[News Focus] People question policy on Seoul apartments

SEJONG -- An online commenter, who identified himself as a salaried worker in charge of a household, wrote earlier this month that he bought an apartment in Seoul during the latter part of the Park Geun-hye administration (2013-2017).The price of the apartment has climbed 300 million won ($257,000) during President Moon Jae-in’s term, which began in May 2017, according to the commenter’s post.“But I don’t feel so happy when I think about (negative) effects of this kind of

EconomyNov. 17, 2019

Moon to seek 'clearer blueprint' for partnerships with ASEAN members in Seoul, Busan talks

President Moon Jae-in will hold a series of one-on-one summits with the leaders of 10 Southeast Asian countries gathering in South Korea later this month for a special summit Seoul is hosting for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday.Moon has invited them to the two-day ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit to open Nov. 25 in the southern port city of Busan. It will be the biggest diplomatic event to take place in South Korea under the Moon administration.&

Foreign AffairsNov. 17, 2019

Mamamoo sings about self-confidence in new single ‘Hip’

Mamamoo has returned with the single “Hip” centering on self-confidence.It is the lead track off the group’s second full-length album, “Reality in Black,” released last week. “Hip” is a rhythmical dance track overflowing with charismatic brass and string sounds. The fierce anthem, co-written by Hwasa, talks about how being true to oneself and confident embody real “hipness,” or coolness. Firing back at naysayers of the group, the four singers

K-popNov. 17, 2019

NK condemns UN rights resolution as proof of hostile US policy

North Korea denounced a recent UN human rights resolution against it as a US attempt to topple the communist regime, vowing never to discuss the issue of its nuclear programs unless Washington's "hostile policy" is on the agenda.An unnamed foreign ministry spokesperson issued the criticism in a statement, saying that last week's UN resolution clearly proved that the US has not given up on its "hollow dream to bring down our system." "Even if the North-US talks reopen in

North KoreaNov. 17, 2019

[Shuli Ren] China’s No. 1 university has a big debt problem

A crown jewel of President Xi Jinping’s Made in China 2025 plan is faltering.Tsinghua Unigroup is the business arm of the prestigious Tsinghua University, Xi’s alma mater. The company has been trying to establish itself as a leader in China’s nascent memory-chip industry since 2015, when it famously tried to acquire stakes in US rivals Micron Technology and Western Digital. Both advances were rejected amid concerns that US regulators wouldn’t approve the deals on national

ViewpointsNov. 17, 2019

[Trudy Rubin] Talk of a ‘new Cold War’ between US and China is misleading

Thirty years ago this week I was on my way to Prague to watch Czechoslovak communism end with the Velvet Revolution. The Berlin Wall had just fallen, the Soviet communist party was headed for collapse, and the Cold War would soon end.Five months earlier, Chinese leaders had cracked down on student admirers of Western democracy in Tiananmen Square. That tragedy didn’t stir the same geopolitical shock waves as the events in Europe, because China was still a poor, developing country.Yet 30 ye

ViewpointsNov. 17, 2019

Seoul and Tokyo dig in over trade, GSOMIA

The diplomatic spat between South Korea and Japan appears likely to continue, with the two sides reiterating their positions six days before their military information-sharing pact expires.  On Sunday, Japanese media reported that Tokyo has decided it will not retract trade measures applied to South Korea. According to Yomiuri Shimbun, the Japanese government has arrived at the decision and has informed the US. The paper said the decision was based on the results of talks between foreign af

Foreign AffairsNov. 17, 2019

Hong Kong police fire blue-dyed water cannons in new protest

HONG KONG (AP) -- Hong Kong police water cannon trucks drove over bricks and nails strewn by protesters and sprayed them at close range Sunday, as opposition lawmakers criticized the Chinese military for joining a cleanup to remove debris from streets.Other officers fired tear gas in a bid to drive out a determined group of protesters on the streets outside Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The push came in an hourslong standoff that followed intense clashes the previous night. A large group of

WorldNov. 17, 2019

Equity fund supporting local parts makers raises W100b

A local equity fund in which President Moon Jae-in invested has amassed more than 100 billion won ($85 million), fund operator NH-Amundi Asset Management said Sunday.Since its launch in August this year, the NH-Amundi Victorious Korea Equity Fund has logged 6.98 percent in return rate as of Friday.The fund was designed to invest in local firms that manufacture industrial equipment, components and materials impacted by Japan’s export curbs. Its popularity has grown about two weeks after Pre

MarketNov. 17, 2019

SPO shares plans for 2020

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s new music director Osmo Vanska will work up a wide repertoire next year, with his signature Mahler and Sibelius being prominently featured among the SPO’s 38 presentations in the 2020 season.The expert of Mahler and Sibelius, appointed as the SPO’s music director in May, will lead six presentations next year upon kicking off his three-year tenure in January. At the inaugural concert on Feb. 14-15, the conductor will present Mahler’s Symp

