U.S. arms sales to Asia set to boom on Pacific "pivot"

By Jim Wolf

WASHINGTON | Tue Jan 1, 2013 10:17am EST

(Reuters) - U.S. sales of warplanes, anti-missile systems and other costly weapons to China's and North Korea's neighbors appear set for significant growth amid regional security jitters.

Strengthening treaty allies and other security partners is central to the White House's "pivot" toward a Pacific region jolted by maritime territorial disputes in China's case, and missile and nuclear programs, in North Korea's.

South Korea President’s Brother Quizzed Over Banking Scandal

  The US, UK and Europe are not the only places dealing with banking scandals. It seems no country is immune. I feel that this is necessary, however, in order for worldwide financial reform to really get underway.

By Ju-min Park, Seoul, Reuters -  July 2, 2012

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/03/us-korea-politics-corruption-idUSBRE86204A20120703

(Reuters) – A brother of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak appeared before prosecutors on Tuesday to answer questions about a savings bank graft scandal.

Lee’s three predecessors all saw their sons or brother prosecuted for taking bribes in return for the promise of influence.

The president’s brother, Lee Sang-deuk, was summonsed to appear at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office to answer questions about the collapse of a savings bank which forced more than a dozen small institutions to shutdown and thousands to lose their savings. Lee has no direct links to the collapsed bank.

Some of President Lee’s closest aides and political allies have been convicted or put on trial in the savings bank scandal, where operators of failing financial firms paid off the officials to cover up mismanagement.