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Manufacturers' sentiment slightly up: poll

Oct 23, 2016

South Korea's manufacturers expect a modest improvement in their business conditions in the coming months, but they remain downbeat about the overall economy, a poll showed Sunday.According to the survey of 650 local manufacturers conducted by the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade, the manufacturing sector business survey index stood at 99 for the fourth quarter of 2016, up three points from 93 for the previous quarter.The BSI for their sales also rose two points to 99. A BSI re
Prosecutors summon former head of scandal-ridden foundation

Social affairsOct 23, 2016

State prosecutors on Sunday questioned the former head of a scandal-ridden foundation that has been linked to controversial figures with ties to President Park Geun-hye.The summons by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office came just days after the chief executive ordered a thorough "inspection and oversight" of the Mir foundation, which was established in October 2015 to promote Korean culture and sports through various events and programs.Kim Hyung-su, a professor at Seoul Yonsei Univer
Korea ranks 24th in UN procurement market: report

InternationalOct 23, 2016

South Korea provided the United Nations with $192.85 million worth of goods and services in 2015, accounting for only around 1 percent of the global body's total procurement of the year, an official report showed Sunday.The figure marks an 8.9 percent increase from the volume of the UN's procurement from South Korea, according to an annual statistical report by the UN Office for Project Services.But South Korea ranked the world's 24th in the field, which is relatively low for its economic size.
박근혜 풍자 작가 징역, '국제적 망신'

한국어판Oct 23, 2016

지난 21일 검찰은 박근혜 대통령 풍자 그래피티로 불구속기소된 사회적 예술가 홍승희씨에 대해 징역 1년6개월을 구형했다. 홍씨는 지난해 11월 서울 홍대입구 지하철 역 부근 그래피티 공간에 박정희 전대통령 얼굴이 그려진 국정교과서 풍자그림과 ‘사요나라 박근혜’라는 풍자화를 그린 것으로 각각 두 건의 재물손괴죄 혐의를 받았다. 그가 2014년 세월호 추모 집회에서 노란 천을 두르고 희생자를 추모한 퍼포먼스는 일반교통방해죄가 적용됐다. (사진=홍승희씨 페이스북)홍씨는 “재물손괴 혐의 수사에서 ‘왜 이 작업을 했나’, ‘그림 내용이 박근혜대통령 관련된 것 아니냐’, ‘사요나라는 무슨 뜻이냐’ 등 죄명과 상관 없는 것들을 물어봤다”고 말했다. 또한, 문제가 되어 지워진 홍씨의 그래피티 곁에 있던 다른 그래피티들은 욕설이 포함된 내용에도 불구하고 재물손괴 혐의를 피했다는 것이다. (사진=홍승희씨 페이스북) (사진=홍승희씨 페이스북)일반교통방해죄가 적용된 2014년 집회 당시엔 “노란색 천을
고추 먹고 식도에 구멍 뚫린 남자

Oct 23, 2016

지난 19일 IFL 온라인 과학 전문 사이트에 기막힌 사건이 소개되었다.　　최근 미국 캘리포니아 응급 의료 저널에 실린 한 사례에서 47세 남성이 부트 졸로키아 고추를 먹고 식도에 구멍이 뚫렸다는 것이다.　 부트 졸로키아 (사진=유튜브)　부트 졸로키아는 기네스 기록 상 세계에서 가장 매운 다섯 종류 고추 중 하나다. 　　작지만 강력한 이 고추는 스코빌 매운 맛 단계에서 1백만점을 기록한다. 이는 타바스코 소스보다 400배 더 매운 것이라고 한다. 　　이 남성은 매운 고추 먹기 대회에서 부트 졸로키아를 삼키고 흉부에 극심한 고통을 느껴 구토를 하며 샌프란시스코 대학교 응급 의료실로 이송되었다. 　　진통제와 각종 처방약을 복용하고도 차도가 없자 의료진은 그를 수술대에 올렸고 이내 식도에서 약2.5센티미터 길이 구멍을 발견했다. 　　의료진은 부트 졸로키아 고추가 식도에 구멍을 냈다기 보단 극심한 구토에 의한 위산 역류가 원인이었을 거라 짐작했다. 　　그는 수술 후 약 3주간 입원했고 위에
여자 조교 '성추행 의혹' 교수 아파트서 투신 사망

한국어판Oct 23, 2016

여자 조교를 성추행하고 유사성행위를 강요한 혐의로 경찰 조사를 받던 대학교수가 숨진 채 발견됐다.23일 군산경찰서 등에 따르면 이날 오전 9시 30분께 전북 군산시 한 아파트 15층에서 대학교수 A(55)씨가 떨어져 숨졌다.(연합뉴스)한 주민은 "아파트 화단으로 사람이 떨어졌다"며 경찰에 신고했다.A씨는 최근 여자 조교를 성추행한 혐의로 경찰 조사를 받았고, 혐의를 부인한 것으로 알려졌다.경찰 관계자는 "아직 유서는 확인되지 않았다"며 "목격자와 가족 등을 상대로 경위를 조사하고 있다"고 말했다. (연합뉴스)
친딸 수년간 성폭행 아버지 징역 17년

