Police on Thursday detained a railway strike leader and raided four union offices across the country in an investigation of the “illegal” walkout. About 15,000 train service workers escalated their protest in a massive rally in Seoul demanding the cancellation of what they call the “privatization” plot and a halt to the police clampdown on unionists. A union member identified by the last name Yoon was taken into custody on charges of hampering business with an illegal strike. The court issued wa

Prosecutors on Thursday indicted 12 individuals without detention in connection with an alleged celebrity prostitution ring. The Ansan branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office is reported to have delved into the case after securing related information during a drug-related case in May.Unlike earlier reports, none of the big-name celebrities rumored to be involved were among the three men and nine women indicted. Although the prosecution did not release any names, rumors circulated that a

A steel structure at a road construction site in Busan collapsed Thursday killing four workers. 　Three buried workers were unearthed and taken to hospital but died about an hour after the accident, the police said. The other worker was found dead later. According to witnesses, the structure buckled during the process of pouring concrete onto the road under construction. The police suspect that the structure failed due to the weight of the concrete. The authorities plan to question those in charg

The traditional preference of South Korean parents for boys over girls may be fading, a government survey showed on Thursday.According to the survey, 66.2 percent of respondents said they would want a girl if they could only have one child. A total of 2,537 men and women over 19-years old participated in the survey conducted by Korea Research at the request of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.Those who favor sons stood at 33.8 percent, only the half of those who prefer girls, illustra

Prosecutors on Thursday indicted 12 individuals without detention in connection with an alleged celebrity prostitution ring. The Ansan branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office is reported to have delved into the case after securing related information during a drug-related case in May.Unlike earlier reports, none of the big-name celebrities rumored to be involved were among the three men and nine women indicted. Although the prosecution did not release any names, rumors circulated that a

The proportion of senior citizens in South Korea has increased to nearly 11 percent in 2010, data showed Thursday, indicating that the country's population is aging at a fast pace. According to the data by Statistics Korea, the proportion of those aged 65 or older accounted for 10.9 percent of the country's total population in 2010. It is higher than 7 percent in 2000 and 8.9 percent in 2005.The agency earlier expected the ratio will continue to rise to 15.7 percent in 2020 and 32.3 percent in 2

The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) decided Thursday to initiate a bill calling for an independent counsel investigation into the alleged state tampering in last year's presidential election.The decision was made in a general meeting of DP lawmakers. Party officials said they would try to introduce the bill on the floor of the National Assembly this week jointly with independent lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo and the minor opposition Justice Party.Prospects of the bill's passage, however, are uncl

The former head of local telecom giant KT Corp. was called in by prosecutors Thursday over alleged managerial wrongdoings and slush fund creations.Lee Suk-chae, who resigned last month amid mounting suspicions, showed up at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in southern Seoul around 9:50 a.m. to undergo questioning.Prosecutors have alleged that Lee inflicted huge losses on KT, the country's top fixed-line operator and No. 2 mobile carrier, by intentionally making poor investments and

A Seoul district court on Thursday denied an arrest warrant for the head of a major family-run conglomerate suspected of creating large amounts of slush funds and evading taxes.Hyosung Group Chairman Cho Suck-rai, who underwent questioning by prosecutors twice last week, is facing multiple charges, including embezzlement, tax fraud and breach of trust, prosecutors said."There is not enough reason to detain (Cho) at the present stage considering the evidence, investigation process, and the defend

Thousands of truck drivers are likely to join the ongoing strike by railway workers soon, a move that could cripple the nation’s cargo transport and port operations.In a news conference Wednesday, the Korea Cargo Transport Workers’ Union pledged to refuse to deliver cargo in protest of the government’s clampdown on railway strikers.Police began manhunts for 10 strike leaders Monday with court warrants for detainment. Police said Wednesday it planned to request warrants for an additional 18 union

President Park Geun-hye marks the first anniversary of her election victory this week amid concerns about potential instability in North Korea, a standoff with striking rail workers and persisting allegations of state tampering in last year's election race.This Thursday is one year after Park won the dead-heat contest against her opposition rival, Moon Jae-in, a victory that made her South Korea's first-ever female president and the first child of a former president, Park Chung-hee, to assume th

The former head of telecom giant KT Corp. will be summoned this week over alleged managerial wrongdoings and creating slush funds, prosecutors said Wednesday.Lee Suk-chae, who tendered his resignation last month, has been notified to show up for questioning at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in southern Seoul Thursday, they said.Prosecutors suspect Lee inflicted huge losses on KT, the country's top fixed-line operator and No. 2 mobile carrier, by intentionally making poor investme

Unionized Seoul subway workers have called off plans to go on strike Wednesday after reaching a last-minute agreement with a Seoul subway operator on retirement age and severance pay, both sides said.Union members of Seoul Metro, a public corporation that runs Seoul subway lines No. 1 through 4, were scheduled to walk off the job from 9 a.m. Wednesday after repeatedly failing to find middle ground on various outstanding issues with the management.However, the two sides reached a final agreement