South Korea's state auditor said Tuesday the government should roll out tighter plans to prevent gambling addiction, adding that a large number of addicts are being observed at Kangwon Land Casino, the nation's only casino open to locals, owned by High1 Resort.According to the study conducted by the Board of Audit and Inspection, 2,165 South Koreans visited the mountain resort in Jeongseon County, 214 kilometers east of Seoul, more than 100 days in a one-year period as of March. Another group of

The number of foreigners who visited South Korea via cruise ship more than doubled in the first half from a year ago, helped by a rising influx of travelers from China, the maritime ministry said Tuesday. A total of 899,539 passengers, including 246,783 crewmembers, arrived at four ports in the nation in the January-June period, up 122 percent from a year earlier, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said.The number of arrivals of cruise ships also jumped from 195 to 306 over the period, the min

Dozens of Korean language teachers from around the world gathered in Seoul Tuesday to discuss ways to improve their teaching amid heightened interest in the Asian language.The 14th conference of overseas Korean language educators brought together more than 80 teachers and professors from 28 nations and some 30 South Korean education officials for a weeklong workshop consisting of seminars, group discussions and field trips.The education ministry and its affiliate, the National Institute for Inte

China and Russia submitted a joint statement to the United Nations on July 8 opposing the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery in South Korea, the U.S.-based Voice of America reported Tuesday. According to the VOA report, the joint document was signed by Wu Haitao, China's deputy ambassador to the U.N., and Russian Ambassador to the U.N. Vitaly Churkin. The document was attached with a joint statement signed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir

The South Korean government submitted its extra budget plan aimed at revitalizing the national economy to the parliament on Tuesday, as the ruling and opposition parties remain divided over the details of the support measures.The bill, tentatively slated to pass on Aug. 12, focuses on allocating 11 trillion won ($9.6 billion) to add vitality to the weak economy and generate more jobs.The ruling and opposition parties, however, still remain divided on detailed related to the allocation of the sup

Ruling Saenuri Party officials visited the southeastern town of Seongju on Tuesday, in a bid to find solutions to the on-going protests by residents who have opposed the deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defense system there."Saenuri aims to facilitate dialogue between the government and the residents to persuade the residents of Seongju," said Chung Jin-suk, the party's floor leader.Rep. Chung Jin-suk, the floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party, visits Seongju, located 296 kilometers sou

The volume of cargo processed at South Korea's seaports increased almost 2 percent on-year in the first half of 2016, government data showed Tuesday.Cargo handled at the country's seaports totaled 739.77 million tons during the six months, up 1.9 percent from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.Trade cargo totaled 608.96 million tons, while domestic shipments came to 130.81 million tons.The increase came from the larger amount of non-container cargo, which climbed 3

South Korea's leading automaker Hyundai Motor Co. on Tuesday said its net income dropped slightly from a year earlier in the second quarter on a dip in exports and profitability.Net profit came to 1.76 trillion won ($1.55 billion) in the April-June period, down 1.5 percent from the same period last year, the company said in a regulatory filing.Sales surged 8.1 percent on-year to 24.68 trillion won, with operating profit gaining 0.6 percent to 1.76 trillion won.The on-year drop in net income was

Fresh investment in China by South Korean companies continued to rise sharply in the first half of the year, with the annual tally for 2016 well expected to reach a 12-year high, a local trade organization said Tuesday.In the January-June period, investment by South Korean firms in China came to $2.84 billion, up 17.8 percent from the same period last year, according to data from the Korea International Trade Association.At the current pace, South Korea's fresh corporate investment in China is e

South Korea on Tuesday unveiled a set of measures to try to create a turnaround in exports in the second half of this year.South Korea's exports fell 10 percent in the January-June period, compared to a year earlier. June also marked the 18th consecutive monthly decline in exports since January 2015.Trade Minister Joo Hyung-hwan said that it remains unclear whether South Korea can make a turnaround in exports, citing heightened uncertainties over economic slowdown in emerging markets, lower dema

