LG Uplus joins hands with Japanese, Taiwanese firms on drone platform

LG Uplus Corp., a major South Korean mobile carrier, said Sunday it has joined hands with a Japanese telecommunication firm and a Taiwanese drone maker to develop smart drone solutions. Under a memorandum of understanding with Japan's KDDI Corp. and Taiwan's Coretronic Intelligent Robotics Corp. (CIRC), LG Uplus will cooperate in the development of a drone control platform. The system is designed to better transmit images or videos recorded by drones to control centers, via LTE or 5G telecomm

TechnologyApril 12, 2020

[Newsmaker] Bill Gates calls for funding from G-20 members to develop vaccine against coronavirus

In order for the world to better contain the spread of the coronavirus, leaders of the Group of 20 (G-20) major economies should provide more funding to develop a vaccine, Bill Gates said. In an opinion piece provided in South Korea exclusively to Yonhap News Agency on Sunday, Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, noted that COVID-19 has not yet affected many low- and middle-income countries, and said world leaders, particularly G-20 members, must step up to keep it that way because it is "like

World NewsApril 12, 2020

NK leader holds politburo meeting to discuss anti-virus measures

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has presided over a political bureau meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, discussing anti-coronavirus measures and electing his sister as an alternate member of the bureau, state media said Sunday. The politburo meeting held on Saturday suggests that a key session of the country's rubber-stamp legislature Supreme People's Assembly, which was supposed to take place on Friday, has been postponed for unclear reasons because a politburo meeting usually takes place

North KoreaApril 12, 2020

Where to watch films for free

As people continue to isolate themselves inside houses owing to the prolonged virus spread, it’s about time that even those who only watch films at cinemas have turned on televisions and downloaded mobile applications searching for movies to binge-watch on. Although online streaming platforms, such as Netflix, Watcha and Wavve, in Korea also offer amazing assortment of films, most require a small contribution of monthly subscription, which may come as a burden for some.  Here are s

FilmApril 12, 2020

Acquisition of Prudential Life gives green light for KB Financial

For KB Financial Group, the latest acquisition of Prudential Inc.’s local unit was not just an expensive price to expand its nonbanking sector, but also a positive signal for its management stability. While taking a step closer to regain its title of “winning banking group,” the group has also raised the possibility of prolonging the term of its incumbent chief later this year. KB Financial on Friday signed a 2.34 trillion-won ($1.86 billion) deal to purchase the local ope

MarketApril 12, 2020

NHIS extends COVID-19 relief to foreign residents

Foreign subscribers of South Korea’s national health insurance are eligible for premium assistance in a COVID-19 bailout, the state health care service said Saturday. The National Health Insurance Service said the lower 20 percent of the income bracket will receive about 30 to 50 percent reduction in premiums from March through May. For the worst-affected Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province’s Gyeongsan, Cheongdo and Bonghwa, the bottom half of income earners will be given the par

Social AffairsApril 11, 2020

Amount of unemployment benefits hits record in Feb.

The amount of unemployment benefits handed out in February surpassed the 800 billion won ($660 million) mark for the first time in February, according to data compiled by the Korea Employment Information Service on Saturday. The amount of subsidies given to the unemployed in February reached 808.3 billion won, up 28 percent on-year. The sharp increase came even before the novel coronavirus hit the nation in earnest in March, reflecting the sluggish domestic job market in recent months. Of 1

MarketApril 11, 2020

Nexon founder expands investment in non-gaming sector

Kim Jung-ju, founder of South Korea’s largest game company Nexon, has invested in Canadian high-end outwear brand Moose Knuckles, seeking new opportunities in the non-gaming sector. Kim, who now serves as chief of Nexon’s holding company NXC, took over 23.9 percent stake of the Canadian garment manufacturer for 64.2 billion won ($53 million). Moose Knuckles is one of the top three high-end winter jacket brands, along with Nobis and Canada Goose. Their winter luxury parkas cost

MarketApril 11, 2020

There’s no returning to pre-virus normal: KCDC

　 Thirty people were newly confirmed with novel coronavirus infections in South Korea on Saturday, recording a ten-day streak of double-digit daily tally, health officials said. Korea’s cumulative cases totaled 10,480 according to the Health Ministry, 7,243 of whom have recovered. The remaining 3,026 patients are still undergoing treatment. As of Saturday, Korea has tested about 510,000 people. This translates to about one in 100 citizens having been tested for the virus at least once.

