The number of subscribers to the so-called long-term evolution (LTE) mobile network in the country reached 27 million last month, with over 50 percent of mobile phone users using the faster wireless coverage, industry data showed on Wednesday.According to the data compiled by the country's three mobile carriers, some 27.35 million people subscribed to the LTE service as of end-November, accounting for slightly more than half of the country's 54.4 million mobile phone users.The end-November figur

Two out of three American people regard North Korea's nuclear weapons drive as a major threat to the well-being of the United States, according to poll results released Tuesday.The survey of 2,003 adults nationwide showed 7 percent of them view North Korea as representing the greatest danger to the U.S., an identical percentage with Iraq.The top threats were viewed as Iran and China, tied at 16 percent.The poll was conducted by the Pew Research Center from Oct. 30 to Nov. 6. The margin of error

South Korea has ended up in a pot with other Asian and American qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.In the northern Brazilian resort of Costa do Sauipe, about 70 kilometers north of Salvador, FIFA on Tuesday unveiled its four pots for the quadrennial event set to open next summer.South Korea is in the third pot with Australia, Japan and Iran from Asia, and the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica and Honduras from North and Central America.The draw will take place Friday, also in Costa

China rejected Wednesday concerns of a possible spying risk from U.S. lawmakers over a recent deal signed between a South Korean mobile carrier and China's Huawei Technologies Co.LG Uplus Corp., South Korea's third-largest mobile carrier, signed a deal in October with Huawei that allows the Chinese telecoms equipment maker to build a mobile network in South Korea, were some 28,500 American troops are stationed. U.S. defense officials and influential lawmakers, including Democratic senators Diann

South Korea's foreign-exchange reserves hit a record high in November on the back of increased profit on investment, the central bank said Wednesday. The country's foreign reserves totaled a record US$345.01 billion as of end-November, up $1.79 billion from the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK). The foreign reserves rose for the fifth consecutive month last month after declining by the largest amount in 13 months in June.In October, the figure grew by the biggest monthly gain

South Korean stocks opened lower Wednesday as the rising woes over an earlier-than-expected tapering of U.S. quantitative easing dented investors' sentiment, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 9.62 points, or 0.48 percent, to 1,999.74 in the first 15 minutes of trading.Tech shares traded lower, with No. 1 Samsung Electronics moving down 1.03 percent and its rival LG Electronics falling 0.75 percent. Flat panel maker LG Display shed 1.05 percent.Shipbuilder

Antigovernment protesters crossed heavily fortified barriers and reached the gates of the Thai prime minister‘s office and the city police headquarters without resistance from police Tuesday.　 Police used cranes to remove concrete slabs and barbed wire barricades on a road leading to the police headquarters after agreeing to let the protesters into the building. After bitterly resisting them with tear gas and rubber bullets since Saturday, police also stood by as protesters removed the barriers