Topic: Seoul

Top galleries, list articles, quizzes

10 amazing stories about the Olympics

As the 2012 Olympics play out in London, David Wallechinsky’s latest book The Complete Book of the Olympics, 2012 Edition, provides some great finds about past Games.
15 biggest moments for women in the Olympics

Since 1900, when women first began competing in the Olympic Games, there have been many unforgettable moments.
Blast-off: 6 recent missile advances

Missiles have been prominent in the news with India’s successful test, North Korea’s failed one, and much talk of missile defense systems in Europe and the Persian Gulf. Here are six recent noteworthy missile-technology advances.
What sanctions? Top five countries buying oil from Iran.

Iran is the third-largest exporter of crude oil in the world, behind Saudi Arabia and Russia. Its economy relies heavily on oil exports. According to tallies from June 2011, here is a list of the top 5 importers of Iranian oil.
Kim Jong-il's death: 4 questions about 'dear successor' Kim Jong-un

All Content

Kim Jong-il's death: 4 questions about 'dear successor' Kim Jong-un

The third son of North Korea’s “Dear Leader” Kim Jong-il appears well on his way to succeeding his father, in name if not in style and substance. He will lead the committee in charge of the funeral on Dec. 28 and will then be referred to as “successor.” Just when he will assume the real titles held by his father is a matter of intense speculation. Past precedent suggests a wait of as long as three years, according to Korean custom. For now, Kim Jong-un, 28 or 29 years old, faces the prospect of manipulation by high-ranking relatives and generals. “He’s very much an untested quantity,” says Shim Jae-hoon, a political analyst in Seoul. His lone qualification, according to Mr. Shim, is that “he symbolizes the house of Kim” – a reference to his grandfather, long-ruling “Great Leader” Kim Il-sung, who died in 1994, and his father.
North Korea quickly names 'great successor' after Kim Jong-il's death

North Korea is unlikely to act erratically following the death of Kim Jong-il. All eyes are on heir Kim Jong-un, whose youth and inexperience mean elder statesmen are likely to guide the transition.
South Korea a center for Gaelic games

Fifty teams from 14 countries came together in South Korea for two days of Gaelic football, one of the world's oldest sports.
South Korea approves free trade agreement with US despite deep divisions

South Korea's National Assembly gave the final nod Tuesday to a controversial US free trade agreement that is expected to boost bilateral trade of $88 billion last year.
Tim Peters provides Helping Hands to North Korean defectors

Christian missionary Tim Peters sends aid to impoverished North Korea while working to help defectors come to the South.
Leftist wins Seoul mayoral race: How it could alter South Korea's ties with North Korea

Voters in Seoul elected a leftist for mayor and showed their discontent with the status quo. The winner, Park Won-soon, ran on a message of 'change' that could affect South Korea's ties with North Korea.
The Monitor's View: Obama's push to quell a nuclear North Korea

Obama can't risk a big nuclear test by North Korea during the 2012 election campaign. Hints of talks with Pyongyang suggest the US is ready for a deal.
A Voice in the Box: My Life in Radio

In an unusually candid and insightful memoir, popular radio host Bob Edwards explores his own career.
Trade deals: South Korea finally wins FTA with the US, but hurdles remain

Trade deals with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama were ratified last night. The FTA with South Korea highlights a key moment in US-Korean relations, but the deal still faces obstacles in South Korea.
Is South Korea America's new best friend in Asia?

A new trade pact with South Korea and a state dinner for President Lee Myung-bak highlights the growth of the US-South Korea alliance, which some say has never been stronger.
US cedes status as breakdancing capital to South Korea

Bronx may still be the first place to come to mind, but Seoul is now the breakdancing capital.
Photos of the Day: Photos of the day 10/07
Restaurateur provides a waystation for North Korean defectors

Restaurateur Dan Kang runs the Seoul City Mongolian Grill, which trains North Korean defectors in the restaurant industry. The long-term goal: Return them to the north after Korea reunifies.
Standoff over South Korean naval base

Locals say construction of a Navy base on Jeju Island will spoil one of South Korean's environmental gems. South Korean officials say it's a necessary defense against as a rising North Korean threat.
Turning propaganda on its head in South Korea

A North Korean defector who created government propaganda before fleeing the country now uses his old work to criticize the man and country it honored.
Remembering the audacity of the twin towers

The soaring twin towers of the World Trade Center became an affirmation of the American value of dreaming big. To the engineer who designed them, their loss on 9/11 remains heartbreaking, but he's found the resilience to keep dreaming.
Why Thailand has become a popular path to freedom for North Korean defectors

A growing number of North Korean defectors are crossing illegally into Thailand via a new 'underground railroad' because Thailand processes defectors and sends them to South Korea quickly.
North Korea tells Russia it may be ready to halt nuke testing. Is it?

Analysts view Kim Jong-il's mention of a moratorium on nuclear testing, if six party talks resume, more as a gesture to Russian hosts than as a serious promise.
No such thing as a free lunch? South Koreans beg to differ.

By refusing to go to the polls Wednesday, voters defeated Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's referendum to limit free lunches to poor schoolchildren. The result is a blow to South Korea’s conservative leadership.
North Korea and South Korea exchange fire after agreeing to peace talks [VIDEO]

North Korea and South Korea briefly exchanged fire Wednesday. One analyst suggested that the North is provoking the South in a calculated attempt to get a new peace treaty.
East Asia's top 5 island disputes

East Asia is home to several territorial disputes, which occasionally escalate into regional violence. Many of the island territories are small, isolated from the countries’ mainlands, and sparsely populated. But strategic interests and abundant natural resources make them valuable. Here are five of East Asia’s flashpoints:
In South Korea, mud season is a cause for celebration

A longer-than-normal rainy season in South Korea has upped the ante for an annual mud festival, turning the town into 'one giant mudslide.'
Portrait of a North Korean propagandist turned protest artist

Before fleeing North Korea, Song Byeok was a propaganda artist, creating portraits of 'Dear Leader' Kim Jong-il. Now he uses his art to criticize the regime from South Korea.
South Korea mobilizes to cope with flooding, landslides

More than 20 inches of rain have fallen on Seoul, South Korea, since Tuesday. Tens of thousands of workers are repairing housing and railroad tracks, as well as searching for missing people.
Bond market crumbling? No, world still hopeful on US debt deal.

Bond market debacle seems unlikely, many foreign officials say. But bond market could see loss of America's Triple A rating if there are no big budget cuts long term.