Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering signed a contract to build three submarines for the Indonesian navy on Tuesday.The contract calls for DSME to build three 1,400-ton submarines for the Indonesian navy for a total of $1.1 billion, making the contract the largest single defense contract to be awarded to a Korean firm.With the addition of the latest contract, the value of Korea’s defense exports so far this year has been pushed up to $2.4 billion, the Defense Acquisition Program Administra

Foreign diplomats in North Korea have been received by North Korea’s anticipated leader-in-waiting Kim Jong-un at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace as people paid their respects to Kim Jong-il, a British diplomat in Pyongyang said Tuesday. Barnaby Jones, first secretary at the British Embassy in Pyongyang said he joined other foreign diplomats on invitation from the Pyongyang, government at the mausoleum in the North Korean capital where the deceased leader was laid out. “Kim Jong-un was receiving di

South Koreans got back to their normal routines on Tuesday after being stunned by the news of the North Korean leader’s death the previous day.Pyongyang announced on Monday that its leader Kim Jong-il died of a heart attack during a train ride early Saturday, which sent shock waves throughout the South, with some voicing concern over potential escalation of tensions on the peninsula.While citizens were sharing their opinions about the aftermath of Kim’s death, the country has not seen any notice

TOKYO (AFP) -- Japan’s coastguard said Tuesday it had arrested a Chinese boat captain in a possible fresh test for sometimes fraught maritime relations, just days after a South Korean officer was stabbed to death at sea.A coastguard vessel pursued the fisherman’s 130-ton boat for over six hours after it was spotted lowering ropes into the water around four kilometersoff islands in Nagasaki, southwest Japan, the second arrest in the area in less than two months.Japanese officers found some coral

For thousands of foreign residents in Korea, this Dec. 25 will be one spent many miles from home on a day that centers on family. Emigration can come as a blessed relief, and having an opportunity to travel the world is a privilege. Nonetheless, a great many will take time this Sunday to acknowledge the distance between themselves and their loved ones, and how unfortunate it is to be absent on that day of all days.Andre Linde, 31, will be celebrating his second Christmas in Korea in traditional

South Korea could name its new national soccer head coach this week, the sport‘s top official said Tuesday.Cho Chung-yun, head of the Korea Football Association, said officials are working hard to fill the vacancy soon.“In regards to the naming of the head coach, there will be some good news this week,” Cho said. “It’s difficult to tell you about all the process, but we‘re doing our best.”Earlier this month, Cho Kwang-rae was abruptly dismissed as the national team bench boss, following Korea’s

By Song Sang-hoSouth Korea on Tuesday decided not to send its government mourning delegation to the funeral of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-il slated for Dec. 28, while conveying “consolation” to the people in the communist state, Seoul’s unification minister said.But it will allow the bereaved families of former President Kim Dae-jung and Chung Mong-hun, former chairman of Hyundai Asan, to attend it, in return for the visits by the North to their funerals here in August 2009 and in August 2003

South Korea will lower tariffs on a total of 103 products next year in a bid to help stabilize prices of goods frequently consumed by ordinary citizens, farmers and small enterprises, the Finance Ministry said Tuesday.The items, whose tariffs will be temporarily lowered or removed throughout next year under the tariff quota system, will include raw sugar, pork, garlic and butter, according to the Ministry of Strategy and Finance. There will be less products than the 112 imports that were eligibl

BEIJING (AFP) - China’s President Hu Jintao visited the North Korean embassy in Beijing on Tuesday to offer his condolences on the death of Kim Jong-il, the official Xinhua news agency said.China is North Korea‘s closest ally, and just hours after the announcement of Kim’s death on Monday, Beijing said it would work with Pyongyang to ensure the “peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and the region.”Analysts say China is likely to strengthen support for its impoverished, nuclear-armed neigh

TOKYO (AFP) -- Japan’s coastguard said Tuesday it had arrested a Chinese boat captain in a possible fresh test for sometimes fraught maritime relations, just days after a South Korean officer was stabbed to death at sea.A coastguard vessel pursued the fisherman’s 130-ton boat for over six hours after it was spotted lowering ropes into the water around four kilometersoff islands in Nagasaki, southwest Japan, the second arrest in the area in less than two months.Japanese officers found some coral