Two candidates competing to become the presidential nominee of the minor conservative Bareun Party expressed different views Monday on the possible arrest of former President Park Geun-hye.Park is scheduled to appear before prosecutors Tuesday after being dismissed over a corruption scandal earlier this month. Rep. Yoo Seong-min (L) and Gyeonggi Province Gov. Nam Kyung-pil pose for a photo ahead of their TV debate at KBS broadcasting station in Seoul on March 20, 2017. (Yonhap)Rep. Yoo Seong-min

The chairman of global steelmaker POSCO said Monday his company's donations in 2015 to two foundations controlled by a friend of former President Park Geun-hye were made under pressure from Park's office.Kwon Oh-joon, who has been leading the steelmaker from 2014, made the remarks while attending a hearing on Choi Soon-sil, Park's arrested friend, and former presidential secretary An Chong-bum as a witness at the Seoul Central District Court.Kwon Oh-joon, chairman of global steelmaker POSCO, arr

On the heels of a strong showing at her world championships debut, South Korean junior figure skater Lim Eun-soo said Monday she will try to improve her spins for the new season.Lim arrived home Monday after finishing fourth at the International Skating Union World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei. She scored a personal-high of 180.81 points, and the fourth-place showing was the best by a South Korean junior skater since Kim Yu-na won it all in 2006.South Korean

South Korean teenage figure skater Cha Jun-hwan said Monday he'll add a quadruple jump to his new program next season.Cha, 15, completed his junior career last week at the International Skating Union World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei. He finished fifth overall with 242.24 points, a new personal best. South Korean figure skater Cha Jun-hwan speaks to reporters at Incheon International Airport on March 20, 2017, after returning from the International Skating

The foreign ministers of South Korea and Vietnam discussed how to jointly rein in North Korea's prohibited nuclear tests and missile launches during their talks in Vietnam on Monday.South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se met with Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, who is doubling as a deputy prime minister, in the Southeast Asian country to celebrate the countries' 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations. South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se (L) is shaking hands with Vietname

Moon Jae-in, a leading presidential hopeful from the Democratic Party, sought to further enhance his foothold in the party's political hometown on Monday, offering political consolations and economic benefits to the region long considered discriminated against or even persecuted.While visiting Gwangju, the traditional powerbase of the liberal majority party, Moon said he, if elected, will designate a controversial song as the official song for an annual state-sponsored ceremony commemorating the

South Korea's Defense Minister Han Min-koo stressed Monday there will be no "compromise or concession" on issues directly related to national security when inspecting the ongoing annual combined military training with the United States.In contemporary wars, he said, it's important to secure the capability of sustaining fighting if necessary through the rapid deployment of additional troops and stable logistical support, he said. South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo speaks during a visit to

South Korean Chun In-gee has moved up a spot in the women's world golf rankings thanks to a runner-up finish on the LPGA tour.Chun reached No. 3 in the latest rankings announced Monday, behind Lydia Ko of New Zealand and Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand. In this Associated Press photo, South Korea's Chun In-gee tees off on the eighth hole during the final round of the Bank of Hope Founders Cup tournament on the LPGA Tour on March 19, 2017, in Phoenix, Arizona. (Yonhap)Feng Shanshan of China slipped

South Korea's financial regulator said Monday it will temporarily ease a set of regulations to help boost the new financial technology, or "fintech," sector. In South Korea, smartphone users who have a payment app can't buy goods by holding their handsets next to a credit-card receiving device because there is no legal standard to certify the device under laws.  Jeong Eun-bo (3rd from left), vice chairman of the FSC, speaks at a meeting to help boost the fintech industry on March 20, 2017. (Yonh

South Korean midfielder Koo Ja-cheol said Monday he will always have fond memories of playing against China to fall back on, ahead of the two teams' World Cup qualifier here later in the week.Koo was picked to man the midfield against China in Group A showdown of the final Asian World Cup qualifying round at Helong Stadium in Changsha, south central China, on Thursday. South Korean football players Ji Dong-won (left) and Koo Ja-cheol pose for photos after their press conference at Kempinski Hote

Nearly one third of the children of South Korea's 10 biggest business groups marry among themselves mainly due to business purposes, a survey showed Monday.A total of 30.3 percent, or 94 family members out of 310 from chaebol families, married others from similar backgrounds, according to the survey by the Leaders Network.The term chaebol refers to the large family-run businesses that dominate the country's business landscape.Forty-six chaebol family members, or 14.8 percent, tied the knot with

Three candidates competing to become the presidential nominee of the centrist People's Party clashed Monday over whether the nation should hold a referendum on a constitutional amendment during the May presidential election.Three major parties, including the People's Party, recently agreed to push for a referendum on May 9 to seek a constitutional revision that will decentralize powers heavily concentrated in the office of the presidency. Ahn Cheol-soo (L), Park Joo-sun (C) and Sohn Hak-kyu pose

South Korean stocks fell Monday as foreign investors remained net sellers for the first time in 11 trading days, with investors opting to cash in part of their recent gains. The Korean won rose against the US dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 7.57 points, or 0.35 percent, to close at 2,157.01. Trade volume was moderate at 261 million shares worth 4.01 trillion won ($3.57 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 551 to 263.The local stock market opened lower on profit-

Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on Monday visited a fire-ravaged traditional fish market in the western port city of Incheon to console victims and pledge government support for them."As the livelihoods of the affected merchants here are at stake, (the government) has to devise multifaceted ways to support the victims," Hwang said during his visit to the Soraepo-gu Fish Market. Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn (2nd from R) visits a fire-ravaged traditional fish

South Korean diplomats are taking steps to better protect compatriot residents in China from a wave of anti-Korean sentiment among Chinese over the deployment of a US missile defense system.The South Korean Embassy in Beijing has recently opened a special online communication line to send out safety warnings to South Korean residents across China, sources said Monday. A demonstration against the deployment of a US missile defense system in South Korea in China's Sichuan Province on March 11. (Yo