The Korea Herald

British envoy’s books transformed into art

Foreign affairsSept 20, 2011

British Ambassador Martin Uden never thought his passion for collecting books about Korea would ever result in more than a collection of books. However, that changed when he met artist Simon Morley.Morley and the British Embassy are running an art exhibition of paintings inspired by some of the book
Italian scientists go on trial over 2009 earthquake

ScienceSept 20, 2011

L'AQUILA, Italy (AFP) - A group of Italian scientists went on trial Tuesday for failing to predict an earthquake that killed more than 300 people in central Italy in 2009 despite signs of increased seismic activity in the area.The seven defendants -- six scientists and one government official -- are
Pastor accused of embezzlement

Social affairsSept 20, 2011

Pastor Cho Yong-gi of the Yoido Full Gospel Church has been charged with embezzling money from the church.Twenty-nine elders of Korea’s biggest church filed a charge on Monday with the Seoul Central Prosecutors’ Office against their senior pastor Cho and his son Hee-jun, former chairman of daily new
Leap in suicides by men in early 50s blamed on economic pressures

Social affairsSept 20, 2011

The suicide rate for men in their 50s has soared, driven by a combination of economic hardships and poor health, reports from Statistics Office and Police Agency showed Tuesday.The suicide rate for men aged 50-54 was 62.4 per 100,000 persons in 2009, quadrupling from 20 years ago. It is the highest
NASA: Satellite pieces to hit Earth in a week

ScienceSept 20, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. space officials say they expect a dead satellite to fall to Earth in about a week.NASA has been watching the 6-ton satellite closely. On Friday officials moved up their prediction for its arrival to Sept. 23, give or take a day.NASA scientists have calculated the satelli
S. Korean military facilities incapable of fending off N.K. electronic attacks

DefenseSept 20, 2011

Report says combat readiness of rapid response forces is poor Key South Korean military facilities are not equipped with proper tools to defend themselves from possible electronic attacks from North Korea, reports said Tuesday.(Yonhap News)The reports submitted to Rep. Chung Mi-kyung of the rul
Prosecutors seek 4-year jail term for former PM

PoliticsSept 20, 2011

SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors on Monday requested a four-year jail term for a former prime minister under the previous administration on charges of pocketing illegal political funds. Prosecutors also sought a court order for Han Myeong-sook to forfeit 940 million won (US$827,464), the same
Seoul under fire over Cameroon diamond business

PoliticsSept 19, 2011

Controversy another setback in president’s ‘resources diplomacy’Government agencies deliberately exaggerated the amount of diamonds buried in Cameroon and sought to provide a large amount of aid to the African state, lawmakers said Monday, suspecting the government of inappropriate ties to the proje
Lee vows to invest W100b in stem cell research next year

PoliticsSept 19, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak on Monday said his government would invest nearly 100 billion won in stem cell research next year and establish a system compatible with international standards in an effort to facilitate clinical and licensing procedures.“The government has decided to foster the stem cell in
Heads of seven religious groups to visit N. Korea

North KoreaSept 19, 2011

The Seoul government gave permission for heads of seven religious orders to visit Pyongyang, the Unification Ministry said Monday, as part of efforts to resume nongovernmental cultural exchanges with the North.A 24-person delegation including the seven religious leaders will travel to Pyongyang via
By-election costs total W61.6b over 3 years

PoliticsSept 19, 2011

The amount spent on by-elections over the past three years totaled 61.6 billion won ($54.4 million) and is to exceed 100 billion won with the Oct. 26 elections.According to the state inspection data submitted by the National Election Commission to Rep. Yoon Sang-il of the minority Future Hope Allian
PoliticsSept 19, 2011

Few overseas missions have been properly secured, according to the data submitted by the Foreign Ministry to Rep. Jungwook Hong of the ruling Grand National Party.Among the 166 offices, 53 were classified as dangerous, lacking sensors or devices to respond to terrorist attacks.More than half have no basic metal detector, making it possible for people to enter the premises with weapons or explosives.Also, 24.6 percent of the offices lacked sensors to detect trespassers, according to the data.Blas
GNP may not seek to bring Lee in

PoliticsSept 19, 2011

Na expected to announce bid around Thursday; DP starts nomination raceThe ruling Grand National Party is racking its brain over who would be its best shot at the forthcoming Seoul mayoral by-election, after a lawyer it wooed as its candidate against a powerful opposition contender turned out not so
S. Korea, U.S. conduct refueling exercise

DefenseSept 19, 2011

Korean Air Force fighters engage in an aerial refueling exercise with the help of the U.S. military in the country’s airspace over the West Sea last week. (Air Force)South Korea’s Air Force is conducting an aerial refueling exercise in the country’s airspace for the first time with assistance from t
Big firms dodge pension payments

Social affairsSept 19, 2011

Large corporations have been caught making downscaled reports of their workers’ salaries to evade national pension premiums. Workplaces are mandated to cover half of their workers’ national pension premiums. They have reduced more than 100 billion won ($92.5 million) every year, the Board of Audit a