Yoon's former chief of staff named ambassador to China

Kim Dae-ki, who was President Yoon Suk Yeol's chief of staff during the first two years of Yoon's term, has been named the ambassador to China. Kim, a 68-year-old career bureaucrat, will replace the incumbent Chung Jae-ho, who served in the position since August 2022. Kim has expertise in handling trade-related affairs countering China and has a good command of Chinese, Chief of Staff Chung Jin-suk told reporters Monday. Seoul is awaiting China's approval of Kim's nomination,

PoliticsOct. 14, 2024

Rival parties lock horns over N. Korean provocations

The tension between the two largest political parties in South Korea escalated Monday as the main opposition criticized the Yoon Suk Yeol administration’s response towards a recent series of provocations from North Korea. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea on Monday announced the list of members for its own intra-party security committee through former director of the National Service Intelligence Rep. Park Jie-won. The announcement comes a day after Democratic Party Chair Rep.

PoliticsOct. 14, 2024

[Herald Interview] Miss Universe Korea winner Ariel Han talks embracing true self

Beauty pageants often conjure up stereotypical images of young, attractive women in swimsuits reciting canned responses. But this year's Miss Universe Korea competition, co-hosted by The Korea Herald and Yedang Media on Sept. 30, shattered those molds, celebrating women's unique qualities both inside and out. The pageant eliminated the age restrictions that had previously limited participation to women aged 18 to 28. Gone too were the longstanding height and weight requirements. This i

Hashtag KoreaOct. 14, 2024

Korea urged to enhance readiness for self-driving safety rules

South Korea should join the global movement to set safer international standards for autonomous driving systems, according to a report released by the state-run Korea Automotive Technology Institute on Monday. Cho Min-wook, senior researcher and author of the report, stated that the International Organization for Standardization and the auto industry are looking to adopt a more comprehensive approach that encompasses safety and security for Level 3 and more advanced self-driving systems. ISO is

MobilityOct. 14, 2024

87% of adults willing to work after retirement: survey

A survey showed Monday that nearly 90 percent of South Korean adults are willing to work after retirement, mostly due to financial reasons. An online job-seeking portal Saramin surveyed 4,056 adults across the country from Oct.7 to 10, asking them if they were willing to work after retirement. Some 87.3 percent of the respondents said they would, with 95.8 percent of those in their 50s saying so. They were followed by 81.9 percent of those in their 40s, 74.4. percent of those in their 30s and

Social AffairsOct. 14, 2024

Korea, Mongolia strengthen ties in education

The Ministry of Education announced plans to hold the 4th Korea-Mongolia Joint Commission on Education in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Scheduled for Tuesday, the meeting is part of an ongoing consultative process that began in 2015 to deepen bilateral educational cooperation. The commission aims to review past agreements and explore new opportunities for collaboration in education, the ministry explained. One of the primary focus areas of the meeting is the promotion of Korean language education in Mo

Social AffairsOct. 14, 2024

No more ticket wars. Concert, musical films head to multiplex cinemas

Booking tickets online for a K-pop idol concert or a top-selling musical show, which sell out in several minutes or even seconds, is stressful. The high ticket prices, hovering above 100,000 won per ticket, are also agonizing. But at multiplex cinemas here, you can enjoy the exact same concert or musical on a large screen right in front of you and on an even-better sound system at just one-third of the price. In recent years, local multiplex cinema chains CGV and Megabox have been screening conc

FilmOct. 14, 2024

Fescaro chief stresses importance of software-based operation in future mobility

With the age of autonomous vehicles just beyond the horizon, software is becoming just as important as the nuts and bolts of an vehicle. Hong Seok-min, the CEO of Fescaro, which provides software solutions for future mobility, said "software-defined operation" is a key term in the automotive industry today and in the future. "Without a doubt, the keyword (in the mobility industry) is the software-defined vehicle. Designs of existing internal combustion vehicles are centered on t

MobilityOct. 14, 2024

Seoul shares jump over 1% on tech gains, foreign buying

South Korean shares closed sharply higher Monday, helped by strong advances in tech and financial shares. The local currency lost ground against the U.S. dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) added 26.38 points, or 1.02 percent, to close at 2,623.29. Trading volume was moderate at 391 million shares worth 8.3 trillion won ($6.12 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 488 to 395. Foreigners net bought 77.6 billion won worth of shares while retail investors dumped 440

MarketOct. 14, 2024

[Herald Review] Poor venue management takes away chance for 'Turandot' to shine

High expectations can sometimes lead to disappointment and even anger. This was the case for some in the audience who had high expectations for the Korean premiere of renowned director Franco Zeffirelli's version of “Turandot,” Giacomo Puccini’s popular opera, known as the Arena di Verona’s “Turandot.” It wasn’t because of the production quality. As expected, it was a grand performance and its sheer scale -- featuring 200 actors, singers, chorus m

