프랑스 동부도시 브장송 (Besançon)에서 2인조 강도단이 햄버거가게를 털려다 마침 식사 중이던 특공대원들에게 검거되는 사건이 발생해 화제다. 영국의 일간지 미러는 지난 7일 (현지시각) 브장송에서 총기를 휴대한 2인조 강도단이 한 쇼핑센터 내에 위치한 맥도날드 점포에 난입해 점원을 위협하고 2,000유로, 우리 돈 약 260만 원을 강탈하려다 검거되었다고 전했다. 보도에 따르면 강도단은 계산대에 있던 현금을 받아내는 데 성공했지만, 이들의 계획은 마침 식사를 하던 프랑스 헌병특공대 (Groupe d‘Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale)소속 특수요원들에 의해 무산되고 말았다고. 보도에 따르면 당시 11명의 헌병특공대원이 식사 중이었고, 용의자 중 한 명은 복부에 총상을 입은 것으로 전해졌다. 한편, 프랑스 헌병특공대는 1974년 설립 이후 1,800여 작전에 투입되었고 600여 명의 인질을 구출한 것으로 알려져 세계에서 가장 강력한 대테러부대

Kim Hong-kyun, South Korea's special representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs, will visit Beijing on June 8-9 for talks with his Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei, the Ministry of Foreign Affair said on Sunday. (Yonhap)

Korea's Ministry of National Defense will publish a summary of its biennial defense white paper in six foreign languages starting this year in an effort to help foreign countries have a better understanding of Seoul's defense policies, officials said Sunday.The summary of the 2016 Defense White Paper due out at the end of this year will be published in six foreign languages -- English, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Spanish and Arabic -- said the officials, adding the abridged foreign-language edit

President Park Geun-hye arrived in Seoul on Sunday after her swing through Africa and France that strived to boost economic cooperation and win broad support to sanction North Korea's for its nuclear weapons program.The trip illustrated South Korea's efforts to tap into business opportunities on the African continent that has huge growth potential as well as to further strengthen existing economic ties with Paris.Asia's fourth largest economy signed dozens of initial deals with Ethiopia, Uganda

The number of North Korean defectors arriving in South Korea has rebounded this year after showing a steady decline under the rule of the North's incumbent leader, government data said Sunday.A total of 590 defectors from the North came to South Korea in the first five months of this year, posting a 16 percent hike from the same period last year, according to the data obtained from the Ministry of Unification in Seoul.It is the first time that the arrival of North Korean defectors has increased

South Korean President Park Geun-hye visited a research institute of French Air Liquide SA, the world's biggest supplier of industrial gases, on Saturday to boost cooperation in fuel-cell vehicles as she wrapped up her state visit to France.The trip to the research institute in Grenoble, a city in southeastern France, underscores the importance South Korea places on liquefaction technology in further spreading the use of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.She looked around the facility that liquefies h

South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se arrived in Cuba Saturday (local time) to attend a regional summit, officials said, marking the first time Seoul's top diplomat has visited the Caribbean state.Yun is scheduled to stay in Havana for two days to attend a summit of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) and hold meetings with some of his counterparts from the participating nations.Yun's visit is widely seen as an effort to improve ties with Cuba, with which South Korea does not have dip

China does not intend to assume a role as “big brother”, but instead seeks to build a community of a shared future with all its neighbors, Premier Li Keqiang said in Beijing on Tuesday.“There are no grounds for China to become a superpower, and neither does China have the intention to be one,” Li said. “China has a long way to go to realize modernization. It needs a stable regional and peaceful international environment, and China is committed to safeguarding that environment.” The premier made