Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Saturday that China "will never allow war or instability" on the Korean Peninsula.   Wang also urged North Korea and the United States to make joint  efforts to achieve the "denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," describing a long-running standoff between Pyongyang and Washington as a "stumbling block" in denuclearizing North Korea.   "We must work persistently without a halt" in order to denuclearize North Korea, Wang said at his annual press conference

National March 8, 2014

Four U.S. congressmen submitted a resolution to a House committee calling for the reunion of Koreans in the United States with their long-lost families in North Korea, according to the Library of Congress.   The measure was sponsored by Rep. Charles Rangel, Howard Coble, John Conyers and Samuel Johnson, all Korean War veterans.   "The division on the Korean Peninsula separated more than 10,000,000 Korean family members, including some who are now citizens of the United States," said the resoluti

Foreign Affairs March 8, 2014

South Korea's short-term foreign debt declined to its lowest level in eight years on a fall in banks' overseas borrowing, the central bank said Wednesday.The country's short-term external debt totaled $112.8 billion as of end-December, down $14.3 billion from a year earlier, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).It marked the lowest level since 2005 when short-term foreign debt hit $65.9 billion.Korea's total external debt amounted to $416.6 billion as of end-December, up $7.2 billion from the pr

World Feb. 19, 2014

The White House said Tuesday it has strongly and consistently condemned North Korea's human rights violations, which were highlighted by a new U.N. panel report."We are extremely vocal and critical about the appalling conduct of the North Korean regime," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said at a press briefing.He was asked about the presidential office's view on a Commission of Inquiry (COI) report about human rights situations in the secretive communist nation.After a year of investigati

World Feb. 19, 2014

Kim Yu-na will begin her quest to repeat as the Olympic figure skating champion on Wednesday, as the ladies' short program takes place at Iceberg Skating Palace.Kim captured the gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics with a record score of 228.56 points. She took an extended hiatus from competition afterward, apparently mulling retirement, but returned with a bang by winning her second world championship in March last year.Last September, she suffered a foot injury that threatened to d

Olympic Games Feb. 19, 2014

Prosecutors launched a probe into allegations that evidence against a former civil servant accused of spying for North Korea was forged."We will carry out the investigation in a thorough and swift manner," a senior prosecutor said.The announcement came after defense lawyers claimed a key piece of evidence against Yoo Woo-seong -- a Chinese national in North Korea who arrived in South Korea by disguising himself as a North Korean defector -- was fabricated.The 34-year-old suspect was indicted las

Social Affairs Feb. 18, 2014

The government will unveil a three-year economic growth plan next week that President Geun-hye outlined in her New Year's news conference with a pledge to nearly double South Korea's per capita national income.The announcement will be made in an economic ministers' meeting that Park plans to preside over on Feb. 25, the first anniversary of her inauguration, presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook told reporters.The plan was put together jointly by the state-run think tank Korea Development Instit

Feb. 18, 2014

China on Tuesday praised remarks by South Korean President Park Geun-hye that Seoul is committed to enhancing bilateral relations with Beijing, saying it would help promote peace and stability in the region.   In her New Year's press conference on Monday, Park urged China to further improve bilateral ties. Park held a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping last June during her state visit.   "China highly commends the relevant statement by President Park Geun-hye," China's foreign ministry spo

Politics Jan. 7, 2014

Overseas orders for Korea's industrial plants shrank slightly from a year earlier in 2013 due to sharp drops in orders from Middle Eastern and American countries, the government said Tuesday.   Overseas orders for the country's industrial plants, including offshore facilities, came to about $63.67 billion last year, down 1.7 percent from 2012, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.   "The local industry can be said to have successfully entered a phase of steady overseas orders

Industry Jan. 7, 2014

North Korea's deputy ambassador to UNESCO was called back to Pyongyang from Paris on Monday, a diplomatic source said, marking the latest summoning of North Korean diplomats following the recent execution of leader Kim Jong-un's uncle.Hong Yong, the North's deputy permanent delegate to UNESCO, and his wife were spotted at the Beijing airport before boarding an Air Koryo flight earlier in the day, the source said on the condition of anonymity.Last week, the North's ambassador to Sweden, Pak Kwang

North Korea Dec. 30, 2013

A local court on Monday turned down a request from authors of six history textbooks to suspend a controversial government order to amend them for containing ideological bias, allowing the distribution of revised versions to high school students early next year as scheduled.   The Ministry of Education ordered publishers of the books on Dec. 2 to revise 41 parts of their descriptions for containing factual errors and views that could "negatively affect students perspective of history."   Two days

Social Affairs Dec. 30, 2013

Ssangyong Engineering & Construction Co., which has been under a debt workout program, said Monday it has filed for court receivership after its creditors decided not to extend their financial support.The builder said it has asked the Seoul District Court to help reschedule its debts following a decision by the company board in the afternoon.The Korea Exchange is expected to suspend trading of Ssangyong Engineering shares on the tech-heavy junior bourse KOSDAQ."We are faced with a severe financi

Industry Dec. 30, 2013

여야가 3일 국가정보원 개혁 특위 구성에 합의했다. 또 내년 예산안과 관련 법률안을 올해 안에 합의 처리하기로 하고, 국가기관의 대선개입 의혹 수사를 위한 특검 도입 문제는 추후 계속 논의키로 했다. 여야는 3일 밤 양당 대표, 원내대표 4자 회담을 다시 열어 이같이 합의했다. 새누리당 황우여 대표•최경환 원내대표와 민주당 김한길 대표•전병헌 원내대표는 3일 여야 대치 상황을 풀기 위해 오전과 오후 두 차례에 걸쳐 4자 회담을 가졌으나, 합의점을 찾지 못했다. 하지만, 여야는 오후 8시경 다시 4자 회담을 재개했고, 이 회의에서 국정원 개혁 특위에 전격 합의했다. 여야는 이날 합의에 따라 4일부터 정기국회를 정상화하기로 했다.<관련 영어 기사>Parties agree to normalize parliamentRival parties on Tuesday agreed to form special parliamentary committees on reforming the state spy

한국어판 Dec. 3, 2013