neighboring Japan.Ko Yun-hwa, who heads the Korea Meteorological Administration,

The financial regulator on Tuesday issued an alert to consumers against loan sharks who threaten family members of borrowers, telling them such acts are against the law.The Financial Supervisory Service said it has received 483 complaints this year as of July about abuse and threats from unregistered lenders over returning money borrowed by a family member. The annual interest rate on loans from such lenders is3,476 percent. Reported cases include a father who was threatened to pay back his son'

South Korea extended its trade surplus streak to 55 months in August on the back of a turnaround in exports for the first time in 20 months, customs data showed Tuesday.The country's trade surplus came to $5.1 billion last month, down from a record $7.6 billion in the previous month, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service.The figure also marked a 17.8 percent on-year rise from $4.3 billion tallied in the same month a year earlier, continuing its bullish run for 55 months in a row s

South Korea's import prices fell for a second straight month in August due to a stronger local currency, central bank data showed Tuesday.The nation's import price index dropped 1.9 percent on-month to 74.44, according to the Bank of Korea. It marks an 8.5 percent decline from the same period last year.The BOK said the won's strength against the US dollar is to blame for the decline in import prices, despite a hike in global oil prices.The won gained 0.48 percent against the dollar at the end of

More than 150 local retailers, fashion companies and cosmetics firms will participate in South Korea's biggest shopping festival, "Korea Sale Festa," slated for later this month, the trade ministry here said Tuesday.During the Sept. 29-Oct. 9 event, 153 companies will offer big discounts to shoppers and foreign visitors at their 45,000 shops across the nation, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.Among the firms on the list are big retailers including Lotte Department Stores a

두 달여 사이에 규모 5 이상의 지진이 잇따라 발생하자 부산을 중심으로 지진 괴담이 다시 떠돌고 있다.12일 오후 규모 5.1과 5.8의 지진이 직접적인 영향을 미친 부산에서는 지난 7월 말 부산과 울산에서 발생한 '의문의 가스냄새'를 다시 지진 전조와 연결하는 주장이 SNS 등에서 떠돈다.당시 국민안전처는 의문의 가스냄새는 연료 등 가스에 냄새구별을 위해 주입하는 '부취제'로 추정하며, 공단 등에서 유출됐을 것이라며 지진 관련성을 부인했다. (123RF)그러나 광안리해수욕장에 개미떼가 집단으로 이동하는 사진이 SNS 등에 돌면서 지진 전조라는 괴담이 돌았고, 장마철 이상 형태의 구름을 찍은 사진도 지진구름으로 보인다는 근거 는 얘기가 떠돌아 다녔다.당시는 일본 구마모토 지진과 울산 앞바다 지진 등으로 국민의 감정과 정서가 불안해 있는 상황에서 의문의 냄새와 사진 등이 지진과 관련 있다는 억측이 나름대로 설득력을 얻기도 했다.하지만 국민안전처의 발표와 과학적 근거가 부족하다는 점 등

12일 경주에서 발생한 두 차례 강진으로 경북에 서는 21명, 대구에서는 2명이 다친 것으로 나타났다.경북도는 13일 오전 8시 현재 도내에서 구조대가 출동해 이송한 5명, 다른 수단으로 병원에 간 16명 등 모두 21명의 부상자가 나왔다고 밝혔다.건천읍 한 아파트에서 TV가 떨어져 할머니(80)가 가슴에 상처를 입었고 외동읍 한 주택에서는 신발장이 넘어져 할머니(84)가 옆구리를 다쳤다. 13일 오전 경북 경주 내남면 부지리의 한 주택에서 집주인이 전날 강진으로 무너진 담벼락을 바라보고 있다. (연합)서부동에선 43세 남자가 지진으로 2층에서 뛰어내리다가 부상했고 산내면에는 62세 남성이 주택 앞에 떨어진 돌에 발등 골절상을 입었다.외동읍에서도 29세 남성이 지진이 난 뒤 대피하다가 발을 다쳤다.지진과 관련한 신고는 모두 8천70건 들어왔다.도가 파악한 피해는 282건이다.피해는 벽에 금이 간 것 80건, 석축·담 파손 40건, 수도배관 파손 16건, 차량 파손 21건, 기타 12

 North Korea is capable of building seven nuclear warheads a year in addition to the existing stockpile of fissile material for some 20 bombs, and is expected to master the capability to fly nuclear missiles to the US in a decade, a top US nuclear scientist said Monday.Siegfried Hecker, a Stanford University professor known for having a first-hand look at North Korea's uranium-enrichment facility during his 2010 visit, made the remark in an article to the website 38 North, calling for diplomatic

South Korea's jobless rate increased slightly in August from a year earlier, with the unemployment rate for young adults still remaining high amid a prolonged economic slump, a government report showed Tuesday.The unemployment rate in Asia's fourth-largest economy stood at 3.6 percent last month, compared with 3.5 percent tallied in July, according to the report compiled by Statistics Korea.The number of employed people stood at 26.5 million in August, up 387,000 from a year earlier, with the mo

