Ruling party set to hold national convention to pick new leader

The ruling People Power Party was set to hold a national convention Tuesday to elect a new party leader to head the embattled party following the party's crushing defeat in April's parliamentary elections. The party convention comes nearly three months after former interim leader Han Dong-hoon resigned after the general elections to take responsibility for the defeat. Han, running again to become the new PPP chief, is leading the race by a relatively significant margin, according to op

PoliticsJuly 23, 2024

Seoul shares open higher on Wall Street rebound

Seoul shares started higher Tuesday, led by gains in chipmakers and autos, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street. Following a fourth straight session of decline, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 32.30 points, or 1.17 percent, to 2,795.81 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, major US indexes gained ground as big-cap tech shares, including Nvidia, ASML, Microsoft and Alphabet, rebounded after their slump last week. In Seoul, market bellwether Samsung Electronics ro

MarketJuly 23, 2024

[팟캐스트] (603) 쯔양 사태에 유투브 사이버 렉카 규제 목소리

진행자: 홍유, Elise Youn Extortion of YouTuber Tzuyang highlights 'cyber wrecker' issues in S. Korea 기사요약: 쯔양 사태를 계기로 사이버 렉카 유튜버들을 플랫폼 차원에서 규제가 필요하다는 목소리가 나오고 있다. [1] Following YouTuber Tzuyang's recent revelation about her being assaulted and financially exploited by her former boyfriend for four years, a group of YouTubers were suspected to have blackmailed her for money in exchange for keeping quiet about her past. *revelation: 폭로(된 사실) *exploit: 착취하다 *in exchange for: ~대신의, 교

PodcastJuly 23, 2024

Kim may try to reignite 'bromance' with Trump if he returns to White House: ex-Trump official

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may try to rekindle his "bromance" with former President Donald Trump if he returns to the White House, a former US official said Monday, predicting Kim could propose a deal to limit his regime's nuclear program in return for American troops' pullout from South Korea. H.R. McMaster, who served as national security advisor for Trump from 2017-2018, made the remarks amid speculation that the GOP presidential nominee, if reelected, could seek dire

North KoreaJuly 23, 2024

Quad Summer Festa to beat the heat with electronic music

The Quad Summer Festa, featuring its signature 360-degree stage, is set to take place from August 22 to 25 at the Quad Theater in Daehagno, a public venue operated by the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture. This year, the four-day festival will showcase four distinct electronic music artists, each performing on a different day. The festival kicks off with Kirara, who combines powerful beats with delicate melodies. She has released four studio albums: “Rcts,” “Moves,” &

PerformanceJuly 23, 2024

[Grace Kao] Webtoons in college classrooms

While TV dramas may portray college classes with assigned readings, essays and tests, the truth is that professors also must adapt to technological shifts, especially in terms of media consumption. Webtoons are an important medium through which the Korean Wave flows. For those of you who are unfamiliar, webtoons are vertical “scrolling comics” built for viewing on a cellphone. They originated from and were developed in Korea. They enjoy a large fan base. For some people outside Korea

ViewpointsJuly 23, 2024

[Herald Inteview] Tajikistan's hydropower, mining opportunities: state committee chair

Sulton Rahimzoda, Tajikistan's chairman of the State Committee on Investments and State Property Management, encouraged South Korean companies to invest in Tajikistan’s green energy and mining sectors in an interview with The Korea Herald. Tajikistan intends to build a green economy by 2037 and accelerate industrialization for sustainable development and job opportunities. Tajikistan offers opportunities to Korean companies to "green" their investments, according to Rahimzod

Foreign AffairsJuly 22, 2024

Defense chiefs of South Korea, US, Japan to meet in Tokyo to discuss NK threats

SEOUL, July 22 (Yonhap) -- The defense chiefs of South Korea, the United States and Japan will hold talks in Tokyo next week to discuss issues such as strengthening their trilateral security cooperation in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, the South's defense ministry said Monday. The gathering scheduled for Sunday comes amid tensions on the Korean Peninsula over North Korea's repeated launches of trash-carrying balloons toward South Korea in a tit-for-tat r

DefenseJuly 22, 2024

Parliamentary committee passes pro-labor 'yellow envelope bill'

A parliamentary committee unilaterally passed a pro-labor bill Monday that aims to limit companies from making claims for damages against legitimate labor union disputes. Lawmakers affiliated with the main opposition Democratic Party and other progressive parties passed the revision to the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act, nicknamed the yellow envelop bill, during a plenary session of the parliamentary environment and labor committee. In protest, the ruling People Power Party left

PoliticsJuly 22, 2024

[Herald Interview] Alternatives to apartments are possible in Korea: curator Chung Dah-young

