Evaluating the outcome of the U.S.-China summit as positive, South Korea repeated on Thursday that the resumption of any kind of dialogue with North Korea “depended fully” upon the nuclear-armed state’s earnest intent to halt provocations and disarm. Overcoming their once-divided view on how to deal with Pyongyang’s growing belligerence, U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao

Disgraced TV celebrity Shin Jung-hwan returned to Korea on Wednesday to face investigations at home into allegations he gambled away hundreds of millions of won in the Philippines last year. Setting foot in his homeland for the first time in more than five months, the troubled 36-year-old admitted the illegal gambling charges.“I am ready for punishment. Please punish me harshly,” the singer-turned

Choi Joong-kyung pledges to stabilize commodity prices, create jobsWhile defending himself against ethical suspicions at a parliamentary hearing Tuesday, President Lee Myung-bak’s economy minister-nominee pledged to focus on stabilizing commodity prices and creating more jobs once parliament approves his appointment. Choi Joong-kyung, who formerly served as senior presidential secretary for econom

Culture minister-nominee grilled over alleged tax evasion, real estatePresident Lee Myung-bak’s culture minister-nominee pledged to end the cultural gap between social classes while being grilled by parliament over ethical issues on Monday. “I will push for policies that help integrate society,” said minister-designate Choung Byoung-gug during his parliamentary confirmation hearing. “I pledge to m

North Korea is stepping up efforts to persuade a reluctant South Korea into having talks, apparently realizing that inter-Korean dialogue is its only hope of resuming larger-scale talks with regional powers and thereby securing much needed aid.The North called for better ties with Seoul in its New Year’s editorial, and has repeatedly proposed, through both official and unofficial channels, to iron

The chairman of the ruling Grand National Party vowed Tuesday to pay more attention to public demand while backing government policies, a significant wording as his party remains at odds with President Lee Myung-bak over a controversial chief state auditor nominee.His party has and will continue to actively support policies by the conservative Lee government, but at the same time will “make the ut

Foreign ministers of South Korea and the Philippines agreed to strengthen economic and diplomatic ties between the two countries at a meeting in Seoul. Philippine Foreign Minister Alberto G. Romulo met his South Korean counterpart Kim Sung-hwan in Seoul on Monday to discuss, among other issues, ways to promote ties in the fields of trade and investment, agriculture and energy. President Lee Myung-

Civil service marred by ethical problemsDozens of government officials and lawmakers could have been involved in bribery related to construction site catering contracts, prosecutors said.Prosecutors began investigating the potentially explosive scandal last month, suspecting former National Police Agency chief Kang Hee-rak and ex-commissioner general of the National Coast Guard Lee Gil-beom of rec

North Korea has violated the armistice with South Korea 221 times, a recent report by the Defense Ministry said, as tensions continue to run high following two deadly attacks by Pyongyang last year.Since the two Koreas temporarily ended their three-year war with a truce in July 1953, North Korea has repeatedly violated the pact and conducted an actual military attack up to 26 times, according to a

Preconditions for reopening dialogue to be delivered to the North ‘via inter-Korean channel’While maintaining tough rhetoric, South Korea and the U.S. appear to be opening the door to possible peace talks with North Korea, apparently sending messages Pyongyang that the issue depends upon its attitude from this point on. Positive changes have been brewing on the tense Korean Peninsula since North K