The Korea Herald

N. Korea‘s imports of luxury goods on sharp rise as civilians starve

North KoreaSept 19, 2011

SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Yonhap) -- North Korea’s imports of luxury goods for its ruling elites have surged in recent years even as its people suffered from severe food shortages, a South Korean lawmaker said Monday.North Korea spent roughly US$1.04 billion (1.12 trillion won) on bringing in foreign luxury
Number of reported rapists surges 33 percent in past 3 years: report

Social affairsSept 19, 2011

SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Yonhap) -- The number of reported rapists nationwide jumped more than 33 percent over the past three years, though the country moves toward harsher punishment for the crime, a report showed Monday.A total of 21,116 rapists were reported to the country‘s prosecution offices last year
Catch me if you can: Fake pilot escapes NZ airport

PodcastSept 19, 2011

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) _ A man who disguised himself as an airline pilot tried to enter a restricted area of Auckland Airport and then escaped after he was challenged.New Zealand Police say they are looking for a man who on Saturday entered the airport dressed in a white shirt with epaulets on
Nuclear reactors in S. Korea suffer numerous stoppages

IndustrySept 19, 2011

SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea‘s government said Monday that there were a total of 91 failures in operations of nuclear reactors in the country over the past 10 years due to mechanical glitches and other problems.In a report to the National Assembly, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy said t
Lee: Gov‘t to invest 100 billion won in stem cell research next year

PoliticsSept 19, 2011

SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak said Monday the government will invest nearly 100 billion won ($90 million) in stem cell research next year and take other support steps to develop the industry as a “new growth engine” for South Korea’s economy.The pledge, made in Lee‘s biweekly r
Strauss-Kahn denies violence in sex assault cases

World NewsSept 19, 2011

PARIS (AP) _ Dominique Strauss-Kahn has broken his silence four months after a New York hotel maid accused him of sexual assault, calling his encounter with the woman a ``moral failing‘’ he deeply regrets, but insisting in an interview on French television that no violence was involved.Strauss-Kahn,
UK surgeons separate twin girls joined at head

World NewsSept 19, 2011

LONDON (AP) _ Sudanese twins born with the tops of their heads joined together have been separated in a rare and risky series of operations at a London children‘s hospital, officials said Sunday.Facing the World, a charity which helps disfigured children, said it had helped fund the four-stage
Russian tycoon punches fellow billionaire on TV

Sept 19, 2011

MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian tycoon has punched a fellow billionaire on a television panel show after a discussion on the financial crisis degenerated into petty name-calling.Alexander Lebedev, a former KGB operative and owner of two major newspapers in Britain, wrote on his blog that property deve
S. Korea, U.S. hold joint drill on biological war

DefenseSept 18, 2011

South Korea and the United States held a joint exercise in May to counter North Korea's possible biological attacks, a ruling party lawmaker said Sunday.Kim Hak-song of the Grand National Party (GNP) said that the anti-biological war drill was held on May 17-27 at the South Korea-U.S. Combined Force
S. Korea, U.S. hold joint drill on biological war

DefenseSept 18, 2011

South Korea and the United States held a joint exercise in May to counter North Korea's possible biological attacks, a ruling party lawmaker said Sunday.Kim Hak-song of the Grand National Party (GNP) said that the anti-biological war drill was held on May 17-27 at the South Korea-U.S. Combined Force
LG to release new smartphone with QWERTY keypad

IndustrySept 18, 2011

LG Electronics Inc., the world's third-largest handset maker, said Sunday that it will launch a new smartphone model here in South Korea next week that targets young consumers who prefer computer-like QWERTY keyboards.The Optimus Q2 is equipped with a 1.2 GHz dual core processor, 4-inch display, 500
Minister Choi lukewarm on calls for resignation

Sept 18, 2011

The Ministry of Knowledge Economy announced measures to prevent power outages similar to that of Thursday recurring on Sunday.Minister of Knowledge Economy Choi Joong-kyung, however, did not announce plans to step down despite widely held opinion that he would. At a press briefing on Sunday, Choi sa
Will civic candidates for Seoul mayor join parties?

PoliticsSept 18, 2011

Lee, Park against joining intra-party polls for candidate selectionAs two influential figures from civil society have expressed their intention to run for Seoul mayor by-election, attention is being drawn to whether they will join any political parties for the crucial vote slated for Oct. 26.T
Seoul to compensate for power outage damages

Sept 18, 2011

The Ministry of Knowledge Economy announced Sunday that those who sustained damages in Thursday’s blackouts can file for compensation from Tuesday.Minister of Knowledge Economy Choi Joong-kyung said that claims can be filed at Korea Electric Power Corp. offices, support centers for small merchants,
Korea to overhaul credit card industry

Sept 18, 2011

The Financial Services Commission said on Sunday it would draw up a comprehensive plan to restructure the troubled credit card industry, which is under criticism for pursuing rapid expansion at the risk of generating market bubbles.“The average number of credit cards held by a single individual rose