Delivering the latest jolt in Britain's year of political shocks, Prime Minister Theresa May called Tuesday for a snap June 8 general election, seeking to strengthen her hand in European Union exit talks and tighten her grip on a fractious Conservative Party. 　With the Labour opposition weakened, May’s gamble will probably pay off with an enhanced Conservative majority in Parliament -- but it‘s unlikely to unite a country deeply split over the decision to quit the EU. British Prime Minister Ther

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won is back on track to advance the conglomerate’s global expansion, after being cleared of all prosecutorial charges in a bribery scandal that led to the impeachment of the nation’s elected leader. The prosecution Monday afternoon did not press any charges against Chey, lacking evidence to prove the allegation he had bribed Choi Soon-sil, the longtime friend of former President Park Geun-hye, in exchange for a presidential pardon. The chairman had been banned from lea

If there were a global contest for winning elections, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would see himself as the undisputed -- and undefeated -- heavyweight champion of the world.In the 15 years since his ruling party came to power, Erdogan has taken part in 11 elections -- five legislative polls, two referenda, three local elections and a presidential vote -- and won them all.On Sunday, Erdogan claimed victory in his 12th and arguably biggest ballot-box challenge since his ruling Justice

US Vice President Mike Pence has embarked on a 10-day, four nation tour of the Asia-Pacific region, arriving in South Korea on Sunday amid tensions over North Korea’s aggressive flaunting of its nuclear and missile program.　Pence will also visit Japan, Indonesia and Australia during his trip, meeting with leaders in the region, military troops and business groups. It is Pence’s second foreign trip as vice president. He traveled to Germany and Belgium in February to meet with NATO and European Un

North Korea on Sunday failed in a missile launch from its eastern coast, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, but it wasn't immediately clear what kind of missile was fired.The launch from the city of Sinpo comes a day after one of the biggest North Korean propaganda events of the year_ celebrations of the 105th birthday of late North Korea founder Kim Il Sung, the current leader's grandfather. North Korea regularly launches short-range missiles, but it is also developing mid-range and long

Newly licensed duty-free operators in Korea have the option of delaying their opening dates in the face of uncertainty surrounding sales, according to the Korea Customs Service on Wednesday.“To increase the predictability of the duty-free market, the KCS will pursue the postponement of opening dates for new duty-free operators, extend deadlines for paying license fees and allow fees to be paid in installments,” the KCS said through a statement.The duty-free industry is reeling from falling sales

For Seoul, this week’s visit by Wu Dawei, special representative for Korean Peninsula affairs at Beijing’s Foreign Ministry, is timely and weighty, coming amid spiraling concerns over North Korean provocations and shortly after a US-China summit. Yet as soon as he wrapped up his first day with business-as-usual diplomatic consultations, Wu embarked on a mission that may possibly serve what critics say is the real purpose of the trip: meeting with South Korean presidential candidates to appeal ag

Liberty Korea Party presidential candidate Hong Joon-pyo stepped down as South Gyeongsang Province governor three minutes before the midnight deadline, which effectively blocked a by-election for his former post while keeping him in the race for the presidential office. Hong had until now been prevented from conducting his campaign due to his status as a civil servant. The deadline for public office-holders to resign to run for the May 9 presidential election was midnight Sunday.Liberty Korea Pa

A brilliant conservative judge with a prestigious resume, Neil Gorsuch is a proponent of traditional values, a strict reading of the US Constitution and protections for the role of religion in American society.　The elegant, silver-haired 49-year-old became the youngest justice confirmed to the US Supreme Court in a quarter-century. 　Little known until recently, the Colorado native with an Ivy League education survived an unusually rugged obstacle course between his nomination by President Donald

South Korean companies will benefit from the upcoming unitary patent system in Europe, which simplifies and lowers the cost of applications, the European Patent Office’s principal director for unitary patents said Friday. “By reducing costs and complexity of the process, the unitary patent system will benefit South Korean companies, one of the most active applicants to the EPO,” Margot Fröhlinger, the principal director for unitary patent, European and international lega

Having transformed from a medical doctor to computer virus vaccine developer, venture entrepreneur, professor and eventually politician, Ahn Cheol-soo’s entire life has been a series of identity changes.Preparing for his second bid for the Korean presidency this year, Ahn apparently sought to make another significant change in his public image -- this time by altering his oratorical tone and way of speech. His sudden vocal transition, despite mixed reactions, certainly fixed the spotlight back o

Major advertisers have begun canceling spots on America’s most-watched cable news show following reports of sexual harassment involving the star Fox News host Bill O’Reilly.　US insurer Allstate and French pharmaceutical maker Sanofi became the latest to exit Tuesday, following the lead of a handful of auto brands dropping ads for Fox’s “The O’Reilly Factor,” a favorite among conservatives.　Allstate spokesman Justin Herndon said, “Inclusivity and support for women are important Allstate values. W

Tesla on Monday became the second-largest US car maker in terms of market capitalization, displacing Ford, whose sales lagged amid concerns about the ability of the US market to keep growing.　Many major automakers reported US sales declines in March compared to a year ago, but Tesla over the weekend said it saw a huge jump in vehicles delivered to consumers in the first three months of the year. 　That was enough to send the electric car maker’s stock soaring Monday, even as investors punished ma

Another South Korean woman who was coerced into Japan's wartime sexual slavery died Tuesday, a local civic group said.The Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan said Lee Soon-deok died at around 7:30 a.m. at the age of 99. Lee Soon-deok (Yonhap)Her death leaves only 38 surviving victims of Japan's brutal wartime crime. Initially, 238 women were on the list of government-registered former sex slaves. Historians estimate that up to 200,000 women, mostly from Kore

As sales fall due to THAAD spat, Hotel Lotte IPO remains uncertain