A Supreme Court ruling Wednesday found the perpetrators of school violence, their guardians and the school all liable in a high school bullying case from 2008.The top court upheld a lower court ruling in which seven students, their parents and the local government in charge of the school where the bullying took place were ordered to compensate the victim.The previous ruling ordered those involved to compensate 22-year-old Kim, who is disabled, the combined sum of 57 million won ($49,000).The lat

A local court has come under fire for showing leniency to a group of high school students charged with gang-raping a girl with a mental disability. Civic groups said the court went against the public calls for stricter rulings on those who commit sexual assault against the disabled.On Tuesday, the Daejeon District Court’s Family Division handed down 40 hours of community service and probation to 16 high school students who were accused of raping a 16-year-old girl who is grade 3 mentally disable

Park pledges to conclude at least one issue in each council meetingThe ruling Grand National Party’s emergency leadership council vowed to come up with tangible renewal plans every week, starting with action on a cyber attack that has shaken the party.Rep. Park Geun-hye, chairperson of the council and presidential hopeful, said that she would conclude at least one of the party’s urgent issues in each Monday council meeting, one of her close aides said.The interim leader showed her determination

North Korea is closing an inter-Korean factory park for two days to mark the funeral of its late leader Kim Jong-il, a Seoul official said Wednesday.The industrial complex in the North Korean border city of Kaesong will halt operations Wednesday and Thursday during the last days of the 13-day mourning period for Kim, who died from heart failure on Dec. 17, according to the North’s media.“I understand that (South Korean) firms operating there agreed with (North Korean authorities) to suspend work

DANDONG, China (AFP) ― Business was booming for flower sellers in the Chinese border city of Dandong on Wednesday as mourners gathered at the North Korean consulate to pay their respects to late leader Kim Jong-il.Scores of stoney-faced mourners clutched bunches of yellow and white flowers as they entered the consulate, where large flat-screen televisions had been put up to show Wednesday’s funeral.Another 100 people crammed into a North Korean restaurant across the street― which along with scor

Harvard University students are to travel from the U.S. to give stories to kids at a South Korean orphanage. The Harvard College Stories for Orphans project which presents individualized books to parentless children around the world is to come to Asia on Jan. 4. Six students from the prestigious American school are to visit Angel’s Haven in Seoul to present children with their own personalized stories. Seventeen children at the orphanage filled in questionnaires ahead of the trip, which voluntee

LG Electronics said Wednesday it signed an agreement with Walt Disney Co. on Wednesday to use the firm’s 3-D content for TV viewers in Seoul.The local electronics company said the 3-D version of “The Lion King,” expected to be released here on Thursday, will also be featured for LG’s 3-D Smart TV simultaneously. Other Disney animated films like “Toy Story,” “Toy Story 2,” “Bolt” and “The Nightmare before Christmas” will also be shown as 3-D content for the company’s smart TV. They will be availa