Overseas card spending by South Koreans hit a record high last year due to increased outbound travelers, the central bank said Tuesday.Overseas card spending amounted to $14.3 billion in 2016, up 7.8 percent from $13.26 billion in 2015, according to the Bank of Korea. Overseas card spending includes purchases made with debit and direct payment cards, in addition to credit cards.The hike was driven by a rise in the number of South Koreans going overseas last year.Official data showed that 22.38 m

최근 익명의 사람들에게 질문을 받고 답하는 한 온라인 사이트에서 활동을 시작한 배우 고 최진실 딸 최준희 씨가 악플로 몸살을 앓고 있다. (사진=최준희 에스크 캡쳐)일부 네티즌은 최 씨에게 “엄마가 연예인이어서 좋겠다,” “엄마 안 보고 싶냐” 등 무례한 질문을 했다. 질문은 총 2345개에 달했다. 그 중 “최순실 딸 아니냐”는 엄마 이름을 조롱하는 질문을 던지는 네티즌도 있었다.  (사진=최준희 에스크 캡쳐)최 씨는 익명의 질문에 하나하나 답해주고 있었지만 “최순실 딸”에 대한 질문에는 “답 할 가치가 없다. 시력이 좋지 않냐”며 발끈하기도 했다.코리아헤럴드 지예은 인턴기자 (yeeunjie@heraldcorp.com)

US President Donald Trump named Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster to be his new national security adviser Monday, a week after sacking Mike Flynn accused of having inappropriate contact with Russia's ambassador."Gen. H.R. McMaster will become the national security adviser. He's a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience. I watched and read a lot over the last two days. He is highly respected by everyone in the military, and we're very honored to have him," Trump said at his Florida resort.Tr

North Korea's apparent killing of the half brother of leader Kim Jong-un, a glut in coal production and other factors could have led Beijing to suspend coal imports from North Korea, a US expert said Monday.China suspended North Korean coal imports Sunday through the end of the year in accordance with the latest UN Security Council resolution adopted in December to punish Pyongyang for its fifth nuclear test in September. (Yonhap)The resolution centers on putting a significant cap on North Korea

North Korea could step up cybercrimes to make up for revenue losses from China's suspension of North Korean coal imports, a news report said Monday.China suspended North Korean coal imports Sunday through the end of the year in accordance with the latest UN Security Council resolution adopted in December to punish Pyongyang for its fifth nuclear test in September.(Yonhap)The resolution centers on putting a significant cap on North Korea's exports of coal -- the country's single biggest export it

South Korea is pushing to export its most famous organic green tea brand to tap fast growing markets in the United States and other countries, officials said Tuesday.The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said it signed a contract with Handong County on the south coast and tea exporter Vision Korea Corp. on exports of "Hadong organic green tea." (Yonhap)Under the contract, the county, which accounts for half the country's organic green tea output, will create a 482-hectare cultivati

US President Donald Trump should negotiate a freeze on North Korea's nuclear production as well as its nuclear and missile testing, even though completely ending the program should be the goal, the New York Times said Monday.The paper made the case in an editorial, arguing that "only a new round of engagement, backed by tougher sanctions, may hold any promise" and warning that the North now possesses the fuel for perhaps as many as 21 nuclear weapons and is steadily building its ability to deliv

South Korea's fund market looks set to exceed 500 trillion won ($436 billion) on the growth of real estate and other alternative funds, data showed Tuesday.Funds under management totaled 498.6 trillion won, the largest-ever amount here, according to Korea Financial Investment Association. An image of real estate funds in a photo provided by Yonhap News TV. (Yonhap)It marks an increase of 43.1 trillion won from a year earlier.The volume stood at 317.2 trillion won at the end of 2012 and rose to 3

 North Korea's nuclear weapons could get out of control and ultimately end up in the wrong hands if the regime collapses, a former CIA director said, warning the situation has become much more dangerous in recent years.Michael Morell, who served as CIA's No. 2 official from 2010-2013, said on CBS' "Face the Nation" that the North poses serious proliferation risks in addition to the possibility of the regime launching a nuclear missile at the US. Former deputy CIA director Michael Morell (Yonhap)

Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., a major shipyard in South Korea, has received an order to build two oil tankers, industry sources said Tuesday.Under the deal with a Greek shipowner, Hyundai Heavy will build two very large crude carriers with 320,000 DWT by the end of 2018, the sources said, adding that the two sides have been in negotiations since January this year. (Yonhap)The value of the deal and other terms were not revealed, but an oil tanker with such a capacity is roughly priced at $82 mill

South Korea's exports continued their upbeat mode in the first 20 days of February, underscoring a recovery in the country's outbound shipments, the latest customs data showed Tuesday.Exports amounted to $27.7 billion from Feb. 1-20, up 26.2 percent from the same period last year, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. (Yonhap)The increase was led by a 51.5-percent on-year gain in exports of semiconductors and a 64.5-percent surge in petroleum products.Imports jumped 26 percent to

The South Korean government said Tuesday that it will revise its performance evaluation criteria for state-run companies in a way to encourage them to increase dividend payouts.Their dividend payout ratio, referring to a percentage of earnings paid to shareholders in dividends, will be reflected in the government's annual business performance evaluation for state-run companies, according to the Ministry of Strategy and Finance. (Yonhap)All 321 public agencies, including the Korea Electric Power

The level of digital information among underprivileged people in South Korea improved in 2016 from the previous year, but it remained far lower than the national average, a poll showed Tuesday.According to the survey of 15,000 people nationwide, the digital information level among the so-called information have-nots stood at 58.6 percent of the average for all South Koreans, up 6.2 percentage points from a year earlier. This undated file photo shows a handicapped child participating in an inform

The net income of South Korea's insurance companies dropped 2.3 percent on-year in 2016 due to low performance by life insurers, data showed Tuesday.They reported a combined net profit of 6.16 trillion won ($5.37 billion) for the year, versus 6.3 trillion won in 2015, according to the Financial Supervisory Service. An image of car insurance in a photo provided by Yonhap News TV. (Yonhap)Life insurers' net income decreased 25 percent to 2.69 trillion won, while that of nonlife ones jumped 27.7 pe

One school in the country has volunteered to use a set of state-authored history textbooks, the education ministry said Monday, highlighting the controversy surrounding the program advocated by impeached President Park Geun-hye.Munmyeong High School in Gyeongsan, 331 kilometers southeast of Seoul, applied to use the textbooks in the new academic year starting in March, the ministry said. Some 1,800 other middle and high schools did not apply even though the government offered merit points for te

A fisherman died and another went missing after a fishing boat sank off South Korea's southernmost island of Jeju on Monday, the Coast Guard said.The 278-ton fishing ship with a crew of 10 sank in waters some 40 kilometers northeast off the city of Jeju on the island, coast guard officers said. The ship sent a distress message to the coast guard around 1:30 p.m.Medical workers carry a fisherman, who was in critical condition, to an emergency room at a hospital in the city of Jeju on South Korea'

A growing number of households in South Korea are exposed to debt risks, especially people in their 30s and the elderly, data showed Monday.The number of "marginal households," whose debt-to-disposable income ratio is over 40 percent, came to 1.81 million last year, up 14.7 percent from 1.58 million recorded in 2015, according to National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun's policy office. An image of rising household debts. (Yonhap)It analyzed data compiled by Statistics Korea.Among the country's

Samsung Group will halt its weekly meeting of top executives for the time being after the group's de facto chief, Lee Jae-yong, was arrested over his alleged role in the presidential influence-peddling scandal, group officials said Monday.Lee, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics who has denied any wrongdoing, was arrested last Friday over the scandal that led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye.  (Yonhap)Samsung has held the weekly meeting every Wednesday and the temporary suspension

South Korea's defense chief said Monday that North Korea's alleged assassination of its leader Kim Jong-un's half brother appears to be part of Pyongyang's move to remove any potential challengers to Kim's power and forestall any outside attempt to overthrow its regime."The murder of Kim Jong-nam by the North can be meant to remove alternative forces to the Kim Jong-un regime and warn the international community against any possible regime change attempts," Defense Minister Han Min-koo told the

South Korea's point man on North Korea issues said Monday it is becoming increasingly clearer that Pyongyang is behind the killing of the half brother of its ruler Kim Jong-un.Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo made the remark after Malaysian police said Sunday that at least five North Korean suspects appeared to be involved in the death of Kim Jong-nam, the eldest son of late former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo"Although we must observe the investigation res