Volkswagen Group and its dealers are facing another class-action suit by the Korean owners of its 3-liter diesel models involved in an emissions-cheating scandal both in local and U.S. courts, a Seoul-based law firm said Wednesday.  (AP-Yonhap)The move follows the admission by the embattled carmaker to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency late last year that emissions were rigged not only on its 2-liter diesel models but also on its 3-liter vehicles. The law firm, Barun Law LLC, told The Kor

The government said Monday it would inject 80 trillion won ($66 billion) of public funds this year to nurture new growth engines, including smart cars, surgical robots and software content, in the latest attempt to realize its creative economy drive.In a joint policy report to President Park Geun-hye, relevant ministries said they would build Asian versions of California’s Silicon Valley at Sangam, in Seoul, and Pangyo, in Gyeonggi Province, to embrace more innovative entrepreneurs not only from

After ringing in the new year with claims of its first successful hydrogen bomb test, North Korea is now calling on the United States and the world community to accept it as a nuclear power, jettison the pursuit of punitive sanctions and allow it to focus on what it really wants: build up the nation's troubled economy.While waiting to see what kind of new sanctions might be imposed by the United States, the United Nations and others, North Korean officials say that with the test now out of the w

A newspaper published by China's ruling Communist Party has expressed its opposition to tougher sanctions against North Korea following its fourth nuclear test, despite calls by South Korea to put enough pressure on Pyongyang to rein in the wayward neighbor. In an editorial published on Friday, the state-run Global Times newspaper also indicated that China put its top priority on maintaining stability in North Korea, rather than its denuclearizion.All eyes are on the role of China, which keeps N

Chinese President Xi Jinping officially inaugurated the Chinese-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) on Saturday, pledging to make the AIIB a "truly rules-based" regional lender.The inauguration of the AIIB is "historic" event and the new regional lender will become a "truly international, rules-based, high-standard" regional lender, Xi said in his speech at the opening ceremony of the AIIB in Beijing. Xi said the AIIB will become a "professional and efficient platform to promote infr

South Korea and the United States agreed Saturday to push for "strong and comprehensive" sanctions against North Korea against its latest nuclear test, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said.The discussion was made during a bilateral meeting between South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken in Tokyo ahead of their trilateral talks involving Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Akitaka Saiki due later in the day.Earlier this month, North Korea carried out an

North Korea says it could stop its nuclear tests in exchange for signing a peace treaty with the U.S. and a stop to annual military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea. The North's statement is a repeat of past offers that have been rejected by the U.S., which wants Pyongyang to commit to a complete abandonment of nuclear weapons.The state media late Friday carried the statement by an unnamed spokesman of the North's Foreign Ministry, who called the purported hydrogen bomb test on Jan. 6

A dozen people have been found accountable for lapses that contributed to the massive mistaken shipment of live anthrax samples from a U.S. Army laboratory in Utah, an investigation report said Friday.They include Brig. Gen. William E. King, who then as a colonel commanded the Dugway Proving Ground laboratory between 2009 and 2011. The Army investigation report accused him of actions that "perpetuated a complacent atmosphere" among lab workers.Those oversight and laboratory deficiencies may have

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will visit China later this month for talks on North Korea, the State Department announced Friday, as Washington steps up efforts to win Beijing's cooperation for its push to punish Pyongyang for its fourth nuclear test.Kerry will visit Beijing on Jan. 27 for "meetings with senior leaders of the Chinese government to discuss a range of global, regional, and bilateral issues, including North Korea," the department said in a release without elaborating.Ahead of K

Instead of tearing down buildings and starting anew, regions across Korea have given neglected areas a new purpose for public use. Here are eight urban renewal projects that aim to transform rural, run-down or deserted areas into praised landmarks.　Seoul Station overpass SeoulThe Seoul city government plans to transform Seoul Station overpass, a 1-kilometer-long section of a flyover near Seoul Station, into a pedestrian walkway as part of its urban renewal projects. Dubbed Korea’s version of New

