Asiad medal standingsThe medal standings for the top 10 countries at the Asian Games as of Saturday:  Rank   Country          Gold   Silver   Bronze     Total   1     China                  96       58       41             195   2     South Korea       35       42       40             117   3     Japan                 32       43       38             113   4     Kazakhstan          9       10       18               37   5     North Korea          8        8         9               25   6     Ira

North Korea's foreign minister said Saturday that the standoff over the country's nuclear weapons program will be resolved if the U.S. ends its "hostile policy" toward the communist nation.Ri Su-yong made the remark in an address to the U.N. General Assembly, claiming that Washington's "hostile policy, nuclear threats and stifling strategy" resulted in the country's decision to become a "nuclear weapons state.""The nuclear deterrent of the DPRK is not intended to threaten or attack others. Neith

South Korean air carriers were told Thursday to video record any unlawful activities or misconduct during flights and turn it over to the police as the government vowed strict punishment of such incidents.   To help curb the growing number of safety violations aboard flights, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said it has instructed the local airline companies to closely follow existing guidelines. These include recording incidents after notifying the passengers, it said. By law,

South Korea's top tech giant, Samsung Electronics Co., said Thursday it plans to stop sales of its low-end ATIV laptop lineup in Europe amid the slowing global PC market, following the path of its rivals.   "We will no longer launch new versions of the Google Chromebook and ATIV in the European market, and instead will focus on high-end laptops and tablet PCs down the road," an official from Samsung Electronics said.   The company, however, said it will maintain the PC business in other areas, i

British Prime Minister David Cameron sought to win cooperation from Iran's President Hassan Rouhani against jihadists in Syria on Wednesday in the first meeting between the countries' leaders in 35 years.   A Downing Street spokesman said Cameron and Rouhani agreed that "all states in the region must do more to cut off support for all terrorist groups, including financial support" but stopped short of announcing any firmer cooperation.   "The prime minister and president noted the threat posed t

The beheading of French tourist Herve Gourdel by jihadists in Algeria drew global outrage on Wednesday but also strengthened international resolve to confront the Islamic State group.   Gourdel was seized on Sunday by IS-linked group Jund al-Khilifa, or "Soldiers of the Caliphate," while trekking in a national park in Algeria.   His beheading, which was posted online in a video, came after France rejected the kidnappers' 24-hour ultimatum to halt anti-IS air raids in Iraq.   Voicing solidarity w

Iran's president warned the US that air strikes would not destroy jihadists in Syria but appeared upbeat about securing a deal over Tehran's nuclear program, in an interview broadcast Wednesday.   The United States bombed Islamic State-controlled oil refineries in Syria as President Barack Obama rallied the world at the UN General Assembly to fight the jihadist "network of death" in Iraq and Syria.   In an interview with veteran US broadcaster Charlie Rose, Hassan Rouhani described the Islamic S

The United States bombed Islamic State-controlled oil refineries in Syria on Wednesday as President Barack Obama recruited more allies to fight the jihadist "network of death."   US, Saudi and Emirati warplanes broadened their bombardment to target the oil installations in eastern Syria that have helped fund the jihadist group's brutal rise from rebel faction to alleged global threat.   The strikes came as Obama urged leaders gathered at the UN General Assembly to join his coalition and convince

North Korea is set to hold this year's second legislative meeting this week, with a major decision expected to be approved, possibly on personnel or social affairs.The 13th Supreme People's Assembly is scheduled for Thursday in Pyongyang as the country announced earlier this month through its official Korean Central News Agency.The upcoming meeting of what is regarded as the country's rubber-stamp parliament is the second of its kind this year following the previous one convened in April. Its an

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has skipped a U.N. session presided over by South Korean President Park Geun-hye, dashing hopes that the two leaders may meet following Abe's recent offer for a summit.   Abe had been expected to attend a climate session on Tuesday, but he did not show up, according to Park's office.   Some observers had expected that the two leaders may meet in the U.N. General Assembly.   On Friday, Abe proposed to hold a summit with Park in the fall, without elaborating on a

