North Korea has asked the Korean Red Cross to provide medical goods to be used for containing contagious diseases, the new head of the agency said Monday."North Korea has requested the Korean Red Cross to support medical products to prevent the spread of contagious diseases," Kim Sung-joo told lawmakers at a parliamentary audit of the agency.Although Pyongyang has banned foreign tourists from entering the communist country since late last week as part of its stepped-up efforts to prevent an outb

South Korea's No. 1 mobile carrier SK Telecom Co. said Monday it has filed a lawsuit against global mobile messenger Viber earlier this year for infringement on four patents held by the company."It is true that the lawsuit is going on," an official from SK Telecom told Yonhap, without revealing further details."The lawsuit is aimed at protecting the company's patent rights and prevent (our) business models being infringed," SK Telecom said. "We cannot open other details, as the lawsuit is still

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed no desire to revise a past government apology for Tokyo's sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II, South Korea's parliamentary speaker said Monday, indicating Japan's continued efforts to improve strained ties between the two historically rival countries.South Korea's National Assembly speaker Chung Ui-hwa met with Abe at the prime minister's office, where the two sides discussed a range of bilateral issues, including the issue of the f

No signs have been detected that North Korea dug underground tunnels into the South's capital areas, Seoul's defense ministry said Monday, dismissing recent claims of the government's cover-up of such penetration attempts as "groundless."Hahn Sung-chu, a former two-star general in South Korea, has argued that North Korea carved out at least 84 underground tunnels that lead to the presidential office in central Seoul and a dozen others that connect with each other across the nation.Hahn has long

The South Korean government on Sunday condemned a car-bomb terrorist attack in Egypt last week that killed 30 Egyptian troops and wounded 28 others."(South Korea) strongly condemns the terror against a military check point in El Arish in North Sinai," the foreign ministry said in a statement.The ministry also sent a condolence message to the Egyptian government and the bereaved families, adding terrorist attacks can't be justified under any circumstances.Such a crime against humanity "must be er

　판교 공연장 사고 행사 담당자가 투신해 충격을 주고 있는 가운데, 그가 남긴 SNS 글에 관심이 쏠렸다. 　18일 오전 7시 15분께 경기도 성남시 분당구 테크노밸리 공공지원센터 건물 옆 길가에서 판교 공연장 사고 행사 담당자 오모 씨가 숨져 있는 것을 경비원이 발견해 경찰에 신고했다. 　오씨는 경기과기원에서 행사 안전대책에 대한 공문을 기안한 인물로, 이날 오전 2시부터 경기경찰청 수사본부에서 1시간 20분 가량 참고인 조사를 받은 뒤 귀가한 것으로 알려졌다.　사고 전 정황을 토대로 경찰은 사고에 대한 자책감으로 테크노밸리 건물 10층 옥상에서 투신해 스스로 목숨을 끊은 것으로 추정하고 있다. 　유서는 발견되지 않았지만 숨지기 직전 오 씨는 SNS에 ‘최선을 다해 열심히 살아왔는데 생각지도 못한 일이 발생했다. 사고로 죽은 이들에게 죄송한 마음이다’며 가족들에게 ‘미안하고 사랑한다’는 짧은 글을 남긴 것으로 확인됐다. (오 모씨 트위터)　앞서 17일 오후 5시 53분쯤 성남시 분

