The operation rate of the country's nuclear power plants sank to its lowest level in 25 years, as a number of the plants were suspended for faulty parts supplied under fake tests and also underwent regular maintenance work, data showed on Sunday.According to the Korea Electric Power Corp., the operation rate of the country's 23 nuclear power plants stood at 75.2 percent in the first 10 months of the year.Last year, the comparable figure was 82.3 percent, also down 8.4 percentage points from a ye

South Korean companies with weak financial footing saw their balance sheets worsen further this year amid a protracted economic slowdown, with their debt ratio sharply rising and their ability to pay back interest declining, industry data showed on Sunday.According to the data, the top 300 in terms of debt ratio, out of 1,501 listed non-financial firms, had the average debt ratio of 279.2 percent as of end-June this year, rising 35.7 percentage points from a year earlier.The June figure also com

South Korean stocks edged down 0.1 percent Thursday as investors were concerned that the improved U.S. economic data may induce its central bank to cut stimulus moves earlier than expected, analysts said. The local currency gained against the U.S. dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) shed 2.03 points to 1,984.77. Trading volume was low at 213.1 million shares worth 3.26 trillion won ($3.07 billion) with losers outpacing gainers 416 to 364.Analysts said Seoul shares clos

미국에서 3차원(3D) 프린터로 만든 플라스틱 총기에 대한 논란이 이는 가운데 하원이 이를 규제하는 법을 연장했다.3일(현지시간) 미국 의회에 따르면 하원은 이날 전체회의를 열어 ‘비탐지 무기 제한법’(Undetectable Firearms Act)을 10년간 연장하는 법안을 만장일치로 통과시켰다.지난 1998년 제정된 이 법은 금속탐지기가 감지할 수 없는 양의 금속을 포함한 무기의 제조, 유통을 금지하는 내용이다. 이후 2차례 연장됐으나 소멸시효(선셋) 규정에 따라 오는 9일 효력이 중단된다.이 법이 만들어질 당시에는 플라스틱 총기가 이론상으로만 가능했지만 최근 3D프린터로 총기 부품을 제작하는 게 현실화하면서 법을 연장해야 한다는 주장이 제기됐다.일부 총기 규제론자들은 플라스틱 총기 등에 대한 영구적인 규제를 주장하지만 시한이 임박하면서 민주당은 공화당이 제안한 10년 연장안을 받아들였다.상원도 추수감사절 휴회를 마치고 9일 복귀하자마자 이 법안을 처리할 방침이다. 법안이 하원

U.S. lawmakers passed a bill on Tuesday to extend what is called the “Undetectable Firearms Acts” for another 10 years, amid growing concerns over 3D-printed guns. In recent months, the possibility of 3D-printed weapons has raised alarms. A document showing how to design a gun on a 3D printer was downloaded more than 100,000 times in the several days before it was removed by the U.S. government, which is keen to block the abuse of 3D technology. Rep. Steve Israel of New York said he would like t

The presidential office confirmed Wednesday that a mid-level official was involved in the leak of personal information concerning a child suspected to be the illegitimate son of former Prosecutor General Chae Dong-wook. The official, identified by his surname Cho, has been removed from his post and has been put up for disciplinary board review. According to the findings of the presidential office and the prosecution, Cho requested that Cho E-jae, an official at Seocho-gu District Office in south

The era of 35 mm film in South Korea‘s movie industry has been phased out in favor of digital projectors at major theaters across the nation. Cinecube, the only movie theater which supported analogue film screening, recently replaced its projectors with a digital model. As the arthouse theater opted for a digital system, Korean moviegoers have nowhere to watch latest films on the traditional reel. Cinemate, a film caption company, said it is closing down its business to focus on the digital post