Apartments constitute the most typical residential form across South Korea's cities, accounting for more than half of all housing in the country. Most people rarely have a chance to think critically about what options other than apartments might be possible. The newly opened exhibition “Performative Home: Architecture for Alternative Living” at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, gets visitors to think outside the box about

Arts & DesignJuly 22, 2024

Anti-corruption agency raises meal expense cap for public officials

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission announced on Monday that it has decided to raise the meal expense limit for public officials from 30,000 won ($22) to 50,000 won, citing the need to reflect the country's steep inflation since the limit was set. This proposal came eight years after the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, also known as the "Kim Young-ran law," was implemented. The antigraft act, named after the former Supreme Court justice who was then head of the co

Social AffairsJuly 22, 2024

Korean Air to buy up to 50 Boeing planes for strategic fleet upgrade

Korean Air is to purchase up to 50 new widebody aircraft from Boeing in its push to enhance fleet quality and meet sustainability goals. The deal price is estimated to reach some 30 trillion won ($23 billion), according to industry sources. The company declined to confirm. The national flag carrier signed a memorandum of understanding with Boeing on Monday on the sidelines of the Farnborough International Airshow 2024, a premier aerospace trade show currently being held in the UK. Korean Air sai

IndustryJuly 22, 2024

Korea, Albania discuss ways for stronger cooperation on security, new techs

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul met with his Albanian counterpart, Igli Hasani, on Monday and discussed ways of enhancing cooperation on security, new technologies and the overall economy, Seoul's foreign ministry said. During the meeting in Seoul, Cho expressed hope for stronger relations with Albania on a wide range of issues, such as cyber security, artificial intelligence and other advanced technology sectors, as South Korea is working to boost cooperation with major European

Foreign AffairsJuly 22, 2024

Chief financial regulator nominee says to manage rising household loans

The nominee to head the Financial Services Commission said Monday that the authorities would manage rising household loans amid concerns that such fast-rising loans could hurt economic recovery and the financial system. "We are in a situation to remain guarded (against the pace of household loans)," Kim Byoung-hwan, a former vice finance minister who was nominated as the FSC chief, said during a parliamentary confirmation hearing. "Authorities will thoroughly manage such loans.&qu

EconomyJuly 22, 2024

People Power Party leader candidates diverge on Trump

As South Korea’s ruling People Power Party counts down to the national convention set for Tuesday, Han Dong-hoon -- the leading candidate for the party’s top post -- was seen promoting his views on former US President Donald Trump in a last-minute move to set himself apart from his main challengers. Han on Sunday posted to Facebook saying, “The South Korea-US alliance is at the core of our country’s progress in diplomacy, defense, economy and science, as well as peace in

PoliticsJuly 22, 2024

Employment rates, wages drop once women become mothers: study

The employment rates and wages of South Korea's female workers significantly dropped after they become mothers, with about one in two mothers leaving their jobs after giving birth, a recent study showed Monday. According to a report released by the Korea Development Institute, women's employment rates decreased by 47.1 percent in the short term -- defined as within four years after childbirth -- and by 43.4 percent in the long term -- defined as five to 10 years after childbirth. Simil

Social AffairsJuly 22, 2024

Biden steps down, Harris steps up: What's next for alliance, beyond?

US President Joe Biden's seismic decision to drop out of the presidential race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee on Sunday has rattled South Korea. The tectonic political shift raises critical questions about whether the steadfast South Korea-US alliance, exemplified by the Washington Declaration and the crucial trilateral cooperation with Japan highlighted at the Camp David summit, will endure despite Biden’s withdrawal. Hours after Biden withdrew fro

Foreign AffairsJuly 22, 2024

Lee Sun-kyun's posthumous film 'Land of Happiness' to serve as historical record

Lee Sun-kyun's posthumous "Land of Happiness" accurately recreates events that took place during pivotal moments in Korean history and serves as a historical record, according to the film's director on Monday. “Land of Happiness” is a historical drama that follows the story of In-hoo (Jo Jung-suk), a lawyer striving to defend Tae-joo (Lee), a soldier implicated in the assassination of President Park Chung-hee and put on trial. The assassination, which occurred on

FilmJuly 22, 2024

Ye concert ticket sales schedule unveiled

Channel Candy, a music media brand operated by Nextix, has announced that schedule for tickets to go on sale to see rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, and Ty Dolla $ign concert in Korea. Tickets will be available exclusively through domestic ticket sales platform Melon Ticket, with both general and presale options. Presales will be available from 8 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. on Monday, while general ticket sales begin at 8 p.m. on July 30. Presales will be available only to those also attending th

PerformanceJuly 22, 2024