국내 한 ATV(all-terrain vehicle: 레저 스포츠용 사륜 바이크) 체험장에서 황당한 오역이 발견되어 외국인들의 웃음을 자아내고 있다.제주도에 위치한 이 체험장에서는 초보자들을 위해 꼭 지켜야 하는 안전수칙을 벽에 걸린 안내판을 통해 알려주고 있다. 그런데 이 안전수칙 밑에 달린 영문 번역이 전혀 말이 되지 않는 오역으로 가득해, 이곳을 찾는 외국인들을 황당하게 하고 있다.가장 눈에 띄는 것은 "내리막, 오르막 브레이크 조작 주의"라는 문구이다. "Vote downhill braking uphill"라는 정체불명의 문구로 번역이 되어 있어, 원 뜻을 짐작조차 하기 힘들게 한다. "브레이크 조작 (apply the brakes)"이라는 표현은 없고 출처를 알수 없는 "투표하다(vote)"라는 단어가 갑자기 튀어나온다.또한 "임산부, 심신허약자, 주취자 탑승금지"는 난데없이 "Maternal mental weakling prohibited aboard"라는 문구로 되어 있

The military police sought a warrant Friday to detain an Army major general on charges of sexually molesting a female subordinate, officers said Friday.   In the latest in a series of abuse cases that have laid bare lax discipline among service personnel, the two-star general, whose identity was withheld, has been accused of sexually harassing the female non-commissioned officer at his office five times in August and September, according to the Army headquarters. He is in charge of an Army divis

'히든싱어3’ 이적 편에 유재석이 깜짝 출연해 화제다.4일 방송된 ‘히든싱어3’ 가수 이적 편에는 국민MC 유재석이 101번째 히든 판정단으로 참여했다.MC 전현무는 “히든싱어에 꼭 출연하고 싶어했는데 스케줄로 오지 못한 분이 있다”며 “대신 전화연결을 해보겠다”고 말해 궁금증을 자아냈다.유재석은 “안녕 맹꽁이”라고 이적에게 인사한 뒤 이적에게 “기교 부리지 말고 있는 그대로 솔직하게 불러라”고 해 웃음을 자아냈다. 유재석은 이적과 모창 능력자들의 대결은 들은 뒤 “이제 번호를 누르면 되나요? 핸드폰에서 누르면 되나요?” 폭풍 질문을 한 뒤 잠시 정적 뒤 ‘삑’ 소리로 진짜 버튼을 눌렀음을 알려 방척객을 웃음바다로 만들었다.이날 방송에서 이적은 ‘다행이다’를 비롯해 ‘왼손잡이’, ‘하늘을 달리다’ ‘거짓말 거짓말 거짓말’ 등을 열창하며 최종 우승을 차지했다.히든싱어3 이적 유재석 소식에 네티즌들은 “히든싱어3 이적 유재석, 삐 소리에 뒤집어졌네”, “히든싱어3 이적 유재석, 정말 친

  부천시(시장 김만수)가 인권 사각지대에 놓인 위기청소년들의 법률 구제 및 치료 상담을 제공하는 신개념 복합 법률복지시설을 국내 최초로 개소한다고 5일 밝혔다.  ‘부천시 청소년법률지원센터(소장 신동화)’는 오는 10월 7일(화) 오후 3시 부천시민학습원 3층 누리터에서 부천시장, 국회의원, 시의원, 경찰서장, 청소년기관장, 지역사회복지기관장 등 100여 명이 참석하는 가운데 개소식을 개최할 예정이다.    부천시 청소년법률지원센터의 주 업무는 청소년 법률지원 대상 발굴, 위기청소년 법률지원, 회복 프로그램 연계 및 개발 교류, 청소년 범죄예방 및 재범방지를 위한 협력 강화, 청소년 대상 법률교육, 기타 청소년 법률지원 및 보호에 관련된 사항을 포괄한다.     방황하거나 위기에 봉착한 청소년들의 경우 치료 상담과 법률 상담 양측 모두 필요함에도 불구하고, 치료 상담에만 매달리다가 결국 2차, 3차 피해로 이어지는 경우가 많아 복합 법률복지 시설의 필요성이 꾸준히 제기돼 왔다.  

