Asia-Pacific news agency chiefs open Seoul session on challenges facing media

President Moon Jae-in will meet with chiefs of news agencies in the Asia-Pacific region Thursday afternoon, Cheong Wa Dae said, as he's expected to seek continued attention and support for the Korea peace process and the upcoming special summit with Southeast Asian nations.Moon will sit down with representatives of 32 news agencies from 28 countries, including Yonhap News Agency CEO Cho Sung-boo and delegates from China's Xinhua News Agency, Japan's Kyodo News and Russia's TASS news agency, at h

Foreign AffairsNov. 7, 2019

S. Korea beats Australia 5-0 to open Group C action

South Korea shut down Australia 5-0 to start its Olympic baseball qualifying tournament at home on Wednesday, holding the opponents to just one single while getting some timely hitting at the plate.Starter Yang Hyeon-jong struck out 10 in six dominant innings of one-hit ball, and the bottom third of the South Korean lineup drove in three runs in South Korea's opening game at the Premier12 at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. The Premier12 is also the qualifying tournament for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics fo

BaseballNov. 7, 2019

[Newsmaker] Tottenham's Son Heung-min becomes all-time S. Korean scoring leader in Europe

Son Heung-min now stands alone at the top of the South Korean scoring list in European club football history.The attacking ace for Tottenham Hotspur netted two goals in the Premier League club's 4-0 victory over Red Star Belgrade in their Group B match of the UEFA Champions League at Red Star Stadium in Belgrade on Wednesday (local time). Son now has 123 goals in his European career, breaking a tie with former Bundesliga star Cha Bum-kun's mark of 121 for most by a South Korean player on the con

SoccerNov. 7, 2019

S. Korea fall to N. Korea in women‘s youth football tournament

North Korea beat South Korea 3-1 to reach the championship final of a regional women‘s football tournament in Thailand on Wednesday.　Kim Kyoung-yong scored twice and Pak Il-gyong added another, as North Korea cruised to the victory in the semifinals of the Asian Football Confederation U-19 Women’s Championship at Chonburi Stadium in Chonburi, Thailand. Kang Ji-woo was the lone scorer for South Korea.　In the final scheduled for Saturday, North Korea will meet the winner of the other s

SoccerNov. 6, 2019

Beyond vegan burgers: next-generation protein could come from air, methane, volcanic springs

It may sound like science fiction, but in a few short years the family dinner table may be laden with steak from a printer and other proteins produced from air, methane or volcanic microbes.　With the explosive success of vegan beef and burger substitutes developed by Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, the alternative protein sector just keeps growing.　According to investment bank Barclays, alternative meat sales could reach $140 billion - or 10 percent of the global meat industry - within a

World BusinessNov. 6, 2019

Euro zone economy at risk of contracting in Q4, PMI shows

Euro zone business activity grew more than initially thought last month but remained close to stagnation, according to a survey whose forward-lookingindicators suggest the existing growth might dissipate.Wednesday‘s survey of businesses comes soon after the European Central Bank resumed its 2.6 trillion-euro bond-buying program to try and stimulate inflation and growth.The former head of the ECB, Mario Draghi, repeatedly called on euro zone countries to add fiscal support to stoke growth,

World BusinessNov. 6, 2019

S&P keeps Korea‘s rating at AA with stable outlook

Standard & Poor‘s on Wednesday affirmed its AA sovereign credit rating for South Korea, despite earlier slashing its growth outlook for Asia’s fourth-largest economy.The global rating agency also maintained its stable outlook for the South Korean economy.“The stable outlook reflects our expectation that geopolitical risks in the Korean Peninsula will not escalate to the point of hurting Korea‘s economic fundamentals over the next two years,” the global rating ag

EconomyNov. 6, 2019

Hanwha Aerospace wins $1b plane engine parts deal from Rolls-Royce

Hanwha Aerospace Co., a defense industry unit of South Korea‘s Hanwha Group, said Wednesday it has signed a $1 billion deal to supply aircraft engine parts to British airplane engine maker Rolls-Royce. In the contract, Hanwha Aerospace will provide turbine seal segments to Rolls-Royce, the world’s third-largest maker of aircraft engines after General Electric Co., for 25 years starting in 2020, the company said in a statement.“The deal is a big achievement for the company as tu

IndustryNov. 6, 2019

Reopening Kaesong complex can improve N. Korea‘s human rights: expert

Reopening a now-shuttered inter-Korean industrial complex in North Korea can lead to improvement in the country‘s human rights conditions as the factory park would provide good working conditions that meet global standards, a US expert said Wednesday.Edward Reed, an adjunct professor at the Asian Institute of Management who formerly served as North Korea country director for the World Vision aid organization, made the remark during a symposium on North Korea’s human rights in Seoul.

