South Korea

An outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) forced South Korea to cut interest rates on June 11 in the hope of softening the blow to an economy already burdened by slack demand, as authorities reported 14 new cases.

South Korea believes its MERS virus outbreak may have peaked, and experts say the next several days will be critical to determining whether the government's belated efforts have successfully stymied a disease that has killed nine people and infected more than 100 in the country.
     

The news agencies AGERPRES (Romania) and Yonhap (South Korea) renewed on Tuesday their cooperation agreement, in the context of the 25-year anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

About half of live dolphins caught in the Japanese coastal town of Taiji were exported to China and other countries despite global criticism of the hunting technique used, a news report has said.

The so-called "drive hunt" method has been criticized overseas as cruel and Japanese zoos and aquariums were recently forced to vow not to buy animals caught with the controversial fishing.

Bulgarian volleyball star Matey Kaziyski surprisingly chose to continue his club career in Japan by signing a contract for one season with Panasonic Panthers.

The team from the city of Hirakata won the championship title in Japan in the 2013/2014 season, sportal.bg informs.

Hundreds of schools closed June 4 in South Korea as officials struggled to ease growing panic over an outbreak of the MERS virus that has infected 35 people, killed two and caused thousands to cancel travel plans.

Organisers of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar have indicated they will not relinquish the right to host soccer's showpiece event easily, whatever the fall-out from Sepp Blatter's decision to step down as FIFA president. 

Live anthrax samples were shipped to three laboratories in Canada by a U.S. military lab, USA Today reported on June 1, following disclosures last week that samples of the bacteria were mistakenly sent to 11 U.S. states and two other countries.

South Korea on June 2 reported its first deaths from MERS, in the largest outbreak outside the Middle East that has infected 25 people and triggered widespread public alarm.

A 58-year-old woman died of acute respiratory failure on Monday and tests later came back positive for the MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) virus, the health ministry said.    

China and South Korea on June 1 formally signed a free trade agreement (FTA) that would remove most tariffs between Asia's largest and fourth-largest economies, whose trade is already worth more than $200 billion.