Aided by world record-breaking performances by its weightlifters, North Korea made a comeback to the top 10 in the Asiad medal tally for the first time in 12 years at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.   The communist country also drew spotlight for its proactive sports diplomacy by unprecedentedly sending high-ranking party officials as well as those from the sports circle to the South, boosting expectations that the continental event would serve as a breakthrough for icy inter-Korean ties.   With 1

The 17th Asian Games may have had many golden moments --  439 total to be exact -- but it also had its share of lows that suggested the largest sporting event on the continent is never an easy one to organize.   For starters, the symbolic Asian Games cauldron, lit at the Sept. 19 opening ceremony, went out for 10 minutes the next day due to difficulties maintaining the complicated, fountain-shaped flame.The cauldron had already drawn plenty of criticisms, having been lit by a local celebrity wit

South Korea, despite accomplishing its initial goal of clinching second place in the medal standings at the Incheon Asian Games, wrapped up aquatics and athletics events on home soil without any gold.   With a total of 100 gold medals up for grabs in swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, water polo, and track and field events, the host country's biggest-ever delegation of 831 athletes failed to grab any Asiad gold, marking its first such drought since the 1978 Bangkok Asian Games.   No South

South Korean bowler Lee Na-young clinched the gold in the women's masters discipline at the Incheon Asian Games on Thursday, becoming the country's first quadruple-gold winner at the ongoing Asiad.   The 28-year-old scored a total of 477 points in the final gold-medal decider stepladder round against Chinese-Taipei player Wang Ya Ting's 437 points to grab her fourth golden victory during the competitions in Anyang, east of the Asiad host city. Son Yun-hee, another South Korean bowler, secured th

The South Korean women's team claimed the modern pentathlon title at the Asian Games on Thursday, bringing home the country's first Asiad gold ever in this event.   The quartet of Choi Min-ji, Jeong Mi-na, Kim Sun-woo and Yang Soo-jin accrued 5,120 points combined to capture the gold medal in fencing, swimming, horse riding and a combined event of shooting and running at Dream Park Modern Pentathlon Venue in the country's western port city of Incheon. Choi Min-ji of South Korean women's team com

North Korean twin runners Kim Hye-gyong and Hye-song finished seventh and ninth, respectively, in the women's marathon at the Incheon Asian Games on Thursday. North Korean twin runners Kim Hye-gyong (left) and Kim Hye-song appear disappointed after racing at the Asian Games on Thursday. (Yonhap)   Hye-gyong, the younger of the two, crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 36 minutes, 38 seconds, less than two minutes ahead of Hye-song, who clocked in at 2:38:55 after the 42.195-kilometer race in this

A Korean-American cardiologist arrived in North Korea last month to treat the aunt of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a source familiar with affairs inside the communist state said Thursday, prompting speculation about the state of her health.   Kim Kyong-hui, the current leader's aunt and younger sister of late former leader Kim Jong-il, has been known to have a heart disease, but the doctor's alleged visit could be an indication that she has fallen into critical condition.   "An American card

North Korea slammed South Korean President Park Geun-hye again Thursday, calling her a "maniac" and a "mad dog" for her recent call for the communist country to improve its abysmal human rights conditions.   Repeating her call on the North to enhance human rights, made during her address to the United Nations General Assembly earlier last month, Park told a Cabinet meeting Tuesday that the North Korean rights issue is Seoul's top priority in dealing with the communist country.   North Korea has

South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. will spend $1.4 billion to build a consumer electronics production plant in Vietnam to meet global demand for home appliances, the company said Thursday.The tech giant confirmed its investment in the complex would cover production of TVs, air conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators and other home electronics as well as working capital.Formal written approval for the plant from the Vietnamese government, delivered to company vice chairman Lee

South Korea's economy is recovering steadily, but the pace still remains weak with business sentiment sharply deteriorating, the top economic policymaker said Thursday.   "We are making a steady recovery, but its speed and strength remains weak," Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan said at a meeting with a journalists' group in Seoul.    "In particular, business sales are declining and profitability is getting worse, a sign that corporate sentiment is sharply shrinking."   Choi gave a bleak assessm