Yoon's approval rating remains below 30% for 2nd straight week: Realmeter poll

President Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating inched up to 27.9 percent from a week earlier but remained below the 30 percent mark for the second consecutive week, a survey showed Monday. According to the survey by Realmeter and commissioned by a local news outlet, the positive assessment of Yoon's performance rose 2.1 percentage points from the previous week, when it recorded the lowest level in Realmeter surveys since he took office in 2022. The negative assessment of Yoon fell 2.7 perce

PoliticsOct. 7, 2024

N. Korea decries NATO's condemnation of its military cooperation with Russia

North Korea has denounced the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's condemnation of military cooperation between the North and Russia, warning that the entity could face "tragic consequences" if it continues to pursue an anti-North Korea stance. NATO issued a statement last week that condemns North Korea and Iran for "fueling" Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine with their direct military support to Moscow. North Korea's foreign ministry on Sunday denounc

Foreign AffairsOct. 7, 2024

Parliamentary inspection of govt., state agencies to kick off for 26-day run

The National Assembly is set to kick off its annual inspection of the government and state agencies Monday for a 26-day run. On the first day of the audit, 10 of the Assembly's 17 standing committees will hold inspection hearings to scrutinize the management of the central and regional governments as well as their agencies. The Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee and the Public Administration and Security Committee will be among the 10 committe

PoliticsOct. 7, 2024

Foreign reserves up for 3rd month in Sept. on weak dollar, investment gains

South Korea's foreign reserves increased for the third straight month in September on the back of the increased value of non-US dollar assets and investment gains, central bank data showed Monday. The country's foreign reserves had come to $419.97 billion as of end-September, up $4.05 billion from the previous month, according to the data from the Bank of Korea. The central bank attributed the increase to a rise in the converted value of non-dollar assets amid the weak greenback and in

EconomyOct. 7, 2024

Seoul shares open higher on battery, auto gains

Seoul stocks opened higher Monday led by gains among battery and automotive shares. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 0.21 percent, or 5.33 points, to 2,575.04 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Battery manufacturers and automakers led the overall gains, with leading battery maker LG Energy Solution jumping 2.85 percent and top automaker Hyundai Motor adding 1.46 percent. Financial firms also gained traction, with KB Financial rising 1.57 percent and Shinhan Financial up 0.55

MarketOct. 7, 2024

Yoon honors veterans of Korean War in trip to Philippines

President Yoon Suk Yeol began his state visit to the Philippines on Sunday by honoring fallen soldiers who fought in the 1950-53 Korean War and meeting with Korean nationals in the nation. Yoon visited the Korean War Memorial Pylon at the Heroes' Cemetery in Manila with first lady Kim Keon Hee on the first day of his two-day trip focused on strengthening economic and security ties. "South Korea and the Philippines have maintained close, friendly relations, and the Philippines was the first

PoliticsOct. 7, 2024

[Graphic News] Chelsea tops transfer spending, surpassing $1.3b

Chelsea Football Club has been named the most expensive soccer team in the world, according to the CIES Football Observatory, a Swiss research center. In its latest report, Chelsea ranked first among the top 100 clubs for spending the most on transfer fees. Since American businessman Todd Boehly acquired the club from Roman Abramovich in 2022, Chelsea has invested approximately $1.39 billion on player transfers. Despite this heavy expenditure, the club finished 12th in the 2022-23 Premier Leag

SoccerOct. 7, 2024

[Lee Kyong-hee] Tone-deaf first lady causes chaos

It seems the nation is engulfed in a relentless maelstrom. Unseemly rumors and speculations surrounding Kim Keon-hee, the wife of President Yoon Suk Yeol, continue to boil at a level in which even state governance is disrupted. Yet, the first lady shows no sign of curbing her behavior. Nor does Yoon exhibit anything but single-hearted dedication to protecting her. Yoon’s devotion defies his signature motto of “common sense and fairness” as the nation’s top prosecutor. It

ViewpointsOct. 7, 2024

[Francis Wilkinson] MAGA could spark 'Fourth Founding'

It has been a long night of terror for American pluralism and democracy. The Republican Party since 2016 has burrowed ever deeper into authoritarian terrain. You don’t have to be a political scientist to register that reality. Democratic political parties aren’t awash in lies and they don’t nominate criminals and coup plotters to leadership. Not so complicated, really. Trumpism is a daily assault on many targets, including basic decency. But among them is optimism. When lies ar

ViewpointsOct. 7, 2024

Ulsan extend K League 1 lead with victory over rival club

Two-time champions Ulsan HD FC extended their lead at the top of the K League 1 table with a come-from-behind win over second-place Gimcheon Sangmu FC on Sunday. Yago Cariello scored the tiebreaking goal in the 80th minute to lift Ulsan to a 2-1 victory at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in the teams' final match of the first phase of the season. With 33 matches in the books, the 12 teams have been split into two tiers: the top six in Final A and the

SoccerOct. 6, 2024

Asiana to increase excess baggage fees on intl. flights in Jan.

