The National Assembly is all set to host the international forum of parliamentary leaders kicking off this week.The Group of 20 Seoul Speakers’ Consultation is to start its three-day schedule on Wednesday, during which parliament speakers from G20 states and some select non-G20 states will promote inter-parliamentary cooperation and exchange.An 18-member preparatory committee was established under

Host Speaker Park Hee-tae wants to make parliament leaders’ forum a regular eventFollowing Seoul’s hosting of the landmark Group of 20 summit talks last year, the National Assembly is to lead a meeting of G20 parliamentary speakers this week.The G20 Seoul Speakers’ Consultation will take place in the assembly’s main Rotunda Hall from Wednesday to Friday, attended by representatives of 21 countries

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama held total assets of between $2.8 million and $11.8 million last year and reported no debt, according to federal financial disclosure forms released yesterday.The president's assets were concentrated in U.S. Treasury obligations, an investment posture that would leave him financially vulnerable if he and congressional leaders can't agree on rais

A day after returning from Europe, President Lee Myung-bak faced a political backlash over his government’s decision to locate the key facilities of a multitrillion-won science belt in Daejeon’s Daedeok area and LH Corp. in the southeastern city of Jinju.Cheong Wa Dae also has to deal with calls from several ruling party lawmakers, including its new floor leader, to retract the government’s additi

Some retired generals doubt whether reform measures will be effectiveThe Ministry of National Defense is pushing ahead with a major military overhaul, aiming to make its bloated command apparatus “strong, speedy and slim” and ready itself to take back wartime operational control from the U.S. in 2015.The envisioned large-scale reform comes as the military is toiling to address a series of shortcom

President met woman who discovered books looted by France and campaigned for their returnPresident Lee Myung-bak on Sunday returned home from a weeklong tour of Germany, Denmark and France during which he held summit talks with his counterparts to expand economic and political cooperation.Before leaving Paris on Saturday, Lee met the Korean historian Park Byeng-sen, who in 1975 found the ancient K

Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi gestures as he addresses a rally in Milan, Italy, Saturday, May 7, 2011. (AP-Yonhap News)Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi accused his political opponent of not washing enough and being smelly at a local election campaign, the Telegraph reported. Berlusconi faces key local elections scheduled for Sunday and Monday which will determine the fate of his remaining two

As Daejeon is likley to be the site to host science research centers, other candidate cities protest against government's decision. (Yonhap News)The central city of Daejeon is likely to be the site to host a 3.5 trillion won (US$3.2 billion) science belt the government is pushing to build over the next seven years, a government official said Saturday.A government-private committee will announce th

  PARIS -- President Lee Myung-bak on Saturday discussed the G20 summit, regional integration, North Korea’s nuclear program and green growth with renowned scholars of France such as former foreign minister Hubert Vedrine.  President Lee Myung-bak talks with renowned French scholars during a breakfast meeting in Paris on Saturday. Yonhap News  Also attending the 90-minute breakfast meeting here wi

The main opposition Democratic Party elected Friday a former finance minister as the new floor leader to take charge of in-party and inter-party communication.Second-term lawmaker and economic expert, Rep. Kim Jin-pyo beat his rivals, Rep. Kang Bong-kyun and Rep. Lew Seon-ho, to be named the party’s floor leader.He is to succeed Rep. Park Jie-won and lead the party for the next year. Rep. Kim Jin-

Korea, France renew commitment to G20 goals to reduce imbalances, energy price volatilityPARIS ― President Lee Myung-bak and his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy discussed during summit talks here Friday ways to further expand bilateral trade and investment as Korea’s free trade pact with the European Union goes into effect July 1.Differences with Paris over the issue of returning Korea’s centur