President Lee Myung-bak will meet with leaders of the conservative minor Liberty Forward Party this week to seek cooperation in handling the aftermath of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il’s death, an aide said MondayThe meeting with LFP leader Sim Dae-pyung and floor leader Kim Nak-sung, set for Tuesday, comes days after Lee held a similar meeting with the ruling Grand National Party and the main opposition Democratic Unity Party last week.“President Lee will have a tea meeting with LFP chairman S

The number of babies born in South Korea fell for the second straight month in October despite the government‘s efforts to boost the nation’s chronic low birthrate, a report showed Monday.According to the report by Statistics Korea, 38,600 babies were born in October, down 5,000 or 11.5 percent from a year earlier.That followed a 7.1 percent on-year drop in September.From a month earlier, baby births also shrank for the second consecutive month.“The decline is attributable to relatively high bab

South Korea plans to buy two advanced reconnaissance planes from France by 2015, to allow the military to intercept radio messages from of North Korea, a government source said Monday. The South’s military will replace some of its aging spy planes with the militarized specialty version of “Falcon-2000” jet, produced by France’s Dassault Aviation, to keep closer watch on North Korea, the source said on the condition of anonymity. “The military decided to introduce two Falcon-2000 reconnaissance p

The government on Monday eased regulations on the use of firearms by the Coast Guard against fishermen engaged in illegal fishing in Korean waters.The measures were included in the 932.4 billion won ($803 million) plan for boosting the country’s ability to deal with Chinese vessels illegally fishing in Korean waters. The new measures allow Coast Guard officers dispatched to crack down on illegal fishing vessels to use firearms in circumstances deemed to be life-threatening or when other means ar

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-soo on Monday used bitter words to explain the developments in North Korea after the death of its “Dear Leader” Kim Jong-il, and the world’s subsequent response. He said the communist country is putting an untested, 20-something son of a late strongman in power to complete a third-generation dynastic succession, yet the world is acting as if it is a righteous regime change. “North Korea is handing over all power and authority to a 20-something, inexperienced l

All foreigners entering the country will undergo biometric scanning starting in the new year to combat terrorism and prevent threats to national security, said immigration officials.According to the Korea Immigration Service on Monday, foreigners aged 17 or older will undergo fingerprint and facial scanning upon entering the county starting Jan. 1.The program started scanning those from countries deemed high-risk by the KIS in September 2010, and has since expanded to include all foreigners choo

The Foreign Ministry and the capital will join hands to stem the increasing number of unpaid traffic tickets for diplomatic vehicles, city officials said Monday.According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the capital will work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to develop a system that tracks diplomatic vehicles and helps collect any traffic fines they might have.City officials claim that one diplomatic official has some 4,300 tickets, with only 280 paid.One diplomatic official l

A South Korean far-left group said Monday they would set up memorial altars in Seoul for the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, sparking strong criticism from conservatives. A group made up of ex-convicts of the National Security Law, which bans anti-state activities such as praising the communist country, said that they would set up a makeshift memorial at a Seoul street later in the afternoon to allow South Korean people to pay their respects to the North Korean leader who passed away earli

Nine elected candidates to compete in national convention on Jan. 15The main opposition Democratic Unified Party held a preliminary race Monday to sort out the final candidates for the party’s leadership race next month.The elected chairperson, along with the decision-making body, is to lead the newly formed party through next year’s general and presidential elections.The race was to select nine from among the 16 candidates -- 11 from the former Democratic Party and five from the former Citizens

More than 1,600 doctors and nearly 400 pharmacists were found to have received rebates from pharmaceutical firms, a government investigation team said Sunday.The team, led by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, also indicted 25 medical professionals and pharmaceutical industry officials.The 25 people, of which 11 were indicted without detention and 14 were subjected to summary indictment, include six working at medical institutions five of which are doctors, 10 pharmaceutical industr