President Park Geun-hye stressed Monday that South Korea should keep an iron-clad security posture, saying it would serve as the major foundation for building healthy inter-Korean relations.   "An iron-clad security posture is an important basis for safeguarding South Korea's freedom and peace as well as building healthy inter-Korean relations," Park said in a video message at a ceremony to mark the fifth anniversary of the deadly North Korean shelling of the South's border island.  In what was

Nearly 8,500 people, including a number of high-profile figures, have visited a hospital in Seoul over two days to offer condolences for the death of former President Kim Young-sam.   Kim, an iconic figure of the pro-democracy movement who ended decades of military rule in South Korea during his presidency from 1993 to 1998, passed away Sunday at Seoul National University Hospital. He was 87.   Many incumbent and former politicians and government officials, including Lee Hoi-chang who served as

China on Monday expressed condolences over the death of former South Korean President Kim Young-sam, crediting him for making contributions to the development of Korea-China relations.    China's foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei, in a statement sent to Yonhap News Agency, said the Chinese government "extended condolences" over the death of Kim, who "made contributions to the development of China-Korea relations during his presidency."   Former President Kim, who died of a blood infection and

Two people died after a U.S. military helicopter crashed on a local road in Wonju, Gangwon Province, Monday, authorities said.   The accident took place at around 6:22 p.m., killing the two people aboard, including a pilot, in the northeastern province.   The ill-fated helicopter is believed to be an AH-64 Apache that belongs to the 2nd Infantry Division of the U.S. troops in Korea.   "I went out after hearing a 'bang' sound twice and saw flames rising into the sky from the side of the road," a

South Korea's economy has performed relatively well in 2015 despite domestic and overseas challenges, the country's top economic policymaker said Monday.   In a meeting with senior finance ministry officials in Sejong City, Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan said the timely injection of an 11.5 trillion won (US$9.94 billion) extra budget and other stimulus measures have kept alive the country's growth momentum.   "Despite a slew of difficult conditions at home and abroad, the economy has put up a

한 유명 올림픽 선수가 14살 소녀와 성관계를 한 후 돈을 준 사건이 있었다고 여러 외신이 보도했다. 　영국의 그림즈비시의 데이비드 스미스 (41세)는 미성년자와 성매매한 혐의를 인정해 징역 2년형을 선고받았다고 전해졌다. 　경찰 조사에 따르면 스미스는 이 소녀를 인터넷상에서 만났다고 전했고, 소녀는 자신을 26살 모델이자 사진작가로 속여 둘은 처음 만난 것으로 알려졌다. 　그 후 스미스는 이 소녀와 계속 만나 성관계를 했고, 그의 대가로 25파운드 (한화 약 44,000원) 을 줬다고 밝혔다. 또한, 스미스는 자신의 휴대폰으로 성관계 장면을 촬영한 것으로 전해졌다. 　스미스는 해머던지기 영국대표로 1996년 올림픽에 출전했었다.(khnews@heraldcorp.com)