Celebrities on photo line: walk of shame or equal treatment?

Suga of BTS not showing up for his first round of police questioning Thursday reignited debates over whether high-profile figures are unfairly targeted by being made to face the media on the photo line when they are under investigation. The star of the mega-hit K-pop group faces accusations of driving an electric scooter under the influence earlier this month. Reports initially indicated that he would appear for questioning at Yongsan Police Station for the first time on Thursday, drawing dozens

Social AffairsAug. 22, 2024

Harsher punishment sought for illegal driving of e-scooters, in light of related accidents

Lawmakers are seeking to impose stricter penalties for illegal operation of electric-powered scooters, on the coattails of safety concerns sparked by a series of accidents, including one involving K-pop superstar Suga. The controversy surrounding what are legally defined as electric-powered bicycles and electric kick scooters erupted earlier this month, when the BTS member was caught driving an e-scooter while under the influence of alcohol. The incident fueled ongoing concerns over the safety o

Social AffairsAug. 22, 2024

Hana empowers aspiring women leaders

Hana Financial Group is spearheading female empowerment with its program designed to unlock the potential of women's talents and to nurture them as leaders shaping the future of the group. The financial conglomerate, with subsidiaries of a retail bank, credit card and insurance firms, among others, under its wing, said it launched the fourth edition of Hana Waves, an annual in-house program that has nurtured 98 future female leaders since its establishment in 2021. Hana Waves -- Women

IndustryAug. 22, 2024

Coway outpaces rivals in filter technology

Korean home appliance-maker Coway has retained its No. 1 position in the nation’s water purifier market for almost three decades with its unrivaled filter technology. “Since the very beginning of our water purifier business, we have put intensive effort into enhancing the quality of water filters, one of the key components. Unlike most competitors, we can produce the products' main water filters on our own,” said a company official. With constant efforts to enhance the qua

IndustryAug. 22, 2024

Seoulites eat less fruit, more meat than decade ago: study

The eating habits of people living in Seoul have shifted towards consuming more meat, fewer vegetables and less fruit in the past decade, a study by the city-funded Seoul Institute showed Thursday. Seoul residents were eating 33.2 percent less fruit and 26.2 percent more meat in 2021 compared to in 2012, according to the study. Specifically, fruit consumption fell from 181.4 grams a day per person to 12.8 grams a day, while meat consumption rose from 110 grams per day per person to 149.1 grams a

Social AffairsAug. 22, 2024

[Test Drive] Casper Electric: a small, yet full package

The Casper Electric, Hyundai Motor’s newest all-electric sub-compact sport utility vehicle, might look unassuming but it wins consumers' hearts with a big surprise inside. The Korea Herald got to check out the EV model of the Casper, known as the Inster in overseas markets, in a test drive in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province on Wednesday. The first impression of the EV was the distinguished adorableness featuring harmless-looking circular headlights with pixel-style eyebrows on the front s

MobilityAug. 22, 2024

Porsche unveils K-edition Taycan in Seoul

Porsche Korea launched the new Taycan on Thursday, the brand’s upgraded all-electric sports sedan, as the German sports car-maker aims to keep building on the success of the EV here. “Since (the Taycan’s) launch in 2020, the demand for (our) first fully electric sports car has exceeded our expectations,” said Holger Gerrmann, CEO of Porsche Korea, during the launch ceremony at Grand Hyatt Seoul. “Last year, the Taycan accounted for a 16 percent share of sales as the

MobilityAug. 22, 2024

Seoul increases translations of local laws for growing foreign community

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Thursday that it is expanding translations of its local self-government laws, a crucial service for foreign nationals living, studying or working in the city, who now account for nearly 5 percent of the total population. Local self-government laws are sets of ordinances and regulations issued by local councils in addition to citywide laws. This initiative to provide local self-government laws in foreign languages began in 2010 during Mayor Oh Se-hoon&#

Social AffairsAug. 22, 2024

Hyundai Motor previews new tech to beat heat waves

Amid one of South Korea’s hottest summers on record, Hyundai Motor Group hosted the Heat Tech Day event on Thursday in Seoul to preview three advanced climate control technologies to improve passenger comfort in both scorching summers and harsh winters. The three technologies introduced at the event include a nano-cooling film that significantly lowers cabin temperatures during the summer, a radiant heating system that quickly warms passengers in winter and a metal-coated heated glass that

MobilityAug. 22, 2024

'Influencer' winner disqualified from W300m prize for leaking outcome

Korean YouTuber Oh Byeong-min, better known as Oking, the winner of Netflix TV competition "The Influencer," will not be eligible to claim the 300 million won ($225,000) prize after leaking information about being the final winner, according to Netflix on Thursday. "Maintaining confidentiality before a title's release is essential in order to ensure that the efforts of everyone involved in the production are rewarded and that the intended enjoyment is fully delivered to the a

