A medical research group called on the government to ban sports stars from appearing in alcohol advertisements, which they claim could aggravate drinking-related problems among young people.The Korean Academy of Addiction Psychiatry pointed out specifically Korean figure skating star Kim Yu-na’s beer advertisements. The 22-year-old Olympic medalist became the model for a Hite Beer product in April. Previously, the figure queen has done advertisements for other products from coffee to air conditi

Three foreign law firms have passed primary inspection to establish overseas branches here, and are now waiting for the official approval from the government. The Ministry of Justice on Monday said it has received formal applications to gain licenses as advisers on foreign law from Ropes & Gray, Shepperd Mullin and Clifford Chance.The final authorization is expected to be made by the end of the month. But taking into account other administrative affairs, the branch operations take off until July

Surveillance cameras have become so advanced, they can zoom in to peep in on text messages, a recent privacy conference held in Wellington, New Zealand, revealed.During last year’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, for example, spectators showing suspicious or aggressive behavior were watched closely, all the way down to their text messages, by camera operators.Footage displayed at the conference showed that a man was texting about the poor quality of the match.The conference also outlined how sec

South Korea has strengthened customs inspections to stop smuggling of pills made of dead human fetuses or infants from China as such pills could pose serious health hazards, officials said Sunday.Smuggling of the so-called "human flesh capsules" has increased since the first case was caught in August last year. Customs authorities have so far uncovered 35 attempts to bring in such pills, totaling

A truck driver who killed three South Korean professional cyclists in a road accident has admitted he was watching a television mounted on his dashboard at the time, police said Thursday.Police found the TV switched on when they and other rescuers arrived Tuesday at the scene of the accident at Euiseong, 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul.The 66-year-old trucker surnamed Baek has been detained on s

Prosecutors on Thursday sought an arrest warrant for former Vice Knowledge Economy Minister Park Young-joon on charges of receiving bribes between 2005 and 2007 in exchange for influence-peddling in a construction project.The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office also sought an arrest of former Seoul Metropolitan Government official Kang Cheol-won on bribery charges.Park’s arrest is to deal a blow to the lame duck administration of President Lee Myung-bak, following the earlier arrest of former Korea Comm

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will spend 434 million won ($384,000) to help migrant spouses find a job, officials announced on Thursday.The city government will provide vocational courses, such as in barista training and nail art, for women who have migrated here due to marriage and are living in Seoul.A total of 288 selected migrant spouses will receive fourteen different courses at 12 Women Resources Development centers across the city starting this month.The city government will also prov