To many, SBS TV's "Legend of the Blue Sea" ended up as somewhat of an artistic letdown. Famed screenwriter Park Ji-eun's time-slip tale of star-crossed lovers was criticized by many viewers for being derivative and too familiar.But that doesn't mean people tuned out. On the contrary, Wednesday's happy-ending finale claimed the No. 1 spot among its competitors in the same time slot, garnering a 17.9 percent nationwide viewership, according to Nielson Korea. (SBS)The take away? Star power still ma

A lawyer for the jailed woman at the center of the biggest South Korean political scandal in decades said Thursday that prosecutors threatened to "annihilate'' her family and used other abusive language during questioning.The woman, Choi Soon-sil, a longtime friend of President Park Geun-hye, has been arrested for allegedly interfering in state affairs and extorting money from businesses. Park was impeached last month over the scandal and the Constitutional Court is reviewing whether to formally

Rep. Yoo Seong-min of the conservative splinter Bareun Party announced his presidential bid Thursday, pledging to restore justice, and tide the nation over economic and security crises."I am running in the 19th presidential election, keeping the people's anger, frustration and questions about what is statehood in mind," Yoo, 59, said in his statement.The fourth-term lawmaker declared that the fight against corruption will be one of his top priorities in the wake of an immense influence-peddling

SK Group, South Korea's No. 3 conglomerate, said Thursday that its affiliates plan to invest a combined 17 trillion won ($14.7 billion) this year, up 21 percent from last year, although economic uncertainty still persists at home and abroad.Energy and telecom giant SK said its 16 affiliates will newly hire 8,200 this year, up 200 from last year. (Yonhap)SK's aggressive investment plan is accelerating as group chief Chey Tae-won came back to the management last year.In 2014, the group chief stepp

North Korea plans to hold a conference of top performers who are leading efforts to overcome economic difficulties under a new slogan of boosting self-reliance at the end of this year, Pyongyang's state media said Thursday.The central committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea decided to convene a meeting of "Mallima pace-setters" in Pyongyang at the end of 2017, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).Mallima refers to an imaginary horse that can run extreme distances at a very

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered work to begin on planning and building a wall on the Mexican border, sounding a hardline tone on immigration as he moved to fulfill a key campaign pledge.The US leader instructed officials to begin to "plan, design and construct a physical wall along the southern border" and -- perhaps more problematically -- see how it could be funded."A nation without borders is not a nation," Trump said, echoing former president Ronald Reagan, as

Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on Thursday called for enhanced crackdowns on crimes against women and children as part of efforts to ensure public safety amid a national leadership crisis.Since taking over early last month after President Park Geun-hye was impeached by parliament over a corruption scandal, Hwang has prioritized strengthening public safety and national security, and stabilizing citizens' livelihoods."The most important obligation of the government is to seek to

McLEAN, Va. (AP) -- Federal worker Greg Guthrie had held out hope after Donald Trump's election to president that his professed advocacy for the American worker would extend to the federal workforce, too.That hope diminished after Trump on Monday issued an executive order implementing a hiring freeze across the federal government, with exceptions only for military, national security or public safety personnel.So while Guthrie wasn't shocked to learn Trump had imposed the hiring freeze, he was di

KABUL (AFP) -- Deported after years of living in Germany, 26 young Afghans arrived in Kabul Tuesday with only one thought in mind: fleeing this war-torn country.Escorted by 80 German police officers, their plane landed shortly after 7:30 a.m. -- the second batch deported under a disputed Afghan-EU deal signed last October and aimed at curbing the influx of migrants."What would you have me do here? There is only death!" said 19-year-old Ramid Afshah, returning from Germany after five years -- a c

President Park Geun-hye met with her lawyers for the first time in nearly a month on Tuesday to discuss their next steps in her impeachment trial, one of the attorneys said.The meeting was held inside a reception room at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, where Park and her lawyers reviewed key issues of her case and recent developments emerging from the eight hearings held so far at the Constitutional Court, according to Lee Joong-hwan. The talks lasted 80 minutes. Special counsel Park Youn

