An Asian Hub in the Making

New Songdo City, a sprawling development planned for the western coast of South Korea, is among the largest master-planned projects that is privately owned.

South Korea Says North Is Likely to Miss Deadline

North Korea is likely to miss a year-end deadline to declare all of its nuclear activities and disable its main nuclear site, the South Korean foreign minister said.

Where Boys Were Kings, a Shift Toward Baby Girls

A centuries-old South Korean preference for boys is fading.

Newly Elected South Korean Forecasts Chill With North

The South Korea president-elect, Lee Myung-bak, declared Thursday that he would not hesitate to criticize North Korea’s authoritarian government.

The Evolution of a Man Called ‘Bulldozer’

Lee Myung-bak, the man chosen as South Korea’s next president, owes much of his victory to a wildly successful project he completed as Seoul’s mayor.

Economy Key in South Korea Election

As South Koreans headed to the polls for their country’s presidential election on Wednesday, voters appeared ready to choose Lee Myung-bak, a pro-business candidate.

New Fraud Inquiry May Complicate South Korean Election

Parliament voted to open a fraud investigation into accusations of fraud against Lee Myung-bak, the leading presidential candidate.

Home Prices in South Korea Stalling at a High Point

Over the past year, the once feverish housing market in South Korea has come to a near halt, as buyers and sellers have become scarce.

Election in South Korea Is Missing Its Suspense

In a campaign that has otherwise failed to grab the electorate’s attention, there has really been only one issue: the economy.

North Korea Replies to Bush With an Offer and a Condition

North Korea agreed on Friday to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, provided that the United States reciprocates by normalizing relations between the countries.

Opposition Leads South Korean Polls

The candidate of South Korea’s conservative opposition party in next week’s presidential election has surged far ahead of his rivals in the last opinion polls allowed before the balloting.

Regular Freight Rail Service Starts Between 2 Koreas

The first a regular cargo rail service between the two Koreas in 56 years comes a week before South Korea’s presidential election.

Philharmonic Gets a Taste of Pyongyang Diplomacy

North Korea’s top diplomat and orchestra officials held a news conference to discuss a coming performance.

Another Movement of Musical Diplomacy

If North Korea keeps its promises, potentially millions of its citizens are likely to hear “The Star-Spangled Banner” in a place long subjected to anti-American propaganda.

Philharmonic Agrees to Play in North Korea

In the first significant cultural visit by Americans, the New York Philharmonic plans to visit Pyongyang.

South Korea Cleans Up Big Oil Spill

The environmental disaster has blackened once-scenic beaches, coated birds and oysters in sludge and driven away tourists with its stomach-churning stench.

A New Bush Tack on North Korea

The president wrote a letter to Kim Jong-il, his first direct communication with the reclusive North Korean dictator.

Tanker Spills Oil Off South Korea

A Hong Kong-registered oil tanker leaked 10,810 tons, or 66,000 barrels, of crude oil off South Korea’s west coast.

Opposition Candidate Cleared in Time for Korean Vote

The outcome was expected to boost the already high chances of restoring a conservative government to power.

Unearthing War’s Horrors Years Later in South Korea

Stories from the Korean War are emerging after half a century, a testament to South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Samsung Division Is Raided; Executives Are Questioned

Prosecutors raided a financial arm of Samsung in Seoul, South Korea, searching for evidence of a slush fund as they expanded an investigation into a corruption scandal.

South Korean Leader Allows Inquiry Into Samsung Bribes

President Roh Moo-hyun of South Korea agreed to an independent investigation into a scandal that includes accusations that he may have accepted bribes from the Samsung Group.

Prayers for straight As in S.Korea

Nov. 15 - South Korean students sit for crucial exams as anxious parents turn to God for help.

Thousands of students sat for their college entrance exams all over South Korea on Thursday (November 15). The competition for university acceptance in South Korea is intense.

This year about 600,000 students will be taking the exams. But barely fifty-percent of the students will get a seat in the country's top universities.

New Bribery Allegation Roils Samsung

Samsung sustained another blow to its image on Monday when a former legal adviser to South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun said the company had once offered him a cash bribe.

Koreas Announce New Cooperation

The prime ministers of North and South Korea announced a significant package of cross-border economic projects.

Korean Leaders Open Talks

In their first meeting in 15 years, the prime ministers of North and South Korea discussed economic initiatives today.

South Korea’s Leader Calls for Haste on Treaty to End Korean War

The president of South Korea called on Tuesday for a meeting of the leaders of the United States, China and the two Koreas to speed up North Korea’s denuclearization.

Korean Officials Accused in Widening Bribery Scandal

South Korea’s next chief prosecutor and top anti-corruption agent faced accusations of accepting bribes from the Korean electronics giant Samsung.

North Korea Still a Threat, South Korean Tells Gates

A senior State Department expert on Korea said that he had confirmation that work had begun to disable North Korea’s nuclear facilities at the main Yongbyon complex.

A New Lifestyle in South Korea: First Weekends, and Now Brunch

The discovery of the weekend in South Korea has meant an explosion in new activities, including leisurely late-morning repasts.

