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Chief of telecom regulator resigns over bribery scandal

TechnologyJan 27, 2012

Choi Si-joong, chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, offered his resignation on Friday amid surging public criticism over a string of bribery and influence-peddling scandals.“It’s time to leave and take responsibility,” Choi said at a hastily arranged news conference, referring to his aide’s alleged implication in the bribery scandal. “I hope that my departure will help the watchdog stave off prejudice and misunderstanding held by the public.” Choi, one of the closest confidants of Pr
Lee calls for fundamental solution to school violence

Social affairsJan 27, 2012

President Lee Myung-bak called for rooting out school violence and exercising greater parental oversight during a meeting with education groups after a series of bullied students killed themselves in recent months.“Parents, schools and students should all unite in strength. It seems we haven’t paid attention to the problem of children so far.I was shocked a lot (by the recent cases). We were oblivious when victimized students and their parents were suffering,” Lee said at the start of the meetin
N.K. renews commitment to gas pipeline project with Russia

North KoreaJan 27, 2012

MOSCOW (Yonhap News) ― Top North Korean officials have vowed to move ahead with an ambitious project to build a pipeline through their isolated country to ship Siberian gas to South Korea.The North Korean officials reaffirmed their commitment to Russia following the death last month of their former leader Kim Jong-il, according to a diplomatic source in Moscow, without identifying the North Korean officials.Russia’s Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko conveyed the North’s intention to the South Korea
Movie triggers debate on justice system

Social affairsJan 27, 2012

Judges emphasize need to let public know facts in ‘crossbow terror’ caseA courtroom movie tracing the conviction of a professor for shooting a crossbow at a judge has sparked a fresh round of debate on the judiciary. The newly released film, “Unbowed,” depicts the trial and conviction of Kim Myung-ho, a mathematics professor dismissed from Sungkyunkwan University, who attacked Park Hong-woo, then a Seoul High Court judge, with a crossbow.The film, which drew more than 1 million viewers in the fi
Foreign minister parries attack over stock manipulation scandal

Foreign affairsJan 27, 2012

Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan defended against an attack on him Friday, saying he would not have requested an audit into a stock manipulation scandal involving members of his ministry had he tried to cover it up.Independent lawmaker Jeong Tae-keun attacked the minister and the ministry’s vice ministers for allegedly hiding and delaying the truth behind the scandal related to a diamond mining project in Cameroon.The Board of Audit and Inspection on Thursday recommended the dismissal of Kim Eun-s
S. Korea, U.S. to start two annual joint exercises in February

DefenseJan 27, 2012

South Korea and the U.S. will kick off their two major annual joint military drills later next month, officials of the allies announced Friday.They said the Key Resolve exercise will start on Feb. 27 and go on until March 9. Separately, the Foal Eagle exercise will be held from March 1 to April 30.The Key Resolve will involve about 200,000 South Korean troops, plus 2,100 U.S. troops. About 800 U.S. participants will come from outside South Korea, according to the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces
Korea to expand support for hiring foreign workers

Social affairsJan 27, 2012

The government will expand financial support for small- and medium-sized enterprises that find it difficult to hire highly educated foreign workers due to budget constraints.The Prime Minister’s Office said Thursday that it finalized this year’s policies regarding foreigners in a meeting with the related committee of 14 ministers and seven civilians. The office said the government will raise the maximum subsidy for small and mid-sized companies that hire highly qualified foreigners from 10-20 mi
Ruling party to tighten control on conglomerates

PoliticsJan 27, 2012

The ruling party resolved Friday to impose sanctions on conglomerates to alleviate the polarization of wealth and promote public welfare in a bid to appeal to voters ahead of the general elections.The conservative Grand National Party, which has often been accused of favoring the rich, made a turn from its conventional business-friendly stance, but drew a line with the left-wing’s progressive policies.The policy reform subcommittee of the party’s interim leadership council decided Friday to incl
S. Korea sends first flour aid to N. Korea since Kim Jong-il’s death

North KoreaJan 27, 2012

A South Korean charity group on Friday delivered the first flour aid to North Korea since the death of the North’s former leader Kim Jong-il.The Seoul-based Korea Peace Foundation delivered 180 tons of flour, with eight foundation representatives traveling to the North’s border city of Gaeseong.Two of the eight representatives will stay until Saturday to ensure the aid package reaches its targeted group, foundation officials said. Flour is to be delivered to an elementary school, a daycare cente
BEAST to give 1st European concert

MusicJan 27, 2012

K-pop boy band BEAST will have its first concert in Europe next month, its agency said on Friday. The concert, titled “2012 Beast 1st World Tour -- Beautiful Show,” will take place in Columbia Halle, one of most prestigious concert halls in Berlin, Agency Cube entertainment said. The concert hall has hosted major concerts performed by international stars such as Boys∥Men and Sting, it added.Beast members said they were looking forward to introducing K-pop music to an audience more used to differ
Auditors demand sacking of energy envoy

Social affairsJan 26, 2012

Prosecution raids office of CNK International over stock scandalThe state watchdog on Thursday demanded the Foreign Ministry sack Kim Eun-seok, the ministry’s ambassador for energy and resources, for his role in pumping up the stock price of CNK International in 2010 by releasing an exaggerated press release.The Board of Audit and Inspection said its council of commissioners held a meeting earlier in the morning and decided to punish Kim and other government officials who engaged in insider trad
‘KARI, NASA discuss moon satellite launch’

ScienceJan 26, 2012

Korea could launch a satellite to orbit the moon in collaboration with the U.S.’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration.A Korean daily reported Thursday that the Korea Aerospace Research Institute and NASA are discussing a collaborative lunar exploration project.According to the report, KARI and NASA held two rounds of talks with government officials in attendance last year, and plan to sign an agreement in March or April. The report quoted NASA’s Belgacem Jaroux as saying that the two o
Branksome Hall Asia to hold admissions info session on Feb. 8

Social affairsJan 26, 2012

Branksome Hall Asia, the first overseas campus of a premier all-girls independent school in North America, will hold an admissions information session at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 8, in the Orchid Room at Grand Intercontinental Seoul Parnas Hotel.According to the school’s PR representative KPR on Thursday, Branksome Hall Asia, which opens in Jeju Global Education city in October, is accepting boys and girls for preschool to grade 3, and only girls for grades 4 through 12. For its foundation year
Davos calls for global action on cybercrime

World NewsJan 26, 2012

DAVOS, Switzerland (AFP) ― International action to snuff out cybercrime is desperately needed, officials and business leaders said here, warning that criminals move at Internet speed while countries drag their feet.Many hackers are no longer just mischievous individuals. Instead well-funded organizations do it for profit, along with spies and terrorists, but many governments are struggling to fight it.“Many countries don’t have laws to criminalize cyber crime, they don’t have means and tools to
Davos elite: Capitalism has widened income gap

World BusinessJan 26, 2012

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) ― A four-year economic crisis has left societies battered and widened the gap between the haves and have-nots, financial leaders conceded Wednesday ― with one suggesting that Western-style capitalism itself may be endangered.As Europe struggles with its debt crisis and the global economic outlook remains gloomy at best, there’s a sense at the heavily guarded World Economic Forum that free markets are on trial.Many at the elite economic gathering in the Swiss Alps accept t