South Korean companies' equity and debt sales edged up on-month in July due mainly to a rise in stock issuance, government data showed Thursday. Local companies raised 14.4 trillion won ($12.8 billion) by selling stocks and bonds last month, compared with 14.3 trillion won in June, according to the data from the Financial Supervisory Service. Stock sales, including 10 initial public offerings, reached 1.27 trillion won in July, up 88.8 percent from the previous month. "A total of ten c

A record number of vehicles have already been recalled so far this year with 32 more cases still pending, the transport ministry said Thursday.A total of 1,382,490 cars were recalled as of Thursday involving 188 cases, according to the Ministry of Land, Transport and Infrastructure. The number is the highest since a self-certification system was put into effect for auto manufacturers in 2003. The previous record was in 2004, when 1,369,925 vehicles were recalled.More than 1 million autos were re

The government said Thursday it is creating a database of bilingual talents from the country's multicultural community to systematize and improve connecting job opportunities for the growing mixed-race population.The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said it is accepting applications until the end of September from those of multicultural households who can be recognized for their bilingual skills or have relevant experience in activities involving the use of Korean and another language.The

South Korean stocks opened slightly higher Thursday, taking a cue from overnight gains on Wall Street, although there is still lingering woes over North Korea's provocations.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 0.24 point, or 0.01 percent, to 2,372.53 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Market kingpin Samsung Electronics was up 0.39 percent, while SK hynix, a major chipmaker, rose 0.73 percent.Hyundai Motor, the No. 1 automaker, dropped 1.05 percent, while AmorePacific, the

South Korea and the United States will wrap up their combined defense drills on Thursday as scheduled amid renewed tensions on the peninsula, officials said.The annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise, which started on Aug. 21, has involved more than 50,000 South Korea troops and around 17,500 American service members, including 3,000 from overseas bases.Seven other member states of the United Nations Command -- Australia, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Britain -- als

President Moon Jae-in suffered a slight drop in his approval rating this week, a poll showed Thursday, amid a growing demand to withdraw his nomination for the new venture minister believed to hold what many believe is a distorted view on history.In a survey conducted on 1,521 voters throughout the nation, 73.4 percent of the respondents polled said they approved of how the president managed state affairs, down 1 percentage point from a week earlier, according to Realmeter.The weekly survey, car

South Korea's industrial output rose at the fastest pace in six months in July on gains in cars and electronic devices, government data showed Thursday.Production in the mining, manufacturing, gas and electricity industries climbed 1.9 percent on-month in July, turning around from a 0.5 percent on-month drop in the previous month, according to the data by Statistics Korea.It also marked the fastest on-month gain since January when it posted a 2.8 percent rise.From a year earlier, output also edg

The defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States agreed to support diplomatic efforts to resolve the North Korea issue by readying "strong, effective and reliable" military options.In their talks at the Pentagon on Wednesday (local time), South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo and US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis reaffirmed that the alliance remains robust in the face of the North's brinkmanship."Attention is being focused on the South Korea-US alliance due to North Korea's nuclear a

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that "talking" will not solve the standoff with North Korea, signaling a more aggressive response to the regime's nuclear and missile programs.Trump made the remark on Twitter, saying, "The US has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years. Talking is not the answer!" US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. (Yonhap)It appeared to be his latest response to North Korea's firing Tuesday of

The bereaved families of Koreans killed in a post-earthquake massacre in Japan nearly 100 years ago banded together Wednesday to reveal the truth and demand Tokyo's compensation. In the aftermath of the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, up to 6,000 Koreans were killed by Japanese people agitated after the government spread a rumor that Koreans planned a riot, according to historians.Seven victims' families launched the first association devoted to the incident which has not received much attention, e

A South Korean baseball club on Wednesday admitted to paying an umpire only a day before winning a league title four years ago.The Samsung Lions in the Korea Baseball Organization said a senior club employee wired 4 million won ($3,560) to the then umpire, surnamed Choi, in October 2013, after Choi had contacted the employee for some quick cash. The employee has since left the Lions, and Choi retired in 2014.Financial transactions of any kind between umpires and club employees are strictly prohi

The operator of a new resort complex under development on the country's southern resort island of Jeju said Wednesday its theme park will open to the public next month, as it aims to become a world-leading tourist destination.The Shinhwa World resort complex will encompass high-end facilities along with a series of entertainment options such as a water park and casino when it goes into full operation in 2019, according to its developer Landing Jeju Development Co. It is partially open at the mom

The chairman of Kumho Asiana Group, parent of Kumho Tire Co., on Wednesday submitted a revised proposal to creditors over the use of the tiremaker's brand, an industry source said Wednesday. The revised proposal by Kumho Asiana Chairman Park Sam-koo came as the creditors, led by state-run Korea Development Bank, remains undecided on a demand by China's Qingdao Doublestar Co. to cut its bidding price for Kumho Tire.Details of the revised proposal were unknown, but Kumho Asiana had requested Doubl

PAJU -- South Korea will have to be aware of their players getting yellow cards in the World Cup qualifying match against Iran this week, as some of their core members are just one caution away from suspension.Five South Korean players -- Kim Shin-wook, Ki Sung-yueng, Jang Hyun-soo, Choi Chul-soon and Kim Young-gwon -- are all carrying a yellow card heading into their crucial showdown against Iran at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Thursday. If they receive another caution during the match against Ir

PAJU -- Iran football coach Carlos Queiroz said Wednesday his side will try to collect a victory against South Korea in order to maintain their undefeated and clean sheet record in the World Cup qualifying campaign.Iran and South Korea will go head-to-head at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Thursday. Both teams are in Group A in the final Asian qualifying round for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.Queiroz said the match against South Korea is a great learning opportunity for Iran, but that doesn't mean his si