The United States stopped operating a surveillance flight around the Korean Peninsula, an aviation tracker said Sunday, as North Korea did not follow through on its threat to deliver a "Christmas gift."Aircraft Spots tweeted earlier Sunday that "there is no RC-135S Cobra Ball operating" over the waters off South Korea for the first time in nearly five days.The US had carried out a surveillance mission over the East Sea from Tuesday through Saturday in an apparent move to moni

North Korea Dec. 29, 2019

South Korea's science ministry said Sunday it will allocate 26.9 billion won ($23.2 million) in 2020 to further expand the country's innovative drone capabilities.Of the total, 13 billion won will be used to secure original technologies, with 6.7 billion won to go drones that make use of 5G and artificial intelligence technologies, the Ministry of Science and ICT said. It said funds will also be set aside for public procurement. The amount to be spent in the new year is up 94 percent from 13.9 b

Technology Dec. 29, 2019

Japan has notified the United Nations of a suspected North Korean transshipment case, the country's 15th such UN notification since the start of last year, according to the Japanese foreign ministry. The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a day earlier that the country has informed the Security Council Committee's Panel of Experts of the suspected North Korean transshipment the country detected.According to the ministry, a Japanese Self-Defense Forces patrol plane found a North

North Korea Dec. 28, 2019

The minor rightist Our Republican Party's co-head was accused of insulting and verbally abusing a party official, police said Saturday.According to Seoul's Yeongdeungpo Police Station, the party official filed an official complaint with the police, accusing co-head of the party Cho Won-jin of insulting and verbally abusing the official during a recent protest rally in front of the National Assembly. The party official demanded a criminal penalty for Cho for the alleged insult and verbal abu

Politics Dec. 28, 2019

South Korean stocks are predicted to stay mostly flat next week as investors are expected to sit on the sidelines amid the possibility of a provocation by North Korea, analysts said Saturday. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed at 2,204.21 points on Friday, little changed from the previous week.Earlier in the week, the market closed lower as investors took a breather and cashed in recent gains after the market hit an almost eight-month high on Friday, buoyed

Market Dec. 28, 2019

In Canadian sports, 99 is a sacred number, for it was worn by one of the country's greatest athletes, the hockey legend Wayne Gretzky.Though in a different sport, South Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin will now don No. 99 for the Toronto Blue Jays, which signed him to a four-year, US$80 million contract. Ryu has had that number throughout his pro career, which began in South Korea in 2006 and shifted to the majors with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2013. While No. 99 is retired across the National Hocke

Baseball Dec. 28, 2019

South Korea's National Assembly passed bills to establish a law on alternative military service and amend the Military Service Act to that effect at its plenary session on Friday, allowing conscientious objectors to avoid criminalization. According to the proposed law, conscientious objectors can fulfill the obligatory military service via 36 months of alternative service at correctional facilities.   At present, all able-bodied Korean men are required to serve in the Army for 21 month

Politics Dec. 27, 2019

South Korea's National Assembly on Friday passed an election reform bill to introduce a new proportional representation system and lower the voting age amid fierce protests by opposition lawmakers. The revision bill has been at the center of a monthslong political spat after the ruling Democratic Party and smaller opposition parties placed it on a legislative fast track in late April, along with a set of bills to overhaul the prosecution and set up an independent body to probe high-level corrupt

Politics Dec. 27, 2019

The National Assembly on Friday passed a controversial reform bill designed to adopt a new proportional representation system for the April general elections.The bill was put up for vote about eight months after the ruling Democratic Party and its smaller rivals placed it on a fast-track in late April, along with prosecution reform bills. National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang introduced the electoral reform bill Monday despite strong objections from the main opposition Liberty Korea Party.The

Politics Dec. 27, 2019

The National Assembly convened a plenary meeting Friday to vote on a controversial electoral reform bill designed to adopt a new proportional representation system for the April general elections.The bill will be put to a vote, about eight months after the ruling Democratic Party and its smaller rivals placed it on a fast-track in late April, along with prosecution reform bills.National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang introduced the electoral reform bill Monday despite strong objections from the

Politics Dec. 27, 2019

President Moon Jae-in had a year-end luncheon at Cheong Wa Dae on Friday, in which he discussed South Korea's combat readiness with a group of top military commanders.Moon had the 100-minute meeting with Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Park Han-ki, as well as the chiefs of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Also present was Gen. Choi Byun-hyuk, deputy commander of the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command.The meeting was meant as a chance for M

Politics Dec. 27, 2019

The South Korean military conducted an exercise on Friday to strengthen defense capabilities for the country's easternmost islets of Dokdo, the first such drills in four months, a source said, amid budding efforts to restore ties with Japan strained over trade and wartime history.The Korean Navy did not make the exercise public in an apparent move to avoid further aggravating tensions with Japan, which has persistently laid claim to the rocky islets in the East Sea. "The Navy carried out th

Defense Dec. 27, 2019

The UN Green Climate Fund has approved $752,000 in funding for North Korea to help Pyongyang deal with climate change, marking the first financing project by the UN fund for the reclusive nation. The fund will help North Korea improve its "readiness" to tackle climate change, the GCF said Thursday.  North Korea is a party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and to the landmark Paris climate agreement. In January, North Korea registered a national designated authority

North Korea Dec. 27, 2019

HDC Hyundai Development Co., a midsized construction company, signed a deal on Friday to acquire Asiana Airlines Inc. as the South Korean builder strives to diversify its business portfolio.In their board meetings held early Friday, HDC and Kumho Industrial Co., a construction unit of Kumho Asiana Group, approved the deal.The signing comes after the consortium formed between HDC and Mirae Asset Daewoo was picked the preferred bidder last month to acquire a 30.77-percent Asiana stake held by Kumh

Mobility Dec. 27, 2019

A US maritime patrol plane has made a late-night flight over the Korean Peninsula, an aviation tracker said Friday, amid concerns that North Korea could launch provocations in protest over stalled nuclear talks with the United States.According to Aircraft Spots, a P-3C plane of the US Navy flew over the peninsula at around 11 p.m. on Thursday, the latest in the US military's recent series of surveillance flyovers. The aircraft appears to have been mobilized to check for any signs of the North pr

Defense Dec. 27, 2019