Presidential front-runner Moon Jae-in on Wednesday promised to help enhance the job security of middle-aged workers by making it harder for companies to carry out lay-offs.The presidential candidate of the liberal Democratic Party said he would revise related laws, if he is elected, to prevent forced retirement. Such revisions, he said, would also work to make sure so-called "voluntary retirement" is actually voluntary. Moon Jae-in, the presidential candidate of the liberal Democratic Party, ann

Politics April 19, 2017

The number of emergency patients on commercial flights for one Korean airline rose 10-fold from 2009 to 2013, a report showed Wednesday.A total of 2,818 emergency patients were reported by the domestic airline during the period, the report written by the College of Nursing at Seoul National University said without identifying the name of the airline.The ratio of emergency patients per 1 million people surged to 52 persons in 2013 from 5.2 persons in 2009. (Yonhap)During the period, 15 passengers

Social Affairs April 19, 2017

Samsung Electronics Co. said Wednesday around 260,000 units of Galaxy S8 smartphones were registered with the country's three mobile carriers on the first day of its preliminary release.Local consumers who purchased the Galaxy S8 smartphones through preorders started receiving the devices Tuesday, ahead of the official launch in South Korea and the United States slated for Friday.(Yonhap)Preorders for the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus, which ran from April 7-17, surpassed 1 million units, the

Technology April 19, 2017

Exports of industrial parts and materials increased sharply in the first three months of the year on firm global demand, government data showed Wednesday.Outbound shipments of industrial parts and materials jumped 11 percent on-year to $65.8 billion in the January-March period, accounting for 49.7 percent of the country's overall exports, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.(Yonhap)It marked the first double-digit growth since the third quarter of 2013, w

Industry April 19, 2017

The head of South Korea's state-run overseas aid agency offered to resign on Wednesday amid allegations that his appointment was influenced by a woman who is at the center of a corruption scandal that led to the ouster of former President Park Geun-hye, the foreign ministry said.Kim In-sik, 68, president of the Korea International Cooperation Agency, recently delivered his intention to step down to the ministry, which is supervising its operation, according to the source."He submitted his resign

Politics April 19, 2017

Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's second-biggest carmaker by sales, is in the final stage of talks with India over the building of its first plant in the fast-growing automobile market, a company official said Wednesday. "We have searched for the right site for the Indian plant for the past two years. The talks (with a regional authority in India) are in the final stages," a Hyundai Motor Group official told Yonhap News Agency by telephone.  (Yonhap)Kia Motors and Hyundai Motor Co. are key affilia

Mobility April 19, 2017

South Korea's government on Wednesday outlined measures to help local airlines better cope with the drop in traffic on their China routes amid a diplomatic row over the deployment of an advanced US anti-missile system here. The number of travelers on domestic and international routes rose 8.9 percent to 8.51 million in March from a year earlier on a strong won and more services offered by low-cost carriers. The latest data, however, showed the number of people traveling to and from China plungin

Social Affairs April 19, 2017

A US Navy strike group led by the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson has finally started moving toward the Korean Peninsula after finishing joint exercises off Australia, a South Korean military source said Wednesday.The US Pacific Command said in early April the Carl Vinson fleet, which was scheduled to participate in the exercises with Australia redirected to waters off Korea amid growing tensions over North Korea's new provocations. The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier (Yonhap)But The New York

Defense April 19, 2017

South Korea's Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on Wednesday called for national effort to heal division and promote unity amid North Korea's escalating missile and nuclear threats.During a ceremony marking the 1960 pro-democracy uprising, Hwang also vowed to "strongly respond" to any North Korean provocation and ensure peace on the peninsula based on a robust defense posture. Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn (2nd from L) and other dignitaries attend a ceremony m

Politics April 19, 2017

The organic milk market is expanding rapidly in South Korea, driven by burgeoning demand from younger parents willing to spend money on high-quality food and beverages for their kids, industry data showed Wednesday. The size of the organic milk market has grown by thirteen-fold to 65 billion won ($57.1 million) by the end of 2016, compared to 5 billion won in 2008, according to the data by local dairy industry.  (Yonhap)Organic milk, which mainly refers to high-end plain milk, is labeled so afte

Industry April 19, 2017

Samsung Electronics Co. said Wednesday the controversial red-tinted display on some of its brand-new Galaxy S8 smartphone cannot be considered a defect, while some critics are predicting the issue may hurt the company's image like last year's battery scandal.The issue came to light when a few users claimed the flagship device's display had an unnatural reddish tint. The complaint posted on online portals and communities went viral in South Korea.(Yonhap)The discovery comes as the South Korean te

Technology April 19, 2017

NEW YORK -- A US gunman accused of murdering an elderly grandfather and posting the footage on Facebook killed himself Tuesday after a brief police chase, bringing to a close a frantic nationwide manhunt.Steve Stephens, 37 and thought to have been mentally unstable, had been on the run since 74-year-old Robert Godwin Sr was shot dead on Easter Sunday, seemingly at random in broad daylight in Cleveland, Ohio.The murder and a video sparked outrage across the world and renewed scrutiny of the growi

World April 19, 2017

One out of 10 leading companies did not make enough profits last year to be able to cover interest on loans, a corporate analysis indicated Wednesday.The analysis by CEO Score, which follows financial details of conglomerates, showed that among 357 companies checked in the study, 39 had an interest coverage ratio (ICR) of under one.  ICR is calculated by dividing a company's operating profit by its interest expenses and serves as a measure of how well a firm can meet its interest burdens. A rati

Industry April 19, 2017

South Korea will hold this year's nationwide shopping festival involving retailers and traditional markets in the fall to attract foreign shoppers and boost lackluster domestic consumption, the government said Wednesday.The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said the "Korea Sale FESTA," will take place from Sept. 28 to Oct. 31, overlapping with the week-long Korean Thanksgiving holiday which falls on Oct. 4. (Yonhap)The plan was endorsed by a ministerial meeting chaired by Finance Minister Y

Industry April 19, 2017

Every candidate in the presidential election is naturally striving to win voter approval, but for some, especially lesser-known ones, attracting voter attention itself may prove to be difficult if not impossible, a political observers here noted Wednesday.And such difficulty is what is forcing them to rely on different, or even sensational, means to turn the voters' attention their direction."Lesser-known candidates often have little choice but to try and beat other contenders by proposing new a

Politics April 19, 2017