South Korean Spies Admit Kidnapping Future Prez

Heads one of two private mourning delegations from Seoul

(NEWSER) - South Korea's 89-year-old former first lady is in Pyongyang meeting with the North's new 20-something "Supreme Commander," reports the BBC . Lee Hee-Ho, the wife of late President Kim Dae-Jung, headed one of two delegations South Korea allowed to visit Pyongyang to pay respects to Kim's late father, Kim Jong Il. Lee met with the younger Kim briefly, for about 10 minutes, according to the South's unification ministry. "As chairman Kim Jong Il sent a condolence delegation to Seoul when my husband passed away in 2009; I believe it is our duty to express our condolences," said Lee. More»

(AP) - Kim Dae-jung, the former South Korean president who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his reconciliation efforts with the North, died today at age 85. He had been hospitalized with pneumonia since last month. As a pro-democracy opposition lawmaker, Kim built a reputation as a passionate champion of human rights and democracy, and he survived several suspected assassination attempts, including a dramatic 1973 abduction at a Tokyo hotel. More»

And regime's nuke ready for testing, maybe tomorrow

(NEWSER) - Thirty North Korean officials who helped engage South Korea in talks were either executed or died in "staged traffic accidents" for failing to improve relations, according to Amnesty International. The human rights group's annual report found that another 200 were arrested in January as the regime transferred power from Kim Jong-il to his son, Kim Jong-un. Pyongyang typically rounds up officials who fail to satisfy the regime, even when they're only carrying out orders, the Telegraph reports. More»

'We will stop her from setting foot here,' warns Jakarta FPI

(NEWSER) - Conservative Muslims' latest holy war is being waged against Lady Gaga and her Indonesia tour. The extremist Islamic Defenders’ Front (FPI) accuses Gaga of promoting devil worship, and has vowed to mobilize 30,000 protesters to intercept her at the Jakarta airport so she can't perform next month at the the Bung Karno soccer stadium. "We will stop her from setting foot on our land. She had better not dare spread her satanic faith in this country," group chairman Salim Alatas told the New Zealand Herald . "Her style is vulgar, her sexual and indecent clothes will destroy our children's sense of morality. She's very dangerous." More»

Some believe substance to be cure-all

(NEWSER) - South Korean customs authorities have made a highly disturbing find: Thousands of capsules made of powdered baby flesh, believed by some to have healing powers. Smugglers have attempted to get nearly 17,500 such capsules into the country since August, officials say. Made in northeastern China, the pills contain diced flesh that has been dried on a stove. Concerned about diplomatic tension, officials wouldn't reveal who made the capsules or how they got to South Korea. More»