The number of single-day takeoffs and landings at Incheon International Airport, South Korea's main gateway, surpassed the 1,000 mark for the first time over the weekend, the airport operator said Tuesday.Incheon airport, located west of Seoul, reported a total of 1,020 takeoffs and landings on Sunday. The number of passengers also reached a record high, hitting 188,263, as the peak summer season began, according to Incheon International Airport Corp. It said this is the highest number since the

Former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's widow appears to have been purged by the Kim Jong-un regime, the U.S.-based Radio Free Asia said Tuesday, citing multiple sources familiar with the reclusive country.A Chinese businessman, fresh from his recent visit to Pyongyang, told the RFA that Kim Ok, 52, the fourth wife of the deceased leader, was sent to a political prison camp within a year of her step-son taking power. The incumbent leader inherited the country following the sudden death of his f

Top diplomats from nearly 30 Asia-Pacific countries and regional powers will meet Tuesday to discuss regional security issues such as North Korea's nuclear weapons program. The ASEAN Regional Forum, the largest regional security gathering, will be attended by foreign ministers from the 10 members of the Association of Northeast Asian Nations and top officials from other parts of Asia, North America, Europe and Oceania.The ARF is a rare international occasion attended by the North along with all

The number of South Koreans changing their residences dropped nearly 13 percent on-year in June as the housing market showed signs of slowing, the state statistics agency said Tuesday.A total of 567,000 South Koreans changed their residences in June, down 83,000, or 12.8 percent, from a year earlier, according to data compiled by Statistics Korea.Among them, 67.6 percent moved their homes within their cities or provinces, while 32.4 percent switched to other areas.The population mobility rate --

North Korea's national carrier Air Koryo appears to have opened a regular flight service between Pyongyang and China's eastern city of Jinan for what seemed to be the transport of Chinese tourists, a Washington-based news media report said Tuesday.According to Voice of America, the North Korean flag carrier recently launched regular flights between the two cities twice a week, raising speculations the North Korean jet may be transporting Chinese tourists to the reclusive country.VOA said that Ai

A group of 160 consumers on Tuesday filed a suit against Coway, South Korea's leading water purifier maker, demanding 1.6 billion ($1.4 million) in compensation for damages from using water purifier models with a nickel coating that tainted the water.Nickel from the coating was found in dispensed water in three ice maker/water purifier models by Coway, with the number of users involved estimated at about 87,000. Coway vowed to take responsibility should any health problems be confirmed from usin

South Korean Olympic football striker Suk Hyun-jun has been diagnosed with bruised ribs following a recent practice match ahead of the Rio de Janeiro Games, the sport's national governing body said Tuesday.Suk's teammate, midfielder Lee Chan-dong, has a sprained right ankle, according to the Korea Football Association.The two players were injured during an unofficial practice match against Iraq in Sao Paulo on Sunday (local time). Suk left the game early in the match, and Lee was replaced just b

South Korea picked the U.S.-based Advanced Television Systems Committee 3.0 standard for the country's ultra-high-definition television broadcasting set to launch next year, the science ministry said Tuesday.The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning said it preferred the ATSC 3.0 standard for UHD TV broadcasting that begins next February over the Europe-based DVB-T2 standard.UHD TVs manufactured by local TV makers have so far been based on the DVB-T2 broadcasting system and will require a

Foreign sailors seeking to work for South Korean ships may be required to submit their criminal records while their South Korean captains and colleagues will be required to undergo anti-racism education, the government said Tuesday.The measures are largely aimed at preventing on-board crimes.They follow the recent alleged homicide of a South Korean captain and an engineer aboard a South Korean fishing boat by two Vietnamese fishermen.Under the government measures, approved at a Cabinet meeting o

South Korean food companies are set to begin official sales of the traditional chicken soup to China as the first shipments to the mainland have recently cleared customs, industry officials said Tuesday. Samgyetang is a traditional chicken soup made with a whole young chicken stuffed with ginseng, sticky rice and garlic. It is widely recognized in the country as an energy-boosting meal during the summer months.The first shipments of 20 tons of precooked and frozen soup by five Korean companies h