The search for people missing in April's ferry disaster came to a halt Sunday amid strong winds and rain caused by an approaching typhoon.Eleven people remain missing in the April 16 sinking of the ferry Sewol, with 293 others confirmed dead. The latest recovery of a body was on June 24.With the approach of typhoon Neoguri, barges and other vessels engaged in search operations had to be moved to the inner harbors of Mokpo, 410 kilometers south of Seoul, on Saturday night, according to officials

An upcoming confirmation hearing for a pro-growth finance minister nominee, scheduled ahead of the monthly rate-setting meeting, is adding to speculation that the central bank may take action to boost growth in Asia's fourth-largest economy.On Tuesday, the National Assembly is scheduled to hear from three-term ruling party lawmaker Choi Kyung-hwan. Two days later, the Bank of Korea (BOK) is set to vote on the key rate and release its revised economic growth outlook.Choi's nomination lent a hand

South Korea's finance ministry is reviewing cutting tax exemptions and other tax benefits allowed to companies and individuals to make up for an expected large tax shortfall this year and meet an increase in welfare spending, government officials said Sunday.  The ministry last year had announced a tax code revision in which it said it would not raise tax rates but drew criticism by increasing the tax burden on millions of people by reducing benefits and exemptions starting this year.   "Nothing

North Korea has nearly doubled the number of elite hackers over the past two years in an effort to step up cyberattacks, military sources said Sunday."North Korea appears to have some 5,900 personnel for cyberwarfare, up from around 3,000 two years ago," a military source said."The communist country operates a hacking unit under its General Bureau of Reconnaissance, which is home to some 1,200 professional hackers," he said, noting that they have been carrying out cyberattacks by establishing ov