Ex-baseball player ordered to pay W800m won to Padres' Kim Ha-seong in contract dispute case

A former baseball player has been ordered to pay a substantial penalty to San Diego Padres' shortstop Kim Ha-seong for violating an agreement between the two. The Seoul Central District Court ruled in Kim's favor on Friday in a lawsuit against Lim Hye-dong for breach of contract, mandating the defendant to pay 800 million won ($597,000). The dispute originated from a scuffle between the two at a Seoul bar in February 2021. Lim had demanded a settlement from Kim, who was then completi

Social AffairsAug. 31, 2024

Trump says getting along with Kim Jong-un is 'good thing'

WASHINGTON -- Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Friday that "getting along" with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is a "good thing," after his Democratic rival Kamala Harris vowed not to "cozy up to" dictators like Kim. During a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state, former President Trump again boasted about his personal ties with the North Korean leader, as he and the vice president are in a tight race with the presidential elec

Foreign AffairsAug. 31, 2024

US stresses push for 'timely, accurate, unbiased' reporting on NK-related UNSC resolutions noncompliance

WASHINGTON -- The United States on Friday underscored its commitment to finding the "best" way to secure "timely, accurate and unbiased" reporting on noncompliance with North Korea-related UN Security Council resolutions as a key sanctions monitoring panel was disbanded four months ago. A State Department spokesperson made the remarks amid ongoing efforts among the US, South Korea, Japan and other countries to find an alternative to the UN expert panel whose mandate expired

Foreign AffairsAug. 31, 2024

Rust Belt senators call on US gov't to reduce import quota for S. Korean oil country tubular goods

WASHINGTON -- Three senators from Rust Belt states have called on the US government to reduce the import quota for South Korean metal products used in the production of oil and gas, saying the reduced demand and high levels of Korean imports are affecting American companies and workers. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), and John Fetterman (D-PA) wrote a letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai on Thursday, taking issue with the quota f

Foreign AffairsAug. 31, 2024

S. Korea, US to hold high-level talks on N. Korea deterrence next week

South Korea and the United States will hold vice-ministerial talks in Washington next week on deterrence efforts against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday. The fifth meeting of the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group will take place Wednesday (local time), with a focus on assessing the progress on the allies' efforts to deter North Korea's military threats, the ministry said in a release. The talks will also addres

North KoreaAug. 31, 2024

Kim Ae-ran reflects on evolving views of growth in 'One of Them Is a Lie'

Describing her latest novel, “One of Them Is a Lie,” author Kim Ae-ran reflected on how her perspective on growth has changed since the release of her debut work, “My Brilliant Life” (2011). "I wanted to view growth differently. We often think of growth as getting bigger or advancing, but I’ve come to see it as more about shifting perspectives -- when other people’s stories and places enter into us, and those spaces grow within us,” said Kim during

BooksAug. 31, 2024

Rifle shooter Lee Yun-ri grabs silver for S. Korea's 1st medal at Paris Paralympics

Rifle shooter Lee Yun-ri won silver in the women's 10-meter air rifle standing event Friday for South Korea's first medal of the Paris Paralympics. Lee finished in second place with 246.8 points at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre in Chateauroux, south of Paris. Avani Lekhara of India won the gold medal with 249.7 points, and Mona Agarwal of India won bronze with 228.7 points. Lee led Lekhara by 0.8 point with one shot remaining but hit a 6.8 to hand the gold medal to the Indian athlete

More SportsAug. 30, 2024

Top sports body upholds ban on figure skater over sexual harassment charges

The top South Korean sports body on Friday upheld an earlier ban on a female figure skater over allegations she had sexually harassed an underage male teammate, rejecting her claims that she couldn't have harassed him because they were in a romantic relationship. The Fair Play Commission at the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee confirmed the three-year ban issued by the Korea Skating Union in June on Lee Hae-in, the women's singles silver medalist at the 2023 world championships. Th

More SportsAug. 30, 2024

Uber CEO says seeing 'double-digit growth' in S. Korea

The head of US ride-hailing giant Uber said Friday that the company was seeing double-digit growth in South Korea and was "committed" to the country, despite currently having a small market share. The popular platform entered the country a decade ago but was met with large-scale protests by taxi drivers, prompting a ban by Seoul city authorities. Officials in the capital also deemed the company's UberX service illegal as private drivers were matched with passengers despite lacking

Social AffairsAug. 30, 2024

Yoon stresses multilateral ties in Indo-Pacific during meeting with US representatives

President Yoon Suk Yeol received a group of United States Congress members to stress trilateral cooperation between Seoul, Washington and Tokyo, the presidential office announced Friday. Yoon told the lawmakers that close cooperation based on common values shared by the three countries is key to overcoming complex global crises, while expressing appreciation for bipartisan US support for the Seoul-Washington alliance. The US delegation led by Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Michigan) told Yoon that the b

