South Korea's customs service on Saturday announced six new operators for duty-free shops in Seoul and two other cities.The Korea Customs Service said that it selected Hyundai Department Store, Shinsegae DF and Lotte Duty Free for three outlets in Seoul. Top City Corp. took the Seoul slot reserved for a small and medium-sized firm. (Yonhap)Busan Duty Free won the license for a shop in the southern port city of Busan, while Alpensia clinched the license for an outlet in Gangwon Province. The anno

Business Dec. 17, 2016

Supporters of impeached South Korean President Park Geun-hye clashed with anti-Park protesters Saturday, as large crowds of demonstrators again gathered in Seoul to demand the scandal-ridden leader's immediate ouster. Protesters gather in Gwanghwamun in central Seoul on Saturday to demand impeached President Park's immediate resignation. (Yonhap)  Supporters of President Park and conservative civic groups hold a rally in central Seoul to show their opposition to the impeachment of the president

Social Affairs Dec. 17, 2016

North Korea on Saturday held a large-scale gathering in Pyongyang to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the death of its former leader Kim Jong-il, the communist country's state media reported.The North's official Korean Central Television said that the massive gathering took place at the square in front of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun where the embalmed bodies of the current leader's father Kim Jong-il and grandfather Kim Il-sung lie in state.From 3:30 p.m. (South Korean time), the state tele

Latest News Dec. 17, 2016

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un conducted a large scale military drill targeting South Korea's presidential Blue House, state media said Sunday.The military exercise of the North's special operation forces -- carried out as Kim watched with binoculars at an observation post -- was aimed at "destroying specified targets of the enemy," including the South's Blue House, KCNA said. (Yonhap) (Yonhap) (Yonhap) (Yonhap)The ruling Workers' Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun also carried a two-page report of

Latest News Dec. 11, 2016

South Koreans acted "peacefully, with calm and responsibility" in the run-up to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye, the White House said Friday, reaffirming that the United States will remain a steadfast ally of Seoul."We are closely following events in the Republic of Korea. We note that throughout this time of political change, South Koreans have acted peacefully, with calm and responsibility, in the spirit of ROK democratic principles," Emily Horne, a spokesperson at the National Secu

Diplomatic Circuit Dec. 10, 2016

The justice minister and a presidential aide offered to resign earlier this week after President Park Geun-hye was implicated as an accomplice in a high-profile corruption scandal involving her confidante, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday.Justice Minister Kim Hyun-woong and Choi Jai-kyeong, senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, tendered their resignations after the prosecution claimed Sunday that Park was complicit in wrongdoings involving her friend Choi Soon-sil

National Nov. 23, 2016

President Park Geun-hye's former senior secretary for civil affairs appeared before the prosecution for questioning over a string of corruption allegations on Sunday, becoming the second ex-presidential aide to face a probe.The state prosecution's special investigation team summoned Woo Byung-woo, who has been accused of the alleged abuse of authority and embezzlement.  Woo Byung-woo, former chief legal adviser to President Park Geun-hye, arrives at the Seoul Central Prosecutors' Office on Sunda

Latest News Nov. 6, 2016

President Park Geun-hye will deliver another address to the nation Friday over a burgeoning corruption scandal involving her longtime confidante, the presidential office said.The address will come 10 days after Park made a rare apology over presidential speeches leaked to Choi Soon-sil who is at the center of the scandal that has plunged the incumbent chief executive into the greatest crisis of her political career.The president is expected to make her address at 10:30 a.m., a source said.Multip

Latest News Nov. 3, 2016

The South Korean government on Thursday announced a set of measures aimed at curbing real estate speculation that include an extended ban on the transfer of home purchasing rights in certain areas.The measures follow a recent surge in home prices especially in the four most well-off districts in Seoul.In the first 10 months of the year, prices of apartments in Gangnam district gained an average 5.77 percent while apartment prices in the entire nation only added 0.5 percent on average, according

Business Nov. 3, 2016

President Park Geun-hye on Thursday appointed her new chief of staff and a senior political adviser in a follow-up reshuffle of her top secretarial staff aimed at allaying seething public criticism over the growing corruption scandal involving her longtime confidante.Park picked Han Gwang-ok, chairman of the Presidential Committee for National Cohesion, as her new chief of staff, while appointing Hur Won-je, a former journalist-turned-politician, as her senior secretary for political affairs. Ha

Politics Nov. 3, 2016