Opinion: Concert Without Strings

A final decision by the New York Philharmonic on whether to perform in North Korea merits the most careful consideration.

The Right Confronts Rice Over North Korea Policy

A dispute has erupted between Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and conservative lawmakers over her pursuit of diplomacy with North Korea.

Divided Korea Paralyzes Families Torn Apart Long Ago

Thousands of South Korean families are still waiting to hear from loved ones taken to North Korea as prisoners during the Korean War over a century ago.

Korean Summit Results Exceed Low Expectations

A declaration signed Thursday by the leaders of the Koreas contained a number of specific projects that could build closer economic and security ties between the countries.

For Sale: Undeveloped Korean Land. DMZ Views.

Land next to the DMZ may fetch only $9,200 per acre — cheap by the standards of South Korea — but it could not even be given away a few years ago, real estate agents say.

New York Philharmonic Might Play in North Korea

The exploratory trip comes at a time of what appears to be a softening in relations between the United States and North Korea.

Pledging Peace, Koreans Agree on Economic Projects

In a joint declaration today, South and North Korea said they would seek to put a formal end to the Korean War.

North Koreans Agree to Disable Nuclear Facilities

The deal sets a timetable for North Korea to dismantle all of its nuclear facilities in return for economic aid.

Korean Leaders Meet in Pyongyang

Leaders of North and South Korea sat down face-to-face today in the first summit meeting between the two Koreas in seven years.

North Korean Nuclear Talks Close to Consensus

Negotiators reached agreement on a draft in Beijing on Sunday after four days of six-nation talks on dismantling North Korea’s nuclear facilities, but said at the time that they needed final approval from their superiors.

Korean Leaders Meet in Pyongyang

Roh Moo-hyun is only the second South Korean president to visit since the two Koreas were divided.

Plan to Disarm North Korea Is Evaluated as Talks Recess

A draft agreement on dismantling North Korea’s nuclear program is expected to be made public after a two-day recess in talks.

Israeli Raid on Syria Fuels Debate on Weapons

Whether Syria is starting a nuclear program, as Israel may believe, is a difficult question for U.S. spy agencies.

Bush Declines to Lift Veil of Secrecy Over Israeli Airstrike on Syria

President Bush pointedly declined on Thursday to discuss an Israeli airstrike in northern Syria on Sept. 6 that Israeli officials say hit a nuclear-related facility that North Korea was helping to equip.

Israeli Nuclear Suspicions Linked to Raid in Syria

An attack by Israeli warplanes inside Syria struck what Israeli intelligence believes was a nuclear-related facility that North Korea was helping to equip, officials said.

U.S. Official Says Syria May Have Nuclear Ties

A top U.S. non-proliferation official said that North Korea may be aiding Syria in a covert nuclear program.

A Longtime Shepherd of Korean Fashion

Andre Kim, South Korea’s most famous and powerful fashion designer, is an instantly recognizable cultural icon in his home country.

New Tactics Aim to Make Korean Film a Hit in the U.S.

With Korean companies like Hyundai and Samsung now industry giants, Hyung Rae Shim, a film producer based in Seoul, wants to pull off a similar feat with his film “Dragon Wars.”

Nuclear Experts to Inspect Sites in North Korea

At the invitation of North Korea, an international delegation of nuclear experts will travel to the North next week to inspect nuclear sites that are to be shut down.

Korean Spymaster, Home With Hostages, Parades His Triumph

The South Korean intelligence agents negotiating with the Taliban last month to free 19 Korean hostages were struggling. The Afghan militants, who had already killed two hostages, were threatening to kill two more. They had even identified their next victims.

North Korea Says U.S. Will Lift Sanctions

North Korea said that the United States had agreed to lift economic sanctions and remove it from a list of countries accused of sponsoring terrorism.

Freed Koreans Are Contrite Amid Growing Criticism

As they arrived in Seoul, the 19 South Korean Christians freed by the Taliban after six weeks in captivity apologized for putting their country through the hostage ordeal.

Nuclear Pact Broadening, North Korea and U.S. Say

The top American negotiator with North Korea said that the country agreed to account to international monitors for all of its nuclear programs.

Freed by Taliban, 19 South Korean Hostages Will Face Relief and Anger Back Home

Many in South Korea are growing increasingly angry at the decision of the Christian volunteers to travel to South Korea despite government warnings.

Revelations of False Credentials Shake South Korea

South Korea has been shaken as one prominent person after another has been exposed as having exaggerated, or fabricated, academic accomplishments.

19 Freed Korean Hostages Fly Out of Afghanistan

The Taliban have vowed to kidnap more foreigners, calling the abduction of the South Koreans a “successful” way to punish allies of Afghanistan and the United States.

Taliban Free Remaining 7 Koreans Held Captive

Signs quickly emerged that South Korea’s decision to hold direct talks with the Taliban might have emboldened the group.

Taliban Release 12 of 19 Hostages From South Korea

The seven hostages still in Taliban custody were widely expected to be released Thursday.

Taliban Will Release Hostages, South Korea Says

The announcement signaled an end to a wrenching hostage crisis that had gripped South Korea for almost six weeks.

