The Korea Herald

Right-wing lawyer drops Seoul mayoral bid

PoliticsSept 28, 2011

A right-wing lawyer said Wednesday that he has decided to pull out of the Seoul mayor race due to his lackluster approval rating and conflicts over his campaign vision among supporters.Lee Seog-yeon had been considered as a potential contender against an independent front-runner in the liberal bloc,
Defense: Jackson gave himself fatal dose of drug

MusicSept 28, 2011

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Prosecutors told jurors Tuesday that Michael Jackson was killed by the actions of his personal physician, who used a dangerous anesthetic without adequate safeguards and botched recovery efforts when he found the singer unconscious.Defense attorneys countered that Jackson caused
Longtime fugitive US hijacker caught in Portugal

World NewsSept 28, 2011

NEWARK, New Jersey (AP) -- A 1970s militant who escaped from a murder sentence in New Jersey and carried out one of the most brazen hijackings in U.S. history was captured in Portugal after more than 40 years as a fugitive, authorities said Tuesday. After decades of stagnancy, there was a sudden bre
Apple sends out invite for iPhone event

TechnologySept 28, 2011

A customer looks at the specifications for the Apple Inc. iPhone 4 using an iPad tablet during the opening of the company's new store in Le Chesnay, near Paris, France, on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011. (Bloomberg)NEW YORK (AP) -- Apple is inviting journalists to its Cupertino, California, headquarters n
Saudi woman sentenced to 10 lashes for driving car

World NewsSept 28, 2011

CAIRO (AP) -- A Saudi woman was sentenced Tuesday to be lashed 10 times with a whip for defying the kingdom's prohibition on female drivers, the first time a legal punishment has been handed down for a violation of the longtime ban in the ultraconservative Muslim nation.Normally, police just stop fe
Former presidential aide arrested over corruption scandal

Social affairsSept 28, 2011

A Seoul court issued a warrant to formally arrest a former senior presidential aide on suspicions of receiving money in a corruption scandal involving a suspended savings bank.The Seoul Central District Court issued the warrant for Kim Du-woo late Tuesday, citing concern that he could flee.Kim was a
Lee appoints SBS official as public relations aide

PoliticsSept 27, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak has appointed Choi Geum-rak, head of broadcast support at SBS, top aide for public relations, Yonhap News reported on Tuesday.Born in Yeoju in Gyeonggi Province, Choi graduated from Seoul National University as a trade major, joined broadcaster MBC and worked in editing
GNP chairman Hong to visit Gaeseong

PoliticsSept 27, 2011

Chairman of the Grand National Party Hong Joon-pyo will make a one-day visit to the Gaeseong Industrial Complex in North Korea this Friday.Though the Unification Ministry here has not yet announced its stance, Hong’s visit has already been approved by the North Korean government, according to party
Lee orders unsparing probe into aides

PoliticsSept 27, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday broke his silence on his aides’ alleged misdeeds by ordering the Justice Ministry to investigate the possible bribery cases thoroughly and quickly.Lee instructed relevant government agencies to devise ways to prevent and deal with such irregularities, prompting the
Budget targets jobs, welfare

Sept 27, 2011

The government has proposed increasing its spending next year by 5.5 percent to 326.1 trillion won ($286.2 billion), prioritizing job creation and fiscal soundness to protect the country’s economy from ongoing debt crises abroad.The Finance Ministry said the 2012 budget plan will cut the government
Park denies allegations on his civic activities

PoliticsSept 27, 2011

Civil activist Park Won-soon, who seeks the liberal camp’s sole candidacy next week, set out to defend himself against financial and ethical charges posed against him.“I understand that the public may well request a certain level of frugality and integrity from a civil activist candidate,” Park said
Trilateral secretariat officially opens in Seoul

Foreign affairsSept 27, 2011

South Korea collaborated with Japan and China in launching the Trilateral Cooperative Secretariat Tuesday. Attending the ceremony, South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan said the trilateral body will “play a vital role” in the “systemized mechanism for peace and prosperity of Northeast Asia.”Th
Na within touching distance of Park

PoliticsSept 27, 2011

Lawmaker’s key strategy in mayoral race is to challenge welfare issuesNow that she has clinched the Grand National Party’s nomination for Seoul mayor, Rep. Na Kyung-won closing in on Park Won-soon, the current frontrunner.“The party shall hold its Supreme Council meeting late on Tuesday and confirm
Lawmakers oppose OTC drug sales

Social affairsSept 27, 2011

The Cabinet’s approval of over-the-counter drug sales outside pharmacies is facing opposition from lawmakers, with the prospect of the relevant bill passing the National Assembly appearing dim. The Ministry of Health and Welfare is seeking to push the pharmaceutical law revision through the parliame
Asbestos risk threatens baseball schedule

Social affairsSept 27, 2011

The Environment Ministry plans to request that related organizations suspend the use of five baseball fields used in national league games, where a civic group claimed harmful asbestos was detected, officials said Tuesday.Later in the day, officials from relevant ministries, the Korea Baseball Organ