A general strike called by a small communist party demanding that the government release its supporters detained after previous protests has shut down schools, markets and transportation in Nepal.    Police says 28 more supporters of the Nepal Communist Party Maoist were arrested as they attempted to enforce the general strike forcing vehicles off the streets in Kathmandu.    They torched a taxi and vandalized a public van in Kathmandu but no one was hurt.    The party which is a splinter group

The Switzerland-Sweden commission in charge of monitoring the six decades-long inter-Korean armistice on the southern side of the Korean Peninsula on Thursday said it is determined to fulfill its duty to safeguard the cease fire pact that has kept the peace in this part of Northeast Asia.   "The Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) has been created based on the armistice. That means we do our job here in Korea as long as this agreement is in force and those who nominated us want us to d

Seoul prosecutors said Thursday Volkswagen, faced with an emissions cheating scandal, appears to have sold thousands of vehicles with unauthorized exhaust pipes.Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office said Audi Volkswagen Korea arbitrarily changed key parts that affect emissions on about 50,000 cars, including Audi A7s, without getting authorized by the Ministry of Environment.Under the local law, failure to be authorized for changes could lead to a fine of up to 10 billion won (US$8.62 milli

South Korea's ruling and opposition party officials gathered on Thursday to commemorate the 16th anniversary of the first summit between Seoul and Pyongyang, amid the prolonged deadlock in the inter-Korean relationship following the North's recent provocations.   In the June 2000 summit, the leaders of the two Koreas produced a landmark joint declaration, which outlines reconciliation and economic cooperation. South and North Korea remain technically at war as the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a t

Just a few weeks ago, three local Kumho Art Hall piano prodigies took the top three spots at this year’s Prague Spring International Music Competition in the Czech Republic. Kumho violinist Jang Yoo-jin has now added to the phenomenon of Korean musicians dominating the podiums at international music competitions with her first place win in Japan this weekend.　Jang, 25, took home first place in the violin section at this year’s sixth Sendai International Music Competition in Japan on Saturday, be

Four bodies were recovered and 340 people rescued Friday after a boat carrying migrants across the Mediterranean Sea sank south of the Greek island of Crete, authorities said.    The coast guard said the roughly 25-meter (82-foot) vessel, which resembled a large fishing boat, had been carrying an undetermined number of people when it was located half-sunk about 75 nautical miles south of Crete in international waters, and within Egypt's search and rescue area of operation.    Most survivors were

South Korean President Park Geun-hye vowed Friday to support the innovative activities of young people from South Korea and France, the latest in a series of steps to boost creativity.   Park has made the creative economy one of her top priorities by viewing it as the only viable growth engine for Asia's fourth-largest economy.    The creative economy is designed to, among other things, turn new ideas into real businesses with the help of cutting-edge science and information technology.   “I wil

A trade fair between South Korean and Chinese small and mid-sized firms in the Chinese city of Dandong on the border with North Korea was canceled days before its opening because of unspecified safety concerns, a diplomatic source close to the matter said Friday.   Organized by several South Korean municipal governments and the Chinese city of Dandong, which faces North Korea across the Amnok River, the five-day trade fair was previously scheduled to begin next Thursday.    About 150 firms from

On the night of April 15, a 55-year-old resident of the Ihwa Mural Village surnamed Park and two other accomplices took buckets of gray paint and painted away one of the village’s most famous, flower mosaic-tiled outdoor staircase murals. A week later on April 24, a 45-year-old resident surnamed Kwon and another person followed suit and went on to gray over another of the village’s most photographed 3-D koi fish painted staircase murals.However, this act of vandalism was not committed as a means

The South Korean government called Monday for cooperation from local tour agencies to discourage its nationals from visiting areas bordering North Korea, as the country is on high alert against the likelihood of terrorist attacks by Pyongyang.The Foreign Ministry hosted a rare group meeting with representatives of those firms specializing in arranging oversea tours.It was meant to enhance awareness on the need to take stronger safety measures for South Koreans abroad and solicit cooperation.Conc