 Freight truck drivers will have to take a minimum 30-minute break for each four hours on the road under law revisions the government issued in a pre-enactment notice on Tuesday.After the revisions take effect, all drivers of cargo trucks must rest for at least 30 minutes after driving for four hours straight, except at times of natural disasters, accidents and other extraneous circumstances, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said. Trucking companies that do not obey the rule wi

컴백을 앞둔 그룹 방탄소년단이 예상치 못한 홍역을 앓고 있다. 　역대 최강 규모인 5.8 지진이 경상북도 경주에서 발생한 12일, 소수의 극성팬이 ‘지구가 랩몬스터의 생일을 축하해 주는 것’이라는 내용의 부적절한 반응을 SNS에 올린 것이 사건의 발단이 되었다.사건은 해외 연예매체를 통해 보도되며 주목을 받았다.　 (온라인 커뮤니티) (트위터) (트위터)　문제의 팬들은 ‘지진이 난건 오늘이 파괴몬스터 생일이기 때문’, ‘역시 랩몬 생일이라고 지진까지 해주네 역시 파괴…’, ‘땅도 좋아서 춤을 추나보다’, ‘오빠가 지각 파괴한 줄’ 등의 글을 SNS에 게재했다　　비록 큰 인명피해는 없었으나 앞으로 여진이 계속될 전망이라 지진을 둘러싼 사회적 긴장이 조성되고 있는 때에 무신경한 내용의 글을 접한 네티즌은 ‘생각이 없다’, ‘누구는 가족 안위를 걱정하고 있는데 이럴 수가 있느냐’ 등 눈살을 찌푸리며 반응했다. 랩몬스터 (BTS 트위터)　　방탄소년단 공식 팬클럽 아미(A.R.M.Y)는 ‘랩

Police said Monday they have arrested eight Chinese tourists on charges of beating up a South Korean restaurant owner on Jeju Island last week. According to Jeju Seobu Police Station, the tourists -- six men and two women -- are suspected of assaulting the 53-year-old owner of the restaurant, identified only by her surname Ahn, on the southern resort island of Jeju on Saturday, causing her injury.  (Jeju District Police)The incident took place after the 53-year-old Ahn prohibited the tourists fr

South Korean shares sank 2.28 percent Monday to hit an almost three-month low, as investors were spooked by continued setbacks in the global market and growing geopolitical tensions following North Korea's nuclear test, as well as a sharp drop in top market cap Samsung Electronics, analysts said. The local currency fell sharply against the US dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dropped 46.39 points to 1,991.48. Trading volume was moderate at 41.87 million shares, worth 4.75 tr

South Korea has asked its people to take extra caution in traveling to the region near the China-North Korea border, citing possible terror and abduction attempts by the North amid heightened tension after its latest nuclear test. "It cannot be ruled out that the North could seek additional provocations such as terror attacks, luring and abduction of people," the embassy said in a notice posted on its website last Friday.The embassy, in particular, warned against its people getting in touch with

The new wireless earbuds from Apple Inc., AirPods, have been getting a skeptical reception from some industry watchers and users in South Korea, mainly because of their relatively short battery life and high price.Unveiling the new iPhone last week, Apple showed that it had ditched the ubiquitous headphone jack for the smartphone. While Apple described the removal of the 100-year-old audio jack as "courageous," some critics raised questions about the sound quality of wireless earbuds. The AirPod

South Korean shares traded 1.82 percent lower late Monday morning as investors dumped large-cap shares, spooked by heightened economic woes and growing geopolitical risk following North Korea's nuclear test.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) dipped 39.19 points to 1,998.68 as of 11:20 a.m.Key events are ahead this week with possible US rate hike at the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting.  North Korea ramped up regional tensions last week by conducting its fifth nuc

South Korea's exports retreated 3.6 percent in the first 10 days of September from a year earlier, the latest customs data showed Monday, clouding a sustainable recovery in outbound shipments down the road.Outbound shipments totaled $13.5 billion from Sept. 1-10, down from $14 billion tallied over the same period last year, according to the Korea Customs Service.Exports of semiconductors fell 5.2 percent on-year, and those of cars plunged 30.8 percent over the 10-day period, offsetting a 19 perc

The mass recall of the Galaxy Note 7 smartphones over a battery problem has not largely affected foreign consumer loyalty to Samsung Electronics Co.'s brand, separate online surveys by Internet news websites showed Monday.According to an online survey of 11,621 Internet users by a US technology news website, Android Police, 39 percent said the recall "hasn't affected my trust or perception of Samsung's brand."The survey began on Sept. 4.Another 36 percent responded that they are "actually more t

South Korea's home transactions gained 4.3 percent from a year earlier last month, government data showed Monday, amid growing concerns over mounting household debt.The number of home transactions came to 98,130 in August, up from 94,110 tallied over the same month last year, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The total number of transactions has been on a steady rise since February when it dropped to 59,000, following tightened bank loan guidelines aimed at cooling