PoliticsAug. 30, 2024

S. Korea to hike fees for surgeries, reduce reliance on junior doctors

South Korea will raise medical service fees for essential procedures and surgeries and reduce large hospitals' dependence on junior doctors as part of a medical reform package introduced amid a prolonged medical confrontation between the government and doctors over the quota expansion of medical schools. Noh Yun-hong, who chairs the presidential special committee on medical reform, said Friday that the government would push forward in creating "physician-centered hospitals" nationwide

Social AffairsAug. 30, 2024

North Korean submarines taken down from public list: JCS

North Korean submarines have been removed from the public list of the International Maritime Organization only a day after they were listed, with South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff looking into circumstances surrounding the curious move. The South’s JCS said Friday that the previously listed North Korean submarines could no longer be found on the IMO’s Global Integrated Shipping Information System. “North Korea has withdrawn its registration (of the submarines), and the

PoliticsAug. 30, 2024

Leaders of rival parties to meet over health services disruptions

INCHEON -- Leaders of the ruling and opposition parties will hold their first meeting on Sunday to discuss the doctors’ protest of the government’s reform initiatives and its toll on the country’s health care systems, both parties said Friday. The two main parties failed to reach an agreement over a bill to appoint a special counsel to investigate the on-duty death of a Marine in July last year, and another opposition-led bill for handing out cash to South Koreans to boost cons

PoliticsAug. 30, 2024

World-renowned singers unite for Puccini's 'Tosca' in Seoul

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Giacomo Puccini’s death, the Seoul Metropolitan Opera and Bucheon Philharmonic are presenting his most dramatic work, “Tosca.” The opera singers featured in this production, which will be performed four times from Thursday to Sept. 8, bring with them not only decades of experience, but also personal connections and unique stories with Puccini’s “Tosca." Renowned soprano Angela Gheorghiu, who has portrayed the role of Flor

CultureAug. 30, 2024

History textbook controversy reignites in Korea

Contention over Korean history textbooks with the political left and right divided over perspectives on the past has sparked again, as the Education Ministry on Friday announced the results of a review of new textbooks to be used in schools next year under the new curriculum. A total of 681 textbooks have been approved to be introduced to schools in March next year. Among the history books, seven middle school and nine high school publishers received the government's seal of approval. Every

Social AffairsAug. 30, 2024

HD Hyundai Oilbank ramps up R&D efforts for green growth

HD Hyundai Oilbank, one of the nation’s top refiners, is ramping up research and development efforts to spur growth as a sustainable energy company. Based on its business know-how accumulated in its core refinery and petrochemical businesses, the company is making a strategic shift to boost its new growth drivers, including eco-friendly chemicals, materials and energy infrastructure. Back in 2011, HD Hyundai Oilbank established a central technology institute by integrating R&D teams na

IndustryAug. 30, 2024

SM takes unanticipated swift action on NCT's Taeil

SM Entertainment, reputed for its often cautious approach to managing artist controversies, has drawn significant attention for its swift and uncompromising handling of the recent scandal involving Taeil, a member of NCT since 2016. On Wednesday, the company announced the K-pop star's involvement in a criminal case related to sexual misconduct and confirmed his immediate departure from the group, marking a notable shift in the agency's risk management strategy. "We recently confir

K-popAug. 30, 2024

[Photo News] Incheon Airport takes off with green fuel

Incheon International Airport Corporation held a commemorative event Friday to mark the commencement of commercial operations of sustainable aviation fuel at its second passenger terminal. The event, attended by government officials, aviation industry leaders and representatives from oil refineries, was led by the Trade Ministry and Transport Ministry. Lee Hag-jae (right), president and CEO of Incheon International Airport Corp., emphasized the company's commitment to demonstrating "ec

IndustryAug. 30, 2024

Samsung-TSMC foundry rivalry renewed in German market

The top two global semiconductor foundries -- Samsung Electronics and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. -- are competing in the automotive semiconductor market in Germany, where major car manufacturers are located. Despite the recent contraction of the automotive semiconductor market due to a decline in demand for electric vehicles, the two companies’ efforts to prepare for future market demand seem actively underway. Samsung’s foundry division is set to hold a forum in Munich,

IndustryAug. 30, 2024

Another road crack near sinkhole detected, road controls underway

Another road subsidence was found Friday morning near the area where a sinkhole in western Seoul had occurred the previous day, swallowing an entire car and injuring two people, with one in critical condition. The Seoul Metropolitan Government's road division and police have controlled two nearby lanes since 8:30 a.m. Friday in Seongsan-ro, which runs from Yonsei University to Sacheon Bridge, about 30 meters from the spot where the accident occurred. “We are working with experts to de

Social AffairsAug. 30, 2024