Samsung Group leader Jay Y Lee will go on trial for bribery and embezzlement next Thursday, a court has said, amid a corruption scandal that has rocked South Korea and led to the impeachment of the country’s president.

A South Korean court has approved the arrest of a billionaire Samsung heir accused of bribery and other charges in connection with a massive corruption scandal.

Prosecutors have requested the arrest of Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong as a bribery suspect in the influence-peddling scandal that led to the impeachment of South Korea's president.

South Korean authorities have said a Samsung heir will be questioned as a suspect in a bribery case in the massive influence-peddling scandal that led to the impeachment of the country's president.

A Buddhist monk is critically ill in hospital after setting himself on fire to protest against South Korea's settlement with Japan on compensation for wartime sex slaves.

Large crowds of South Koreans were expected to march in the streets calling for the permanent removal of impeached President Park Geun-hye and extending the biggest protest movement in the country to Christmas Eve.

South Korea's parliament has voted to strip the president of her power.

Revelations by an opposition politician in South Korea that the office of President Park Geun-hye purchased about 360 Viagra pills and the generic version of the drug have been confirmed.

North Korea has fired three ballistic missiles off its east coast in a show of force timed to coincide with the G20 summit in China, Seoul has said.

North Korea has made more threats against its enemies, vowing to take unspecified "powerful" measures over a US plan to deploy an advanced missile defence system in South Korea.

North Korea faces collapse if it does not abandon its nuclear bomb programme, South Korea's president warned.

Ten people died and others are missing after a fishing boat capsized off South Korea’s southern coast.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il repeatedly pushed for summit talks before his death in 2011 - but demanded US$10bn and huge shipments of food and fertiliser in return, South Korea's former president has said.

Pope Francis has arrived in South Korea on the first papal visit to the Asian nation in 25 years, stepping off a plane on to a red carpet and greeting the president, Catholics and grieving relatives of the ferry disaster.

South Korean prosecutors are seeking to formally arrest the head of the company that owns the Sewol ferry as part of a prove into its sinking, that left more than 300 people dead or missing, officials said.

South Korea’s president has apologised for the government’s inept initial response to a deadly ferry sinking.

Divers have renewed their search for more than 100 bodies still trapped in the sunken South Korean ferry after weekend efforts were hindered by bad weather, strong currents and floating debris clogging the ship’s rooms.

South Korea’s prime minister resigned yesterday over the government’s handling of a ferry sinking that has left more than 300 people dead or missing and led to widespread shame, fury and finger-pointing, blaming “deep-rooted evils” in society for the tragedy.

All 15 crew members involved in navigating the doomed South Korean ferry which left 302 people dead or missing after sinking, are now in custody, authorities said today.

A distress call believed to be the first made from sinking South Korean ferry was made by a boy with a shaking voice, three minutes after the vessel made its fateful last turn.

New evidence shows that the sunken South Korean ferry did not make a sharp turn shortly before the disaster, but changed course much more gradually, it has emerged.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye has said the captain and some crew members of the sunken ferry committed “unforgivable, murderous acts” in the disaster, which left more than 300 people dead or missing.

South Korea has approved US$6m (€4.5m) in government aid for vaccines, medical care and food for North Korean children.

The United States and Japan opened the door to new nuclear talks with North Korea if the sabre-rattling country lowered tensions and honoured past agreements, even as it rejected South Korea’s latest offer of dialogue as a “crafty trick”.

Annual military drills by South Korea and the US began today despite North Korean threats to launch a nuclear attack on America.