CultureOct. 14, 2024

Tender offer closes for Korea Zinc, signaling prolonged proxy fight

The alliance of MBK Partners and Young Poong took the lead in the power struggle over Korea Zinc, the world's largest zinc smelter, securing an additional 5 percent stake in the company on Monday. Yet with Korea Zinc's separate tender offer lingering on the table, the conflict is likely to evolve into a prolonged proxy fight. The MBK-Young Poong coalition was able to secure over 5 percent stake in Korea Zinc through a tender offer that concluded Monday. Combined with the existing 33.1

IndustryOct. 14, 2024

[From the Scene] S. Korea, Philippines deepen cooperation in water

MANILA, Philippines -- As the Philippines contends with ongoing water shortages and management challenges exacerbated by climate change, South Korea is set to deepen its cooperation with the Southeast Asian country and expand its support to address these critical issues. At the heart of this expanding cooperation is the Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water), a public enterprise specializing in water development and management. Since 2014, K-water has partnered with the Philippine governmen

Social AffairsOct. 14, 2024

Nobel Prize sparks policies aimed at revitalizing publishing industry

In the wake of Han Kang’s Nobel Prize in literature win, new policies and laws are being discussed to foster future literary talents like Han. Culture Minister Yu In-chon said that next year’s budget for the publishing sector has been restored to its 2022 level, adding that it increased by approximately 3 billion won ($2.2 million) compared to this year. Speaking at the 38th annual Book Day ceremony on Friday, Yu called Han’s achievement “an unparalleled honor both person

BooksOct. 14, 2024

Enjoy jazz amid the falling leaves

As autumn settles in, jazz festivals are filling the calendars. Perhaps it was Nat King Cole crooning "the autumn leaves of red and gold" in his velvety voice, that forever tied fall with jazz.: As cooler temperatures settle in, jazz festivals fill the brief autumn season. Since its inception in 2004, the annual Jarasum Jazz Festival has been lighting up Korea's autumn. This year, 19 international and 17 Korean artists will be performing at the festival held at Jaraseom in Gapyeon

PerformanceOct. 14, 2024

Bibimbap price continues to go up: data

The average price of bibimbap rose above 11,000 won ($8.10) in September, despite slowing inflation in food products in recent months, government data showed Monday. According to data from the Korea Consumer Agency, a bowl of bibimbap in Seoul cost 11,038 won on average in September, up slightly from 10,962 won the previous month. The bibimbap price has been on the upward trend since first surpassing the 10,000-won mark in January last year. Bibimbap and samgyetang were the only two dishes tha

ConsumerOct. 14, 2024

Border tensions heighten as North Korea builds up drone incursion claims

The South Korean military is closely watching developments and making necessary preparations in response to the North Korean military ordering its troops near the border to be prepared to open fire. Col. Lee Sung-jun, the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson, told reporters Monday that the South Korean military is “prepared for any actual provocation.” ”The responsibility for current circumstances lies entirely with North Korea, and we strongly warn them to stop wit

DefenseOct. 14, 2024

Teacher suicides averaging 20 per year: data

An average of 20 teachers made the tragic decision to take their own lives each year from 2021 to 2023, data showed Monday, sparking concern over the mental health and well-being of teachers in South Korea. The problem persists this year too, with 19 teachers having taken their own lives this year through August. This disturbing trend points to a deeper crisis within the education system, where teachers feel increasingly vulnerable and unsupported, according to Rep. Jin Sun-mee of the Democratic

Social AffairsOct. 14, 2024

[Photo News] Mercedes for German embassy

Mercedes-Benz Korea said Monday that its all-electric vehicle EQS 450 4 MATIC has been selected as the official diplomatic car for the Embassy of Germany in the country. Ambassador Georg Schmidt underlined the German embassy’s commitment to continuously upgrading its mobility for sustainability in Korea. In this photo, Schmidt (left) and Mercedes-Benz Korea CEO Mathias Vait pose with the newly appointed EV. (Mercedes-Benz Korea)

MobilityOct. 14, 2024

[Herald Review] Seventeen showcases new songs in world tour ‘Right Here’

K-pop sensation Seventeen launched their world tour, “Right Here,” with two spectacular concerts at Goyang Stadium in Gyeonggi Province. The event came just five months after their Asia tour, “Follow Again,” concluded in May. Drawing a crowd of approximately 58,000 fans to the stadium over two days, the concerts also attracted viewers from 107 countries through livestreaming on Weverse, an online platform for concert streaming. The concert kicked off with “Fear,&rdq

K-popOct. 14, 2024

Pressured by fans, troubled singer Seunghan leaves Riize for good

Just two days after announcing the he was rejoining K-pop act Riize, Seunghan on Monday said he is leaving the group for good. The decision comes following a heated response from within the group's fan community, known as Briize, over his return. Wizard Production, SM Entertainment’s production team in charge of Riize, released an official statement signed by directors Kim Hyeong-guk and Lee Sang-min in which they apologized for the confusion caused by the announcement of Seunghan&rsq

K-popOct. 14, 2024