South Korea's recent local real estate market boom has been largely driven by a government policy to ease bank loan regulations, a report by a state-run think tank said Wednesday.Housing construction in the country has been accelerating for more than a year since the government lowered a set of financial regulations on home-backed household debts -- the debt-to-income (DTI) and loan-to-value (LTV) ratios -- in August 2014.As a result, new construction permits had grown for 16 months in a row unt

Two former presidential secretaries are currently under investigation over their alleged involvement in an influence-peddling scandal surrounding President Park Geun-hye and her confidante, according to the government.In a document written for the parliamentary probe over the scandal, the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office said Kim Ki-choon, former presidential chief of staff, and Woo Byung-woo, ex-senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, have been named as suspects

The South Korean government said Wednesday that it will expand a program to help young job seekers find jobs at small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) and create assets in a way to tackle the country's high youth unemployment rate.Under the program, which was initiated in April, an SME employee will be given a total of 12 million won after saving 3 million won for two years, with the employer and the government additionally paying 3 million won and 6 million won, respectively. South Korea's Fina

The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday that President Park Geun-hye will accept whatever decision parliament will make regarding her fate as she stated a day earlier.The comments came amid lingering doubts over Park's decision to leave her presidency in the hands of parliament. Addressing the nation Tuesday over the corruption scandal involving her and her longtime friend, Park pledged to step down "in line with the timeline and the procedures" set by political parties.Opposition p

Deposits at cash management accounts rose to a record high this week, as investors stayed on the sidelines over a lackluster performance in stock markets, data showed Wednesday. A cash management account refers to a type of account offered by brokerage houses and other financial institutions that allows an account holder to trade equities while earning interest on cash balances. The net asset value of cash management accounts reached 53.1 trillion won ($45.5 billion) as of Tuesday, up 500 billio

Coffee companies are engaging in cultural promotions as a way of improving their brand image with customers through hosting mini concerts and art exhibitions.Dongsuh Food, famous for its instant coffee mix brand Maxim, recently hosted its latest classical music concert in the southwestern city of Jeonju on Nov. 2. The company began the "Dongsuh Coffee Classic" series in 2008 as a cultural sharing event and to help promote the music genre in the country. The concert has toured throughout the nati

Pharmaceutical companies are diversifying hangover remedies to cater better to customers, especially foreigners, creating new products in different packaging, industry officials said Wednesday.Handok succeeded in grabbing Chinese customers with its Ready Q Chew, the only jelly-type hangover remedy in the local market, where most of the products are bottled drinks.  "Ready Q Chew spread through the word of mouth among Chinese tourists, and its sales this year leaped about 970 percent this year fr

미국에서 50대 남성이 에너지음료를 마신 직후 뇌출혈로 쓰러지는 일이 발생했다.30일 메디컬익스프레스 등에 따르면, 앨러배마대학병원 신경과 팀은 57세 남성이 에너지음료를 마시고 뇌출혈 증상으로 입원, 수술받은 사례를 학계에 보고했다.이 남성은 정원 손질을 하러 나가기 전 유명 에너지음료를 마셨는데 15분 뒤 손발이 저리고 마비되는 등 감각 이상과 보행실조 증상을 보여 응급실에 실려 왔다. CT 촬영 결과 뇌 왼쪽 시상부위에서 작은 출혈이 발견됐다. 에너지음료, 특히 술을 섞은 에너지음료의 경우 자칫 건강에 크게 해로울 수 있다는 연구결과들이 속속 나오고 있다. 사진 속 음료는 기사의 특정 내용과는 무관함. (사진=연합)보고서 주 저자인 애넌드 뱅커트러먼 박사는 음료엔 고농도 카페인을 비롯해 베타-페닐에틸라민 염산염, 요힘빈, 녹차추출물 등 다양한 성분이 들어있었는데 모두 교감신경을 자극하고 혈압을 상승시키는 것과 관련 있다고 밝혔다.교감신경계는 잠재적으로 위험할 수 있는 응급 상황

배우 엄태웅(42)에게 성폭행당했다며 허위 고소한 혐의로 기소된 마사지업소 여종업원이 업주와 짜고 엄씨와의 성관계 장면을 녹화한 사실이 재판 과정에서 드러났다.여성은 무고를 비롯한 몰카 촬영 혐의에 대해 부인하고 있지만, 업주는 혐의를 대부분 인정했다.법원은 검찰측 신청을 받아들여 엄태웅을 이번 무고 사건의 증인으로 채택했다. 경찰에 출석한 엄태웅 (사진=연합)29일 수원지법 성남지원 형사6단독 김영환 판사 심리로 열린 권모(35·여)씨와 신모(35)씨 첫 공판에서 마사지업소 여종업원 권씨는 모든 혐의를 부인한 반면, 업주 신씨는 대부분의 혐의를 인정했다.권씨는 올해 1월 경기도 성남시 소재 한 오피스텔 마사지업소에서 엄씨와 성매매를 한 뒤, "엄씨로부터 성폭행당했다"며 7월 엄씨를 허위 고소한 혐의로 기소됐다.권씨와 신씨는 성매매 이후 수차례에 걸쳐 엄씨에게 1억5천만원을 요구한 혐의를 받고 있다.권씨 등은 올 1월 엄씨가 권씨를 지명해 예약한 사실을 알고 미리 업소 안에 차량용

자신이 짝사랑하는 여자를 가로챈 동네 선배에게 휘발유를 뿌리고 불 지른 남성이 경찰에 붙잡혔다.인천 계양경찰서는 살인미수 혐의로 A(30)씨에 대해 30일 구속영장을 신청했다.A씨는 28일 오전 2시 20분께 인천시 계양구의 한 식당 앞에서 B(32)씨에게 휘발유를 뿌리고 불을 붙여 얼굴과 손에 2∼3도 화상을 입힌 혐의를 받고 있다. (사진=연합)그는 "술을 마시자"며 B씨를 불러낸 뒤 미리 주유소에서 산 휘발유 2ℓ를 얼굴과 몸에 뿌리고 라이터 불을 붙인 것으로 조사됐다.이들은 평소 같은 동네에 살며 오래 알고 지낸 선후배 사이로 8월부터 최근까지 같은 직장에서 일한 것으로 조사됐다.A씨는 경찰에서 "B씨에게 3달 전 한 여자를 좋아한다고 털어놓고 조언을 구했는데 갑자기 B씨가 그 여자와 사귄다고 해 화가 났다"고 진술했다. (연합뉴스)

The US State Department on Tuesday withheld comment on South Korean President Park Geun-hye's offer to step down over a corruption scandal, only repeating a previous statement that the alliance between the two countries remains firm and the US supports the right to peaceful protests.Park, who has been under mounting pressure to resign, said in a nationally televised address earlier Tuesday that she will leave her fate to the National Assembly and step down if the ruling and opposition parties pu

Loan guarantees among affiliates of South Korea's large business groups sank in 2016 from a year earlier, the country's corporate watchdog said Wednesday.The total corporate debt payment guarantees made among units of 27 conglomerates reached 321.2 billion won ($274.5 million) as of April 1, down 24.8 percent from 426.9 billion tallied a year ago, according to the Fair Trade Commission (FTC). Corporate images of South Korea's 30 large business groups.The total number of conglomerates eligible to