WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk on Tuesday welcomed South Korea’s ratification of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and vowed close cooperation to put it into effect at an early date.“The United States welcomes the Korean National Assembly’s approval of the KORUS FTA,” he said in a brief statement. “This is a win-win agreement that will provide significant economic and strategic benefits to both countries. We look forward to working closely with the government of

Scaremongering about an imminent war with North Korea is quickly spreading among residents in the communist state, as the media in Pyongyang have increasingly distorted facts about Seoul’s military drills in recent weeks, sources said.The Korean Central Television, which controls both radio and TV broadcasting, said through its radio station on Monday that South Korea and the U.S. were “getting ready to stage a new nuclear war against North Korea by organizing the Extended Deterrence Policy Comm

The top U.S. military commander in South Korea on Wednesday offered full support for South Korea in case of future North Korean provocations, an official said.Army Gen. James D. Thurman, commander of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), attended the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff’s assessment of its operational situations and was briefed on South Korean forces’ postures and recent movements in the North Korean military, a JCS official said.Thurman and South Korean Army Gen. Jung Seung-jo, the JCS c

A documentary exposing the global sex trade is to be screened at a Daegu church on Saturday, Dec. 3. The film “Nefarious: Merchant of Souls” will be shown at Dongshin church in Suseong-Gu at 7 p.m. The film was produced by international anti-trafficking organization Exodus Cry, a movement working to end modern day slavery through prayer and awareness. The non-profit movement also assists the victims of human trafficking and slavery through rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration into society.A

The Canadian Women’s Club in Korea is to sell home-baked goods to raise cash for two charities next month. The bake sale to benefit Aeranwon and First Steps will be held at the Schofield Hall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 9. The hall is at the Canadian embassy located closest to Seodaemun and City Hall subway stations. Homemade baked goods including butter tarts, fudge and gingerbread will be sold along with Tim Horton’s coffee and hot chocolate. Canadian maple syrup will also be on sale, as wi

A Christian musician is seeking other artists to join him on an international tour to raise awareness about North Korean human rights.David K. O’Hannah is planning to tour church venues in the U.S. and Europe from early 2012. He has written North Korea-related songs that have been used at rights rallies in Seoul and is releasing an album shortly. He is seeking to contact musicians, sound engineers and crew to support him on all or part of the tour as well as people to help him create an online p

He cycled more than 3,000 kilometers on a solo Himalayan biking expedition this summer, but now Brian Perich plans to ride another 32,000 km for two non-profit organizations. The English professor in Gangwon-do, who is originally from Canada, aims to cycle from Alaska to Argentina in three 60-day expeditions over the next two years. The 38-year-old who lives in Gangneung with his Korean wife and their two children plans to ride the first leg from Anchorage in the U.S. state of Alaska, via the Ca

Ethnic Koreans adopted in America support unwed mothers hereFor several Korean unwed mothers, it has already been a godsend -- providing them with a safe place to give birth when turned away from other facilities. But when the country’s only shelter run for unwed mothers by the mothers themselves was threatened with closure, two Korean adoptees living in America launched a campaign to save the safe house in Seoul. The Korean Unwed Mothers and Families Association has run the facility, named Heat

Following the implementation of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, about a third of the country’s international trade will involve countries with which Korea has entered into FTAs. While the figure has risen quite rapidly, it remains far below the global average.According to a report by the Korea International Trade Association’s Institute for International Trade, on average countries conduct 49.2 percent of trade with those with whom they have trade pacts.Current negotiations With the country

Business organizations on Tuesday hailed the parliamentary ratification of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement as a major turning point in Korea’s economy and history of trade.Welcoming the FTA passage on behalf of some 70,000 exporters and importers, the Korea International Trade Association said the trade deal will “greatly help Korean businesses predominate the U.S. market and make Korean products more cost-competitive.” “(The FTA) will have a positive impact on creating jobs as exchanges bet

Korea-U.S. FTA chronology2011　Nov. 22 -- The National Assembly ratifies the Korea-U.S. FTA June 3 -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade resubmits the Korea-U.S. FTA bill to the National Assembly for ratification May 4 -- MOFAT withdraws the Korea-U.S. FTA bill from the Foreign Affairs, Trade & Unification Committee of the National Assembly Feb. 10 -- The signing and exchange of the agreed documents from the Dec. 3 renegotiation takes place 2010　Nov. 30~Dec. 3 -- Trade Ministers’ meeting i