South Korea will work to develop and improve new products using nanotechnology, such as wearable devices, as part of efforts to take global leadership in a market that is expected to reach $3 trillion in 2020, the government said Thursday.Nanotechnology refers to the technology of dividing any material into nanometers to create more a stable or precise material that also often comes with new and better characteristics.One nanometer is equal to one-billionth of a meter.South Korea is already one

South Korea and China have agreed to conduct a joint environment research in the Yellow Sea as part of efforts to help develop and protect marine resources in the waters shared by the countries, the Seoul government said Thursday.The research will mark a resumption of joint efforts to better understand the environment of waters between the two countries that had lasted for 12 years since 1997, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries."Through the joint research that will be resumed this

China hinted Friday at a possible meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korea's ceremonial leader Kim Yong-nam on the margins of a forum in Jakarta next week. Asked about a possible bilateral meeting between Xi and Kim on the sidelines of the conference in Indonesia, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin replied, "Yes, on the sidelines of the Asia-African Conference and other commemorative events, President Xi will have some bilateral meetings."Xi will arrive in Indonesia on

Prosecutors demanded Friday a four-year jail term for the son of the Sewol ferry owner, accusing him of embezzling company funds.Yoo Dae-gyun, whose father owned the ferry Sewol that capsized off the southwest coast last year, was convicted at a lower court last November of the misappropriation of about 7.4 billion won ($6.8 million) from his father's companies between 2002 and 2013. The lower court sentenced him to three years in prison.At a Seoul Appellate Court hearing, prosecutors also deman