The Supreme Court is considering broadcasting the trials of controversial cases on TV in order to regain public credibility. However, the plan is expected to invite controversy over human rights infringement since personal identification as well as information could be disclosed to public without censorship. According to the nation’s top court, the idea was initiated by Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae who has been alarmed by the public antipathy and distrust toward the court over several thorny case

Seoul officials rule out possibility of U.S. troop reduction hereWashington’s new strategy for a “leaner” military that goes in line with its belt-tightening efforts is drawing keen attention here as it could affect the troop level and their operations in a contingency on the Korean Peninsula.Its moves to abandon a long-held strategy to have the ability to fight and win two wars at once have also caused concerns that the U.S. may not be able to mobilize massive ground troops in the event of a wa

NEW YORK (AP) ― Albert Pujols officially joined the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday when Major League Baseball and the players’ association confirmed the terms of the first baseman’s 10-year contract and agreed its guaranteed value is $240 million.The deal was reached four weeks earlier on the final day of the winter meetings and took nearly a month to complete. There are three separate agreements.The team and Pujols will enter a 10-year, personal-services agreement following the playing contract

OAKLAND (AP) ― The Oakland Athletics have a familiar face to play center field after re-signing Coco Crisp to a $14 million two-year contract Thursday with a club option for 2014.Crisp’s option is for $7.5 million with a $1 million buyout.Crisp, who generated inquiries to varying levels from about half of the major league clubs this winter, decided last weekend to stay put with the A’s. While he hoped to go to a contender, he did want to play on the West Coast and had a familiarity with the rebu

HONOLULU (AP) ― The LPGA is returning to Hawaii.The tour announced Thursday that the Lotte Championship Presented by J Golf will be played on Oahu starting in mid-April, ending a two-year absence for the LPGA in Michelle Wie’s home state.The LPGA and Asia-based Lotte announced a three-year agreement to hold the $1.7 million, full-field event. LPGA says the host course will be announced in the coming weeks.Hawaii, which hosts two PGA Tour events, hosted as many as three LPGA events in 2008 but th

STX Energy plans to establish a power plant complex in the country’s east to reinforce its renewable energy business and related equipment manufacturing. The Korean energy provider said it struck an agreement with the government of Samcheok, Gangwon Province, for the project estimated at 8 trillion won ($6.9 billion). Under the deal, STX will build power generators focusing on renewable resources and marine bioenergy. It also plans to install production lines for related equipment. The company a

Korean stocks dropped 1.11 percent Friday on renewed eurozone concerns that shrugged off optimism about economic recovery, analysts said. The local currency declined sharply against the U.S. currency.The benchmark KOSPI fell 20.6 points to 1,843.14. Trading volume was heavy at 466.6 million shares worth 4.36 trillion won ($3.75 billion) with losers outnumbering gainers 551 to 264.“Europe issues weighed heavily on the market, dragging down the key index,” said analyst Lee Seung-woo from Daewoo Se

By Lee Ji-yoonSome European luxury brands have again raised their product prices from this year just a few months after they announced moderate price cuts following the free trade agreement between Korea and EU in July. French fashion house Hermes said Thursday that it has increased prices by 5 percent on average from Jan. 1, citing volatile foreign exchange rates and increases in material and labor costs. “The prices have been adjusted due to some changes in costs for production and distributio

CAIRO (AP) ― Prosecutors on Thursday called for Hosni Mubarak to be hanged, saying he bore full responsibility for the killing of protesters during the uprising against him, in a courtroom moment unthinkable barely a year ago when the longtime leader held unquestioned power.The demand for the death penalty at the 83-year-old former president’s trial played to the widespread resentment of Mubarak among Egyptians who hoped that punishment for his oppressive rule would be fruit of the Arab Spring.S

Lotte Hotel Seoul’s La Seine has been reborn as an upscale buffet restaurant and reopened this month. Celebrating its 1st anniversary, the restaurant has special events planned until the end of this month. La Seine is offering “1st Anniversary Menus” prepared with fresh ingredients such as flying fish roe, spicy crispy lobster, barbecue pork, lobster thermidor, beef bone broth with ginseng and snow crab.The Spanish Tapas Gala Dinner will be held on Jan. 11. Priced at 150,000 won per person, the

The Westin Chosun Seoul is offering New Year gifts from Jan. 19-25. The package, coming in three types, is priced 200,000 to 330,000 won.The Happy New Year package includes a night in a Business Deluxe Room, herbal medicinal cosmetics travel kit and two packets of sliced honey marinated Korean red ginseng. The Healthy New Year package offers a night in an Executive Deluxe, the Westin Chosun Seoul’s 2012 diary, free use of the executive lounge and breakfast for two, free access to the sauna plus

The Korea Tourism Organization is currently holding the “Ski Korea Campaign” to lure foreign tourists during the winter season.Joined by some 12 major ski resorts and Gangwon Province, the nation’s No. 1 winter trip destination and the host of the 2018 Winter Olympics, the campaign is aimed at drawing travelers from warm Southeast Asian countries as well as Australia and New Zealand. Through the first week of March, the KTO will hold the “Fun Ski & Snow Festival” and the “GoGo Ski & Snow Festiva