The U.S. will not send to South Korea some of its marines to be pulled out of Okinawa, Japan, the Pentagon told The Korea Herald. Maj. Cathy Wilkinson, a spokeswoman of the U.S. Defense Department, dismissed speculation that they will be dispatched to Korea on a rotational basis. Washington and Tokyo announced in April that they agreed to move some 9,000 U.S. Marines from the island to Guam and...

The ruling Saenuri Party came up with detailed plans to restrict lawmakers’ prerogatives, including holding second jobs and exemption from arrest on duty. The party will discuss the reform proposals this week, aiming to restore public trust amid rising criticism of lawmakers’ privileges and irregularities, officials said. Floor leader Lee Hahn-koo and policy chief Chin Young recently commission...

China appears to be striving to revive momentum for the resumption of the multilateral talks aimed at denuclearizing North Korea, while its impoverished ally, hit by severe droughts, is in dire need of outside aid. The U.S. still remains uncertain of Pyongyang’s sincerity about its denuclearization, and stresses “no rewards” for bad behavior while leaving open the possibility of talks. “China, ...

The government plans to impose fines for watching in-car TVs while driving after a deadly accident two months ago. The penalty is likely to range from 30,000 won ($26) up to 70,000 won, official said Thursday. The proposal was approved during an economic policy meeting presided over by President Lee Myung-bak. It will add new clauses to the traffic law, including imposing a 15-point penalty for...

Seoul City Government said on Thursday its three English immersion camps will aim to recruit 4,192 elementary and middle school students during the summer vacation. The city’s Pungnap, Suyu and Gwanak camps will provide 14 vacation programs starting July 22. The students will stay at dormitories during the 10 to 13-day camps, which are themed “Olympics Story, English in Sports” in celebration o...

YEOSU (Yonhap News) ― A gas leak accident occurred Thursday afternoon at a polysilicon factory based in Yeosu, a port city 455 kilometers south of Seoul, poisoning more than 40 workers, fire authorities said. A total of 42 affected employees of Hankook Silicon Co. were taken to several nearby hospitals, with 41 of them experiencing bouts of nausea, the fire authorities said, but no casualties we...

A gas leak accident occurred Thursday afternoon at a polysilicon factory based in Yeosu, a port city 455 kilometers south of Seoul, poisoning more than 40 workers, fire authorities said. A total of 42 affected employees of Hankook Silicon Co. were taken to several nearby hospitals, with 41 of them experiencing bouts of nausea, the fire authorities said, but no casualties were reported. The comp...

South Korea plans to impose fines ranging from 30,000 won ($25.6) to 70,000 won on drivers caught watching a dashboard-mounted television while driving, officials said Thursday. Officials laid out the plan at an economic policy meeting presided over by President Lee Myung-bak earlier in the day. The current law prohibits drivers from watching television while driving, but there is no penalty. T...

The earth's environmental systems ``are being pushed towards their biophysical limits,'' beyond which loom sudden, irreversible and potentially catastrophic changes, the United Nations Environment Program warned Wednesday. In a 525-page report on the health of the planet, the agency paints a grim picture: The melting of the polar ice caps, desertification in Africa, deforestation of tropical jun...

A U.S. diplomat handling Korea affairs said Wednesday that Washington is willing to "constructively engage" with Pyongyang if it ceases provocation. Jim Zumwalt, deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, stressed that the U.S. is not interested in talks for the sake of talks. "The United States is prepared to engage constructively with North Korea, but its new lead...

A progressive South Korean party decided Wednesday to oust two pro-North Korean lawmakers at the center of political controversy in the new National Assembly session. The move by the beleaguered Unified Progressive Party (UPP) will apparently spur efforts by conservative lawmakers to deprive Reps. Lee Seok-gi and Kim Jae-yeon of their seats. The duo has faced weeks of pressure to voluntarily st...