Korea and Norway agreed Wednesday to boost cooperation for Arctic exploration programs as Seoul looks to tap the region’s growing scientific and business opportunities.Shin Maeng-ho, chief of legal affairs at the Foreign Ministry, and Karsten Klepsvik, the Nordic country’s ambassador to the Arctic Council, discussed Korea’s application to become a permanent observer to the eight-member Arctic Council, joint research projects and related policies, the ministry said. The bilateral meeting, the fir

A recent bout of electronic jamming signals from North Korea highlighted the growing risks of cyber warfare, which experts fear could be among its pledged “special actions” against South Korea. Hundreds of aircraft and ships have been affected by global positioning system disruptions traced to the North for the past week.The attack caused no major disasters but triggered jitters in the South over its vulnerability to Pyongyang’s increasingly sophisticated cyber capabilities. The incident comes l

Eletronic jamming signals emitting from North Korea have disrupted more than 250 commercial flights in and out of South Korea for more than a week, stoking concerns over public safety and further provocations by the communist state following a recent failed rocket launch. Nine Korean carriers and their nine foreign peers including Japan Airlines, Thai Airways and Garuda International experienced signal jamming with their global positioning systems between April 28 and May 6, the Transport Minist

South Korea, the U.S. and China are stepping up their diplomatic efforts this week to prevent North Korea from proceeding with a third nuclear test.Satellite images of the North’s test site in the northeastern town of Punggye showed work under way last week. A Korean expert told reporters on Wednesday that Pyongyang appears to have finished its preparations.The U.S. government said Thursday it has not detected any clear signs of an imminent atomic test “other than the rumors.” Seoul and Beijing

Korean government, businesses tap resource-rich country after reformsKorea is seeking to carve out its presence in Myanmar as sweeping reforms of the former pariah state entice global powers to tap its huge resource reserves and growth potential.Despite diplomatic thorns and its limited trade with the country, Korea can capitalize on its experience of rapid industrialization and strength in construction and information technology in engaging what is called one of the next “Asian Tigers,” experts

The foreign ministers of South Korea and Myanmar agreed Wednesday to enhance business and diplomatic ties as Seoul seeks to scale up its presence in the former pariah state following sweeping democratic and economic reforms. Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan met with his Myanmar counterpart Wunna Maung Lwin and President Thein Sein during the two-day trip. Kim is the first top Korean diplomat to visit the Southeast Asian country in 27 years.“The two ministers had an in-depth discussion on the state

As the aftershocks of the global financial crisis languish, financial market uncertainty, rising inflation and falling house values continue to suppress consumer sentiment and slash the spending capacity of Koreans. Under these circumstances, past spending filled with optimism is fading away. Consumers now search for the lowest prices on staple items. Still, they hone in on coveted products even though they may be expensive.Consumer interest is also growing in eco-friendly and socially conscious

Police in Busan launched an investigation Tuesday into a report that a person drove a car with a dog dragged behind it last week.A civic group called Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth has filed a complaint with the city police after receiving a tip from a witness. Video footage shot on April 29 shows a large dog on a leash being dragged behind a city car. It has been circulated on the Internet and TV channels triggering calls against animal cruelty.“Although passing-by cars honked horns and

Around 7,000 policymakers, industry specialists and academics from some 130 countries will gather in Busan in September to seek ways to better utilize water resources and develop related technologies. The 2012 World Water Congress & Exhibition will provide a platform to foster a global network to tackle water scarcity and other challenges and devise potential solutions, organizers said Monday.“Water shortages are a big problem but also a fantastic opportunity for us to produce and export technol

Korea is seeking to lower its debt by more than 4 percent to below 30 percent of its gross domestic product by 2015 to boost fiscal soundness amid spiraling household borrowing and social spending. The latest roadmap for the debt sustainability of Asia’s fourth-largest economy was unveiled Saturday at a strategic meeting for national finance at Cheong Wa Dae, presided over President Lee Myung-bak and attended by ministers, other cabinet members and private experts. To that aim, the government pl

