Yoon to hold bilateral talks with leaders of Japan, Canada, Australia

VIENTIANE, Laos -- President Yoon Suk Yeol is to hold bilateral talks with the leaders of six countries attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit and related events on Thursday and Friday, after having arrived in Vientiane, Laos, Wednesday evening. According to the presidential office, Yoon will meet leaders representing Japan, Canada and Australia. At 10 p.m. Wednesday Laos time, Seoul announced that Yoon would sit down for talks with Japan's newly elected Prime Minister

PoliticsOct. 9, 2024

Wiz walk off Twins to stay alive in KBO postseason

The KT Wiz walked off the LG Twins 6-5 in 11 innings Wednesday to stay alive in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason. No. 9 hitters Sim Woo-jun delivered an infield single with the bases loaded in the bottom 11th before a sellout crowd of 17,600 at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, just south of Seoul. The Wiz scored three times in the bottom of the third inning to rally from a 3-1 deficit before a sellout crowd of 17,600 at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, just south of Seoul. Cleanup Kang Baek-ho gave the home

BaseballOct. 9, 2024

MBK says not to raise tender offer price for Korea Zinc amid management battle

Private equity firm MBK Partners said Wednesday that it will not further raise the tender offer price for Korea Zinc Inc. amid intensifying competition for management control. MBK and Young Poong Corp. recently raised their tender offer price for Korea Zinc to 830,000 won ($617) and for Young Poong Precision to 30,000 won, as they aim to gain a controlling stake in the world's top zinc smelter. Young Poong Precision holds a 1.85 percent stake in Korea Zinc. "We cannot stand by as the c

IndustryOct. 9, 2024

Festival bigwigs from across globe gather at Busan's performing arts market

BUSAN -- The Busan International Performing Arts Market (BPAM) concluded its five-day run Tuesday in the southern harbor city. The marketplace, organized by the Busan Cultural Foundation, aims to facilitate the domestic and international distribution of various performance genres, including dance, theater, music and multidisciplinary art. The event drew more than 300 industry professionals and 700 artists from 37 countries, including executives and programmers from major international festivals

PerformanceOct. 9, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'Busan is transforming into performing arts hub'

Busan -- With the opening of a classical concert hall and an opera house next year, Busan is gearing up to position itself as an international city for the performing arts, said Lee Mee-yeon, CEO of the Busan Cultural Foundation. Speaking at the Busan International Performing Arts Market, now in its second year, Lee expressed her hopes for the event’s growing impact. “Many works produced in Busan are often confined only locally. That’s why we launched BPAM last year -- to promo

PerformanceOct. 9, 2024

[Herald Design Forum] Build it better: Experts present innovations in AI, CGI, architecture

The Herald Design Forum 2024 took place Tuesday at Sebitseom in southern Seoul, in the floating cultural complex in Han river with the theme of “Inspiration, Limitless?” inviting architects, designers, visual content creators and top experts in cutting-edge technology who push their boundary in the fields. “For the past 13 years, the Herald Design Forum has brought together more than 100 design experts to discuss how design has evolved and changed our society, joined by more th

Arts & DesignOct. 9, 2024

[Herald Design Forum] Motion graphic designer Kim Gyrun shares inspirational journey in video game

Award-winning motion graphic designer Kim Gryun presented a unique video game that encapsulates his journey from the age of 25 to the present during his speech at the Herald Design Forum 2024 in Seoul on Tuesday. The game, which he developed over two months with the assistance of generative AI, captivated the audience as he recounted his experiences transitioning from Korea to the US and outlined his vision for the future in the era of artificial intelligence. The game is divided into three le

CultureOct. 9, 2024

More deaths in ICU following doctors' mass walkout: lawmaker

The number of intensive care unit patients who died between February and March, the month after medical residents and interns began to resign en masse, rose by 375 from a year earlier, a new report found. According to an analysis by Rep. Kim Yoon of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee based on data from the Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, a total of 3,548 ICU patients died in February 2024. That was equal to 12.4 percent of the 28,665 admitted. The m

Social AffairsOct. 9, 2024

North Korea notifies UN Command of plans to fortify border with South

The North Korean Army has informed the United Nations Command of plans to fortify the shared border with the South, Seoul defense authorities said Wednesday, confirming a Pyongyang state agency report earlier the same day. The General Staff of the Korean People’s Army said it would completely cut off roads and railways connecting to South Korea and build fortifications along the border in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency on Wednesday. The KPA said it had communicated t

North KoreaOct. 9, 2024

Korea added to key bond index

South Korea finally succeeded in joining the World Government Bond Index, a global benchmark measuring the performance of sovereign fixed income. The inclusion is expected to draw in passive foreign funds worth over $56 billion. The WGBI, managed by Financial Times Stock Exchange Russell, is one of the three key government bond indices, along with the Bloomberg-Barclays Global Aggregate Index and JP Morgan Government Bond Index-Emerging Markets. It is tracked by global funds worth over $2.5 tril

EconomyOct. 9, 2024

LS Group on smooth sail for double growth by 2030

LS Group, a South Korean cable and industrial electric machinery conglomerate, is looking to achieve the vision to double its total assets value to 50 trillion won ($37 billion) by 2030 as it welcomes more opportunities for its existing businesses in the era of artificial intelligence while investing in the sectors of batteries, electric vehicles and semiconductors. Since taking the helm of the conglomerate in January 2022, LS Group Chairman Koo Ja-eun has vowed to invest 20 trillion won or more

CompaniesOct. 9, 2024

Will Apple quit smart ring race with Samsung?

