The Korean government’s policy to restrict carbon dioxide emissions faces major legal challenges from local companies concerned with its possible impact on their cost competitiveness. Since the government began to implement the CO2 cap system in mid-January, 17 companies have filed administrative lawsuits against the Ministry of Environment, demanding to be relieved of their obligations.In addition, a group of firms from the petrochemicals industry reportedly plans to file a class action suit ov

China’s heavy-handed opposition to the possible deployment of a THAAD missile defense battery to South Korea could backfire and prompt greater public support in the South for a stronger alliance with the United States, an American expert said.Scott Snyder, a senior researcher on Korea at the Council Foreign Relations, made the point in a recent article posted on the CFR website, saying it makes no sense for Beijing to demand Seoul refrain from bolstering its missile defense capabilities “in the

A Korean vice foreign minister plans to attend an international conference on antiterrorism to be held in Washington this week in a bid to join global efforts to fight violent terrorism, officials said Monday.Vice Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul will attend the conference on fighting violent extremism slated for Thursday (local time) that will bring together government officials from 60 nations, according to Seoul’s Foreign Ministry. Cho will leave for Washington on Wednesday for a four-day visit.T

DETROIT  ― Sport-utility vehicles are unstoppable ― and automakers hope to cash in on the boom with some updated models at this year’s Chicago Auto Show.One out of every three new vehicles Americans bought last year was an SUV, according to Kelley Blue Book. SUV sales rose 12 percent to more than 5.5 million. That was double the pace of the industry as a whole.Strong demand is likely to continue this year, says Jesse Toprak, president of Toprak Consulting Group. SUV sales may not see double-digi

More than 90 percent of South Koreans believe the country’s economy has entered a state of depression, a survey showed Sunday, with many expecting current conditions to persist down the road.In a nationwide survey of 800 people over the age of 19, 93.9 percent of the respondents said the local economy is faced with depression, according to the Federation of Korean Industries. The poll was carried out by Research & Research. Of those who said the economy is in a state of depression, nearly half e

The Ministry of Employment and Labor is pushing for a law revision to make company owners who violate the labor standards law subject to immediate punishment.Under the current law, warnings precede sanctions on the rule-violators. Further, businesses that correct their irregular practices are generally granted a pardon from authorities despite revelations from labor superintendents.As the present system has been regarded as nominal and ineffectual, the National Assembly and labor advocates have

North Korea unveiled Thursday an exclamation mark peppered list of 310 new political slogans covering every conceivable topic, from the glories of the ruling Kim dynasty and mushroom cultivation to the importance of dependable wives and “offensive” sports.Oh, and the perennial need to wipe out U.S. imperialist scum.Political slogans are an intrinsic part of the relentless, daily propaganda formula that North Koreans are weaned on almost from birth.Those published by the official KCNA news agency

South Korea held a pan-governmental meeting on Wednesday to discuss ways to ensure the safety of its nationals in foreign countries amid growing risks of exposure to terrorist acts and violent crime.The meeting of officials from Seoul’s Foreign Ministry and other agencies came amid concerns that there have been no systemic measures to protect its nationals staying overseas.“It is urgent to come up with preemptive steps to protect our overseas nationals as more Koreans can be exposed to numerous

The United States holds constant discussions with South Korea about the THAAD missile defense system, the Pentagon press secretary said Tuesday.“We all recognize the importance of the capability,” Rear Adm. John Kirby said during a press briefing in response to a question about whether the U.S. has had any talks with South Korea about the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system.“There’s constant discussions and certainly with our South Korean allies about that. But I have no detail to provide

Seoul National University has come under public criticism for yet another allegation of a professor’s sexual abuse of female students, following two similar cases last year.According to the state-run university on Thursday, its human rights center has launched a probe into a male professor at the department of business administration, who has been accused of harassing or molesting some students.While the professor denied the allegation, the school has decided to cancel his classes and suspend hi

North Korea called on South Korea on Wednesday to take "practical measures" to resume dialogue, criticizing Seoul for not having the will to break the prolonged deadlock in inter-Korean relations.The Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea also blamed U.S. "interference" for the current stalemate, saying that it will not believe the South's will for dialogue if the current situation continues. "To talk about dialogue without taking practical measures is not an attitude to truly settle

ARBIL, Iraq (AFP) -- Nearly 1,000 Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga fighters have been killed battling the Islamic State jihadist group since June, a senior security official said on Wednesday.Jabbar Yawar, the secretary general of the ministry responsible for the  peshmerga, told a news conference that 999 Kurdish fighters were killed and 4,569 wounded between June 10 and February 3.Previous casualty figures released on December 10 put the toll at 727 killed and 3,564 wounded.IS spearheaded a sweeping of

CAIRO (AP) -- A video purportedly showing Islamic State militants burning a captive Jordanian pilot to death brought an outpouring of grief and rage across the Middle East on Wednesday, its brutality horrifying a region long accustomed to violence.Political and religious leaders offered angry denunciations and called for blood, while at least one wept on air while talking about the killing of 26-year-old Lt. Muath Al-Kaseasbeh, whose F-16 crashed in Syria in December during a U.S.-led coalition