Peace Dam Still Waits for the Flood That Never Came

South Korea’s Peace Dam is a $429 million monument to the cold war politics on the divided Korean peninsula.

German Woman Seeks Reunion With North Korean Husband

A 70-year-old German woman came to South Korea this week with a tragic personal love story that is resonating with many people on this divided peninsula.

Ah, the Tonic of Ginseng! Especially a $65,000 Sprig!

In South Korea and elsewhere in Asia, wild ginseng’s roots have traditionally been prized for their supposed preternatural healing powers.

Former Seoul Mayor Is Picked as Presidential Candidate

Lee Myung-bak is now the clear front-runner to succeed President Roh Moo-hyun in the election scheduled for Dec. 19.

Many Feared Dead in N. Korean Flood

Severe flooding has left hundreds dead or missing and inflicted widespread damage, North Korean officials acknowledged on Tuesday.

Taliban Release 2 Korean Hostages

Two women who were among 23 South Koreans kidnapped by the Taliban were freed on Monday and turned over to South Korean officials.

North Korea: ‘Very Big’ Flood Damage

North Korea said hundreds of people were dead or missing and thousands of homes destroyed in torrential rains.

Taliban release two female hostages

Taliban insurgents holding 21 South Koreans released two sick female captives yesterday evening.

A Korean Bridge Must Span Years of Bias and Sadness

In September, a long-anticipated bridge will connect an islet - and a group of people with leprosy - to the Korean mainland for the first time.

Leaders of 2 Koreas Will Meet in the North

The leaders of North and South Korea will hold their second-ever summit meeting in Pyongyang this month.

Families of South Korean Hostages in Afghanistan Seek Solace, and a Solution

The families have issued a joint statement addressed to President Bush and President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan.

Anger Is Tempering Sympathy for South Korean Hostages

Sympathy in South Korea for the 21 people remaining in captivity in Afghanistan has been offset by anger over their decision to travel to such a dangerous region.

South Korea Urges U.S. to Change Stance on Negotiating With the Taliban

South Korea on Tuesday urged the American and Afghan governments to show “flexibility” over Taliban demands for the release of imprisoned militants.

Desperate Korea pleads for hostages

In a desperate attempt to prevent the further killing of South Korean hostages in Afghanistan, the South Korean government yesterday pleaded for the international community's support in showing flexibility in negotiations with the Taliban kidnappers.

2nd victim, a passionate volunteer worker

Shim Sung-min killed yesterday by the Taliban devoted himself to volunteer activities to help needy and disabled people.

Afghan Police Find Body of 2nd Korean

Police in central Afghanistan discovered the body of a second South Korean hostage slain by the Taliban at daybreak on Tuesday, officials said.

Hostages' health worsening

Concerns are growing here over the health of 22 South Koreans held hostage by the Taliban militia for nine days.

Spirits Sag in South Korea at Death of Hostage

The national mood in South Korea reached its lowest point and the Taliban threatened to kill more hostages if its demands were not met.

Taliban Kill South Korean Hostage as Demands Go Unmet

The Taliban shot dead one of their 23 South Korean hostages after complaining that the government had not responded positively to their demands.

Rev. Bae Shot to Death

Taliban militants Wednesday killed the Rev. Bae Hyung-kyu, one of 23 Korean hostages held in Afghanistan, according to Korean government officials.

Body of Korean hostage found

Authorities recovered the bullet-riddled body of a South Korean hostage in central Afghanistan on Wednesday, a police officer who discovered the body said.

N Korea demands sea border with South be redrawn

North Korea pressed South Korea yesterday to discuss redrawing their disputed sea border, the scene of bloody clashes in the past, as the two sides began high-level military talks on easing tensions.

Taliban Seek a Deal for Korean Hostages

Threatening to kill 23 South Korean hostages, the Taliban are demanding that an equal number of their own fighters be released by Monday.

Taliban Threaten to Kill 18 Korean Hostages

Taliban gunmen boarded a bus and abducted 18 South Koreans who were apparently volunteers for a Christian church group.

South Korean Businessman Is Charged With Lying to the F.B.I.

A South Korean businessman living in Manhattan has been charged with lying repeatedly to the F.B.I. during a secret four-year counterintelligence investigation into Korean spies operating in New York.

North Korean Nuclear Talks Fail to Set Disarmament Timetable, but Yield Agreement on Goals

The chief United States envoy, Christopher R. Hill, said there was broad agreement over the goals for the next phase of the disarmament process.

Globalization helps Korea create new identity

In the absence of the clarity, simplicity, and apparent stability of the bipolar superpower conflict in the post-Cold War world, nearly all states are subject to the relentless twin pressures of globalization from without and above and localization from within and below. How does the Republic of Korea cope with such twin pressures? In many respects Korea exemplifies a genuine puzzle.

72% of Adults Back Cohabitation

Living together as girlfriend and boyfriend is quite common in some parts of the world, but this wasn't the case in Korea. However, a recent survey has shown that many young people now do so.

'N.K. willing to disable nuke programs this year'

North Korea showed it is willing to declare and disable its nuclear programs within the year at the six-party talks which resumed yesterday.