South Korean soprano Sumi Jo's concerts in China have been canceled in what is believed to be China's retaliation against Seoul's plan to deploy an advanced U.S. missile defense system on its soil, the singer said Tuesday."I'd like to tell you that my tour in China has been canceled. I have prepared for the concerts for the past two years and they didn't even give me a reason (for the cancellation)," the Grammy-winning Korean diva wrote on her Twitter account. "It is very unfortunate to see the

BAGHDAD (AP) -- The U.N. and several aid organizations said Tuesday that an estimated 750,000 civilians are still living under Islamic State rule in the western part of Mosul, the next target of a U.S.-backed Iraqi offensive launched three months ago.Lise Grande, the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, said the cost of food and basic goods is soaring, water and electricity are intermittent and that some residents are forced to burn furniture to keep warm.Iraqi and Kurdish forces launched a m

LONDON (AFP) -- Britain still intends to start talks on leaving the European Union by the end of March, despite a Supreme Court ruling that the government must first obtain parliamentary approval, Downing Street said Tuesday."The British people voted to leave the EU, and the government will deliver on their verdict -- triggering Article 50, as planned, by the end of March," a spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May's office said."Today's ruling does nothing to change that."Brexit minister David

South Korea said Friday that it will reinvestigate the safety of breast implant products, after a woman who received breast augmentation claimed to have found in her breast milk what appears to be silicone gel. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug safety, the woman who received breast enlargement surgery in 2011 had the implant removed after she found that her breastmilk contained a thick, transparent gel-like substance. She had by then breastfed her infant baby for nearly three months. He

ANDONG, North Gyeongsang Province -- Many say South Korea is a republic of convenience stores, describing the country’s some 30,000 24-hour retailers as being ubiquitous in almost every corner of Korean towns. Yet few realize that this country of 50 million has over 60,000 playgrounds for children, twice the number of convenience stores. Despite being in abundant supply, Korean playgrounds have major problems, according to playground designer Pyun Hae-moon. They are almost identical, risk-free t

Amid all the talk about the danger of airborne ultrafine particles, Shin Gi-bbeum opted to bring indoors some plants that are known to purify the air, instead of purchasing costly air-purifying machines.“Why invest in electronic air purifiers when you can have houseplants at home to clean and filter the air naturally and inexpensively?” said the 53-year-old housewife.“Beyond air quality, looking at green plants just make me feel better,” she said, adding growing plants is her way of fighting str

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon on Monday threw his hat in the race to be the next president of South Korea, saying “his mind is made up.”“This year will be a pivotal time for South Korea. We need to build a new country through political, economic and social innovations,” Park wrote via Facebook. “I have decided to follow the call of the time and devote myself to the innovation of South Korea.”A civil rights lawyer-turned-activist-turned administrator, Park has been the mayor of Seoul since 2011, a po

BUCHAREST (AP) -- Romania's president has nominated a regional politician as the next prime minister, after turning down an economist who could have become the country's first female Muslim premier.President Klaus Iohannis on Friday endorsed Sorin Grindeanu, 43, to become premier. Grindeanu is a member of the Social Democratic Party that won Dec. 11 elections, and chairman of the Timis county council. Parliament needs to approve him.The nomination came after Iohannis declined to endorse Sevil Sh

South Korea's Constitutional Court on Friday said it cannot require President Park Geun-hye to testify in her impeachment trial that enters the argument phase next week, dismissing demands by lawmakers who voted to remove her over a corruption scandal.The nine-justice court also confirmed the dates when some witnesses will testify but delayed a decision on whether to make companies answer whether they were really forced into sponsoring foundations controlled by the president's jailed friend, Cho

SHANGHAI (AFP) -- China is the world's second-largest economy and has one of the fastest growth rates of any G20 nation, but its  stock markets have been among the worst performing in the world this year.Starting with a botched attempt to reduce volatility that instead triggered a spectacular meltdown, Chinese bourses have spent the year struggling against feckless policymakers, massive capital flight and a languishing currency.The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index (SCI) closed Friday down 12.3