Social AffairsApril 11, 2020

Koreans under self-quarantine may be allowed to vote in general elections

South Korean citizens under self-quarantine at home are likely to be allowed to cast their ballots in next week’s general elections scheduled Wednesday, according to the disaster control agency. “Government agencies and related organizations have been discussing measures on how to enable those being quarantined at home to exercise their voting rights at the upcoming April 15 elections,” said Kim Kang-lip, a senior official at the Korea Central Disaster and Safety Countermea

Social AffairsApril 11, 2020

S. Korea reports 30 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 10,480

South Korea on Saturday reported 30 more cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,480. South Korea has now recorded six days in a row of the number of new cases being around 50 or fewer, a sharp drop from the Feb. 29 peak of 909 new cases, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). But health authorities remain on high alert over cluster infections at churches and hospitals, as well as new cases coming from overseas. The nat

Social AffairsApril 11, 2020

[Ana Palacio] Can liberal democracy survive COVID-19?

By some mix of cruel irony and remarkable prescience, the theme of last year’s Venice Biennale -- the biennial art exhibition’s 58th incarnation -- was: “May you live in interesting times.” The line, purportedly a translation of an old Chinese curse, was meant to highlight the precariousness of life in this dangerous and uncertain age. With the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world, and credible global leadership nowhere to be seen, that reality has become impossible to

ViewpointsApril 11, 2020

S. Korea to use electronic wristbands on violators of self-isolation rules: PM

South Korea said Saturday it will use electronic wristbands on people who violate self-isolation rules to better contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said the country will make self-isolation violators wear electronic wristbands since the number of cases of people breaching the self-quarantine in recent weeks has raised concerns. "After deep consideration, the government has decided to put electronic wristbands on people who violate self-isolation ru

Social AffairsApril 11, 2020

Trump rejected S. Korea's offer to pay at least 13% more for shared defense costs: report

US President Donald Trump has rejected South Korea's offer to raise its contribution to shared defense costs by at least 13 percent, a news report said Friday. Trump made the decision last week after consultations with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, Reuters said, quoting unidentified current and former US officials. Esper made a phone call to South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo earlier this week to press Seoul to quickly agree to much higher con

InternationalApril 11, 2020

[Eye Plus] Jongmyo, the oldest royal Confucian shrine still preserved

Jongmyo is a special shrine for the deceased kings and queens of Joseon. It is the oldest extant royal Confucian shrine, according to UNESCO. In Confucianism, when a person dies, the soul is believed to be separated from the body, with the soul going up to heaven and the body returning to earth. The ancestors of modern-day Koreans thought it was important to have a place for the spirit of the deceased and a place for the body. Jongmyo, located in Jongno district, central Seoul, is adjacent

CultureApril 11, 2020

Virtual travel offers escape during quarantine

While the COVID-19 pandemic has shut down vacation plans for people around the world, it cannot not stop the desire to travel. Virtual reality is stepping in as people seek new ways to go out and explore the world from the safety of their homes. Major telecommunication companies in Korea including SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus offer VR services that include travel content. As people quarantine themselves indoors, the companies saw a sharp rise in the use of VR content related to travel. SKT r

TravelApril 11, 2020

[Weekender] Solidarity at time of crisis

The novel coronavirus is forcing people around the world to keep their distance physically, but that isn’t stopping them from standing united in the fight against the global pandemic. As neighbors, landlords or consumers, many people in Korea are reaching out to those hit harder by the COVID-19 outbreak. Youngsters have initiated a “good consumer movement” through social media platforms such as Instagram. When visiting a regular haunt -- whether it’s a cafe, hair s

Social AffairsApril 11, 2020

Rival parties expect sweeping victory in longtime strongholds

This year’s general elections are shaping up to be a battle between the ruling party that aims to maintain dominance and the main opposition party that hopes to “pass judgment” on the Moon Jae-in administration. Both project that they will take majority, but the outlook remains unclear. The exceptions are centered on the southwestern city of Gwangju and surrounding North and South Jeolla provinces for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, and Daegu and adjoining North Gyeongs

PoliticsApril 11, 2020

S. Korean at embassy in Brussels tests positive for coronavirus

A South Korean employee at the country's embassy to Belgium and the European Union, in Brussels, tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the diplomatic mission said Friday. It is the first confirmed case of COVID-19 of a South Korean at the country's embassies and consulates. The employee appears to have contracted the virus after close contact with his housemate, who works at a nursing hospital as a nurse, and has tested positive, the embassy said in a release. "The worker has been

Foreign AffairsApril 10, 2020

Ukraine requests S. Korean virus test kits, medical equipment in phone summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy asked South Korean President Moon Jae-in Friday for test kits and other medical equipment needed to tackle the spread of the novel coronavirus, Cheong Wa Dae said. During the 25-minute telephone conversation, which was made at Zelenskiy's request, the Ukrainian leader said the COVID-19 situation in South Korea appears to stabilizing, which is not the case in his country. Noting that the next one or two weeks will be critical, Zelenskiy expressed hope to

Foreign AffairsApril 10, 2020