NK's official newspaper warns of immediate, powerful strike against threats

North Korea's official newspaper said Friday that any attempt to infringe upon the communist state's dignity and survival should be met by an "immediate and powerful" strike, calling for all-out efforts to build up its national defense capability.North Korean leader Kim Jong-un threatened at a key party meeting in late December that the world will soon witness a "new strategic weapon," and warned of a "shocking actual action," accusing the United States of stalling

North KoreaJan. 3, 2020

Top Iran commander Qasem Soleimani killed in US strike on Baghdad

BAGHDAD (AFP) -- Top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani was killed Friday in a US strike on Baghdad's international airport, Iran and the US confirmed, in a dramatic escalation of tensions between the two countries.The Pentagon said US President Donald Trump ordered Soleimani's "killing," after a pro-Iran mob this week laid siege to the US embassy.Following Soleimani's death, Trump tweeted an image of the US flag without any further explanation.The pre-dawn developments mark the most ma

World NewsJan. 3, 2020

Hyundai Heavy aims to win $15.99b worth of deals in 2020

South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries Group said Friday its three shipbuilding units are seeking to secure combined deals worth $15.9 billion this year.The combined target of Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Co. and Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co. remains unchanged from last year's goal. Hyundai Heavy Industries said it aims to bag $8 billion worth of deals in 2020, according to a company official.Hyundai Mipo Dockyard said in a regulatory filing that it aims to clinch dea

IndustryJan. 3, 2020

US stocks finish 1st session of 2020 at records

NEW YORK (AFP) -- Wall Street stocks ended at fresh records on Thursday, a buoyant start to the 2020 trading campaign that extended the late-2019 rally.The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 1.2 percent to 28,868.80.The broad-based S&P 500 gained 0.8 percent to 3,257.85, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index jumped 1.3 percent to 9,092.19, its biggest single-session gain in nearly three months.All three indices finished at all-time highs, the latest in a run of records as US-China tr

World NewsJan. 3, 2020

Samsung, LG to showcase upgraded AI-powered products at CES

South Korea's top two electronics giants -- Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. -- will lock horns in the field of artificial intelligence at the upcoming tech expo in the United States, industry observers said Friday, as they pin high hopes on the products powered by human-like algorithms. AI is one of the key themes set to draw keen attention at the annual four-day Consumer Electronics Show that kicks off Tuesday in Las Vegas, Nevada, where more than 4,500 firms from around the glo

TechnologyJan. 3, 2020

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Ashfall(Korea)Opened Dec. 19Drama, ActionDirected by Lee Hae-jun, Kim Byeong-seoPaektusan, the highest mountain on the Korean Peninsula and a dormant volcano, comes out of its slumber and undergoes the biggest eruption in recorded history. South Korean operative Capt. Jo In-chang (Ha Jung-woo) and North Korean spy Lee Jun-pyeong (Lee Byung-hun) are sent on a covert operation to save the peninsula.Forbidden Dream(Korea)Opened Dec. 26Drama, HistoryDirected by Hur Jin-hoThe legendary King Sejong (H

FilmJan. 3, 2020

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

Winter Berry Afternoon Tea Set at Grand Hyatt Grand Hyatt Seoul Hotel’s lounge cafe Gallery launched the Winter Berry Afternoon Tea Set on Wednesday, featuring fresh strawberries and canapes. Served in a three-layered dessert tray, the set includes fresh-baked wild berry scones, homemade strawberry jams, winter berry tarts and more. A buffet station, as well as a ruby chocolate fountain, are also on offer. The tea set will be available through Jan. 31. The price is set at 40,000 won on wee

FoodJan. 3, 2020

[Travel Bits] Festivals and sights across Korea

Little Prince Starlight Festival of Petite France (1)The sixth Little Prince Starlight Festival of Petite France will be held at the Petite France Park in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, until Feb. 29. The annual festival is inspired by the southern French town of Montpellier. In addition to beautiful lighting at night, another highlight is the 30-meter light tunnel installed next to a round structure modeled after asteroid B 612, home of the Little Prince from Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s book

TravelJan. 3, 2020

Seoul shares open sharply higher on Wall Street gains

South Korean stocks opened sharply higher Friday tracking overnight gains on Wall Street.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 26.35 points, or 1.21 percent, to 2,201.52 in the first 15 minutes of trading. US stocks rose to fresh highs on the first trading day of the new year following the news that China's central bank opted to stimulate the economy by adding more liquidity in the financial market.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.9 percent to 28,868.80, while t

MarketJan. 3, 2020

[Eye Plus] Seoul lights the way for ‘Year of White Mouse’

At the turn of each year, Korean people buzz about the new animal of the year based upon the Chinese zodiac and everything it stands for.The deep-rooted culture, which goes all the way back to ancient totemism, has been transfigured in modern society into a wish-making slogan or marketing keyword.Following the year 2019, which marked the year of the “Golden Pig,” this is the year of “White Mouse,” a symbol of wealth, fortune and prosperity. While the mouse is the first an

