South Korea postponed its launch of a space rocket Friday due to a problem that was detected only hours before its scheduled liftoff.   Cho Yul-rae, vice minister of education, science and technology, said the launch of the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1) will be delayed at least three days.    "A leak has been detected from a connection between the first-stage rocket of the KSLV-1 and the launch pad," Cho told a press briefing.   The problem was detected during a final inspection of the s

   EUIJEONGBU -- A municipal government expressed concern Sunday over a U.S. plan to redeploy a unit in their region, saying it would undermine a project to replace the U.S. base with a college campus.   The U.S. Army plans to relocate the 23rd Chemical Battalion from the U.S. state of Washington to Camp Stanley in Euijeongbu, just north of Seoul, by March of next year, an official of the Euijeongbu city government said Sunday.   The relocation would come nine years after the unit withdrew from

In recent years, world powers have been quick to convene emergency sessions to discuss what the U.N.'s response should be to North Korean provocations. But nowhere in the room was the most important party concerned -- South Korea.One of the world's major economies, South Korea was also left out of the discussion of other urgent global security issues such as Iran and Syria.But with its return to the U.N. Security Council, South Korea will once again be at the forefront of U.N. diplomacy. "The pr

South Korea was elected Thursday as a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, regaining ground to step up its involvement in handling the North Korea issue and other global security challenges."South Korea will be able to take leading part in the U.N.'s efforts for world peace and security and holding a seat again on the Security Council is also expected to contribute to the stable management of situations on the Korean Peninsula," Seoul's foreign ministry said in a statement.South Ko

Samsung Electronics Co., the world's top smartphone maker, on Friday unveiled its Galaxy S3 mini phone, a compact version of the flagship Galaxy S3 device, to cater to consumers looking for a practical option.   The 4-inch smartphone is powered by Jelly Bean, the latest version of the Android operating system, and runs on a dual-core processor, Samsung said in a press release, noting the device is

  Independent presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo vowed to seek closer dialogue and cooperation with North Korea as he announced his first official set of election pledges on Sunday.   "Upon the basis of firm security, I will facilitate peace on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and cooperation between the South and the North," the computer technology mogul-turned-politician said in a news co

 The Russian space program's Mission Control Center says it will move the International Space Station into a different orbit to avoid possible collision with a fragment of debris.   Mission Control Center spokeswoman Nadyezhda Zavyalova said the Russian Zvevda module will fire booster rockets to carry out the operation Thursday at 07:22 a.m. Moscow time (0322 GMT).   The space station performs eva

A Chinese-owned company has filed a lawsuit in a U.S. federal lawsuit against President Barack Obama for blocking its wind farm project deal in Oregon.In a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Washington, Ralls Corp., owned by Chinese nationals, alleged Obama acted in "an unlawful and unauthorized manner" in issuing his order without providing "any evidence or reasoned explanation" for hi

The top prosecution pledged no leniency Wednesday on the possession and distribution of child pornography in the wake of a recent spate of sex crimes against children.   The Supreme Prosecutors' Office said it will make it a rule to detain for investigation anyone suspected of having made or distributed pornography featuring minors or introduced minors for the production of such porn.    Those who

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republican challenger Mitt Romney looks to use Wednesday's debate against  Barack Obama to revive his struggling presidential campaign, seeking not only to win over undecided voters but also fire up Republicans who have begun questioning whether he can win.    Though polls show the race remains tight ahead of the Nov. 6 vote, Obama clearly has momentum and the edge not only i

OTSEGO, Mich. (AP) -- A Great Dane from Michigan is doggone tall.The Guinness World Records 2013 book published Thursday recognizes Zeus of Otsego, Michigan, as the world’s Tallest Dog.The 3-year-old measures 44 inches from foot to shoulder.Standing on his hind legs, Zeus stretches to 7-foot-4 and towers over his owner, Denise Doorlag. Zeus is just an inch taller than the previous record-holder, G

Seoul National University professor Lee Sang-mook. (Ahn Hoon/The Korea Herald)Lee works to improve lives with technology, facilitate science education for disabled studentsIn July 2006, marine geophysics professor Lee Sang-mook of Seoul National University was on a field trip in the U.S. along with his 12 students when the vehicle carrying them rolled over in the desert. One student was killed and

An explosion at a chemical plant in Gumi in the southern part of Korea killed at least three workers and injured five others Thursday, police said.The death toll may rise as some of the wounded are in critical condition, police said. The blast broke out at around 3:45 p.m. at the Gumi National Industrial Complex in North Gyeongsang Province when the employees of Hube Global were unloading hydrochl

Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae said Sunday that a provision of law should be repealed to ensure sex offenders can be punished without the need for a complaint from their victims.   The provision in the current law stipulates that those suspected of sexual offenses are prosecuted only when victims file formal complaints.   The loophole could allow sex offenders to get off scot-free as many victims are

A New York truck driver said he was surprised to find out a hitchhiker he picked up was a suspect in a homicide.Manuel Velasco, 37, of Elmont, was pulled over Thursday night after an E-ZPass toll lane he passed through malfunctioned at the toll plaza of the George Washington Bridge, the New York Daily News reported.He and his passenger, Charles Kelley, 52, were questioned by police after they told

 South Korea's self-sufficiency rate of rice, one of its staple grains, is expected to drop below 90 percent this year due to a decline in land available for rice cultivation, the government said Sunday.   The country's rice self-sufficiency rate is likely to reach 86.5 percent this year, based on the median output of 4.88 million tons over the past five years, according to the Ministry of Food, A

The ruling Saenuri Party's presidential hopeful Park Geun-hye has taken a beating in the polls triggered by her controversial views on South Korea's modern history and a string of scandals involving aides, political watchers said Thursday.   The downturn in the polls has raised questions about her "closed" leadership style and reluctance to listen to advice over issues that can sway votes ahead of

 Global credit ratings agency Standard & Poor's said Friday that it has upgraded its sovereign credit rating for South Korea by one notch, citing reduced geopolitical risks stemming from North Korea.    According to an e-mailed statement, S&P raised Korea's credit rating from "A" to "A plus," the fifth-highest level on its rating grade, and maintained its rating outlook for Asia's fourth-largest e

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) began moving into the newly built city of Sejong Friday, becoming the first government agency to be relocated to the administrative hub in central South Korea.   Sejong City, some 150 kilometers south of Seoul, came officially into being as a "special autonomous city" in July and will be home to 16 central government ministries and offices as well as 20 subsidiary

ASTANA (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak arrived in Kazakhstan Wednesday for summit talks with President Nursultan Nazarbayev to enhance economic cooperation, especially in energy and plant projects and resource development.Another focus of Lee's visit to Astana will be a ceremony to break ground for a coal-fired power plant in the southern city of Balkhash. The $4 billion plant is