After the July launch of Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Ring, several tech rivals have jumped into the smart ring race. But rumors are rampant that Apple may have scrapped its long-held plan for its own ring possibly to focus on the Apple Watch. According to a recent Bloomberg report, Apple has no plans to release an Apple smart ring despite two decades of research into the product. "Apple isn't actively developing a ring and has no plans to launch one," the report said. &ldq

IndustryOct. 9, 2024

Security issues to take center stage at ASEAN summit

VIENTIANE. Laos -- International and regional security concerns will take center stage at the Association of Southeast Asian Nation Summit this week, as leaders will likely apply pressure on China and Russia over ongoing geopolitical conflicts. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japan's newly elected Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba both confirmed their trip to Vientiane, Laos, Tuesday. Beijing also confirmed that Chinese Premier Li Qiang will attend the multilateral meetings. President Yoon

PoliticsOct. 9, 2024

[Herald Interview] Innovation, people key to Korea's energy transition: ABB CCO

As South Korea moves to achieve its renewable energy goals by 2050, strategic partnerships and innovative technologies will be essential in overcoming existing challenges and maximizing the potential of renewable resources, according to Karen Bomber, chief commercial officer of the Energy Industries division of ABB, a Swiss-based multinational tech company specializing in electrification, automation and digitalization solutions. In an interview with The Korea Herald at ABB's Korea office in

IndustryOct. 9, 2024

Hyundai, Singapore bolster R&D ties in hydrogen, manufacturing

Hyundai Motor Group said Wednesday it will boost its partnership with Singapore, home to the carmaker’s highly automated production base and key research hub, focusing on areas ranging from advanced and sustainable energy to manufacturing solutions. The company signed a memorandum of understanding with Malaysia’s Nanyang Technological University earlier in the day during the Singapore-Korea Business Forum. The signing ceremony was attended by: Chang Jae-hoon, president and CEO of Hyu

MobilityOct. 9, 2024

[KH explains] Will CATL’s Korean push reshape battery alliance with Hyundai, Kia?

China’s CATL, the world’s largest battery maker for electric vehicles, is reportedly seeking a bigger footing in Korea, the home turf of its archrivals LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI and SK On, and a crucial client, Hyundai Motor Group. According to industry sources, the Chinese company is reviewing setting up its Korean unit by upgrading the current office in Seoul that has been operational since 2011. The specific nature of the new operations has not yet been disclosed -- whether

MobilityOct. 9, 2024

Paris Baguette expands presence in Southeast Asia

SPC Group's bakery brand Paris Baguette has signed contracts to enter the markets of Thailand, Brunei and Laos, aiming to strengthen its presence in Southeast Asia. On Monday, Paris Baguette finalized a master franchising agreement with Berjaya Food, which has supported its expansion into Malaysia and the Philippines, to newly operate the bakery chain in Thailand and Brunei. As for Laos, a separate master franchising agreement was established with Kolao Group, a prominent local firm in the

IndustryOct. 9, 2024

[Herald Design Forum] Communication key for visual effects, motion graphics

Effective communication is crucial in the visual effects and motion graphics field, experts said Tuesday during a roundtable session held at the Herald Design Forum 2024 in the Floating Island Convention Center on the Han River, Seoul. The roundtable, hosted by YouTuber GeniusSKLee, brought together top experts in these cutting-edge fields, including Weta FX senior facial modeler Hwang Jung-rock, Weta FX CG supervisor Choi Jong-jin, and motion graphic designer Kim Gryun." Hwang, senior faci

Arts & DesignOct. 9, 2024

Patients opting to die with dignity on steady rise

The number of terminally ill patients in South Korea choosing to discontinue life-sustaining medical treatment has been steadily rising, surpassing 70,000 cases last year alone. According to data provided by Rep. Kim Mi-ae of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, 77,720 patients chose to withdraw from life-prolonging medical interventions in 2023, reflecting a 46.6 percent increase over the past five years. The trend has shown consistent growth, with the number of patients o

Social AffairsOct. 9, 2024

[Herald Design Forum] Lacaton and Vassal pay tribute to what already exists

Humanity lies in the architecture touched by Pritzker Prize-winning architects Anne Lacaton and Jean Philippe Vassal. They pay tribute to what is already existing, whether it is nature, humans or other buildings. “It is about transformation from the existing, and with the existing,” Vassal said at the Herald Design Forum 2024 held on Tuesday in Seoul with the theme of “Inspiration, Limitless?” The duo's renovation of a 16-story, 96-unit social housing tower block, &l

Arts & DesignOct. 9, 2024