The number of crimes committed by foreigners in South Korea increased over the past few years, a ruling party lawmaker said Wednesday, with Chinese nationals being responsible for roughly 40 percent of the total.According to the data compiled by Rep. Kim Jin-tae of the Saenuri Party, the number of crimes involving foreign perpetrators came to 46,994 last year, rising sharply from the 32,364 tallied in 2012. The figure also came to 25,570 in the January-June period of 2016.By nationality, Chinese

South Korean stocks ended higher Wednesday on the Japanese central bank's decision to freeze its key rate. The local currency rose against the US dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index climbed 10.28 points, or 0.51 percent, to 2,035.99.The Bank of Japan kept its key rate unchanged at minus 0.1 percent."The BOJ's decision pushed up the benchmark index as investors were relieved from the bank's decision to keep its key rate unchanged," said Kim Ye-eun, an analyst at LIG Investment

South Korea's finance minister said Wednesday that the government will push forward with reforming the corporate sector under the principles of self-help efforts by businesses and do its best to minimize the adverse impact."Based on the principles that creditor banks give out additional aid only when troubled companies come up with painstaking self-reform plans, the government will firmly lead the nationwide corporate restructuring process," Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho said in a meeting of econom

Nearly 8 trillion won ($7.15 billion) was used in medical expenses for more than 11 million diabetes patients in the past five years, a lawmaker said Wednesday.A total of 11.79 million people received medical treatment for diabetes and diabetic complications with the costs amounting to 7.89 trillion won in the 2011-2015 period, In Jae-keun of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea said, citing data of the National Health Insurance Service submitted to the National Assembly.The number of diabe

The agreed setup of a girl statue, symbolizing victims of sex slavery for Japanese soldiers during World War II, in a German city has been virtually scuttled because of apparent strong obstruction and pressure by Japan, a civic organization leader said Wednesday. In a July letter sent to Suwon Mayor Yeom Tae-young, Mayor Dietor Salomon of Freiburg, Germany, notified that his city had accepted Yeom's earlier proposal to build the statue in the German city. Following that, 75 public and civic orga

The United States on Wednesday sent two armed strategic bombers to South Korea, the US Forces Korea said, in the latest move to demonstrate Washington's security commitment to its Asian ally and warn against additional North Korean provocations.One of the two B-1B Lancer bombers landed at Osan Air Base. The other flew over the base in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, and returned to US Andersen Air Force Base on Guam, the USFK said.The flyby comes only a week after a pair of B-1B Lancer

South Korea has promised to contribute $230 million for global efforts over the next three years to join global humanitarian support for refugees, the foreign ministry said Wednesday.The contribution plan was unveiled Tuesday (local time) by Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, who is in New York to attend the UN General Assembly, according to the ministry.In a summit hosted by US President Barack Obama to discuss ways to help refugees, Yun delivered a speech in which Seoul's three-year support plan w