Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Saturday that China "will never allow war or instability" on the Korean Peninsula. Wang also urged North Korea and the United States to make joint efforts to achieve the "denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," describing a long-running standoff between Pyongyang and Washington as a "stumbling block" in denuclearizing North Korea. "We must work persisten...

Four U.S. congressmen submitted a resolution to a House committee calling for the reunion of Koreans in the United States with their long-lost families in North Korea, according to the Library of Congress. The measure was sponsored by Rep. Charles Rangel, Howard Coble, John Conyers and Samuel Johnson, all Korean War veterans. "The division on the Korean Peninsula separated more than 10,000,000 ...

South Korea's short-term foreign debt declined to its lowest level in eight years on a fall in banks' overseas borrowing, the central bank said Wednesday. The country's short-term external debt totaled $112.8 billion as of end-December, down $14.3 billion from a year earlier, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK). It marked the lowest level since 2005 when short-term foreign debt hit $65.9 billi...

The White House said Tuesday it has strongly and consistently condemned North Korea's human rights violations, which were highlighted by a new U.N. panel report. "We are extremely vocal and critical about the appalling conduct of the North Korean regime," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said at a press briefing. He was asked about the presidential office's view on a Commission of Inquiry...

Kim Yu-na will begin her quest to repeat as the Olympic figure skating champion on Wednesday, as the ladies' short program takes place at Iceberg Skating Palace. Kim captured the gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics with a record score of 228.56 points. She took an extended hiatus from competition afterward, apparently mulling retirement, but returned with a bang by winning her secon...

Prosecutors launched a probe into allegations that evidence against a former civil servant accused of spying for North Korea was forged. "We will carry out the investigation in a thorough and swift manner," a senior prosecutor said. The announcement came after defense lawyers claimed a key piece of evidence against Yoo Woo-seong -- a Chinese national in North Korea who arrived in South Korea by...

The government will unveil a three-year economic growth plan next week that President Geun-hye outlined in her New Year's news conference with a pledge to nearly double South Korea's per capita national income. The announcement will be made in an economic ministers' meeting that Park plans to preside over on Feb. 25, the first anniversary of her inauguration, presidential spokesman Min Kyung-woo...

China on Tuesday praised remarks by South Korean President Park Geun-hye that Seoul is committed to enhancing bilateral relations with Beijing, saying it would help promote peace and stability in the region. In her New Year's press conference on Monday, Park urged China to further improve bilateral ties. Park held a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping last June during her state visit. "Chi...

Overseas orders for Korea's industrial plants shrank slightly from a year earlier in 2013 due to sharp drops in orders from Middle Eastern and American countries, the government said Tuesday. Overseas orders for the country's industrial plants, including offshore facilities, came to about $63.67 billion last year, down 1.7 percent from 2012, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energ...

North Korea's deputy ambassador to UNESCO was called back to Pyongyang from Paris on Monday, a diplomatic source said, marking the latest summoning of North Korean diplomats following the recent execution of leader Kim Jong-un's uncle. Hong Yong, the North's deputy permanent delegate to UNESCO, and his wife were spotted at the Beijing airport before boarding an Air Koryo flight earlier in the da...

A local court on Monday turned down a request from authors of six history textbooks to suspend a controversial government order to amend them for containing ideological bias, allowing the distribution of revised versions to high school students early next year as scheduled. The Ministry of Education ordered publishers of the books on Dec. 2 to revise 41 parts of their descriptions for containing...

Ssangyong Engineering & Construction Co., which has been under a debt workout program, said Monday it has filed for court receivership after its creditors decided not to extend their financial support. The builder said it has asked the Seoul District Court to help reschedule its debts following a decision by the company board in the afternoon. The Korea Exchange is expected to suspend trading o...

여야가 3일 국가정보원 개혁 특위 구성에 합의했다. 또 내년 예산안과 관련 법률안을 올해 안에 합의 처리하기로 하고, 국가기관의 대선개입 의혹 수사를 위한 특검 도입 문제는 추후 계속 논의키로 했다. 여야는 3일 밤 양당 대표, 원내대표 4자 회담을 다시 열어 이같이 합의했다. 새누리당 황우여 대표•최경환 원내대표와 민주당 김한길 대표•전병헌 원내대표는 3일 여야 대치 상황을 풀기 위해 오전과 오후 두 차례에 걸쳐 4자 회담을 가졌으나, 합의점을 찾지 못했다. 하지만, 여야는 오후 8시경 다시 4자 회담을 재개했고, 이 회의에서 국정원 개혁 특위에 전격 합의했다. 여야는 이날 합의에 따라 4일부터 정기국회를 정상화하기로 했다. Parties agree to normalize parliament Ri...