• Ruling party to stick to current presidential primary process

    Korea’s ruling Saenuri Party will stick to its current presidential candidate selection process, but will check to see if there are shortcomings that can be addressed, the party’s chairman said Saturday. At the end of a workshop event for lawmakers, Hwang Woo-yea said meeting the primary election timetable set by…

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  • Japan claims statue in front of Seoul embassy violates int’l convention

    The Japanese government has officially claimed that the “peace statue” in front of its embassy in Seoul violates international convention on diplomatic relations, a report submitted to the Diet showed Saturday. According to the daily Sankei Shimbun, the report compiled in response to questions raised by lawmakers said the bronze…

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  • Politics

    Japan’s Noda urges nation to go nuclear

    TOKYO, June 9 (Xinhua) — Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has made a nationwide appeal to the people of Japan to understand that two idled nuclear reactors in western Japan must be restarted to protect people’s livelihoods and the economy in general. The No. 3 and 4 reactors at the…

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  • Politics

    Eurogroup confirms up to 100-bln-euro aid ready for Spain’s banks

    BRUSSELS/MADRID, June 9 (Xinhua) — Eurozone finance ministers confirmed on Saturday that the single-currency area is ready to offer up to 100 billion euros (about 125 billion U.S. dollars) in financial aid to rescue Spain’s ailing banking sector. “The loan amount must cover estimated capital requirements with an additional safety…

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  • Politics

    “Turkey cannot remain silent to tragedy in Syria”: Turkish FM

    Turkish Foreign Minister on Saturday said a humanitarian tragedy unfolded everyday in Syria, adding that Turkey could not remain silent in the face of the Syrian regime’s brutal crackdown on its people. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said that It was impossible that we remain indifferent to this tragedy. “Not…

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  • N. Koreans convicted of trying to steal rocket technology from Ukraine

    Two North Korean nationals were sentenced to eight year prison terms after being caught trying to steal secret rocket technology from the Ukraine, local sources said Saturday. Sources said the North Koreans identified as Ryu Song-chul and Lee Tae-kil were arrested for spying in July after they tried to steal…

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  • Politics

    Korea asks US to sell cluster bombs

      The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), an arm of the U.S. Department of Defense, has asked the U.S. Congress to approve Seoul’s request to buy 367 advanced cluster bombs. “The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress June 1 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of the…

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  • Politics

    Jordan to launch humanitarian operation center to deal with influx of Syrian refugees

    AMMAN, June 7 (Xinhua) — Jordan is planning to open a humanitarian operation center in the city of Mafraq near the border with Syria to deal with influx of Syrian refugees, Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said Thursday. More than 120,000 Syrians entered Jordan since the unrest in their country in…

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  • S. Korea demands DPRK pay back loan debt

    SEOUL, June 8 (Xinhua) — South Korea’s state-led bank on Friday urged the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to pay back loans offered by the two liberal predecessors of President Lee Myung-bak. The Export-Import Bank of Korea sent a message earlier in the day, reminding the DPRK’s Chosun Trade…

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  • Politics

    N. Korean leader seeks to bolster public image

    North Korean leader Kim Jong-un smiles as he is surrounded by children during a celebration to mark the 66th anniversary of the founding of the Korean Children’s Union in Pyongyang in this image released by the North’s Korean Central News Agency, Wednesday. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has stepped up…

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