The combined market value of the top two players Samsung Electronics Co. and Hyundai Motor Co. has decreased to its lowest level in three years, data showed Wednesday, raising concerns that it could pull down the market.    The combined market capitalization of Samsung Electronics, the world's largest handset and chip maker, and Hyundai Motor, the world's fifth-largest automaker, accounted for 17.6 percent of the total KOSPI market value as of Tuesday, the lowest since October 2011 when it poste

A slew of foreign investors are trimming their target prices on Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's top automaker, as the weakening yen and the firm's jaw-dropping real estate deal are feared to undermine its competitiveness and profitability, data showed on Wednesday.   The median target price by 11 foreign brokerages such as Nomura Holdings Inc. was put at 248,000 won ($238) as of Tuesday, sharply down from 305,000 won forecast early this year, according to the data compiled by Bloomberg.   More

South Korea grabbed a team gold and an individual bronze in the women's 50-meter rifle prone event at the Asian Games on Wednesday.   The trio of Na Yoon-kyung, Eum Bit-na, and Jeong Mi-ra put together 1855.5 points to take the gold medal at Ongnyeon International Shooting Range in the country's western port city of Incheon, achieving their second consecutive Asiad victory in this event. (Yonhap)   China took silver with 1854.1 points, and the Malaysian team got an aggregate 1853.6 points for br

North Korea's food distribution to ordinary citizens tumbled to a three-year low in August, hit by a drought in the spring, a U.S. report said Wednesday.   The North's daily food ration per capita reached 250 grams last month, far lower than a target of 573g, the Washington-based Voice of America (VOA) said, citing a report from the World Food Programme.   The daily amount marks the smallest food provision since those posted in 2011, the report said, adding that the July figure was about the sam

South Korea's No. 3 smartphone maker, Pantech Co., under a court receivership, is set to be available for sale in the near future, industry sources said Wednesday, in a move to get the company back on its feet.    The latest development came as the Seoul Central District Court gave the nod to Pantech's plan to post itself on the market for sale, a month after it commenced the troubled firm's court receivership program.   Pantech's creditors, led by the Korea Development Bank, will accept bids fr

A senior North Korean diplomat on Tuesday ruled out a meeting between top diplomats of the rival Koreas in New York as South Korea called for talks with North Korea on its human rights record.   North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong is in New York to attend the U.N. General Assembly, the first time that North Korea has sent a foreign minister to the U.N. in 15 years.   The move raised speculation that Ri could meet with either U.S. or South Korean officials on the sidelines of the annual gath

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called Tuesday for greater international attention to North Korea's human rights violations, saying that remaining silent about the problem would be the "greatest abuse of all."   Kerry made the appeal during a ministerial meeting he hosted in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly while urging Pyongyang to shut down all political prison camps across the communist nation, which he described as an "evil system."   "We simply cannot be blind to th

The United States on Tuesday made the Korean Peninsula the only exception to its pledge not to use anti-personnel landmines, citing the peninsula's "unique circumstances" and its commitment to South Korea's defense.   The White House announced the pledge, also vowing to destroy stockpiles of anti-personnel landmines that are "not required for the defense of South Korea." It also said the U.S. won't assist, encourage or induce anyone outside the peninsula to engage in activity banned under the Ot

Two more world records were set in weightlifting at the Asian Games on Tuesday as lifters from China and Chinese Taipei continued to flex their muscles on the way to the podium.   Lin Tzu Chi of Chinese Taipei broke world records in the clean and jerk and the total weight to win the gold medal in the women's63㎏ on Tuesday. She hoisted 145㎏ for the clean and jerk record and had a total of 261㎏, 4㎏ above the previous record.   Lin broke the total world record twice on Tuesday, first reaching 259㎏

Some outdoor events at the Asian Games may be rained out later this week as a powerful typhoon is approaching South Korea, organizers said Tuesday.    Typhoon Fung-Wong, packing winds of up to 14 meters per second, is expected to bring up to 60 millimeters of rain Wednesday to this western port city where the Asiad is held, according to local weather officials.   "The organizing committee plans to run events in accordance with international regulations governing (weather-related delays)," said a