South Korea’s health authorities said Monday they were closely monitoring what is called “super bacteria,” whose quick spread here raised an alarm over its potential mass contagion. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier confirmed that a total of 63 patients were infected with OXA-232-type carbapenemase-producing enterobacteriaceae, or CPE, which is known to resist even strong antibiotics. The health agency said that the bacteria was not so “lethal” compared with other simi

Former President Chun Doo-hwan, who owes a massive fine to state coffers, has made a request to look into the records of a prosecution investigation into his bribe-taking in the 1990s, prosecution officials said Monday.After undergoing an intensive prosecution probe into slush fund allegations between 1995 and 1996, Chun was ordered by the nation‘s top court in 1997 to return to the state coffers 220 billion won ($196.8 million) that he was found to have illegally accumulated during his military

Police raided KT&G’s head office in Seoul on Monday over bribery allegations involving the tobacco maker’s senior executives, a subcontractor and a government official. An intelligence crime unit at the Korean National Police Agency seized computer hard disk drives and USB drives from KT&G’s real estate development team with a court-issued warrant.The raid came after the police found that the real estate project team at the tobacco company deliberately deleted relevant documents and files stored

Police raided KT&G’s head office in Seoul on Monday over bribery allegations involving the tobacco maker’s senior executives, a subcontractor and a government official. An intelligence crime unit at the Korean National Police Agency seized computer hard disk drives and USB drives from KT&G’s real estate development team with a court-issued warrant.The raid came after the police found that the real estate project team at the tobacco company deliberately deleted relevant documents and files stored

One in every five college students in South Korea owes banks heavy debts to pay off their school fees and meet living expenses, data showed Monday, amid the government's push to ramp up financial support for the troubled young group. The portion of students who have taken out a loan from local financial companies for school and living expenses stood at 20.4 percent, according to a survey by the Financial Services Commission (FSC), the country's top financial regulator. The poll was based on indi

South Korea's health authority said Sunday it has confirmed 63 patients have been infected with a super bacterial infection that cannot be easily treated by antibiotics, raising concerns over a possible contagion.The number of patients infected with OXA-232-type carbapenemase-producing enterobacteriaceae, also known as a super bacteria, came to 63 at 13 local hospitals as of Thursday, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.It marked the first time for this type of CPE

The South Korean government warned of growing destruction from a red tide off the country's southern and eastern coasts Sunday, noting the damages have already topped 13 billion won.The government issued a red tide alert last month for waters off the eastern coast for the first time in six years.A red tide is a natural phenomenon believed to be caused by a combination of high temperatures, salinity and nutrients. Some experts believe that when these conditions meet low winds and certain rain lev

Cancellations of trips to Japan by Korean travelers are increasing after recent news reports of a massive radioactive water leak from the Fukushima nuclear plant in the country. According to a local news report, 40-50 tourists of Mode Tour, one of Korea’s major travel agencies, cancelled their trips right after the news was broadcast. Some 200 customers of the company ultimately scrapped their plans to visit Japan, according to the report. Also, Hanjin Travel reported 10-20 cancellations per day

South Korea's health authority said Sunday it has confirmed 63 patients have been infected with a super bacterial infection that cannot be easily treated by antibiotics, raising concerns over a possible contagion.   The number of patients infected with OXA-232-type carbapenemase-producing enterobacteriaceae (CPE), also known as a super bacteria, came to 63 at 13 local hospitals as of Thursday, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.   It marked the first time for this

South Korean pharmaceutical companies are looking to overseas markets in order to seek new profit engines, industry sources said Sunday.   According to data by the Korea Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, the combined exports of local drug makers rose 46.7 percent on-year to 1.37 trillion won (US$1.2 billion) in 2012, compared with 930 billion won in 2011, surpassing the 1-trillion mark for the first time.   The industry sources attributed the rise in the drug makers' exports to the gover

A hand grenade held by a recently enlisted soldier exploded at a guard post near the border with North Korea on Saturday, instantly killing the soldier and seriously wounding his platoon leader, military and police officials said Saturday.   The explosion occurred at around 5:05 a.m. when the 21-year-old private, identified by his surname Choe, and his platoon leader were inside the post just south of the western section of the Demilitarized Zone, according to officials.   Choe died at the scene

Prosecutors on Friday sought an arrest warrant for an embattled former head of the national tax agency on charges of accepting massive bribes from food and entertainment conglomerate CJ Group.Jeon Goon-pyo, 59, is accused of taking $300,000 in U.S. bills and high-end watches from CJ Group officials in exchange for favors during a tax audit into the conglomerate in July 2006, shortly after he was named the commissioner of the National Tax Service, prosecutors said.Prosecutors detained Jeon shortl

Rep. Choi Min-hee of the Democratic Party submitted Friday a revision bill to provide legal protection for students working in unpaid internships.Under the current Labor Standards Act, unpaid part-time workers are not entitled to protection under the fair labor standards.There are growing numbers of university students applying for internship programs, regardless of the pay, as they have become “a necessary requisite” in entering the real job market. Many students, however, have faced discrimina