Industry minister vows to expand free trade portfolio for export target of $700b

Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun on Monday pledged to make efforts to secure additional free trade agreements with more partners to achieve the annual export target of $700 billion, and offer tailored support for key products including chips and automobiles. Ahn made the remarks during a meeting of the parliamentary committee on trade, industry, energy, SMEs and startups, noting that such measures will help the country enhance its economic security. "We will expand the export market for South

EconomyJuly 29, 2024

DP criticizes Yoon govt. as Japan's Sado gold mine gains UNESCO status

The main opposition Democratic Party on Monday criticized the government for failing to prevent a Japanese gold mine associated with Korea's wartime forced labor from being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On Saturday, the UNESCO World Heritage committee decided to add the controversial mine as a cultural heritage site after South Korea, which had initially opposed Tokyo's bid, gave last-minute consent to the listing. "The Sado mine was listed as World Heritage, backed by t

PoliticsJuly 29, 2024

Hanwha Ocean spurs innovation for greener shipbuilding

As the maritime industry navigates towards a greener future, the demand for vessels meeting stringent carbon reduction regulations is increasing in line with the International Maritime Organization's goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. With over 100,000 vessels collectively emitting nearly a billion metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, the call to action is more urgent than ever. In South Korea, Hanwha Ocean, a major shipbuilding and offshore company, is at the forefront of this environme

IndustryJuly 29, 2024

Opposition-controlled parliament unilaterally passes contentious broadcasting bill

The opposition-controlled National Assembly passed one of the four contentious broadcasting bills aimed at reducing the government's influence over public broadcasters Monday, with lawmakers of the ruling party walking out in protest. The main opposition Democratic Party led the bill's passage in a 187-0 vote after passing a motion to forcefully end a filibuster by the ruling People Power Party (PPP). The revision to the Foundation for Broadcast Culture Act aims to increase the number

PoliticsJuly 29, 2024

Seoul shares open higher on hope for US rate cut

Seoul shares opened higher Monday on hope for the US Federal Reserve's rate cut and earnings releases of major tech firms this week. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 27.62 points, or 1.01 percent, to 2,759.52 in the first 15 minutes of trading. All eyes are on the US central bank's policy decision and earnings results by Apple Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. The Fed is expected to cut rates as early as in September. In Seoul, tech and auto stocks l

MarketJuly 29, 2024

[Herald Interview] Jo Jung-suk says his comical acting is instinctive, result of teamwork

Jo Jung-suk, whose scene-stealing acting entertains viewers on the silver screen, said his realistic, natural and even sly comical acting is based on instinct. In upcoming comedy film “Pilot,” he plays pilot Han Jung-woo, successfully performing the comical role of a man disguising himself as a woman in a way that is neither excessive nor dull. “It’s really important to get a sense (of comical acting.) It’s hard to explain. I think (my acting) is instinctive. &helli

FilmJuly 29, 2024

Korea wins 10th consecutive gold in women's archery team event

  PARIS (Yonhap) – South Korea captured its 10th consecutive Olympic gold medal in the women's archery team event Sunday in Paris, extending the winning streak that began in its capital 36 years ago. The trio of Jeon Hun-young, Nam Su-hyeon and Lim Si-hyeon defeated China 5-4 in the set score after a nail-biting shoot-off at Invalides in Paris.   The women's team event in archery was added to the Olympics in 1988 in Seoul, and South Korea remained undefeated after holding off Chi

More SportsJuly 29, 2024

[Graphic News] Incheon Airport ranks 3rd among world’s best airports

Incheon Airport has been ranked third on the list of the World’s Best Airports by Skytrax, an international air transport rating organization. The top spots were claimed by Doha’s Hamad International Airport in Qatar and Singapore Changi Airport, respectively. This marks the first time since 2019 that Incheon has placed in the top three. Skytrax surveyed passengers from over 100 countries between August 2023 and March 2024, evaluating more than 570 airports worldwide. The criteria

World NewsJuly 29, 2024

[팟캐스트] (605) 선 넘는 아이돌 사생팬

진행자: 박준희, Chelsea Proctor Price of stardom? 기사 요약: 공항에 우르르 몰려 사진 찍는 등 케이팝 아이돌의 일거수일투족을 쫒는 극성팬들 논란 [1] Behind K-pop's rapid growth and immense popularity, there is a persistent, chronic problem that follows fame: Stalkers, often called "sasaeng" in Korea. "I am not sasaeng. I am just a genuine fan who really loves NCT," said an 18-year-old girl who wished to remain anonymous. * Immense: 엄청난, 어마어마한 * Chronic: 만성적인 * Fame: 명성 * Genuine: 진실한, 진심 어린 [2] She claims that

PodcastJuly 29, 2024

[Heidi Boghosian] Perilous to rely on tech overloads

Starting Thursday of last week with ripple effects for days afterward, a routine software update caused a record-breaking freeze across much of the world. CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity vendor deployed by Microsoft systems, installed an update that analysts say probably skipped quality testing. The result disabled an estimated 8.5 million computers in perhaps the largest cyber event in history. Affected were Microsoft-powered systems critical to the online operations of banks, hospitals, police fo

ViewpointsJuly 29, 2024

[Lee Kyong-hee] Fake peace or path to real peace?

