South Korea's antitrust watchdog said Monday it has been thoroughly screening allegations of business wrongdoing to make sure it allocates its resources more efficiently, especially toward self-initiated probes that generally tackle more serious violations. "We have been more thoroughly screening complaints to see if they actually merit closer attention," a Fair Trade Commission (FTC) official said. He said actual probes will only be launched after the screening process.In the past, the corporat

North Korea is close to launching an intercontinental ballistic missile or a geostationary satellite, advanced by a recent test of a new rocket engine, a pro-North Korean newspaper based in Japan reported Monday.The latest test on the newly developed high-thrust rocket engine heralded that days of the completion of an ICBM and the launch of a satellite have drawn near, the Chosun Shinbo reported.(Yonhap)The Chosun Shinbo is not North Korea's state media, but it serves as an unofficial mouthpiece

An expert said Monday that North Korea may carry out an upgraded nuclear test before a key anniversary in late April to have an upper hand in relations with the next South Korea government. The possible test is also likely to be the last before Pyongyang sophisticates its nuclear capability, according to Cheong Seong-chang, a senior research fellow at the Sejong Institute. This photo unveiled by the communist country's Korean Central News Agency on Feb. 13, 2017, shows North Korea's launch of a

Japan's top envoy here met with a senior foreign ministry official on Monday apparently to demand that Seoul fully implement a 2015 deal aimed at resolving a rift over Japan's sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II, the foreign ministry said.Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam and Ambassador Yasumasa Nagamine had a closed-door meeting, according to the ministry.Nagamine returned to Seoul from Japan on Tuesday following an almost three-month absence.Ambassador Yasumasa Nagamine (Yo

Kim Young-ae, the life-long South Korean actress who recently passed away from pancreatic cancer, said her final work on the KBS 2TV series "The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop" is what kept her persevering in her final days.In an exclusive interview with Yonhap News Agency before her passing, Kim said that "I would have let myself go if it wasn't for this drama," referring to "Wolgyesu," the weekend drama series that finished its broadcast in February.(Yonhap)Kim, who passed away on Friday at

South Korea's unification minister on Monday expressed a negative view about the United States' possible pre-emptive strike against North Korea, citing its influence on South Koreans' safety and security.Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo made the remarks amid reports that the US is reviewing "a full range of options" to the nuclear and missile threats North Korea poses to Washington and its allies.The minister said that the government cannot help taking into account repercussions of Washington'

China's top nuclear envoy arrived in Seoul on Monday to discuss the growing threats from North Korea's missile and nuclear capabilities. Wu Dawei landed at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, for a four- or five-day trip. Upon arrival, he didn't respond to reporters asking for comments, only saying, "Thank you." China’s top nuclear envoy Wu Dawei arrives at Incheon International Airport on Monday for a five-day visit to discuss North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. (Yonhap)He is

Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's top automaker, topped the list of auto sales in Peru, in February, aided by a sharp rise in demand for small passenger vehicles, industry data showed on Monday.According to the data compiled by the the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, Hyundai Motor sold a total of 2,348 units in the Latin American nation in February, followed by Japanese rival Toyota Corp.'s 2,253 units. (Yonhap)In October last year, Hyundai Motor also clinched the top slot in the Peruvia

South Korea on Monday announced the appointment of a new Marine Corps commander while delaying the regular reshuffling of other top military officers until after the May presidential election. Lt. Gen. Jun Jin-goo named to command South Korea's Marine Corps is shown in this photo provided by the unit. (Yonhap)Maj. Gen. Jun Jin-goo, currently deputy commander of the Marine Corps, has been promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and will assume command of the Marine Corps later this week, the d

FC Seoul will try to end their winless drought as four South Korean football clubs resume their Asian competition actions this week.Seoul are the defending champions of the top-flight K League Classic, but they are on the brink of elimination at the 2017 Asian Football Confederation Champions League. Seoul, led by head coach Hwang Sung-hong, have yet to collect a win after three matches in Group F, where they compete against Shanghai SIPG of China, Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan and Western Sydney

South Korea played down the possibility of a pre-emptive US attack on North Korea on Monday, saying it wants to settle North Korea's nuclear issue peacefully, and the US supports that position."There's no need to be worried much," Lee Duck-hang, spokesman at the Ministry of Unification, said on the prospect of any pre-emptive US attack on Pyongyang during a press briefing.  Unification Ministry spokesman Lee Duck-hang (Yonhap)"The US has said it supports South Korea's policy on North Korea, and

The United Nations Children's Fund will reopen its office in Seoul this week to boost its partnership with South Korea over assistance for children, the foreign ministry here said Monday.The ceremony to mark the opening in central Seoul on Tuesday will be attended by Vice Foreign Minister Ahn Chong-ghee and UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Omar Abdi, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. (Yonhap)Ahn will deliver a welcoming speech where he plans to commit the South Korean government's continuing

The South Korean military confirmed Monday the United States is sending a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to waters near the Korean Peninsula again due to concerns about North Korea's provocations.The Pacific Command, based in Hawaii, announced earlier that the Carl Vinson Strike Group is on its way to the western Pacific region from Singapore, a turnaround from its initial plan to make port calls in Australia.The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier (EPA-Yonhap)The strike group comprises the Nimit

The personal computer distribution ratio at South Korea's elementary and secondary schools has nearly doubled over the past decade, according to a report released Monday by the Ministry of Education.The ministry's "2016 school informatization white paper" said that the number of students per PC stood at 3.6 for elementary schools, 3.4 for middle schools and 3.1 for high schools. A decade earlier in 2006, the corresponding figures were 6.8, 6.1 and 5.6 students for elementary, middle and high sch

North Korea plans to hold its key parliamentary meeting this week amid attention over whether its leader Kim Jong-un will deliver a message targeting the United States, experts said Monday.The Supreme People's Assembly will hold the fifth session of the country's 13th assembly Tuesday, the first parliamentary meeting since Kim was elected the head of a new state body last year.North Korea's state media reported that deputies including ceremonial leader Kim Yong-nam made their bow to the statues