SEOUL, Jan. 5 (Yonhap) --A Seoul court on Thursday began the official hearing on the close friend of President Park Geun-hye over an influence-peddling scandal that has led to the chief executive's impeachment.Choi Soon-sil, 60, appeared before the Seoul Central District Court as a defendant on

SEOUL, Jan. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korean opposition parties' bid to lower the minimum voting age before the next presidential election faces hurdles as a planned conservative splinter party on Thursday withdrew its support for the proposal.The opposition bloc, led by the Democratic Party, seeks to

(ATTN: ADDS details in last 2 paras)SEOUL, Jan. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's ruling Saenuri Party continued to suffer from an internal feud, as a newly named interim head demanded key loyalists of President Park Geun-hye leave by the end of this week, while an eight-term lawmaker refused to respo

SEOUL, Jan. 5 (Yonhap) --A local professor was questioned by special prosecutors Thursday over suspicions he was involved in giving undue favors to the jailed daughter of a woman at the center of South Korea's political scandal that led to President Park Geun-hye's impeachment.Professor Namk

SEOUL, Jan. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Park Geun-hye was again absent from her impeachment trial Thursday as the Constitutional Court proceeded to review the critical case.Park, whose presidential powers have been suspended pending the court's decision, was asked to appear to give test

SEOUL, Jan. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's minor parities on Thursday claimed Moon Jae-in, former head of the Democratic Party, is responsible for the death of ex-President Roh Moo-hyun, continuing their attack on the leading presidential candidate from the main opposition.Rep. Joo Ho-young, the fl

SEOUL, Jan. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares opened slightly higher Thursday, tracking overnight gains in the Wall Street after the U.S. central bankers hinted the possibility of faster rate hikes down the road to fend off higher inflation.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) ros

SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Yonhap) -- Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon filed a complaint against a local magazine on Wednesday at a press-arbitration body after it reported that Ban received bribes worth US$230,000.Officials representing Ban said the complaint was sent to the Press Arbitration Commissi

(ATTN: RECASTS 9th para; ADDS more info in paras 6, 8)SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Yonhap) -- Top officials of the ruling Saenuri Party on Wednesday threw their weight behind the interim leader's aggressive personnel reform drive, which has targeted core loyalists to President Park Geun-hye and triggered stro

SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Yonhap) -- Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Kang Jung-ho, facing indictment over charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, was dropped from the national team for this year's World Baseball Classic (WBC) on Wednesday.Manager Kim In-sik made the decision after meeting with his

SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has emphasized the need to improve its trade structure by expanding the exports of processed goods and services in an apparent bid to circumvent U.N. sanctions on its mineral resources exports."The export ratio of processed goods, technology and services to tot

SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Wednesday called for efforts to fully implement the country's five-year economic development plan based on self-reliance principles in the face of tough international sanctions.The year 2017 is a meaningful year which should be devoted to carrying out the

SEOUL, Jan .4 (Yonhap) -- Two key witnesses in President Park Geun-hye's impeachment trial have yet to respond to an order to appear before the Constitutional Court, adding uncertainty to the high-profile case, sources said Wednesday.Lee Jae-man and Ahn Bong-geun, two of Park's closest aides

SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's acting president on Wednesday instructed top policymakers to ensure Seoul's efforts to pressure North Korea to denuclearize see tangible results this year, which he said would mark an "inflexion point" in the nuclear conundrum.During the New Year'

Controversial political power peddler Mrs. Choi Soon-sil has even tried to approach King Willem-Alexander Claus George Erdinarnd of the Netherlands through her friends in the Netherlands to help her KD Corporation supply goods. Choi has allegedly do this on three to four different occasions throug t

(ATTN: UPDATES with vice minister interrogation in last 2 paras)By Lee Haye-ahSEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Constitutional Court held its first open hearing Tuesday to determine the fate of President Park Geun-hye following her impeachment over a corruption scandal involving her and he

(ATTN: ADDS comment from Trump aides in para 5)By Chang Jae-soonWASHINGTON, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's tweet about North Korea this week shows he's recognizing the problem as a priority, but it also illustrates his lack of understanding of how serious the situatio

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Deputy National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong will visit Washington this week for talks with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken about North Korea, the State Department announced Tuesday.The fifth round of U.S.-Korea strategic consultations on No

NEW YORK, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday he will return to South Korea next week, a homecoming that is expected to be watched closely as he has declared his desire to run for president of the country.Speaking to South Korean correspondents as he left the U.

(ATTN: UPDATES with details of hearing in paras 1-5, 7; CHANGES headline)SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Constitutional Court held its first open hearing Tuesday to determine the fate of President Park Geun-hye following her impeachment over a corruption scandal involving her and her lon