The Philippine president, who recently sparked outrage for calling God stupid, has courted new controversy in his largely Roman Catholic country by saying he will resign if anybody can prove that God exists.President Rodrigo Duterte, who has had a thorny relationship with the church, questioned anew in a speech late Friday some of the basic tenets of the Catholic faith, including the concept of original sin, which he said taints even innocent infants and can only be removed through baptism in a

Prosecutors on Friday sought a five-year jail sentence for celebrity chef Lee Chan-oh on trial for the possession and use of drugs, according to the Seoul Central District Court. During the trial, the prosecution cited more concrete evidence from hair testing, which confirmed Lee’s history of drug use. Famous for his expertise in French cuisine, the chef made headlines when he was indicted without detention on May 10 for inhaling hashish -- a drug made from cannabis -- in October last year. The

GANGJIN, Jeolla Province -- Police said Friday the teenage girl found on a mountain days after she went missing was probably killed by her father's friend, whom she was going to meet for a job on the day she was seen last. Announcing its preliminary outcome of its investigation, the Gangjin Police Station said the 51-year-old man, surnamed Kim, has become a suspect in the murder case. But police won't be seeking charges against Kim since he died shortly after the girl went missing. The 16-year-o

The inter-Korean basketball event held in Pyongyang is fueling hopes for further sports exchanges between the two Koreas. Basketball was chosen as the first inter-Korean sporting event since the April 27 summit due to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s love of the sport.  South Korean and North Korean basketball players during Wednesday`s match. YonhapFollowing the summit, Cheong Wa Dae revealed that Kim suggested beginning inter-Korean sporting events with basketball rather than soccer during th

The chairman of Kumho Asiana Group, which owns the nation’s second-largest air carrier, apologized Wednesday for causing public concern amid escalating controversy over operating passenger flights without meals and a questionable deal behind it.Offering an official apology, Chairman Park Sam-koo said he was sorry for causing concern and that he feels “grave responsibility” for causing customer inconvenience.Kumho Asiana Chairman Park Sam-koo seen at a press conference held at the group's head of

Nearly 9 in 10 public institutions in Korea have already introduced flexible working hours well before the country's introduction of a new workweek system, government data showed Wednesday.The new workweek system went into effect this month, requiring both private and public companies with 300 or more employees to reduce the maximum working hours to 52 hours per week from 68 hours. (Yonhap)According to state portal All Public Information in One,88.9 percent of 361 state-run institutions, or 321,

More than six decades ago when its headquarters was ensconced in central Seoul, the US Forces Korea faced the grim reality of a war-ravaged South Korea gripped by fears of communist expansion at the height of the Cold War.At present, however, the once impoverished ally is anything but weak. It boasts a well-equipped military, vibrant democracy and extensive diplomatic networks, not to mention economic wealth, on which the USFK relies for the upkeep of its 28,500 troops.Such a transformation, cou

　With the Constitutional Court for the first time urging the military to allow alternative service for conscientious objectors, the focus is now on whether the court would overturn its previous rulings that ban homosexuality in the military. 　According to legal experts and human right activists, Incheon district court has filed a motion with the Constitutional Court for a ruling on whether the current military criminal law violates the constitutional right to protecting sexual minorities.  　The

President Moon Jae-in on Monday stressed the need to reduce working hours, saying it is a means to improve the quality of life and create jobs. Revised regulations limiting working hours to 52 hours per week -- 40 regular hours with 12 hours of possible overtime -- came into effect Sunday. President Moon Jae-in speaks at the weekly meeting with top aides at Cheong Wa Dae on Monday. Yonhap“(The) working-hour reduction began yesterday. It will be an important opportunity in moving on from an overw

Two Yemeni asylum seekers have been taken into custody on the southern island of Jeju for using violence against each other in a fight over washing dishes, police said Monday.The two, who are aged 36 and 37 and work as crewmen, allegedly brandished weapons or punched each other Sunday afternoon after quarreling over washing dishes in the crewmen's quarters they live in, police said.Police said they're questioning the two and will decide how to deal with them after consultations with immigration

South Korea officially dropped its maximum workweek to 52 hours on Sunday, in an effort to improve the quality of life among its citizens by tackling the country’s notoriously long work hours.The new law, which was a campaign promise by President Moon Jae-in, went into effect for businesses with more than 300 employees, state-run agencies and government offices starting Sunday.  Under the law, which slashed the maximum weekly work hours to 52 from 68, workers in Korea will be allowed to work 40

Koo Kwang-mo, the son of LG Group's late Chairman Koo Bon-moo, became a board member of the holding firm and its CEO on Friday, effectively becoming the fourth-generation leader of the family-controlled conglomerate.Koo, who was adopted by the late business tycoon so as to fulfill the LG family's tradition of handing over power to the chairman's eldest son, was named as the newest board member during Friday's shareholders' meeting of LG Corp. He was tapped by the board as CEO later in the day. K

After two daughters and wife, Cho appears for questioning over charges

In South Korea’s surprise 2:0 win against Germany in the World Cup match on Wednesday, the most notable player was Korea’s goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo, who was made the Man of the Match by FIFA. Jo saved all six clean shoots by Germany, demonstrating quick reflexes with some astounding saves. Fans observed Jo must have “magnet hands.” German team made 10 other off target shoots. “Congratulations, Jo Hyeon-woo, you have been admitted to the ‘Do You Know’ club,” “BREAKING- Jo Hyeon-woo joins ‘Do You K

With some 500 Yemeni nationals seeking asylum on Jeju Island, many in South Korea say the country is facing its first “refugee crisis.” 　Indeed, the influx of the refugees from Yemen has triggered a fierce backlash among Koreans against immigration rules of Jeju Island, where, unlike the rest of South Korea, most foreign passport-holders can stay for a month without a visa. 　Many of those who oppose the visa-waiver program say Yemenis will only “create problems” in Korea, especially against loca