South Korean Marines have started their largest-ever training to defend the eastern island of Ulleungdo, the Marine Corps said Sunday. Ulleungdo, some 120 kilometers off the eastern coast, is located near Dokdo, a set of rocky islets owned by Seoul but claimed by Tokyo. It is the country's eighth-largest island with a population of 10,000. More than 90 Marines are participating in the monthlong drills that kicked off last Friday. South Korean Marines head to Ulleung Island for their biggest-ever

A Chinese sign that read "Hanguocheng," meaning South Korean food court, on the building of a restaurant mall in Wangjing, the once prosperous Koreatown in northeastern Beijing, has been replaced by "Meishijie," or Gourmet food street.The change reflects an ever-rising anti-South Korean sentiment in China amid the current diplomatic row that is souring diplomatic ties between the two neighboring countries. South Korea and China have been at odds over the deployment of a US missile shield called

The final stage of work to open new highways and railroads linking the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic venues and major cities of South Korea is in full swing in order to provide the best and easiest way to get to and from the venues. Transportation is one of the key elements of preparations for the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in the nation's east coast resort town of PyeongChang in Gangwon Province, which lies some 180 kilometers east of Seoul. New roads to be opened this year include a 22-kilometer

South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon on Saturday said local authorities should deal strictly with egg producers who are not complying with the government's food safety standards as he conducted on-site inspections to handle an insecticide-contaminated egg crisis in the country. "I strongly think those who poorly manage food that is consumed by the majority of people should not be forgiven," Lee said at the agriculture ministry's office in Sejong. "There could be elements threatening food safe

The chief of the United States armed forces responsible for the Indo-Asia-Pacific region will visit South Korea to discuss various security issues surrounding the area, a Japanese newspaper reported Saturday. Japan's Asahi Shimbun said Admiral Harry Harris, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, will stay in South Korea from Sunday to Tuesday, and will meet with South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Jeong Kyeong-doo. Harris is also expected to inspect a

South Korean health authorities said Saturday they will announce the outcome of the inspection into eggs tainted with the insecticide fipronil later this week amid an unfolding egg contamination scandal in Europe.Details such as how the contaminated eggs could harm human organs when ingested, and how many contaminated eggs have been collected or destroyed will be disclosed as early as Sunday, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said."The result of the analysis and the total amount will be annou

South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon on Saturday said local authorities should deal strictly with egg producers who are not complying with the government's food safety standards as he conducted on-site inspections to handle an insecticide-contaminated egg crisis in the country. "I strongly think those who poorly manage food that is consumed by the majority of people should not be forgiven," Lee said at the agriculture ministry's office in Sejong. "There could be elements threatening food safe

North Korea on Saturday condemned the United States for asking some Latin American countries to sever diplomatic and trade ties with the North, calling the request a violation of international law.U.S. Vice President Mike Pence openly urged Chile, Brazil, Mexico and Peru to cut off all ties with North Korea during his visit to Santiago, Chile, on Aug. 16, according to wire reports. US Vice President holds talks in Chile (Yonhap)Earlier, the United Nations Security Council imposed tough new sanct

Oh Seung-hwan of the St. Louis Cardinals has earned a save for the first time in 41 days as he escaped a bases-loaded jam to preserve his club's victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Oh gave up an unearned run in the ninth inning against the Pirates at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Friday (local time) but collected his 19th save of the season as the Cards hung on to win the game 11-10. This was Oh's first save since he picked up his last one on July 8 against the New York Mets. With his latest pe

North Korea said Saturday that any countries in the world will not come under threat of its nuclear attack, as long as they don't side with the United States' military action against the North.The Rodong Sinmun, the official mouthpiece of the North's ruling Workers' Party, said that Pyongyang's measures to reinforce its nuclear armament are not aimed at threatening the world but at reining in the "reckless moves" by the US to start a nuclear war. An image of North Korea's new intermediate-range

Discharged from his military duty, Choi Si-won of the South Korean boy band Super Junior will visit Vietnam next week for a campaign by the United Nation's Children's Fund (UNICEF), his Seoul-based agency said Saturday. S.M. Entertainment said Choi, who was discharged from his mandatory national duty Friday, will participate in the UNICEF's "SMile for U" campaign that is designed to support music education for children in Asia. The 31-year-old will be in Vietnamese cities, including Da Nang, fro

President Moon Jae-in has called for "radical" measures to reform South Korea's livestock industry amid a tainted egg crisis here that is causing a health scare, an official at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Saturday. The official, who asked not to be named, told Yonhap News Agency that Moon and his staff discussed measures on pesticide-tainted eggs for nearly two hours Friday, reiterating that every ministry should help solve the ongoing crisis that's under Prime Minister Lee Nak-yo

South Korea's entertainment industry was one of the biggest beneficiaries of the diplomatic normalization with China in 1992. Its pop songs, dramas and movies flooded into the once banned communist country, which has become the springboard for "hallyu," or the growing popularity of South Korean popular culture. But they have recently emerged as a victim of politics. Korean showbiz faces the hardest time since entering China 25 years ago amid a raging anti-Korean sentiment and state restrictions

South Korean retail giant Lotte Group has sold the most debt so far this year with other major business groups also offering massive corporate debt amid low market rates, data showed on Saturday.According to the data compiled by Infomax, the financial news and information arm of Yonhap News Agency, Lotte affiliates have sold a combined 3.58 trillion won (US$3.13 billion) this year as of Friday, followed by energy and telecom conglomerate SK with 3.13 trillion won, tech giant LG Group with 2.72 t

A South Korean soldier injured in an explosion during an artillery firing drill in Cheorwon on Friday has died, South Korea's military said Saturday, raising the death toll to two. Military officials said a private first class solider who was receiving treatment at Armed Forces Capital Hospital in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, died early this morning. He was one of the six servicemen rushed to the hospital following the blast that occurred on the shooting range of a front-line Army unit in Cheorw