Samsung Electronics Co. said Monday it opened a smart school for Syrian children at a refugee camp in Jordan to provide them with IT device-based education.The South Korean tech giant said it launched the smart school at the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, which provides learning opportunities to Syrians aged between five and 24 through smartphones, tablet PCs and electronic displays. (Yonhap)"The Zaatari refugee camp, which was opened in July 2012, currently accommodates 80,000 Syrian refugees.

The head of the nation's top financial regulator said Monday he will put more emphasis on helping the government to create jobs and offer financial incentives for startups. In a report to the National Assembly, Choi Jong-ku, chairman of the Financial Services Commission, said the FSC will eliminate entry barriers for financial firms to make inroads into new businesses. Job creation is one of the top priorities of President Moon Jae-in, who has embraced income-led economic growth as his main econ

The United States plans to send an aircraft carrier to waters near the Korean Peninsula next month for a joint training with South Korea's Navy, the defense ministry said Monday.In a report to the National Assembly, the ministry said the allies will hold the exercise in October involving "the US aircraft carrier strike group."It did not reveal the name of the carrier.South Korea and the US will also conduct a combined missile alert drill joined by Japan between late September and early October,

The operator of Incheon International Airport is likely to snub calls from Lotte Duty Free, the country's top duty-free operator, to adjust its rental fees, industry sources said Monday, amid the ongoing diplomatic row between Seoul and Beijing over the deployment of a US missile system here.Last week, Lotte officially requested Incheon International Airport Corp. adjust the lease fee to reflect sales as it cannot pay rent for the remaining period of its five-year contract due to drastic changes

Major South Korean manufacturers of semiconductors and displays plan to invest a combined 51.9 trillion won ($45.8 billion) in the domestic market by 2024 to help stimulate the local economy and create jobs, the government said Monday. Senior executives from major manufacturers announced their investment plans during a meeting with Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Paik Woon-gyu, in which they outlined strategies to further develop the high tech industry, the ministry said. Kwon Oh-hyun, vi

South Korean institutional investors have loaded up on tech stocks during a recent correction period in the local stock market, in contrast to foreigners' massive selling, data showed Monday.Local institutions' top pick was largest-cap Samsung Electronics Co. between July 24 and Friday, with their net buying of the tech giant reaching 1.35 trillion won ($1.19 billion), according to the data from the Korea Exchange. Institutions also purchased a net 551.5 billion won worth of chip giant SK hynix

South Korea's top two chipmakers -- Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc. -- are set to see their combined annual sales exceed 100 trillion won ($88.3 billion) this year on the back of an industry boom, industry sources said Monday.The outlook came as Samsung and SK hynix, which posted sound earnings for the first and second quarters, have been showing robust performances on higher chip prices around the globe. (Yonhap)Samsung is expected to rake in sales of between 72 and 78 trillion won fr

President Moon Jae-in's approval rating continued to drop last week, a poll showed Monday, amid recent provocations from North Korea that have caused serious security concerns here.In a poll conducted by Realmeter, 67.1 percent of 2,524 voters surveyed said they approved of the way the president managed state affairs, down 2 percentage points from a week earlier.The weekly poll was conducted between Monday and Friday, and has a margin of error of 1.9 percentage points and a confidence level of 9

South Korean stocks opened higher Monday, as investors scooped up large-cap tech shares. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 9.39 points, or 0.39 percent, to 2,395.46 in the first 15 minutes of trading.Market kingpin Samsung Electronics gained 1.03 percent, and SK hynix was 2.85 percent up.LG Chem, South Korea's top chemicals firm, advanced 0.37 percent, and AmorePacific, the country's No. 1 cosmetics firm, rose 1.4 percent. Hyundai Motor, No. 1 automaker, meanwhile, s

South Korea's top 100 listed companies have seen their average operating margin lose steam over the past three years amid a slowdown in overall business conditions, a market tracker said Monday.The average operating margin of the leading firms stood at 5.48 percent for the 2014-2016 period, lower than the comparable figure of 5.8 percent from 2007-16, according to Chaebul.com.The figure refers to the ratio of operating income to sales and serves as a key barometer of a company's profitability.Of

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday the world should brace itself for all possibilities, including military options, in a bid to discourage North Korea from its pursuit of nuclear and missile programs."We must be ready to confront any consequences and any eventualities, including military options. to address this. Otherwise North Korea would be emboldened," he said in a keynote speech for the opening of the 10th Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference in Seoul.It was quite unusual for t

SEOUL/WASHINGTON -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump agreed to more thoroughly implement UN sanctions against North Korea during telephone talks Sunday.The leaders also called on the North to refrain from any more provocations, warning they will only lead to its isolation and eventual collapse, according to Park Soo-hyun, spokesman for South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae."The two leaders agreed to further strengthen the close cooperation between South

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France -- South Korean contenders' charge fell short at the LPGA Tour's final major championship of the season here on Sunday.Kim Sei-young was the top finisher from the South Korean contingent at the weather-shortened Evian Championship at par-71 Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France, where she tied for sixth at seven-under 206. Kim ended two strokes out of the playoff between Brittany Altomare and Anna Nordqvist.Nordqvist beat Altomare with a bogey on the first pla

President Moon Jae-in was set to embark on a five-day trip to New York on Monday to attend the UN General Assembly and hold talks with other leaders on how to rein in North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile provocations.His trip follows North Korea's sixth nuclear test on Sept. 3 and a series of missile firings.The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said earlier Moon will hold a luncheon and summit with the leaders of the United States and Japan in New York on Sept. 21. (Yonhap)The official, s

WASHINGTON -- The United States will seek a peaceful solution to the North Korean nuclear issue until it becomes necessary to use military force, Washington's top diplomat said Sunday.Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the US has been carrying out a "peaceful pressure campaign" to compel North Korea to come to the negotiating table over its nuclear and ballistic missile program.But if the diplomatic efforts fail, "our military option will be the only one left," he said in an interview on CBS.