SEOUL: The South Korean government yesterday petitioned the constitutional court to disband a far-left political party branded as pro-North Korean. The cabinet decided that the objectives of the Unified Progressive Party ran counter to the “basic democratic order of the constitution”, Justice Minister Hwang Kyo-Ahn said. The cabinet vote came months after party members, including MP Lee Seok-Ki, were arrested on charges of plotting an armed revolt in support of North Korea. The cabinet petition was reportedly sanctioned online by President Park Geun-hye.
China, India in joint exercise
BEIJING: China and India began an anti-terrorism drill yesterday, the first such exercise by them for five years. Both sent one company of soldiers to Chengdu, in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan, for the ‘Hand-in-Hand 2013’ drill, according to Chinese state media reports. The training comes as the two remain embroiled in a border dispute that has been unresolved for decades and has occasionally led to military stand-offs.
Taiwan gets US helicopters
TAIPEI: Taiwan has received the first six of 30 Apache advanced attack helicopters from the US as it modernises its military despite warming ties with China, officials said yesterday. The AH-64Es were shipped to the southern port of Kaohsiung on Monday, officials at the defence ministry said. AGENCIES
