The Korea Herald

First smoke of the day could be the worst, cancer researchers say

ScienceAug 26, 2011

Smoking a cigarette right after getting out of bed can increase chance of getting cancer even more than smoking at other times, American researchers revealed on Thursday.A team of scientists from Penn State College of Medicine found out that those who smoked within an hour after waking up were
N. Korean leader transits China on return trip from Russia

North KoreaAug 25, 2011

BEIJING, Aug. 25 (Yonhap) -- The train carrying the North Korean leader was spotted at a Chinese railway station Thursday, an indication that Kim Jong-il plans to return from his trip to Russia via China.Sources said that the special train was seen stopping at the Manzhouli Railway Station in Inner
GNP in dilemma over when Oh should step down

PoliticsAug 25, 2011

Seoul mayor expected to announce position by Friday at the latestThe ruling Grand National Party on Thursday struggled to agree on when Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon should resign, a day after the city’s referendum on free school meals was invalidated due to low turnout.Having vowed to quit if the referend
S. Korea, U.S. lukewarm toward N.K. pledge

North KoreaAug 25, 2011

Despite North Korean leader Kim Jong-il’s pledge this week to unconditionally return to the long-stalled nuclear disarmament talks, the communist state still has far to go before the deadlock is fully resolved, officials in Seoul and Washington said Thursday. On the last day of his week-long visit t
Names being floated for next Seoul mayor

PoliticsAug 25, 2011

With Oh Se-hoon expected to step down as Seoul mayor, rival political camps were pondering Thursday over who among their members has the best shot at winning the post, which some say is second most influential in Korea after the president. In media reports, a handful of names are being floated as po
Oh’s pet projects face uncertainty

PoliticsAug 25, 2011

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s ambitious yet controversial, projects to beautify the capital city face an uncertain future as he is expected to quit after Wednesday’s failed referendum. For the past five years in office, the conservative mayor has single-handedly pushed some costly works in Seoul, defying
NHRC hits male-centric condolence payments

Social affairsAug 25, 2011

A state human rights watchdog has deemed it gender discrimination for an organization to give condolence money to a female employee only when her husband’s parents die, while giving it to a male employee when his parents pass away.In Korea, it is customary for the government or companies to pay cond
Chinese portal staff to experience Korea

Foreign affairsAug 25, 2011

Eight officials representing China’s seven major portal sites, including SOHU, youku and 163.com, are arriving in Korea on Friday for their five-day tour to experience diverse aspects of Korean culture and economy.The Korean Culture and Information Service organized the event, and its director Seo K
Military equipment traded on black market

Social affairsAug 25, 2011

Authorities find training missiles, launchers; worried about potential use by terrorists, N.K.Seoul police booked five men without detention Thursday on charges of selling military articles including fake field jackets and scrapped U.S. training missiles.According to Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency
Five men indicted in pro-N. Korean spy ring bust

PoliticsAug 25, 2011

Prosecutors said on Thursday they have investigated 10 South Koreans of spying for the North Korean regime for more than a decade, leaking political and military secrets in the latest in a long series of espionage cases.Operating in an underground anti-state organization called Wangjaesan, the name
Embattled Seoul mayor mulls early resignation

PoliticsAug 25, 2011

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon will soon announce when he will resign over the failed free lunch vote after consulting with his ruling Grand National Party (GNP) to minimize its negative impact ahead of next year's major polls, his aides said Thursday.A referendum was held on Wednesday to ask Seoul resident
Pervert arrested for making prank video calls

Social affairsAug 25, 2011

A man has been arrested for randomly making numerous video calls to women, sexually harassing those who answered.The 34-year-old offender, known only by the surname Song, allegedly dialed 107 females since April, Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency said.They said he had made calls by hiding his sender
Pyongyang's summit promise on nuke moratorium 'insufficient': U.S.

North KoreaAug 25, 2011

WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's reported promise to impose a moratorium on nuclear testing is "insufficient," as its uranium enrichment program remains a serious concern, the U.S. government said Wednesday.Washington's cautious stance came in response to a host of media
First proof that climate is a trigger for conflict: study

ScienceAug 25, 2011

PARIS (AFP) - Climate shift has at times been fingered as a culprit in triggering conflict, fuelling for instance the 1789 French Revolution by wrecking harvests and driving hungry peasants to the city.Evidence to back the theory has often been contested as sketchy or anecdotal -- but the case has b
Mayor Oh’s failed gambit to weigh on political future

PoliticsAug 24, 2011

Seoul City’s vote on Wednesday was ostensibly about where to spend taxpayer money, but Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon clearly showed that the vote was more about him when he wiped away tears and kneeled in front of TV cameras last week. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon speaks during a press conference at City Ha