SK Telecom Co., South Korea's biggest mobile carrier, became the highest-paying company in the country with an average salary of 67 million won ($60,497) for the first half of the year, according to the company's regulatory filing on Thursday. The average salary of SK Telecom, which has focused on investment in the Internet of Things and location-based mobile services, rose 5 million won from six months ago. Men at SK Telecom earned an average salary of 70 million won during the January-June per

A fire broke out on the premises of the Japanese Consulate in the southeast coastal city of Busan on Thursday, blackening a wall, with no other damage reported, police said. (Yonhap)The blaze, which erupted around 6:00 a.m. at a spot that is off-limits to the public and where wooden delivery boxes to the consulate are stored, was put out in seven minutes.  (Yonhap)The police are investigating what caused the fire, including the possibility of an arson attack. (Yonhap) (Yonhap)

Samsung BioLogics Co., a medicine-producing subsidiary of South Korea's Samsung Group, on Friday applied for preliminary approval for its planned initial public offering, the local bourse announced.The Korea Exchange is required to inform Samsung BioLogics of the results of a related panel's review within the coming 45 business days, officials said.If it's approved, the company will begin the formal process for the IPO reportedly valued at around 3 trillion won ($2.7 billion).Samsung BioLogics i

CJ Group, South Korea's leading food and entertainment conglomerate, said Friday it will step up its global expansion following the release of its ailing chairman on special pardon.Lee Jay-hyun was indicted in 2013 on charges of embezzlement and tax evasion and was given two and a half years in jail last year, along with a fine of 25.2 billion won ($22.8 million). His confinement has been suspended a number of times because the 56-year-old suffers from Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, which involves

More than 2,000 used LPG gas tanks exploded at a tank waste treatment plant in the city of Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province, Thursday morning. 　The flames from the explosion flew nearly 400 meters, igniting the adjacent mountains in flames.The affected area includes a small village of nine families. There were no casualties, though farmers said the some 200 village cattle were noticeably shaken and the ancestral tombs in the mountains were destroyed. (Yonhap)Helicopters from Korea Forest Se

A man in his 70s received a 16 year jail term on Thursday for strangling a women who owed him money.The Chuncheon District Court said the 72-year-old man, surnamed Kim, was charged with homicide for impulsively killing the 51-year-old victim out of fear that she would not return his money. Kim worked as a gas station worker for 13 years and saved 20 million won ($18,000) which he lent to the victim in March to expand her restaurant.  (Yonhap)Kim worked with the victim until she reportedly quit h