한국어판Oct 23, 2016

초등학생인 친딸을 수년 동안 상습적으로 성폭행한 '인면수심' 아버지에 대해 법원이 징역 17년을 선고했다.춘천지법 원주지원 제1형사부(재판장 양은상 부장판사)는 19일 13세 미만 미성년자 강간 등의 혐의로 구속기소 된 A(41) 피고인에게 징역 17년을 선고하고 성폭력 방지 프로그램 120시간 이수도 함께 명령했다. (연합뉴스)A 피고인은 친딸 B양(14)을 상대로 2009년부터 지난해 5월까지 성폭행과 추행, 유사 성행위 등을 한 혐의로 기소됐다.앞서 검찰은 "보호 대상인 초등학생 친딸을 6년에 걸쳐 강간했고, 피해자도 엄벌을 요구하고 있다"며 무기징역을 구형했다. 한편 B양은 현재 지역아동센터에서 치료를 받는 것으로 알려졌다. (연합뉴스)
US remains firm on NK nukes; talks with Pyongyang speculated

North KoreaOct 23, 2016

The United States remains firm on its commitment to denuclearize North Korea, and Washington and Seoul will cooperate with the international community to keep strong pressure and sanctions on Pyongyang to make it give up its nuclear ambitions, the foreign ministry here said Sunday.Speculation lingers that the US might be seeking dialogue with the North as seen by a meeting between senior North Korean foreign ministry officials and former US government officials, including Robert Gallucci, who ne
Park gov't issues massive deficit bonds for welfare program: lawmaker

Oct 23, 2016

The volume of deficit bonds issued by South Korea's Park Geun-hye administration is expected to reach 165 trillion won ($144 billion) mainly due to its aggressive welfare program without tax hikes, a lawmaker said Sunday.The government plans to issue sovereign bonds worth 28.7 trillion won next year to cover budget shortages, according to Rep.Kim Tae-nyeon of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea. He cited data from related authorities.The planned sale of deficit bonds will push up the total
Protracted strike by railroad workers continues to cause public inconvenience

Social affairsOct 23, 2016

A protracted labor strike by unionized railroad workers will continue to cause public inconvenience for many passengers and cargo transportation due to lower-than-normal operation levels, observers said Sunday.According to the Korea Railroad Corp., which operates the country's passenger and cargo trains and some subway lines in Seoul, the overall operation rate of its trains is expected to stay at 92.3 percent Sunday.The rates for Saemauel and Mugunghwa passenger trains will remain far lower at
Korea's corporate restructuring to cost 31 tln won: IMF

Oct 23, 2016

The International Monetary Fund put the estimated cost of South Korea's ongoing corporate restructuring drive at 31 trillion won ($27 billion), saying it will be offset by various benefits in a decade, according to a recent report.It used loss given default data for corporate debts and employment impact assumptions under a scenario that corporate restructuring in Asia's fourth-largest economy will proceed in the most effective manner."Our method gives that cost at about KRW 31 trillion in the ad
N. Koreans displaced by flooding hovers around 300,000: observer

North KoreaOct 23, 2016

The number of North Koreans displaced by devastating floods that ravaged northeastern parts of the country hovers around 300,000, a local researcher said Sunday.The total estimate is four times larger than what Pyongyang announced in the past after Typhoon Lionrock caused heavy rainfall, landslides and flooding. North Korean news outlets said the typhoon that affected the country from Aug. 29 through Sept. 2 caused 68,900 people to abandon their homes.Cheong Seong-chang, a senior researcher at t
NK resumes encrypted numbers broadcast after 9-day break

North KoreaOct 23, 2016

North Korea's state radio station resumed broadcasting mysterious numbers Sunday after a nine-day break that could be some kind of coded message to its agents operating in South Korea.An announcer at Radio Pyongyang, started reading a series of messages shortly after midnight (Seoul time), calling out a series of numbers. The announcer said she is "giving review work in metal engineering to No. 21 expedition agents." The content was the same as those transmitted in the early hours of Oct. 9.Sinc
Park to deliver speech on 2017 budget at National Assembly on Monday

PoliticsOct 23, 2016

President Park Geun-hye will deliver an annual speech to outline her government's budget plans for next year at the National Assembly this week, her office Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday.Park will make the speech Monday. It will mark her fourth budgetary address to the nation."Since her inauguration (in February 2013), President Park has explained the government's budget plans and the direction for her state management each year (through a parliamentary speech)," presidential spokesman Jung Youn-kuk
Plane tickets bought online eligible for full refund within 7 days: court

IndustryOct 23, 2016

Plane tickets bought online are eligible for full refund within seven days of being purchased regardless of clauses set by airlines, court records showed Sunday.The ruling by the Seoul Central District Court said the country's Electronic Transactions Act requires carriers to provide refunds on airfare within a set period of time and that this rule takes precedence over terms set by airlines. The ruling was made after a person, whose identity was withheld, bought two tickets for himself and his w