Major powers including the United States met in the Austrian capital on Monday to discuss the expanding presence of the Islamic State jihadist group in conflict-ridden Libya, just across the Mediterranean from Europe.IS has taken advantage of the chaos left by the toppling and death of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, which led to rival militias vying for control of the oil-rich country.A recently formed unity government backed by the international community has been slowly asserting it

Rescuers on Monday found the bodies of six university students who were among nearly two dozen who went missing in rain-triggered floods and landslides at a waterfall in western Indonesia, an official said. The disaster occurred Sunday as more than 70 students were visiting the Air Terjun Dua Warna waterfall in North Sumatra province. Twenty-one students were reported missing after the disaster, said Darwin Surbakti, an official from the local Disaster Management Agency. The bodies of five men a

Struggling South Korean infielder Choi Ji-man has accepted an assignment to the minors in the Los Angeles Angels system after clearing waivers, reports said Monday.The Angels designated Choi for assignment last Wednesday to make room on their 40-man roster for pitcher Jhoulys Chacin, acquired in a trade with the Atlanta Braves. He will now resume his season with the Angels' Triple-A affiliate in Salt Lake City.Choi, 24, joined the Angels via the Rule 5 Draft in December, after signing a minor le

South Korea and Indonesia agreed Monday to bolster bilateral cooperation in infrastructure development, trade, investment, maritime affairs, energy and other areas, as the former seeks to step up its foray into the Southeast Asian market.The two sides signed 11 memorandums of understanding (MOU) largely over firming up their economic ties after President Park Geun-hye and her Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo held a summit at Cheong Wa Dae, South Korea's presidential office. President Park Geun

Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea's largest flag carrier, reaped a record operating income in the first quarter of 2016, while its local rival Asiana Airlines Inc., saw its profit dwindle.Korean Air's operating profit jumped 70.2 percent to 323.3 billion won (US$274 million) from a year earlier, as demand for its flights was on a steady rise in almost all routes worldwide, the firm said in a regulatory filing. Its revenue dropped 0.1 percent to 2.86 trillion won, with net loss totaling 174.9 bil

The annual Daegu International Musical Festival, the world’s first established international musical festival, is celebrating its 10th year with more than 20 productions from Korea and abroad. 　Hosted by the city of Daegu and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the annual event was first established in 2006 to promote the city of Daegu as a musical hub in Asia. 　This year’s festivities will be held from June 24 to July 11 and will feature 22 musicals from five countries: th

Akdong Musician’s Lee Chan-hyuk (left) and Lee Soo-hyun perform at Seoul Forest on Friday, May 5. (YG Entertainment)Akdong Musician held a mini-concert on Friday in Seoul to mark the release of “Spring,” a new album full of the sibling duo’s trademark feel-good music and whimsical lyrics.“We didn’t expect so many people to turn up, we’re truly moved,” said 17-year-old vocalist Lee Soo-hyun, referring to the swarms of families that filled the outdoor theater to hear the group perform at Seoul For

NEW YORK – From refined monochrome paintings fit for elegant modern interiors to cutting-edge works that reflect the dynamic sociopolitical landscape of Korea, the fifth edition of the Frieze art fair in New York featured various aspects of Korean modern and contemporary art. The five-day art fair, which ended on Sunday, gathered both big names and less well-known talents, connecting major galleries and artists to collectors, curators and museums, plus more than 40,000 public art lovers, accordi

Still from Elite Zexer’s “Sand Storm” (Jeonju International Film Festival)“Sand Storm” by Israeli director Elite Zexer has won the Grand Prize in the International Competition section of this year’s Jeonju International Film Festival, JIFF announced last Friday.“Sand Storm,” directed by the female director Zexer, tells the tale of a Bedouin teenage girl torn between personal desires and tradition. It was awarded a cash prize of $19,000. "(The) International Competition has chosen 10 films that a

A large-size oil tanker collided with a fishing boat in waters off the southern region of South Korea, leaving one person dead, the Coast Guard said Friday.The accident took place at around 10:19 p.m. on Thursday when the 62,000-ton oil-carrying ship collided with the 4-ton shrimp boat in the waters off the southern port city of Yeosu, according to the police.A 58-year-old captain of the boat, only identified by his surname Kang, was confirmed dead. Authorities said that he was pulled from the s