Addressing the Republican National Convention on July 18, a few days after surviving an assassination attempt, Donald Trump said that “it’s nice to get along with someone who has a lot of nuclear weapons.” He said he got along very well with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un. “He’d like to see me back too. I think he misses me, if you want to know the truth.” Trump’s attempt to reach a breakthrough on North Korea’s nuclear arms failed to yield substa

ViewpointsJuly 29, 2024

Pistol shooting silver medalist vows to bring home gold

A lot of athletes would love to be in Kim Ye-ji's position Sunday, with an Olympic silver medal around her neck. But Kim, after grabbing silver behind fellow South Korean Oh Ye-jin in the women's 10-meter air pistol at the Paris Olympics, didn't fly to France to finish in second place. "I am really disappointed," Kim said afterward at Chateauroux Shooting Centre in Chateauroux, south of Paris, though the ebullient athlete didn't look the part. "My goal was to w

More SportsJuly 28, 2024

S. Korea's Oh Ye-jin, Kim Ye-ji win gold, silver in women's 10m air pistol shooting

South Korean shooters Oh Ye-jin and Kim Ye-ji captured the gold and silver medals, respectively, in the women's 10-meter air pistol shooting at the Paris Summer Games on Sunday, with Oh setting an Olympic record in the process. Oh scored 243.2 points to hold off Kim by 1.9 points in the final at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre in Chateauroux, south of Paris. Manu Bhaker of India took the bronze medal with 221.7 points. Oh, 19, became the new Olympic record holder in her debut, surpassing th

More SportsJuly 28, 2024

Seoul's support for UNESCO listing of Sado mines sparks backlash

Controversy has rekindled in South Korea over whether the government's decision to support Japan's bid for the UNESCO World Heritage listing of the Sado Island gold and silver mines will compel Tokyo to acknowledge the forced labor of Koreans there. Among the criticisms is Japan's failure to recognize an estimated over 1,500 workers from the Korean Peninsula at the Sado mine as forced labor, as well as its omission of a museum featuring exhibitions on the Korean workers and the harsh, discrimina

Foreign AffairsJuly 28, 2024

Hybe's efforts to win fans’ hearts appear unproductive

Hybe continues to attempt to take control of the narrative in its ongoing dispute with Ador CEO Min Hee-jin as subsidiary Source Music, already entangled in a defamation lawsuit filed against Min on July 15, plans to release a documentary series depicting Le Sserafim's hardships over the past year. This move seems aimed at disproving Min's April press conference claims of Hybe's preferential treatment toward Le Sserafim by highlighting their success through hard work. Yet, it unde

K-popJuly 28, 2024

Filibuster, veto: Assembly stalemate expected to continue

Gridlock is expected to persist in South Korea's legislature, as the rival parties remain locked in a cycle of the ruling party filibustering opposition-led bills, with the president then vetoing them, with no efforts to find bipartisan consensus. The latest in this ongoing political tug-of-war centers on a series of broadcasting bills to curb government influence over public broadcasters. On Sunday, the opposition-led National Assembly passed the second of four such bills, overriding a fil

PoliticsJuly 28, 2024

[Herald Interview] Two Korean violinists named Ji-yoon on being concertmasters overseas

One of the most anticipated concerts at the annual festival Music in PyeongChang was the PyeongChang Dream Team concert. The PyeongChang Dream Team, consisting of emerging and established musicians from world-renowned orchestras, performed Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet in A major, K. 581 and Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115 on Thursday at the Alpensia Concert Hall and again at PyeongChang Woljeongsa Museum on Sunday as part of the festival's outreach program. In addition

CultureJuly 28, 2024

Enjoy cool, pleasant museum tours in summer

If you can't beat the heat, it might be best to surrender. But for those seeking sanctuary indoors, Korea still has a lot to offer tourists. For the month of August, the Korea Tourism Organization recommends a selection of spots that not only offer a cool, pleasant environment to spend your vacation, but also cultural experiences that reveal different sides of South Korea. Korean Stone Art Museum Korean Stone Art Museum, the world’s only museum specializing in stone art, is home to

TravelJuly 28, 2024

1 in 5 students overdependent on smart phones, internet: study

Internet and smartphone use interferes with the lives of almost one out of five students in South Korea, recent data showed. A diagnostic survey on youth media use and habits conducted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family showed that over 221,000 youths have difficulty managing their daily lives due to uncontrolled use of the internet and smartphones in 2024, accounting for 18 percent of the total survey group. More than 1.2 million youths in the school transition period, such as those

PoliticsJuly 28, 2024