Korea’s sole casino for locals adds hotel, condo, ski slopes, convention center and water parkSpurred by its robust casino business, Kangwon Land has been striving to transform into a multiplex resort and one of Asia’s leading tourist destinations. Its decade-long efforts are now coming to fruition. In addition to bustling gambling floors, it now features two hotels, condominiums, an 18-slope ski resort, a golf course and a convention venue with a water park slated for 2015.Also known as High1 R

Casino-hotel complex supports education, culture and social enterprisesSince its founding in 1998, Kangwon Land has made social contribution a key part of its agenda, reflecting its mission of perking up the regional economy.The company says its programs aim to revive lethargic former coal mining towns in southern Gangwon Province and promote co-prosperity with contractors that employ residents there.Around 20 billion won ($17.6 million) is channeled into projects including educational support,

The government said Wednesday it plans to accelerate its ongoing highway expansion work and raise the number of trains, buses and flights connecting to the Expo 2012 Yeosu to facilitate visitors’ access and minimize traffic jams. A pan-governmental task force will also be set up to clamp down on hotels and other lodging facilities that overcharge and refuse bookings, taking advantage of local and international guests in the hopes of a cash bonanza. The measures come less than three weeks before

Hyundai Heavy Industries said Wednesday it has developed selective-emitter solar cells with a record electricity conversion efficiency of 19.7 percent, which could curtail production costs for the fast-growing energy source.The figure beat the previous record of 19.6 percent by Suntech Power Holdings, the world’s largest maker of photovoltaic panels based in Shanghai. It has also been confirmed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, a leading think tank in Munich, the Korean shipb

YEOSU, South Jeolla Province ― POSCO on Tuesday unveiled the first glimpse of its pavilion at the forthcoming Expo 2012 Yeosu that highlights the steelmaker’s efforts to spearhead green technology and shore up ecosystem dynamics. Under the theme “Living Ocean and Coast,” 106 countries and nine international organizations will showcase their diverse marine development and advancement of oceanic technology on the southern shore of the Korean Peninsula starting May 12.The world’s fourth-largest ste

Recently, Korea’s retail giants have been announcing plans to develop shopping malls. Retail professionals view this as a result of changes in shopping trends, the adoption of international shopping culture and increased leisure time. But how have local shopping malls been developed so fast in terms of the needs of developers and tenants?Low commission rates and brand identityShopping malls embrace not only global specialist private-label apparel, or SPA, stores but also brands that failed to se

Samsung, LG, POSCO, Lotte seek bilingual, ambitious employees who understand  Local cultureA surging number of Korean corporations are dipping into the global labor pool in efforts to expedite their overseas operations and better reflect localized needs. With their business fast expanding in emerging markets, LG, POSCO, Samsung and other gone-global firms are courting young and experienced talent overseas who are bilingual, ambitious and competent, and have an understanding of the industry and K

Some 20 government officials and 150 aviation experts from the Asia-Pacific region will gather on Tuesday on Jeju Island to discuss next-generation air transportation systems, the Transportation Ministry said Monday.The four-day meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization, the United Nations’ agency that specializes in aviation, will focus on automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast, or ADS-B. The new surveillance technology has emerged as a primary replacement for radar in tracki

SMEC Co., a Korean machinery and robot developer, said Sunday it had developed an application for mobile devices to operate its products by remote control.The Moricon allows engineers to reset or turn on and off computer numerical control tools and other machines and check their status in real time using their smartphones or tablet computers outside the factory, the company said. The Daejeon-based firm unveiled the application at the Seoul International Machine Tool Show 2012 on April 17-22, a t

International passenger traffic in and out of Korea reached an all-time high in the first quarter as air travel demand picked up during national and school holidays, a government report showed Sunday. The number of passengers on overseas routes shot up 12.3 percent in the first three months to nearly 11.4 million, setting a fresh record, according to the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs. Domestic air passenger traffic also leapt 11.6 percent year-on-year to more than 4.9 million