PerformanceNov. 17, 2019

6 in 10 Koreans support hike in electricity prices to curb fine dust: survey

Nearly 6 in 10 Koreans are in favor of suspending coal-fired power plants to reduce particulate pollution from autumn through spring, even if it is accompanied by a hike in electricity rates, a survey showed Sunday. According to the poll of 2,000 Korean adults by a national anti-fine dust body, 78.3 percent of the respondents approved of enforcing a seasonal dust management system between December and March, when Korea typically sees high levels of PM 2.5 -- -- ultrafine particles smaller than 2

Social AffairsNov. 17, 2019

Korean, Japanese defense ministers reconfirm differences on GSOMIA

The defense ministers of South Korea, Japan and the United States met Sunday to discuss their differences regarding the intelligence-sharing pact between Seoul and Tokyo, amid concerns that the ongoing row might weaken the trilateral security alliance.Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and his Japanese counterpart, Taro Kono, held bilateral talks and met with their US counterpart in a separate trilateral meeting, both of which took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meet

DefenseNov. 17, 2019

Police bust 10,000 drunk drivers in 50-day crackdown

More than 10,000 people were caught driving under the influence of alcohol during a 50-day nationwide crackdown on reckless driving, the National Police Agency said Sunday. During the clampdown between Sep. 9 and Oct. 28, 11,275 people were caught for dangerous driving acts, including 10,593 drunk drivers and 662 reckless drivers.  Among those caught, 13 have been arrested with detention, including a driver who had his license revoked in the past for DUI but was again caught at the wheel wi

Social AffairsNov. 17, 2019

[Newsmaker] Lawyer who faked 184 refugee applications gets suspended sentence

A South Korean lawyer who illegally helped foreign nationals apply for refugee status was give a one year jail term, suspended for two years, the court said Sunday.The Seoul Central District Court ordered the 46-year-old attorney, surnamed Kang, for violating the Immigration Control Act on Wednesday. The court also gave the law firm to which Kang was affiliated a 5 million won ($4,280) fine for illegally employing a foreign national without a visa for Chinese interpretation work.Between October

Social AffairsNov. 17, 2019

[Herald Interview] Royal Salute adds artistic touch to its blend Scotch whisky

After unveiling a new look for its signature 21-year-old Scotch whisky which depicts the royal heritage and Britishness of the brand, Royal Salute has joined hands with an Icelandic artist and held a visual art exhibition in Seoul.Offering Korean consumers the chance to fully understand the colorful, rich heritage that the Royal Salute brand embraces, the latest exhibition includes Kristjana S. Williams’ illustrations. Her drawings feature the characters from the Royal Menagerie at the Tow

IndustryNov. 17, 2019

[Behind the Wheel] First all-electric vehicle under EQ brand arrives in Korea

The first all-electric car launched by Mercedes-Benz Korea recently landed here, jumping into the eco-friendly car market which is still small but promising and currently dominated by Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors.Its main design concept “progressive luxury” instantly suggests where the German carmaker is headed, and is enough to excite its fans here with futuristic elements. But the question is: Can the EQC compete with other electric vehicles that have a driving range of h

MobilityNov. 17, 2019

Top 30 firms’ investment volume dips 16.6%

The amount of investments by South Korea’s top 30 conglomerates as of the third quarter fell over 16 percent on-year amid slow growth and sluggish trend of the semiconductor business, a market tracker said Sunday.The combined investments totaled 54.33 trillion won ($46.3 billion) as of the end of September, down 16.6 percent from 65.17 trillion won a year earlier, CEO Score said in a statement.The tally covered the 272 conglomerate subsidiaries that have unveiled their half-year business r

MarketNov. 17, 2019

KT aims to expand 5G technology into medical sector

　South Korean mobile carrier KT has pledged to develop a virtual reality surgery platform with a local software company in a push to expand the use of the fifth-generation wireless network into the medical industry. 　According to the telecom firm on Sunday, it had signed a strategic partnership with Coreline Soft to integrate the 5G network into medical surgery. The signing ceremony was held Thursday at KT’s research center located in Seoul. 　The memorandum of understanding included cooper

TechnologyNov. 17, 2019

Senior LKP lawmaker says he will not run in next year's election

A three-term lawmaker of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party said Sunday that he will not run in next year's parliamentary elections, amid flagging public support for his conservative party.Rep. Kim Se-yeon made the announcement, calling for the current LKP leadership to step down and for the party to make a new start to win back the hearts of the voters before the general elections slated for April 15.  "With the current state of the party, it cannot win in the general elections,

PoliticsNov. 17, 2019