David Bowie, the other-worldly musician who broke pop and rock boundaries with his creative musicianship, nonconformity, striking visuals and a genre-spanning persona he christened Ziggy Stardust, died of cancer Sunday. He was 69 and had just released a new album.Bowie, whose hits included "Fame,'' "Heroes" and "Let's Dance,'' died "peacefully'' and was surrounded by family, representative Steve Martin said early Monday. The singer had fought cancer for 18 months.Long before alter egos and wild

The Honda Civic has been named North American Car of the Year. The truck of the year is the Volvo XC90.The press preview days for the North American International Auto Show officially kick off with the awards. The announcements came Monday morning at Cobo Center in Detroit.The other finalists in the car category were the Chevrolet Malibu and Mazda MX-5 Miata. The Nissan Titan XD and Honda Pilot also vied for the truck award.About 55 automotive journalists vote on winners from the list of finalis

President Park Geun-hye will send the ruling party's floor leader to Guatemala this week for a presidential inauguration ceremony, the Foreign Ministry said Monday.Rep. Won Yoo-chul of the Saenuri Party plans to attend President-elect Jimmy Morales' inauguration set for Thursday.Won is scheduled to meet with "top-level" officials of the incoming Guatemalan administration and deliver South Korea's resolve to deepen bilateral ties, said the ministry.The two sides have maintained close partnerships

Mark Lippert, the U.S. ambassador to South Korea, said Monday that the country's alliance with South Korea is "ironclad" in the face of North Korea's latest nuclear test."The U.S.-South Korea alliance is unshakable and strong like an ironclad," Lippert said during a meeting with lawmakers at the National Assembly.The National Assembly's foreign affairs committee invited Lippert to discuss actions by Seoul and Washington on North Korea's fourth nuclear test last week.Lippert also noted that B-52

For Oh Soo-hyun, the mother of a 4-year-old boy in Seoul, last year was a nightmare.“Turning Mecard,” she said. “I’ve been searching for this everywhere, almost every single day. But even though I get it one by one, the company keeps producing different models. … It has no end.” Oh is one of many Korean parents pressured by their kids who are captivated by the hit TV animation series. The action-adventure series features dozens of minicars and main characters who control them with their mysterio

Unionized workers at Asiana Airlines, the nation’s second-largest flag carrier, launched a sit-in protest Tuesday blasting the management’s restructuring plan that would lead to massive layoffs.The move came less than a week after the carrier unveiled the self-rescue plan to improve its financial health and survive in the overheated air transportation and services market. (Yonhap)Under the two-year plan, Asiana is set to close three international routes this year and reduce the number of branch

Song Young-ki, the 28-year-old CEO of start-up DLighter, has a chic office in the business district of Gwanghwamun in central Seoul. Though his 1-year-old company has yet to generate revenue as its mobile app is still in the pilot stage, Song does not have to worry about rent or look for coffee shops that provide free Wi-Fi access.Furnished with desks and sofas designed in a futuristic concept and even a foosball table, the 320-pyeong (1,058-square-meter) office is where he spends days and night

After months of hurdles, Asiana Airlines, the nation’s second-largest flag carrier, has won the government’s permission to operate its second low-cost carrier, moving forward to expand its market presence.The Ministry of Transport has issued a business license to Air Seoul, the second low-cost carrier launched by Asiana Airlines, the air carrier said Monday evening. The government said the license was issued in line with a steady growth in air traffic with an annual average of 7.8 percent. Air S

For lighter, stronger auto body frames, Korea’s top steelmaker POSCO has been producing advanced high-strength steel, the latest steel sheet production technology, with growing market demand.Advanced high-strength steel is one of the fastest-growing material markets in the automotive industry in and out of the country, as it offers enhanced formability and is lighter in weight but stronger than other steel products. With a growing number of carmakers developing lighter but stronger vehicles to e

Years of bitter feuding between Hyundai Elevator, the nation’s leading elevator manufacturer, and Schindler Group, its No. 2 shareholder, resurfaced on Monday after a top Swiss envoy had a rare meeting with Cheong Wa Dae officials requesting the government’s intervention.According to local reports, Swiss Ambassador to Korea Jorg Al. Reding recently met An Chong-bum, senior presidential secretary on economic affairs, to ask South Korea’s top office to step in. He claimed that the Swiss firm has s