South Korea's economy has become less dependent on the financial sector over the past several years despite the latter's growth in size, a study showed Monday.The financial industry's output accounted for only 4 percent of the total output of the country's economy in 2014, down from 4.7 percent in 2007, according to National Assembly Research Service.The findings, based on the analysis of the Bank of Korea's data, mean the financial industry has contributed less to the gross domestic product of

South Korea's military appointed senior commanders to two key posts as part of an ongoing effort to better counter rising threats from North Korea, the defense ministry said Monday.Um Hyun-seong, 58, vice chairman of Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff, will take over from the current Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jung Ho-sup. Leem Ho-young, 57, chief director of JCS's Strategic Planning Directorate, will replace Gen.Kim Hyun-jip as deputy commander of the Combined Forces Command, the Ministry of Nat

지난 주 벨기에에서 ‘세계 최초로’ 만 17세 청소년이 안락사로 생을 마감했다고 17일 CNN이 보도했다.　　벨기에에선 안락사 연령 제한이 2년 전 해제되었다.　　안락사 찬성파 자크 드 구트 의원은 벨기에 TV 채널 VTM과의 인터뷰에 난치병을 가지고 태어난 아이가 안락사를 요청해왔음을 밝혔다. 　　벨기에 안락사 평결회의 한 위원은 연령제한이 해제된 이래 안락사를 요청해 온 아동 수는 소수이지만 “그렇다고 해서 그들이 존엄성을 가지고 죽을 권리를 막을 이유는 없다”고 말한 바 있다. 　　벨기에는 2002년 “지속적이고 견디기 힘들며 호전될 수 없는 육체적·정신적 고통을 겪는 사람을 대상으로” 안락사를 허용했다. 　　애초 미성년도 대상에 포함되어 있었지만, 정치적 반대로 최종 결의안에서 제외되었다. 　　이후 2014년 연령제한을 해지해 만 18세 미만의 아동·청소년에게도 “죽을 권리”를 부여했다. 　　이들은 안락사의 의미를 완전히 이해하며 보호자의 동의를 얻는 조건을 충족할 시 안락사

South Korea's minor opposition People's Party is moving towards a more lenient stance in regards to the deployment of an advanced US missile defense system in the country, political pundits said Monday.The move apparently comes as Pyongyang's fifth nuclear test conducted earlier this month is causing the general public to lose patience with North Korea. There has been a rise in the number of people calling for greater protection against the North's nuclear and missile threats.Besides detonating

Major shipyard Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. said Monday that its unit has won a $120 million deal from a US shipyard to design two ships and supply materials. Under the deal with NASSCO, a unit of General Dynamics, the Daewoo Ship Engineering Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of DSME, will design two container ships that can also house automobiles.The vessels, 265 meters long and 35 meters wide each, will be able to carry 3,250 container boxes and 525 autos.The ships will be del

Korea Kolmar Co., South Korea's original development manufacturing cosmetics manufacturer, said Monday it has bought a US-based cosmetics maker to pave the way for entering the North American market.  In a regulatory briefing, Kolmar said it has established a special purpose company, named Seokoh, to acquire a 51 percent stake in Process Technologies & Packaging LLC for 17 billion won ($15.1 million).Established in 1993, the Pennsylvania-based PTP has provided cosmetics for global brands includi