TelevisionAug. 22, 2024

LG Chem leads growth hormone market with award-winning app

LG Chem is leading the nation's growth hormone market with its award-winning mobile app, EuDi. According to the company, EuDi won the iF Design Award 2024 in the user experience category in March. It was the only pharmaceutical company to win the honor among 521 winners since 2021, in an arena traditionally dominated by consumer electronics, telecoms and automotive sectors. Launched in 2019, the EuDi app was designed to streamline daily injections for children and their caregivers. The app

TechnologyAug. 22, 2024

Court of appeals orders Japan firm to compensate forced labor victim's children

A Seoul court of appeals, reversing a ruling by a district court, ordered Japan's Nippon Steel Corp. on Thursday to pay compensation of 100 million won ($74,750) to four children of a deceased South Korean victim of Japan's wartime forced labor. The appellate division of the Seoul Central District Court made the ruling in a lawsuit filed by the descendants of the victim, surnamed Jeong, who demanded 200 million won, claiming he was forcibly mobilized to work for the Japanese company�

Foreign AffairsAug. 22, 2024

S. Korea will expand free trade deals with emerging markets: PM

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Thursday that South Korea will push to expand free trade agreements (FTAs) with emerging markets in Asia and Africa to boost the export-driven economy and enhance supply chain resilience. Han unveiled the trade policy road map during a ministerial meeting to address challenges from the rapidly changing global trade environment and supply chain disruptions. "We will expand the FTA network in major emerging markets, including Asia and Africa, to support local

EconomyAug. 22, 2024

Police probe pro-NK media founded by controversial pastor

Police have opened an investigation into a pro-North Korean online media outlet founded by Korean American pastor Choi Jae-young on suspicion of violating the National Security Act, officials said Thursday. Choi, who has made headlines for secretly filming himself handing over a luxury handbag gift to first lady Kim Keon Hee in 2022, reportedly participated in the creation of the media outlet in 2018. The Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency, 33 kilometers west of Seoul, has been investigating an

Social AffairsAug. 22, 2024

Binggrae CEO indicted for beating police officer while drunk

The CEO of Binggrae Co., South Korea's major dairy maker, was indicted for assaulting a police officer under the influence of alcohol, judicial officials said Thursday. The Seoul Western District Prosecutors Office indicted Kim Dong-hwan, the oldest son of Kim Ho-youn, the former chairman of the food company, on charges of obstruction of official duties last week. Kim, 41, is accused of beating a police officer who arrived at the scene after a resident filed a complaint against him for kick

Social AffairsAug. 22, 2024

Number of COVID-19 inpatients shows signs of abating

The number of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 showed signs of abating, health authorities said Thursday. Although the weekly number of COVID-19 inpatients grew last week, the growth rate of hospitalization plunged, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The number of COVID-19 patients in 220 hospitals last week came to 1,444, up 5.7 percent from a week earlier, the KDCA said. That compared with 1,366 patients in the second week of this month, up 55.2 percent from a week

Social AffairsAug. 22, 2024

Top financial regulator highlights need to overhaul credit payment system

The chief of the financial regulator on Thursday emphasized the need to reform the country's online payment system following massive payment delays at two e-commerce platforms. Kim Byoung-hwan, head of the Financial Services Commission, said the government will also seek to establish new regulations governing payment gateway (PG) service providers. "The recent TMON and WeMakePrice incident was a problem that occurred under the complex payment system in a newly emerging industry such as

EconomyAug. 22, 2024

BIFAN-winning director Francis Galluppi says ‘don’t go to film school’

“I would argue that this movie is not a Western,” Francis Galluppi, director of “The Last Stop in Yuma County,” said about his first feature film just hours before it won the audience award and top competitive Best of Bucheon title at Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival on July 12. The film takes place deep in the desert of 1980s Arizona at a diner next to the only gas station in a hundred miles. More than one mysterious stranger makes an entrance, denim and cow

CultureAug. 22, 2024

[해커스 TOEIC] 토익 점수 Up 단어, Part 5 문제

1. All of the students enrolled in the special school have displayed impressive musical talent ------- in childhood. (A) curiously (B) early (C) presently (D) currently 해석 특수 학교에 등록된 모든 학생들은 유년 시절에 일찍 인상적인 음악적 재능을 발휘해왔다. 해설 부사 어휘 문제 ‘특수 학교에 등록된 모든 학생들은 유년 시절에 일찍 인상적인 음악적 재능을 발휘해왔다’라는 문맥이 되어야 하므로 ‘일찍, 조기에’라는 뜻의 부사 (B) early가 정답이다. 참고로 (A) curiously는 '신기한 듯이, 호기심에서', (C) presently는 ‘곧, 머지않아’, (D) currently는 ‘현재, 일반적으로’의 의미임을 알아둔다. 어

English EyeAug. 22, 2024

Seoul shares open higher on hopes for rate cut by Fed

South Korean stocks opened higher Thursday after the minutes from the Federal Reserve's rate policy meeting showed that the "vast majority" of its policymakers support a rate cut next month. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 7.53 points, or 0.28 percent, to 2,708.66 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the Fed released the minutes of the FOMC meeting on July 30-31, which showed that the policymakers believed that it would "likely be appropriate t

MarketAug. 22, 2024