YTN Group | GlobalPost

Nearly a third of Koreans to be over 65 in 2040: report

Yonhap News AgencyJune 20, 2013 00:03

SEJONG, June 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's population is getting older at a fast clip with its median age likely to rise sharply amid enhanced medical services and people's increased interest in health, a report showed Thursday. According to the report by Statistics Korea, the number of people aged 65 or older will grow to 24.3 percent in 2030, up from 11.8 percent tallied in 2012. The ratio is expected to rise further to 32.3 percent in 2040. Those forecast figures would be much higher than the ratio of senior citizens in 1980 when it stood at 3.8 percent, the report showed.

Gov't target for new houses drops to 10-yr low

Yonhap News AgencyJune 19, 2013 23:32

SEOUL, June 20 (Yonhap) -- The government said Thursday that it will aim to build 370,000 new houses this year, the lowest number of new housing units since 2003 when it began announcing annual targets. The figure represents a near 37 percent drop from 587,000 construction licenses issued for new houses last year, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Such a drop apparently reflects the prolonged downturn in the country's real estate market.

Gov't to halt failing overseas projects by state-run energy firms

Yonhap News AgencyJune 19, 2013 22:31

SEOUL, June 20 (Yonhap) -- The government will likely interrupt overseas energy development projects run by the country's public energy firms that are deemed to be failing and could further aggravate their debt-riddled balance sheets, an official said Thursday. The move comes after Han Jin-hyun, a vice minister of trade, industry and energy, pointed to the problem of the public firms' growing debts.

Prosecution rejects police request to arrest ex-vice justice minister

Yonhap News AgencyJune 19, 2013 08:00

SEOUL, June 19 (Yonhap) -- The prosecution on Wednesday rejected a police request for an arrest warrant for a former vice justice minister accused of receiving sexual services in return for business favors. The prosecution instead instructed the National Police Agency (NPA) to refile an arrest warrant with a stronger argument on the charges against Kim Hak-ui who remains in a hospital following surgery. Kim's medical conditions should be considered when a warrant will be sought again, prosecution officials said.

Moscow film fest to give special screening of Korean films

Yonhap News AgencyJune 19, 2013 05:31

SEOUL, June 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will showcase some notable films during an annual film festival in Moscow, promoters said Wednesday. Nine latest Korean films will be screened as part of the "Korean Cinema Showcase" category of the 35th Moscow International Film Festival on June 20-29, the Korean Film Council said. They include "A Werewolf Boy," "Horror Stories," "New World," "Nobody's Daughter Haewon," "The Thieves" and "Jiseul," it said in a news release.

S. Korea gears up for cyberspace talks in October

Yonhap News AgencyJune 19, 2013 05:00

SEOUL, June 19 (Yonhap) -- About 800 delegates from up to 90 countries are expected to attend a major global conference in Seoul to discuss how to tackle security threats on the Internet and boost cooperation to prevent cyber crimes, organizers said Wednesday. The two-day Seoul Conference on internet security, which will begin on Oct. 17, will also look at "a full range of issues" related to the future of cyberspace, said a senior official at Seoul's foreign ministry who is involved in the organizing committee.

Park pledges support for publishing industry

Yonhap News AgencyJune 19, 2013 04:30

SEOUL, June 19 (Yonhap) -- President Park Geun-hye said Wednesday she will help the publishing industry grow to play a key part in the country's future. Park made the remarks at the opening ceremony of an annual international book fair, emphasizing the large influence books have had on people.

Park pledges to drastically upgrade government services

Yonhap News AgencyJune 19, 2013 03:32

SEOUL, June 19 (Yonhap) -- President Park Geun-hye vowed Wednesday to drastically advance government services in a way that makes public as much administrative information as possible in an effort to meet the individual needs of the citizens. Park has pledged to upgrade her government to version "3.0" in a symbolic commitment to make major improvements to services that the people require. On Wednesday, government ministries held a joint ceremony renewing their commitment to the vision.

Today in Korean history

Yonhap News AgencyJune 19, 2013 01:30

June 20 1962 -- The South Korean government puts an insurance system into effect. 1985 -- The two Koreas hold their third round of economic meetings at the border village of Panmunjom. 1990 -- An explosion on the Sea King, an oil tanker, in waters off Crete, Greece, kills five Korean sailors. <All rights reserved by Yonhap News Agency>

S. Korea to buy European bunker busters for fighter jets

Yonhap News AgencyJune 19, 2013 01:00

By Kim Eun-jung SEOUL, June 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will buy Taurus bunker-busting long-range missiles for its F-15K strike fighters in a move to boost its attacking power against North Korea, the state procurement agency said Wednesday. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) approved the acquisition plan to purchase air-to-ground missiles with a 500-kilometer range by the German-Swedish joint venture Taurus System in a meeting presided by Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin.