North Korea has turned to active online advertising to attract more foreign tourists to its scenic mountain resort, which observers say is apparently linked to its efforts to earn much-needed hard currency.The Korea International Travel Company, the North's state-run tourist operator, said on its website Sunday that the number of tourists from European and Asian countries to Mount Geumgangsan is on the rise."(Foreign tourists) have constantly expressed admiration and praised Mt. Geumgangsan," on

Ukraine accused Russia on Saturday of invading a region bordering Crimea and vowed to use "all necessary measures" to repel an attack that came on the eve of the Black Sea peninsula's breakaway vote.The invasion reported by the Ukrainian foreign ministry was small in scale and concerned a region that lies just off the northeast coast of Crimea called the Arabat Spit.The dramatic escalation of the most serious East-West crisis since the Cold War set a tense stage for Sunday's referendum on Crimea

A joint oil exploration project involving South Korea's state-run oil company in Iraq has made another significant oil discovery in the Middle Eastern country, the company said Sunday.The discovery was made at the Hawler minefield in Iraq's northern Kurdish region, according to the Korea National Oil Corp.The Banan drill hole is the fourth exploration hole in the Hawler minefield, and it has successfully produced 4,320 barrels of light crude oil per day in a drill stem test that began in January

휴일인 16일 전국이 맑은 날씨를 보이고 있지만 일교차가 크고 일부 지역은 미세먼지 농도가 높을 것으로 보인다.기상청에 따르면 오전 6시 기준 전국의 기온은 4도에서 12도, 낮 최고기온은 11도에서 21도로 어제와 비슷하면서 일교차가 큰 날씨가 될 것으로 예상된다.특히 중부지방에서는 대기가 정체되면서 일부 지역에서 미세먼지 농도가 짙은 곳이 있을 것으로 전망된다.이에 따라 16일 미세먼지 농도는 수도권과 강원권이 ‘나쁨’(일평균 121~200㎍/㎥), 충청권이 ‘약간나쁨’(일평균 81~120㎍/㎥) 수준을 보일 것으로 예보됐다.17일은 서쪽에서 다가오는 기압골의 영향을 점차 받아 전국이 대체로 맑다가 오후에 차차 흐려지겠다. (헤럴드 경제)

Short-term funds flowing in the South Korean financial system rose to a record high last year as economic uncertainties and a bearish run on the local stock market prodded people to manage their money on a short-term basis, data showed Sunday.The country's short-term funds, including currency in circulation, demand deposits and money parked for stock investment, amounted to a record 712.89 trillion won ($665.94 billion) as of the end of December, up from 666.36 trillion won posted a year ago, ac

The remains of more than 400 Chinese soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War will return home from South Korea next week for permanent burial, a diplomatic source said Sunday.The remains will be brought home by plane on March 28 and buried at a state cemetery in China's northern city of Shenyang, the source said, speaking on the condition of anonymity."Chinese authorities in Shenyang plan to hold a ceremony on March 28 and bury the remains at one of state cemeteries," the source said.Durin

The number of sex crimes against minors rose sharply in the past five years but more than 40 percent of convicted offenders were released on probation, government data showed Thursday.According to the data by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the number of sex crimes, such as rape, indecent assault and brokering prostitution, against children and juveniles rose 52.7 percent from 1,068 cases in 2007 to 1,631 in 2012.The findings are based on a research conducted by the state-run Korean

North Korea lashed out at the United States Thursday for calling its recent parliamentary election undemocratic.On Sunday, North Korea held an election for the deputies of its 13th Supreme People's Assembly. It later claimed its leader Kim Jong-un was elected with not a single vote cast against him.During a regular press briefing the following day, U.S. State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said, "I will simply say that is not a model for democracy around the world."Asked about Kim's supposed