Seoul lodges complaint against Pyongyang for live firing drill near maritime border

South Korea has lodged an official complaint against Pyongyang for conducting a live firing drill on an island inside the buffer zone near the de facto maritime border, Seoul’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday. North Korea’s state-operated Korean Central News Agency reported Monday that its leader Kim Jong-un had ordered a firing drill involving coastal artilleries on the Changrin Islets, just north of the Northern Limit Line in the Yellow Sea. As the live firing exercise took place ins

North KoreaNov. 26, 2019

[ASEAN-Korea summit] Korea, ASEAN adopt joint vision for cooperation

BUSAN – The ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit wrapped up Tuesday with the leaders agreeing to expand economic, political and social cooperation among the countries.  “Advancement of the ASEAN is Korea’s advancement. Cooperating over the past 30 years through friendship and trust, we have shown ‘potential of Asia,’ overcoming financial and foreign exchange crises,” President Moon Jae-in said ahead of announcing the joint press statement. “Now, we have t

Foreign AffairsNov. 26, 2019

[ASEAN-Korea summit] Multiculturalism binds Korea, ASEAN region

Busan -- As the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit got underway in Busan, a conference on multicultural families in South Korea was held Tuesday. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Korean Institute for Healthy Family co-hosted the 2019 Multicultural Families Network Conference at the Busan Tourism Organization Arpina on Tuesday.More than 100 people attended the event to share their opinions on Korea’s multiculturalism policies, including multicultural families and experts.&ldqu

Expat LivingNov. 26, 2019

LG to invest W20b in SoftBank Venture's AI fund

LG Group said Tuesday it will invest 20 billion won ($17 million) in SoftBank's venture fund focused on artificial intelligence startups. Four affiliates of LG Group -- LG Electronics Inc., LG Chem Inc., LG Uplus Corp. and LG CNS Co. -- will jointly raise 20 billion won ($17 million) for Softbank Ventures' early-stage AI fund of 320 billion won, LG said.   The investment in the Japanese tech giant's venture unit is part of the Korean conglomerate's broader plan to develop advanced AI t

IndustryNov. 26, 2019

Opposition leader continues hunger strike for 7th day amid calls for removal of tent

The main opposition party on Tuesday strongly protested the presidential office’s request for the removal of the tent where its leader has held a hunger strike for the past seven days in protest of key reform bills. Liberty Korea Party Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn began his hungry strike Nov. 20 in a tent set up in front of the presidential office to protest against bills on reforming the election system and setting up an independent body tasked with investigating corruption allegations inv

PoliticsNov. 26, 2019

[ASEAN-Korea summit] Amateur cooks compete at Korea Food Contest Final

Representatives from eight of the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations faced off at the ASEAN-KOREA: Korea Food Contest Final, showing off dishes that reflect Korean culture and identity with a common ingredient: rice.The final round of the multinational cooking contest was held Tuesday at the Korean Cuisine Cultural Center in Jung-gu, central Seoul. The contestants, all nonprofessional cooks, came from Myanmar, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos a

CultureNov. 26, 2019

[ASEAN-Korea summit] Korea, ASEAN join hands for growth of startups

BUSAN -- Leaders of South Korea and ASEAN countries have joined hands to foster the growth of startups at an event held Tuesday on the sidelines of the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit. Hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the ASEAN-ROK Startup Summit took place in Busan to enhance cooperation among startups of Korea and ASEAN. The event was attended by representatives from 40 ASEAN startups participating in a Korean incubation program.President Moon Jae-in said in a speech, “Korea w

IndustryNov. 26, 2019

[ASEAN-Korea summit] [Herald Interview] Mekong-ROK Summit will improve living standards in Mekong region: Laotian PM

The first Mekong-Korea Summit will kick off Wednesday in Busan following the conclusion of the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit as part of Seoul’s drive to diversify diplomatic and economic channels, reducing reliance on traditional partners.Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith said the Mekong-Korea summit will contribute to advancing the living standards of countries in the Mekong region. “This (Mekong-Korea summit) will be an opportunity to advance future cooperat

Foreign AffairsNov. 26, 2019

[ASEAN-Korea summit] Civic participation, digital tech key topics at public service minister meeting

BUSAN -- South Korea and Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries discussed ways to enhance civic participation in policymaking and to foster innovation for public services Tuesday. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety hosted the Ministerial Roundtable on Public Service Innovation on the sidelines of the 2019 ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit in Busan. The ministers in charge of public service innovation in Korea and ASEAN member states gathered for the discussions under the theme

Foreign AffairsNov. 26, 2019

[ASEAN-Korea summit] Fermentation at heart of Korean, ASEAN cuisines

Experts on fermented food from Asia came together for a forum on Tuesday, amid growing recognition of the health and nutritional benefits of such food worldwide. Experts from Korea and four member states of ASEAN --Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia -- gathered at the aT Center in Seoul to introduce fermented food, exchanging knowledge and introducing the different cultural backgrounds of their cuisines.The ASEAN-Korea Food Fermentation and Culture Forum was held on the sidelines of the A

FoodNov. 26, 2019

[Newsmaker] Ex-minister faces prospect of third round of questioning, after saying nothing in first two

Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, who refused to answer any questions in two rounds of questioning by the prosecution, may be called in for a third round this week.An additional inquiry may be needed based on evidence seized during a raid of Cho’s law school office Nov. 6, according to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office on Monday.Prosecutors said they would question Cho over certain electronic documents found on his computer hard drives. Cho invoked his right to remain sil

PoliticsNov. 26, 2019

[Herald Interview] Biz card app Remember aims to be ‘Asia’s LinkedIn’

BUSAN -- South Korea’s popular business card app provider Drama & Company is seeking to make its mobile platform an “Asian version of LinkedIn” by deploying localized knowledge and sentiments. “Relatively, LinkedIn does not work as well in Asia as in the West. Asians are more reluctant to post their resumes in an open space,” said Drama & Company CEO Choi Jae-ho in a brief interview with The Korea Herald at the ASEAN-ROK Startup Summit held in Busan on Tuesd

IndustryNov. 26, 2019

[ASEAN-Korea summit] [Herald Interview] ‘Hanoi to focus on unifying ASEAN in 2020’: Vietnamese PM

Less than a month before Hanoi assumes chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said forming a unified stance for the regional bloc on global issues is at the top of its agenda.Seeking to bring together ASEAN countries, Vietnam has set forth “Cohesive and Responsive” as the theme of its ASEAN chairmanship, effective Jan. 1, 2020.“ASEAN will unite under this theme and actively contribute to global peace and sustainabi

Foreign AffairsNov. 26, 2019

Xcopri marks SK Biopharmaceuticals’ 15-year efforts for full value chain

SK Biopharmaceuticals has a full value chain ready for its newly approved partial onset seizure epilepsy drug Xcopri, said the company’s CEO Cho Jeong-woo, Tuesday. Beginning from compound discovery to preclinical trials, clinical trials and product approval in the US, SK Biopharmaceuticals has directly overseen every step of Xcopri’s commercialization. Now it will continue to directly handle local marketing and sales from the second quarter of 2020, said Cho during a press conferenc

IndustryNov. 26, 2019

BAT Korea launches Glo Pro using induction heating tech

British American Tobacco Korea on Tuesday launched Glo Pro that uses an induction heating technology, which is also widely used in kitchens. According to the tobacco maker, Glo Pro contains a battery-powered coil which creates a magnetic field. The heat is generated in the metal tube that holds the tobacco stick called Neo. The technology delivers more robust tobacco taste and faster heating time for the first puff, BAT Korea said. It is also heated at a higher temperature than th

IndustryNov. 26, 2019

Hyundai Glovis’ CSR activities focus on driving safety

Hyundai Glovis said Tuesday it has been conducting a wide range of corporate social responsibility programs to promote driving safety.The logistics unit of Hyundai Motor Group has been running a program for driving safety since 2015, which includes handing out a safety product kit for drivers. It highlights the company’s value in safety as a leading logistics firm, it said.The company has handed out some 11,000 safety kits for drivers by visiting expressway rest stations in collaboration w

IndustryNov. 26, 2019

Celltrion’s Remsima SC gets EMA approval, plans to launch in 2020

Celltrion said Tuesday its infliximab biobetter Remsima SC has received the European Medicines Agency’s approval for sales in the continent. Remsima SC’s main target patients are those who are resistant to original TNF-a inhibitors such as Humira (adalimumab) and Enbrel (etanercept).  While infliximab currently takes up only 9 percent of the rheumatoid arthritis treatment market, the rate of patients who are prescribed a different medication -- apart from adalimumab and etanerce

IndustryNov. 26, 2019

[Herald Interview] ‘Yuhan deals are first steps to make Korea center of innovation’

When 93-year-old Korean pharmaceutical firm Yuhan signed a collaboration deal with Johnson & Johnson’s subsidiary Janssen a year ago, it excited bio investors here and abroad. The transaction, reaching up to 1.4 trillion won ($1.19 billion), was the second biggest in the history of Korean biopharma research and development at the time. Janssen was interested in Yuhan’s lazertinib pipeline for third-generation lung cancer. Since then, Gilead signed a deal worth 878 billion won to

IndustryNov. 26, 2019

BTS set to heat up year-end festivities with performances at home, abroad

K-pop sensation BTS will heat up year-end festivities with a series of high-profile performances in its home country of South Korea and outside. With the 2019 Melon Music Awards scheduled for Saturday at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, BTS will begin its run of performances throughout December, providing an unusually entertainment-packed month.Appearing at the Melon Music Awards last year as well, BTS dazzled fans by staging specially remixed versions of its songs, featuring elements of traditional K

PerformanceNov. 26, 2019

Russian claims parachute jump from Busan LCT

A Russian man who was fined for parachuting off two high-rise buildings in Busan claimed another unauthorized jump, this time from the highest skyscraper in the city.On Monday, Aleksey Pykhov posted to his Instagram a picture apparently taken from atop the 101-story building, with a message implying he had parachuted from the building.  Written in Russian, the message reads, “413 meters before the jump. Sophisticated landing.”“We can say that we jumped from the LCT buildin

Social AffairsNov. 26, 2019