The Korea Herald

Number of seniors tops 1m in Seoul

Apr 7, 2011

Citizens over 65 years old account for 9.7% of city populationThe number of people in Seoul older than 65 has surpassed 1 million, Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday. The number of infants and youths, on the other hand, declined. According to its report, the number of senior citizens marked 1,002,770 as of Dec. 31 last year, a 6.3 percent jump from the previous year’s 942,946. Over-65s n
‘Artificial rain mulled to ...block Japan radioactivity’

Apr 6, 2011

The nation’s weather agency considered creating an artificial rainstorm above the Taebaek Mountains along the eastern coast to block the inflow of radioactive materials from Japan’s crippled nuclear plant, an opposition legislator said Wednesday.Rep. Shin Hak-yong of the Democratic Party said he was told that the Korea Meteorological Agency attempted the rainmaking despite the possibility of causi
Radioactive water leak into sea stops at Fukushima

Apr 6, 2011

(Yonhap News)Radioactive water leak into sea stops at FukushimaTOKYO (AFP) - A leak of highly radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean from Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant was stopped Wednesday, the operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) announced."Workers confirmed at 5:38 am (2038 GMT) that the water running off out of a pit had stopped," the embattled operator said in a statement.TE
Berlusconi under pressure as sex trial looms

Apr 6, 2011

MILAN (AFP) - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's trial on charges of sex with an underage prostitute and abuse of power opens in Milan on Wednesday after a dramatic build-up that has dented his popularity.The billionaire tycoon is no stranger to the dock after years of investigations and trials linked to his business interests but this will be the first time that his tumultuous personal li
Ruling party drawing up new reunification policy

Apr 5, 2011

South Korea’s conservative ruling party said Tuesday it will set up new policies that actively prepare for reunifying with North Korea, as the communist state suffers from deepening food shortages and political instability. Although it would not openly admit it, the conservative Lee Myung-bak government in Seoul has been increasing measures preparing for sudden collapse of the Kim Jong-il regime i
Lawmakers shrink from softer campaign rules

Apr 5, 2011

Four lawmakers have retracted support for a proposed revision bill which would make it harder for law-breaking elected officials to lose their seats ― with others thought likely to follow. Last Friday, Grand National Party Rep. Kim Choong-whan, along with lawmakers from other parties, submitted a revision bill to raise the minimum requirements before elected officials could be stripped of their po
President Lee pledges to share river development experience with Malaysia

Apr 5, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak said Tuesday that his government will share its experience of dredging and developing the country’s four main rivers with Malaysia ahead of summit talks with visiting Prime Minister Mohamed Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak later in the day.“The Malaysian prime minister said he wished to take a look at the four rivers being developed,” Lee said during an Arbor Day event in Yeoju, G
Seoul boosts ‘practical control’ over Dokdo

Apr 4, 2011

Construction of ocean research station to begin in April in waters near isletsFrom planting trees to building installations and selling bits of land to ordinary citizens, South Korea is eying several long-term plans aimed at strengthening its sovereignty to counter Japan’s repeated claims over its easternmost islets of Dokdo. Japan strengthened its claims the Dokdo islets in its revised textbooks
Lee’s office puts brakes on legal compliance bill

Apr 4, 2011

Cheong Wa Dae said Monday it will take some time before giving the green light to a new bill requiring listed companies to hire legal experts.The National Assembly last month passed a revised commercial bill that requires all listed businesses to employ lawyers or law professors of more than five years’ experience to monitor for potential legal problems in addition to the counsels they already hav
Parties pick candidates in tight match areas

Apr 4, 2011

Parties confirmed several candidates for the April 27 parliamentary by-elections Monday.The ruling Grand National Party announced the selection of Kang Jae-sup, the party’s former leader, as its candidate to run in the Bundang-B constituency in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Kang will compete against Sohn Hak-kyu, the chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party.“The party has decided, based on
Lee replaces NIS deputy chiefs

Apr 4, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak has decided to replace two of the three deputy chiefs of the National Intelligence Service two months after the nation’s main spy agency’s failed attempt to steal information from a visiting Indonesian delegation caused diplomatic humiliation. Lee named Jeon Jae-man, diplomatic minister at the South Korean Embassy in Beijing, as the first deputy chief of the NIS, and Lee Jo
GNP leader proposes forming inter-Korean body on natural disasters

Apr 4, 2011

The chief of the ruling Grand National Party proposed Monday that South and North Korea establish a joint body to conduct research together and share information on natural disasters on the peninsula.The suggestion from GNP leader Ahn Sang-soo came as the two Koreas launched civilian-level talks last week on a potential volcanic eruption at the North’s Mount Paekdu. The second round of volcano tal
Heavyweights brace for Bundang showdown

Apr 4, 2011

Intense competition expected in Gimhae, Bundang constituenciesCompetition for the April by-elections will begin in earnest this week as rival parties have begun to complete the list of their candidates for a race that is largely expected to remap the political landscape ahead of critical elections next year. Though small in size, the upcoming race is considered especially important for several pol
S. Korea's ruling party to tackle Japan's territorial claims over Dokdo

Apr 2, 2011

South Korea's ruling party said Saturday that it plans to hold an emergency meeting with the government early next week to discuss how to tackle Japan's repeated territorial claims over Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo.Japan approved on Tuesday new middle school textbooks claiming the islets as its territory, drawing a strong protest from the Seoul government.The Grand National Party said it wi
Lee apologizes for canceled airport plan

Apr 1, 2011

President vows to complete military reform, reinforce Dokdo sovereigntyPresident Lee Myung-bak on Friday apologized for failing to keep his election pledge to build a new international airport in the southeastern part of the country and said that the high-speed KTX train network would help reduce inconvenience for people traveling abroad.“I am sorry that (the government) failed to keep the pledge