South Korean and U.S. troops launched their annual joint drills on Friday, military officials said, amid heightened tension following North Korea's third nuclear test last month.The Key Resolve/Foal Eagle exercises come after North Korea warned the top U.S. commander in South Korea of "miserable destruction" if the American military goes ahead with the two-month-long joint drills.Earlier in the day, the allies started the Foal Eagle drills, which are field training exercises involving tens of th

TOKYO, (AFP) -- The head of the committee tasked with evaluating bids for the 2020 Olympic games arrived in Japan on Friday as Tokyo readied to showcase its facilities.International Olympic Committee Vice President Craig Reedie, who leads the Evaluation Commission, was met by Tokyo Governor Naoki Inose ahead of the four-day inspection, which starts Monday."Just welcomed 2020 Evaluation Commission Chairman Sir Craig Reedie to Tokyo. The race for the 2020 games is now in full gear #Tokyo2020," Twe

TOKYO (AP) -- Stock markets in Asia were mixed Friday as China's manufacturing waned and many investors watched for progress on resolving an impasse that could bring on drastic spending cuts by the U.S. government.China's manufacturing grew at its weakest rate in five months in February as demand faltered and factories shut down for the Lunar New Year holiday. Economic data from Japan showed a slight improvement in unemployment but a plunge in business investment and persisting deflation. That d

South Korea's trade balance posted a surplus last month, continuing to stay in the black for the 13 consecutive month, as a drop in imports outstripped a fall in exports, the government said Friday.The country's exports came to US$42.32 billion in February, down 8.6 percent from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Knowledge Economy. Imports sank 10.7 percent on-year to $40.26 billion, leaving a $2.06 billion trade surplus.Last month's fall contrasts with the on-year growth in both expor

In spite of leadership changes in both South Korea and Japan, efforts to mend frayed bilateral ties are likely to be bogged down for the time being and prospects for better relations will depend on how Japan responds to historical and territorial issues.Relations between Seoul and Tokyo have chilled following an unprecedented visit to the South Korean islets of Dokdo last August by the South's former President Lee Myung-bak, who cited Tokyo's unrepentant attitude over its brutal 1910-45 colonial

After watching a basketball game with former NBA star Dennis Rodman in Pyongyang, North Korea's young leader Kim Jong-un expressed his "expectation" that a sports exchange with the United States could help promote "mutual understanding" between people of the two nations, the North's state media said Friday.On his third day visiting North Korea with New York-based VICE media company, Rodman watched a mixed basketball game with Kim between American players of the Harlem Globetrotters and North Kor

The number of South Korean nationals who left their home country for the purpose of permanent residence in foreign nations fell to a record low last year, government data showed Friday.A total of 538 people applied for emigration in 2012, compared with 753 a year ago, according to the data by the foreign ministry.South Korean emigrants have been on a steady decline since 1977 due mainly to the country's economic development. The number of South Koreans departing to live in foreign nations peaked

NEW DELHI (AP) --  Scores of demonstrators have gathered near India's Parliament to protest a new sexual violence law they say is inadequate. The government Monday defended its decision to approve an ordinance over the weekend that prescribed harsher punishment for rapists.But activists say the law only partially followed the recommendations of a government panel set up after the fatal gang rape of a woman in New Delhi two months ago.Activists say the new law does not deal with marital rape or s

South Korea's tax agency has launched an investigation into the nation's top Internet portal operator NHN Corp for the first time since 2007, a company official said Monday.The official said the probe is a regular tax investigation that occurs every four or five years but NHN's first tax probe in 2007 forced the company to pay 1.48 billion won (US$1.3 million) in additional taxes.The 2007 tax probe was the first on NHN since it was founded in 1999.Naver is NHN's flagship Web portal that features

JERUSALEM (AP) -- Both Israeli and Palestinian schoolbooks largely present one-sided narratives of the conflict between the two peoples and tend to ignore the existence of the other side, but rarely resort to demonization, a study released Monday said.The study by Israeli, Palestinian and American researchers, billed as setting a new scientific standard for textbook analysis, tackled a particularly fraught issue -- longstanding Israeli claims that the Palestinians teach hatred of Israel and glor

The heads of the world's biggest display makers, Samsung Display Co. and LG Display Co., agreed Monday to resolve their patent dispute through dialogue in an effort to stem the legal tussle from escalating.The two companies, affiliates of the country's biggest electronics firms Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc., have been embroiled in a patent suit over display technology as they race to bolster market leadership.Samsung Display and LG Display are currently involved in four litigat

South Korean rapper Psy said Monday his follow-up to his global hit "Gangnam Style" will likely be released in April."I finished the song but it's hellish to make its music video," he told reporters at Incheon International Airport.The video for Psy's "Gangnam Style" became the most-viewed YouTube clip in December, topping 1 billion hits, and broke the 1.2 billion mark last month.He recently starred in a Super Bowl ad for Wonderful Pistachios, a popular U.S. snack brand.The singer's first ad in