The Korea Herald

Apple CEO pitches expansion to Calif. city council

TechnologyJun 9, 2011

CUPERTINO, California (AP) -- Its ubiquitous products have already invaded the tech marketplace, and now Apple Inc. is seeking a fitting new Northern California home: a massive spaceship-like structure that will house an estimated 12,000 employees. Apple CEO Steve Jobs (AP-Yonhap News)Apple CEO Steve Jobs made a surprise appearance at a Cupertino City Council meeting late Tuesday to announce plan
S. Korean pop groups arrive in Paris for shows amid fanfare

Jun 9, 2011

PARIS, June 8 (Yonhap) -- Some of South Korea's biggest pop groups arrived on Wednesday in the French capital for upcoming concerts amid much fanfare, as hundreds of eager French fans greeted their favorite artists at the largest airport here.Popular acts TVXQ, SHINee and f(x), all managed by South Korean agency S.M. Entertainment, landed at Charles de Gaulle Airport, with about 700 members of a f
Waking up with a foreign accent

ScienceJun 9, 2011

An American woman named Karen Butler went to the dentist to remove several teeth and came out speaking a foreign -- slightly Irish -- accent. She is believed to be suffering from a rare neurological disorder called foreign accent syndrome (FAS). This complication was first diagnosed in Norway in 1941 when a woman was hit by shrapnel from an air raid in World War II. Since then, there have only be
'Laughing' insects among new Philippine species

ScienceJun 9, 2011

MANILA (AFP) – Laughing cicadas and small "cat sharks" are among scores of species believed new to science discovered by US and Filipino researchers in waters and islands of the Philippines, the team said Wednesday. Picture provided by California Academy of Sciences This picture provided by California Academy of Sciences shows species of starfish found by a team of US and Filipino researchers in w
S. Korea finds environmental hormone in Taiwanese food products

Social affairsJun 8, 2011

(Yonhap) -- South Korea's food safety watchdog said Wednesday that two imported Taiwanese food products have been found to contain a potentially health-threatening environmental hormone. The products, manufactured by Taiwanese firms Yungshin Pharm and Tosaka International, were taken off shelves immediately for containing DEHP, according to the Korea Food and Drug Administration. The KFDA, how
Deposit insurance corp. investigates employees at Busan savings bank’s SPC

Social affairsJun 8, 2011

　The Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation is investigating some 570 employees at a special purpose company of the distressed Busan savings bank group to find out whether they are responsible for its financial troubles, officials said Wednesday.　It has also discovered some 4,000 real estate properties owned by the employees and plans to seize them should they be found to have committed any wrongdoin
Korea to boost benefits for foreign patients

Social affairsJun 8, 2011

Foreign patients who have accidents while being treated at Korean medical facilities will be able to receive compensation guaranteed by the government. Hospitals will also be able to sell drugs to foreign patients directly without having to refer their prescriptions to nearby pharmacies, and foreign medical staff visiting Korea for training purposes will be able to participate in clinical procedur
Ministry chided for over-the-counter drug restriction

Social affairsJun 8, 2011

Pharmacists say monopoly on OTC drugs needed to ensure public safetyMinister of Health and Welfare Chin Soo-hee is in hot water over the issue of selling over-the-counter drugs outside pharmacies. While pharmacists claim exclusive management rights for any drugs for safety reasons, a majority of doctors and pharmaceutical companies, along with the presidential office are calling for the expansion
Samsung’s Lee rages at internal corruption

IndustryJun 8, 2011

Samsung Techwin president resigns over undisclosed corruptionSamsung Electronics chairman Lee Kun-hee stressed the need to beef up the company’s auditing functions in the aftermath of a corruption scandal at a Samsung affiliate that led to the resignation of its chief executive.“The unblemished image of Samsung’s organizational culture has been marred,” the Samsung Group owner said. Lee expressed
Accounting firms next to face scrutiny

Social affairsJun 8, 2011

Prosecutors suspect lax or corrupt auditing worsened savings banks problemsProsecutors investigating corruption at mutual savings bank are set to scrutinize accounting firms which they say stood by while the lenders engaged in massive illegal lending and cooked books to conceal their true financial status. Investigators on Wednesday raided an office of Deloitte Anjin LLC in Gwangju, South Jeolla P
Records agency to mark International Archives Day

Social affairsJun 8, 2011

The state archives agency will hold the country’s first ceremony on Thursday marking International Archives Day in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, officials said.The ceremony will take place at the Nara Repository, a high-tech records management facility of the National Archives of Korea, and is expected to draw about 200 people including NAK president Lee Gyeong-og.Separately from the ceremony, the
Justice Ministry ban mulled for prosecutors

PoliticsJun 8, 2011

Amid debate over recent demands to close down the prosecution’s core investigation unit, the parliamentary subcommittee on judicial reform is considering banning prosecutors from working in the Justice Ministry.The committee met on Wednesday to discuss the possible revision of the current prosecutor’s office law, officials said.The bill would forbid prosecutors from working in the ministry and est
Seoul unveils plan to make life ‘smarter’

Social affairsJun 8, 2011

The Seoul Metropolitan Government unveiled Wednesday a road map to make life “smarter” by expanding IT services.Currently, free wireless Internet services are available in 83 percent of the city, with the number of smart device users exceeding the 10 million mark in March. The South Korean capital, one of the most-wired cities in the world, plans to extend the free Wi-Fi network at all public buil
DP proposes tuition cut legislation

PoliticsJun 8, 2011

Ruling bloc prefers fees help tailored toward disadvantaged studentsDebate over college tuition cuts once again picked up momentum in the parliamentary interpellation on social, education and culture issues on Thursday.The opposition parties called for an immediate tuition cut, whereas the ruling party claimed that an unconditional cut could lower the education level.“Some 7 trillion won or half o
U.S. Congress proposes another bill on tougher sanctions against N.K.

North KoreaJun 8, 2011

WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― The U.S. House of Representatives will consider a bipartisan bill on reinforcing sanctions on North Korea, along with Iran and Syria, for their proliferation activities, a senior congresswoman said Tuesday.The bill, co-drafted by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Florida), who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Rep. Brad Sherman (D-California) calls for the expans