The Korea Herald

S. Korea holds working-level talks with U.S. N. Korea policy coordination

North KoreaSept 24, 2011

South Korea held working-level talks with the U.S. as the two countries took steps to coordinate the direction of a looming U.S.-North meeting, sources said Saturday.The talks, held on Friday between Cho Hyun-dong, deputy head of Seoul's six-way talks team, and Edgard Kagan, director of the Office o
Son Yeon-jae punches ticket to 2012 London Olympics

SportsSept 24, 2011

South Korean rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon-jae won a place at the 2012 London Olympic Games on Friday,giving the country a rare chance to join the Olympic women'sgymnastics event for the second games in a row.The 17-year-old rising gymnast star scored a 107.75 in the individual all-around final at the 2
Wealth under borrowed names reach 5 tril. won: lawmaker

PoliticsSept 24, 2011

Wealth hidden under borrowed names in South Korea has reached nearly 5 trillion won ($4.28 billion), a lawmaker said Saturday.Based on data provided by the National Tax Service (NTS), Rep. Lee Jong-koo of the ruling Grand National Party said that wealth held under borrowed names, including securitie
Bahk urges bold, swift action to avert new crisis

Sept 24, 2011

WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) -- South Korea's top economic policymaker called Friday for advanced economies to take a more“aggressive, systematic and balanced” approach, based on strong political commitment, to improve fiscal conditions and avert a global financial crisis.“A big worry now is that the cu
Lee, Gates discuss ways to help developing nations

PoliticsSept 24, 2011

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak met with Microsoft founder Bill Gates on Friday anddiscussed ways to help people in developing countries in Africa andother parts of the world, a focus of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The meeting took place as Lee stopped in Seattle on his way
N. Korean leader meets Laos president: KCNA

North KoreaSept 23, 2011

SEOUL -- Laotian President Choummaly Sayasone wrapped up a three-day official visit to North Korea Friday after a meeting with leader Kim Jong-il, the North's media reported.The North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the two leaders met in the North's capital Pyongyang but gave no other deta
Korean baseball enjoys golden days

BaseballSept 23, 2011

It’s 6 p.m. on Sept. 16, and the Jamsil baseball stadium is already nearly filled. “LG! LG!” a large squad in the first base stands starts chanting their club’s name as the match between the home team LG Twins and SK Wyverns begins.“SK (clap-clap), SK (clap-clap),” another big crowd at third base sh
Chief of suspended savings bank found dead

Social affairsSept 23, 2011

Joint investigation team raids headquarters of seven savings banksThe chief of one of the seven local savings banks that were suspended last week due to capital shortages was found dead Friday in an apparent suicide, according to Seoul police.Jeong Gu-haeng, the 50-year-old head of Jeil 2 Savings Ba
Seoul bourse hit by panic selling

Sept 23, 2011

KOSPI drops to 15-month low 1,697, won surges thanks to interventionThe Seoul stock market wrapped up its worst week since July, 2010 Friday, as investors continued to slash their exposure to local assets on overnight losses in the United States and Europe.The benchmark KOSPI tracked overnight falls
Na throws hat in ring for Seoul mayor

PoliticsSept 23, 2011

Rep. Na Kyung-won of the ruling Grand National Party on Friday made her Seoul mayoral bid official, a month ahead of the by-election. Na, elected to one of the seven members of the GNP’s supreme council in July, is expected to vie against former minister of government legislation Lee Seog-yeon, who
###Public-college-reform

Social affairsSept 23, 2011

Five public colleges face restructuring By Lee Woo-young The Education Ministry on Friday selected five public universities that will undergo a restructuring process in a bid to reform public universities and raise their competitiveness in the long term. The schools -- Kangwon and Gangneung-Wonju Na
Kenyan fleeing forced marriage gets refugee status

Social affairsSept 23, 2011

An appellate court on Thursday granted refugee status to a Kenyan woman who fled her country to avoid marrying a man against her wishes as part of her tribe’s custom. The Seoul High Court’s administrative division ordered the Ministry of Justice to acknowledge the 43-year-old woman, known only by he
Seoul seeks own missile defense system

DefenseSept 23, 2011

Preliminary study on missile shield system to be completed by year-endThe South Korean military is seeking to develop its own version of the Patriot missile system, which is capable of intercepting North Korean ballistic missiles and fighter jets, multiple sources said Friday.It is pushing to build
Honduras to seek FTA with Korea: trade minister

Sept 23, 2011

The Republic of Honduras will push to establish a free trade agreement with Korea, Honduran Trade Minister Jose Francisco Zelaya said Friday.“Honduras and Korea has one trade agreement in place, but we want to take the relations to the level of free trade agreement,” Zelaya said at a press conferenc
‘Market jitters likely to cut growth’

Sept 23, 2011

South Korea’s top central banker said Friday the country’s economy is likely to lose growth momentum, largely due to prolonged market jitters and weakening growth in advanced economies, hinting at cutting the bank’s growth estimate for the year.The remarks by Bank of Korea Gov. Kim Choong-soo came a