South Korea

Is China retaliating against Lotte missile deal?

The fifth biggest firm in South Korea gets an estimated 30% of its sales from China, and employs about 20,000 people there.

But in the past week, several of its businesses have faced a backlash from hackers, customers and Chinese partners.

On Monday, Lotte said that more than 10 of its department stores across the country had been closed down suddenly. So what's going on?

 

Background: Missiles and a golf course

North Korea executed 5 security officials, South Korea says

The deputy minister-level officials had worked under the recently fired state security chief Kim Won Hong, and are believed to have been executed for making false reports to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, according to two parliamentarians who had been briefed by South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS).

"Kim Won Hong, the state security chief, is in a house arrest situation after an investigation and more than five deputy minister-level officials who worked under him have been executed by anti-aircraft guns," South Korean lawmaker Kim Byung-kee said.

Employee goes missing with $100 million.

The employee, who ABB has not identified, is suspected of forging documents and working with individuals outside the company to steal the money, according to ABB and South Korean police.

A police spokesman said that the suspect is believed to have fled to Hong Kong and that they are working with Interpol to bring him back to South Korea.

The embezzlement and misappropriation of funds is limited to South Korea, where ABB employs about 800 staff, the company said. Other people could still come under investigation.

Kim Jong-nam killing: Malaysia recalls envoy from North Korea

Kim Jong-nam died in mysterious circumstances last week at an airport in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.

Police believe he was poisoned.

Malaysia has recalled its ambassador from the North Korean capital Pyongyang and has summoned the North Korean ambassador "to seek an explanation".

Malaysian police say they are now looking for four North Koreans.

North Korea's ambassador to Kuala Lumpur, Kang Chol, told reporters that he did not trust the Malaysian inquiry.

North Korea murdered Kim Jong-nam, says South Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother was killed at Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur airport last week.

"We believe the North Korean regime is behind this incident considering five suspects are North Koreans," said Seoul's unification ministry spokesman.

Malaysian police have already detained one North Korean and they say they are looking for four more.

Deputy national police chief Noor Rashid Ismail identified the latest North Korean suspects in a press conference on Sunday.

He said the men left Malaysia last Monday, the day Mr Kim was killed.

Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong arrested in South Korea

The case is linked to a scandal that led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye.

Samsung is accused of giving donations to non-profit foundations operated by Choi Soon-sil, a friend of Ms Park, in exchange for government favours.

Mr Lee and the Samsung Group deny any wrongdoing.

The acting Samsung chief was first questioned by prosecutors in January, but they decided then not to arrest him.

Pokemon Go finally reaches South Korea

The delay was caused by security fears over Google Maps, according to Reuters.

In South Korea, functions on Google Maps are limited by the government for national security reasons.

The makers did not specify how they had worked around the problem but some reports suggested that they had to use publicly available data to fill gaps.

The game, which was jointly developed by Nintendo and Niantic Labs, challenges users to walk around the real world capturing virtual monsters and training them to fight each other.

South Korea: Court refuses Samsung chief's arrest

It ruled that there was insufficient reason to arrest him.

He was later seen leaving the Seoul detention centre where he had been awaiting the ruling.

The allegations were part of a corruption scandal which led parliament to impeach President Park Geun-hye.

Mr Lee had been waiting for the ruling for more than 12 hours, since a hearing on Wednesday.

"The merits of this case can now be determined without the need for detention," Samsung said in response to the court order.

Japan recalls diplomats from South Korea over statue

Tokyo will also halt talks with South Korea on a planned currency swap and delay high-level economic dialogue as part of its "initial" response to the statue, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press briefing Friday.

The statue was erected by a civil group in December and represents "comfort women," women who were forced to work as sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during World War II.

"The fact that the girls' statue was set up has an unfavorable influence on relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea, and it is extremely regrettable," Suga said.

Dog slaughter banned in South Korean market

An agreement between the city of Seongnam and the vendors' association at Moran market means that slaughter facilities will be removed as early as next week, the Korea Herald newspaper reports. The 22 dog meat vendors at the market, which sells anything from antiques to live animals to the city's million residents, are to receive financial support to enable them to convert to different lines of business.