South Korea has rejected a protest by Japan over Seoul's annual defense report that reaffirms its bid to protect the easternmost islets of Dokdo, a senior official said Monday.Japan recently sent the South Korean government an official letter protesting the defense white paper that made clear Seoul's sovereignty over Dokdo, which Tokyo has also claimed as its own.In a rebuttal letter to Japan, South Korea reiterated that, "Dokdo is an integral part of Korean territory historically, geographicall

NEW DELHI (AP) -- A young woman who died after being gang-raped and beaten on a bus in India's capital was cremated Sunday amid an outpouring of anger and grief by millions across the country demanding greater protection for women from sexual violence.The cremation took place during a private ceremony in New Delhi soon after the woman's body arrived in the capital on a special Air India flight from Singapore, where she died at a hospital Saturday after being sent for medical treatment.The traged

U.S. Internet company Yahoo Inc. on Monday halted its South Korean service, pulling out of one of the world's most wired countries after 15 years.Yahoo will halt all products, services and content of Yahoo Korea starting Dec. 31 in addition to ending customer support in Korea on the same day, the company wrote on its Korean Web site.In October, Yahoo announced a plan to pull out of South Korea as chief executive officer Marissa Mayer focuses more on stronger markets."The decision is part of Yaho

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was admitted to a New York hospital Sunday after the discovery of a blood clot stemming from the concussion she sustained earlier this month.Clinton's doctors discovered the clot Sunday while performing a follow-up exam, her spokesman, Philippe Reines, said. He would not elaborate on the location of the clot but said Clinton is being treated with anti-coagulants and would remain at New York-Presbyterian Hospital for at least the next 4

North Korea's possible nuclear test and a "post-Gangnam" era are among stories that will draw keen global media attention in the year ahead, CNN said Sunday.Releasing a list of 13 things to closely watch in 2013, the U.S. cable news channel said North Korea may step into the global media spotlight with another nuclear test."On the subject of nuclear states that the U.S.-wishes-were-not, the succession in North Korea has provided no sign that the regime is ready to restrain its ambitious program

The combined market capitalization of South Korean firms listed on the main and secondary bourse ranks 15th among global peers by claiming 2.15 percent of the total, data showed Monday.The combined market cap of the world's 20 major stock markets reached US$52.7 trillion as of the end of November, increasing 9.56 percent from end of 2011, according to data by the bourse operator Korea Exchange.The KRX, which operates the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index and the tech-heavy KOSDAQ marke

utgoing President Lee Myung-bak said Monday he believes South Korea will be the first country to see the "bright light at the end of the dark tunnel" of the global economic slump if the nation works hard with his successor Park Geun-hye.Lee made the remark in his New Year's message, using an ancient adage made up of four Chinese characters, "Sudoseonbu," which meansa large ship automatically floats up if water levels rise. Lee used ship and rising water to refer to South Korea and its national s

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un again hailed this month's largely successful launch of a long-range rocket, saying the launch boosted "great national self-esteem," the North's official media said Monday.Kim delivered the remarks to scientists, technicians, workers and officials involved in the Dec. 12 launch that put a satellite into orbit at a banquet which he hosted on Sunday, the North's Korean Central News Agency reported.The young leader "once again warmly congratulated those people on suc

South Korea's consumer prices grew at the slowest pace in four months in December, indicating that the country is keeping inflationary pressure under control, a government report showed Monday.The country's consumer prices index rose 1.4 percent in December from a year earlier, slowing from a 1.6 percent on-year gain in the previous month, according to the report by Statistics Korea. From a month earlier, it grew 0.2 percent.The on-year figure marked the slowest growth since August when the inde

South Korea's antitrust watchdog said Sunday it has decided to fine top steelmaker POSCO and six other industry players a combined 291.7 billion won ($273.5 million) for colluding to fix prices of some steel products.The Fair Trade Commission also said it plans to lodge a complaint with the prosecution against six steelmakers, including POSCO and Hyundai Hysco.According to the FTC, they colluded to fix prices of cold-rolled plates, galvanized steel sheets and color steel sheets between 2004 and

'한일 역사를 극복하고 우호를 추진하는 모임'( 한일우호추진모임)은 27일 서울 여의도 국회 앞에서 집회를 열고 "일본군 위안부 문 제를 진심으로 사죄한다"고 밝혔다.한국인 남성과 결혼해 한국에 살고 있는 일본인 여성들의 모임인 이 단체는 "한 국에 살면서 일본 제국주의가 한국에 씻을 수 없는 상처를 안긴 역사적인 진실을 분 명히 알게 됐다"며 이같이 말했다.이들은 "우리의 사죄가 과거 일본이 저지른 죄를 씻기에는 부족한 것을 알지만 '이렇게라도 하지 않으면'이라는 양심을 무시할 수 없었다"고 밝혔다.이어 "우리 아이들에게 한국은 아버지의 나라, 일본은 어머니의 나라"라며  "한 일 양국이 아시아를 넘어 세계 평화를 만들어내는 동반자가 됐으면 좋겠다"고  강조 했다.<관련 영문 기사>S. Korea urges Japan to resolve wartime sex slaveryResponding to Japan's renewed denial of forcing Korean women i