CultureJan. 3, 2020

[Weekender] [Herald Interview] Pushing boundaries of traditional music

For some bands, music is all about breaking stodgy old rules and creating new ones. However, for Black String, a traditional Korean music band, the revolution may be on a bigger scale. It wants to establish its own genre. Black String, founded in 2011, consists of four artists, three of them gugak performers. The group is led by string instrument geomungo virtuoso Heo Yoon-jeong with Lee Aram on daegeum (bamboo flute), Hwang Min-wang on janggu (hourglass-shaped drum) and Jean Oh on electric guit

PerformanceJan. 3, 2020

[Weekender] From tradition to innovation

Though gugak, traditional Korean music, is often considered an unchanging art form from the past, various gugak acts and institutions are working on revitalizing the genre to make it more relatable to today’s audiences.K-pop has taken the world by storm, but Korea’s traditional music is still underappreciated even among South Koreans, let along the wider global audience. Strong prejudices against gugak exist -- namely, that it is boring and difficult to listen to.Despite those negati

PerformanceJan. 3, 2020

[Newsmaker] Court declines to issue arrest warrant for conservative pastor

A Seoul court on Thursday rejected a request for a warrant to arrest a conservative pastor for his alleged role in a violent anti-government rally.Following a hearing that lasted over two hours, the Seoul Central District Court dismissed the prosecution's request to arrest Rev. Jun Kwang-hoon."At the current stage, it is difficult to recognize the need, reason for detention," the court said in its decision.Prosecutors had requested the Seoul Central District Court detain Jun for allege

Social AffairsJan. 3, 2020

US defense secretary urges NK leader to exercise restraint

WASHINGTON -- US Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Thursday urged North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to exercise "restraint" after the communist nation threatened to reveal a "new strategic weapon" in protest over stalled nuclear talks.Kim made the remark in a New Year's message that expressed his frustration over stalled denuclearization talks with the US. Experts have said the "strategic weapon" Kim said the world will see in the near future could be an intercontinenta

North KoreaJan. 3, 2020

Former secretary to President Moon named new IBK head

Yoon Jong-won, a former senior secretary to President Moon Jae-in for economy, has been named the new head of the state-run Industrial Bank of Korea, the lender said Thursday.The head of the state-run bank is appointed by the president at the recommendation of the finance minister, with Yoon's three-year term to start Friday, the bank said. The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae did not offer reasons for Yoon's appointment.The bank's unionized workers, on the other hand, vowed an all-out struggle

IndustryJan. 2, 2020

N. Korea highlights legitimacy of leader Kim Jong-un in new documentary

North Korea on Thursday aired a new documentary film depicting leader Kim Jong-un's recent trip to Mount Paekdu and those of Kim's late grandfather and father, apparently highlighting the legitimacy of the current leader.The 61-minute film, titled "Will Forever Walk, the March of Mount Paekdu," began with Kim Jong-un and his wife, Ri Sol-ju, riding white horses up the mountain that sits on the border with China. Mount Paekdu is considered sacred in North Korea as it is said to be the b

North KoreaJan. 2, 2020

Samsung to strengthen compliance programs via in-house committee

South Korea's top conglomerate Samsung Group said Thursday that it will strengthen its compliance programs by forming a groupwide committee dedicated to better complying with its own internal structure and related laws and regulations, as its key executives, including the group's de facto heir Lee Jae-yong, were embroiled in unlawful acts. Samsung said it is preparing to establish a compliance program led by former Supreme Court Justice Kim Ji-hyung, who previously headed a mediation committee t

IndustryJan. 2, 2020

FM Kang voices hopes for 'big' step in 2020 toward 'genuine' peace on peninsula

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Thursday expressed hopes for a "big" step in the new year toward establishing "genuine" peace on the Korean Peninsula, despite growing skepticism over the stalemated nuclear talks with North Korea.Kang made the remarks during her ministry's kick-off meeting for 2020, pointing to the continued momentum for dialogue with Pyongyang as a result of "perseverance" despite diplomatic challenges from home and abroad."This year's task

Foreign AffairsJan. 2, 2020

[Graphic News] Colosseum tops most popular experiences of 2019

　European landmarks dominate TripAdvisor’s list of most popular travel experiences of 2019, with Rome’s Colosseum topping the ranking for the second year in a row. 　The top 10 list is filled with some of the world’s most recognizable sites, mostly concentrated in Europe, with the exception of a handful of US landmarks and attractions. 　After the Colosseum, the Louvre in Paris and the Vatican round out the top three spots. Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa are cons

World NewsJan. 2, 2020

North’s silence on inter-Korean matters puts Seoul on edge

While allies paid keen attention to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s warning about a “new strategic weapon,” officials in Seoul had one more concern -- the absence of South Korea from Kim’s lengthy remarks on the communist state’s policy direction. On Wednesday, instead of delivering his traditional New Year’s address, the North Korean leader announced the results of a four-day plenary session of ruling party officials. In his 18,000-word address, report

North KoreaJan. 2, 2020