[New on the scene] ‘House of the Seasons’ delves into love, hatred and generational differences

For “House of the Seasons” director Oh Jung-min, a family is like tofu. “The process of making tofu is quite arduous. You have to soak beans for a long time, boil them, grind them and filter until they become softer, but only a small amount of tofu is made at the end. Plus, you have to be careful not to put too much salt,” director Oh told The Korea Herald in an interview in Seoul on Sept. 12. The 35-year-old director said that’s why he made the characters in his de

FilmSept. 19, 2024

Fast-food delivery industry logs 23% growth in H1

South Korea's food delivery industry continued to grow this year, with the most prominent increase seen in fast-food delivery services, according to a Thursday report by a local data analysis firm. The value of food delivery services came to 7.87 trillion won ($5.9 billion) in the first half of the year, according to Finda, marking a 6.55 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Fast-food delivery in particular saw a rise of 22.72 percent to come in at 1.72 trillion won for t

EconomySept. 19, 2024

Yoon leaves for Prague to cement nuclear energy push

    President Yoon Suk Yeol departed for the Czech Republic Thursday to attend summits with Czech leaders taking place at a time when South Korea is working to finalize its 24 trillion won ($18 billion) nuclear export deal with the country. Yoon told Reuters in a written interview Thursday that the Czech project holds "paramount importance," adding that his trip was partly meant to solidify Prague's commitment to the signing of the deal planned for March 2025. Yoon is also ex

PoliticsSept. 19, 2024

CEOs of beleaguered TMON, WeMakePrice questioned over massive payment delays

Prosecutors questioned the CEOs of e-commerce affiliates TMON and WeMakePrice on Thursday as part of an investigation over massive payment delays to vendors on their platforms. TMON CEO Ryu Kwang-jin and WeMakePrice CEO Ryu Hwa-hyun appeared at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office for questioning on suspicions of embezzlement, fraud and other illegal acts. In late July, the e-commerce platforms owned by Singapore-based Qoo10 filed for court receivership due to liquidity problems that re

Social AffairsSept. 19, 2024

PM calls for continued vigilance for smooth health care operations

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo called on the government Thursday to remain alert to ensure the smooth operation of emergency health care systems even after the five-day Chuseok holiday passed without major disruptions. Han issued the call during a Cabinet meeting held a day after the Korean fall harvest holiday ended without the emergency health care crisis some had feared due to staff shortages caused by an ongoing doctors' walkout. "Very fortunately, there was no emergency room crisis a

PoliticsSept. 19, 2024

Container shipping costs to US east coast, Europe up for 4th month

Container shipping costs from South Korea to the US east coast and Europe increased for the fourth consecutive month in August amid prolonged geopolitical risks in the Red Sea, data showed Thursday. The average shipping cost for a 40-foot container from South Korea to the US east coast rose 11.9 percent on-month to 8.66 million won ($6,530), according to data from the Korea Customs Service. The cost to Europe increased to 8.06 million won, up 2.8 percent over the same period. On the other hand,

EconomySept. 19, 2024

[해커스 TOEIC] 토익 점수 Up 단어, Part 5 문제

2) 파트 5 3문제 1. The original speaker ------- by the organizer because he will be out of the country for the next few weeks. (A) replaced (B) is replacing (C) will be replaced (D) has replaced 해석 기존 연설자가 다음 몇 주간 국외에 있을 예정이기 때문에, 그는 주최자에 의해 대체될 것이다. 해설 태에 맞는 동사 채우기 문제 주어(The original speaker)와 동사(replace)가 ‘기존 연설자가 대체될 것이다’라는 수동의 의미 관계이므로 수동태 동사 (C) will be replaced가 정답이다. 어휘 organizer 주최자, 창립자 replace 대체하다, 대신하다 2. The RAD Magazine Club ------- members with e-mail upd

English EyeSept. 19, 2024

Seoul shares open lower on US losses after Fed rate cut

Seoul shares opened lower Thursday tracking losses on Wall Street after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by a half percentage point, the first rate cut in more than four years. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 0.35 percent, or 8.90 points, to 2,565.51 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The Fed cut its overnight lending rate to a range of 4.75 percent to 5 percent in an aggressive start to a monetary-easing cycle in the world's biggest economy. The US central bank

MarketSept. 19, 2024

Finance minister says to swiftly take market stabilization measures if needed

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok said Thursday the government will work closely with the Bank of Korea and swiftly take market stabilization measures if necessary, as the US Federal Reserve cut its interest rates for the first time in over four years. "Following the Fed's monetary policy pivot, the market is moving away from a complex global crisis, which was triggered by excessive liquidity supplied to cope with the pandemic, as well as shocks to the global supply chain caused by the wa

EconomySept. 19, 2024

US Fed cuts key lending rate by jumbo half percentage point

The US Federal Reserve on Wednesday lowered its benchmark interest rate by half of a percentage point, the first cut in 4 1/2 years, in a major policy shift less than seven weeks away from the presidential election. After the two-day Federal Open Market Committee meeting, the central bank announced the decision to reduce the rate to the 4.75 to 5.0 percent range from its 23-year high, putting an end to its post-pandemic tightening cycle. FOMC members' new median economic projections showed

Foreign AffairsSept. 19, 2024

US will not accept N. Korea as nuclear state: Campbell

The United States will not accept North Korea as a nuclear-armed country, a senior US diplomat said Wednesday, after Pyongyang made a rare disclosure of a uranium enrichment facility last week. During a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell reiterated the US position, reaffirming America's "durable" and "evolving" deterrence commitment to South Korea, and stressing that Washington "will not accept any kind of threat&

Foreign AffairsSept. 19, 2024

[팟캐스트] (620) 추석 연휴에도 쉬지 못하는 한국인들

진행자: 김혜연, Paul Kerry 1 in 4 Korean workers extend Chuseok holiday with paid leave: survey 기사 요약: 명절에도 쉬지 못하는 한국인들, 4명 중 1명만이 추석 연휴 기간 중 유급휴가 [1] Chuseok is one of South Korea’s two biggest traditional holidays, bringing families together under the full moon to wish for a bountiful harvest and honor ancestors. But for hardworking ordinary people in Korea, the holiday's true significance perhaps lies in the rare opportunity it offers for people to escape the daily grind of their jobs.

PodcastSept. 19, 2024

[Graphic News] Soaring rent in Seoul’s university areas strains students

Rampant rental deposit fraud and high loan interest rates are driving university students to opt for paying monthly rent instead of lumpsum “jeonse” deposits for leased housing. However, with a surge in the monthly rent due to limited property availability in university areas and more demand, students are facing significant financial pressure. As of July 2024, real estate big data from Dabang shows the average monthly rent in major university areas in Seoul has risen to 608,000 won

Social AffairsSept. 19, 2024

[Frank Pasquale] Industrial policy for the real world:

Google CEO Sundar Pichai has characterized AI as “the most profound technology humanity is working on. More profound than fire, electricity, or anything that we have done in the past." The hype around “existential risk” in AI follows a similar narrative, analogizing it to Oppenheimer’s atomic bomb. Such grand pronouncements have stirred many a corporate board and government agency to develop AI deployment plans. The problem, though, is that it’s not yet clear i

ViewpointsSept. 19, 2024

4th case of lumpy skin disease confirmed in S. Korea

South Korea reported its fourth case of lumpy skin disease in cattle this year, the agriculture ministry said Wednesday. The case was confirmed at a livestock farm in Yeoju, 66 kilometers southeast of Seoul, breeding 116 cows, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. It is the fourth LSD case confirmed in South Korea since the first outbreak at a livestock farm in Anseong, some 65 kilometers south of Seoul, on Aug. 12. To prevent further infections, the government has co

Social AffairsSept. 18, 2024

MBK Partners says no plan to sell Korea Zinc to China

Private equity firm MBK Partners said Wednesday it has no plans to sell Korea Zinc Inc. to China after acquiring a stake in the world's largest zinc smelter. MBK Partners announced last week that it will acquire shares in Korea Zinc through a tender offer, aiming to secure a 15 percent stake in the company with a budget of 2 trillion won ($1.5 billion). The equity firm said the share purchase was agreed upon with Young Poong, the largest shareholder of Korea Zinc, which holds a 33 percent s

IndustrySept. 18, 2024

Ukrainian drones strike a large military depot in a Russian town northwest of Moscow

Ukrainian drones struck a large military depot in a town deep inside Russia overnight, causing a huge blaze and prompting the evacuation of some local residents, a Ukrainian official and Russian news reports said Wednesday. Meanwhile, a senior US diplomat said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recently announced -- but still confidential -- plan for winning the war “can work” and help end the conflict that is now in its third year. Ukraine claimed the strike destro

World NewsSept. 18, 2024

N. Korea again sends suspected trash balloons toward S. Korea: JCS

North Korea has launched balloons likely carrying trash toward South Korea, the South's military said Wednesday. "North Korea is once again launching balloons likely carrying trash directed towards the South," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, noting the balloons could travel toward the northern part of Gyeonggi Province, and the Seoul metropolitan area. Citizens are advised not to touch any balloons if found. Instead, the JCS urged people to report sightings to the nearest military

North KoreaSept. 18, 2024

Heat wave warning issued for Seoul in latest-ever Sept. alert

A heat wave warning was issued for all parts of Seoul during the Chuseok holiday Wednesday, marking the latest-ever red alert in September, weather authorities said. Seoul was put under a heat warning, after a heat advisory was upgraded to a heat warning in the southwest 10 a.m., followed by the rest of the capital city at 2 p.m., according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. This was the latest heat warning ever issued in Seoul in September since the introduction of the heat warning sys

Social AffairsSept. 18, 2024