South Korea has retrieved what appears to be part of the engine from North Korea's long-range rocket launched earlier this month, a finding that could provide clues to the communist nation's rocket technologies, a military source said Friday."We recovered an object believed to be the engine debris of North Korea's long-range rocket last night from the bottom of the sea about 160 kilometers off" the western port city of Gunsan, the source said. "It appears to have been damaged a lot from the shoc

President-elect Park Geun-hye on Thursday named a former Constitutional Court chief to lead her transition committee, her spokesman said, in a first step to take over the government and set major agenda items to pursue for the next five years.Kim Yong-joon, 74, who served as head of the top court in 1994, is expected to back Park's "firm belief in the rule of law and social safety" and make good preparations for the incoming administration to take over as smoothly as possible, Park's senior spok

Authorities in Kenya said they were on high alert Christmas Day because of terrorism threats and other crime countrywide."To ensure that criminal elements do not interfere with our festivities, we wish to remind the general public it is necessary to remain alert," Deputy Police Commissioner Francis Okonya said in a statement."Terrorism has been a security threat for most of this year, whereas the government has put in place extensive measures to guarantee security, we would like to advice the pu

북한이 지난 12일 발사한 장거리 로켓 ‘은하-3호’의 잔해를 조사한 결과 북한은 500㎏의 탄두를 1만㎞ 이상 날릴 수 있는 로켓기술을 확보한 것으로 추정됐다.재진입체와 탄두항법ㆍ유도 등의 기술을 추가로 확보하면 미국 본토를 타격할 수 있는 대륙간탄도미사일(ICBM)도 개발할 수 있다는 분석이다.국방부가 23일 발표한 ‘북한 장거리 미사일(로켓) 잔해 조사결과’에 따르면 지난 14일 새벽 청해진함이 군산 서방 160㎞ 해저에서 인양한 1단 추진체 잔해는 연료가 연소될 수 있도록 산소를 공급하는 산화제통으로 밝혀졌다.길이 7.45ｍ, 직경 2.4ｍ, 두께 3.8㎜의 원통 모양으로 중량은 1.13t이다.재질은 알루미늄과 마그네슘이 혼합된 알루미늄합금(AIMg6)으로 산화제는 독성이 강한 적연질산(HNO₃94%+N₂O₄6%)이 사용됐다.군 당국은 나로호와 같은 일반적인 우주발사체가 산화제로 액체산소를 쓰는 것과 달리 장기 상온보관이 가능한 적연질산을 산화제로 사용한 것으로 볼 때 우주발

South Korea's government debt neared 470 trillion won (US$437.2 billion) in 2011 under new accounting rules adopted to reflect international norms, government data showed Monday.According to the data offered by the finance ministry, South Korea's ordinary government debt came to 468.6 trillion won last year. The ratio of the debt to the country's gross domestic product stood at 37.9 percent.The figures were calculated on an accrual basis, different from the existing cash basis accounting rules u

The South Korean Navy has retrieved three more pieces of debris from North Korea's long-range rocket on the west coast, Seoul's defense ministry said Sunday, hoping they would provide more knowledge about the communist nation's missile technology.Pyongyang fired off a three-stage "Unha 3" rocket on Dec. 12, claiming that it has succeeded in putting a satellite into orbit.The first stage of the rocket fell into the Yellow Sea off South Korea's west coast and the second stage in waters near the Ph

Huge crowds turned out Wednesday to vote in a tight presidential race pitting the son of North Korean refugees against the conservative daughter of a late dictator who both favor greater engagement with rival North Korea.Despite bitter cold, turnout was higher than past elections, which political analysts said might provide a slight boost to liberal Moon Jae-in over conservative Park Geun-hye in their contest to lead Asia's fourth-largest economy at a time of high tension with rival North Korea.

South Koreans voted Wednesday to elect a new president, with the two contenders running a tight race to succeed outgoing conservative President Lee Myung-bak.The election will decide whether the nation, with more than 40 million eligible voters, will see the return of liberals after five years of Lee's conservative government or hand power to a woman president for the first time.The two candidates are the ruling Saenuri Party's Park Geun-hye, 60, daughter of former President Gen. Park Chung-nee,

By Sangwon YoonSouth Koreans go to the polls today to choose either a dictator’s daughter or a one-time dissident as president, both of whom pledge to reverse slowing growth, a widening income gap and deteriorating North Korea ties.Ruling New Frontier Party candidate Park Geun Hye holds a 0.5 percentage point lead, within the margin of error, over former human rights lawyer Moon Jae In, according to the most recent opinion poll. A victory for Park, the daughter of the country’s longest-serving m