Asiana Airlines Inc. announced Sunday it will increase fees for excess baggage on its international flights starting Jan. 2, 2025. Those fees apply to baggage in excess of the airline's free allowance. Fees for baggage exceeding the quantity limit will go up by as much as 40,000 won ($29.66) depending on routes, Asiana said. For short-haul routes within 90 minutes from Korea, the excess baggage fee will rise from 60,000 won per piece to 90,000 won. For flights to Europe, Africa and Oceania,

CompaniesOct. 6, 2024

Govt. to grant conditional leave for medical students protesting medical school quota hike

The education ministry said on Sunday it will temporarily allow medical students to take a leave of absence on condition that they return to school next year. The decision follows Seoul National University's move late last month to approve leave of absence requests submitted en masse in protest of the government's medical reform plans, which include increasing medical school quotas. While reaffirming its stance that taking leave to show solidarity is not a valid reason, the ministry sa

Social AffairsOct. 6, 2024

Twins beat Wiz to even KBO postseason series

The LG Twins erased an early deficit to defeat the KT Wiz 7-2 on Sunday to even up their Korea Baseball Organization postseason series at one game apiece. Light-hitting infielder Shin Min-jae drove in three runs for the Twins, while the bottom third of their lineup contributed four hits, five runs, two RBIs and two steals on this rainy afternoon at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. Twins starter Im Chan-kyu went 5 1/3 solid innings for his second career postseason victory in front of a sellout c

BaseballOct. 6, 2024

First lady’s Dior bag scandal to be at center of Assembly audit

The wife of President Yoon Suk Yeol could once again take center stage during the yearly National Assembly audit over high-profile allegations that first surfaced late last year that she received a Dior bag during an encounter with a pastor in late 2022. The Democratic Party of Korea has warned it would make “the Dior bag scandal” and other allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee the main theme of its audit efforts. The main opposition floor leader Rep. Park Chan-dae said in a

PoliticsOct. 6, 2024

Can Jennie break the K-pop solo artist slump?

All eyes are on Jennie of Blackpink as she prepares to release her new solo single, "Mantra," on Oct. 11 -- her first release since "You & Me" came out a year ago. Amid the recent struggles of her fellow female K-pop solo artists, many wonder if an idol as successful as Jennie can break the current slump. Several female K-pop soloists, such as Chungha, Somi and Sunmi, have recently been unable to replicate their past chart successes domestically and internationally. Chu

K-popOct. 6, 2024

[Herald Interview] Toonsquare aims to open new era for webtoon creation with AI

Fueled by the surge in digital content consumption during the pandemic, the global webcomic market has seen unprecedented growth in recent years, with South Korea, home to a $1.1 billion webtoon market, cementing its position as a leader in this burgeoning industry. Leveraging Korea's unmatched market data and intellectual property, Seoul-based artificial intelligence startup Toonsquare, which provides creative tools for webcomic creators, is now aiming to expand its global presence, with g

IndustryOct. 6, 2024

Money Festa 2024 offers investment tips in uncertain market

Herald Media Group hosted Money Festa 2024 last week, a two-day event offering insights into the latest investment trends spanning from real estate to equity, shedding light on making wise investment decisions to achieve financial freedom. "Everyone dreams of a financially-free life, but the reality is harsh," Choi Jin-young, CEO of Herald Media Group, said in his opening speech at The Platz exhibition hall in Coex, southern Seoul, on Oct 1. "I hope the attendees can find the answ

EconomyOct. 6, 2024

Fight over Korea Zinc becomes game of chicken

The fight for management control of Korea Zinc, the world’s largest zinc smelter, has escalated into a game of chicken worth over 5 trillion won ($3.7 billion). As the bidding war heats up, its would-be controllers are at risk of falling prey to a “winner’s curse.” On Friday, the last day of the initial tender offer period launched by private equity fund MBK Partners and Young Poong, the biggest shareholder of Korea Zinc, the coalition raised its offer to 830,000 won per

IndustryOct. 6, 2024

[Exclusive] Korea’s defense acquisition agency fails to meet legal standard for women representation

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration is falling behind legal standards for gender equality in all of its policy committees, according to agency data seen by The Korea Herald. According to the data submitted to Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Boo Seung-chan’s office, two of the agency’s three committees -- the committees for defense acquisition program promotion and airworthiness certificate review -- had no women in 2023. In the same year, the committee for d

DefenseOct. 6, 2024