EconomyNov. 6, 2019

Stilwell says he had ‘fantastic’ discussions with Korean government

David Stilwell, US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, on Wednesday welcomed “fantastic” talks with South Korean government officials. Visiting the country as part of his Asia tour, the senior US official met with Korean government officials to discuss the alliance and ways to cooperate in the region, including separate meetings with Kim Hyun-chong, second deputy director of the presidential National Security Office, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa, and w

Foreign AffairsNov. 6, 2019

[Graphic News] Protests around the world in Oct.

　The past weeks have seen a wave of protest movements erupt in countries worldwide.　The high cost of living, limits on civil liberties and government corruption have sparked major demonstrations.　Here is an overview of the main demonstrations around the world that started last month and others that are ongoing. (AFP)

World NewsNov. 6, 2019

Long-term detention of asylum seekers inhumane: human rights body

Keeping asylum seekers in detention centers for a long period of time constitutes human rights violations, South Korea’s human rights watchdog said Wednesday, reiterating its call on the Justice Ministry to find an alternative.  The ministry should find an alternative for asylum seekers who apply for a refugee status at detention centers, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea suggested, noting that detaining them there despite a low possibility of them being forcibly deported

Social AffairsNov. 6, 2019

Director Park Chan-wook recognized at Geneva film festival

Korean director Park Chang-wook on Tuesday received the Film and Beyond award at the Geneva International Film Festival, commended for his works including “The Handmaiden,” which will be screened at the festival until Sunday.The award was given to the director in recognition of Park’s body of work to the field of cinema, at the 25th annual event at the Swiss city from Nov.1-10.“This is an award usually given to a director with a long career who is about to retire, but I w

FilmNov. 6, 2019

Mongolian judge accused of groping flight attendant

South Korean police on Wednesday again questioned a senior Mongolian official accused of groping a Korean flight attendant during a flight from Ulaanbaatar to Incheon on Oct. 31. The Incheon Metropolitan Policy Agency arrested Dorj Odbayar, head of Mongolia’s Constitutional Court, who made a stopover at Incheon Airport on Wednesday morning en route to Mongolia’s capital from Indonesia. Odbayar and his colleague, facing arrest warrants for alleged sexual harassment of separate

Social AffairsNov. 6, 2019

South Korea suggests sending delegation to inspect Kumgangsan complex

The South Korean government has proposed sending a delegation to inspect the facilities it funded at North Korea’s Kumgangsan, in its second attempt to engage the regime in dialogue after demolition plans were announced. The Unification Ministry said Wednesday it sent a letter to North Korea on Tuesday, notifying that it will send a delegation comprising government officials and businesspeople for the inspection of South Korean facilities that had been used for now-suspended tours to the m

North KoreaNov. 6, 2019

[Kpopherald x Twitter] GOT7 talks about name, fans, comeback and ‘TMI’

Following the release of new EP “Call My Name” on the previous day, GOT7 returned to Twitter’s Blueroom on Tuesday afternoon for a live broadcast to chat with their fans.The seven members, all dressed in black except for JB who wore a brown sweater, were excited to return to the music scene. It’s been six months since it dropped “Spinning Top: Between Security & Insecurity” in May.  Kicking off the broadcast by streaming its latest music video &l

K-popNov. 6, 2019

S. Korea, US senior officials discuss economic cooperation in APAC

South Korea and the US held a joint public-private economic forum to discuss ways to strengthen their economic ties and enhance cooperation on issues of common interest, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. The fourth Republic of Korea-United States Senior Economic Dialogue was held in Seoul on Wednesday to take stock of the progress and explore avenues of further cooperation between the two countries, particularly in line with Seoul’s New Southern Policy and Washington’s Indo-Pacifi

Foreign AffairsNov. 6, 2019

Top US negotiator for defense cost-sharing deal visits South Korea

James DeHart, the chief US negotiator for the defense cost-sharing deal with South Korea, is in Seoul for an informal visit. South Korean government officials view the visit as aimed at learning more about public sentiment here toward the negotiations.DeHart, who arrived Tuesday, was scheduled to hold an unofficial dinner with his South Korean counterpart, Jeong Eun-bo, and other government officials during his four-day trip. It would be the second meeting of the top negotiators since they met f

Foreign AffairsNov. 6, 2019

Nation’s biggest expo on senior industry kicks off

Sprightly elderly crowded KINTEX Hall No. 3 in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday, when an annual expo on businesses related to the care and welfare of seniors and people with disabilities kicked off its three-day run.At this year’s SENDEX, more than 100 companies in the geriatrics business are showcasing their latest products and services for seniors and people with disabilities. The Korea Health Industry Development Institute will coordinate meetings between participating companies and

Social AffairsNov. 6, 2019

[Kim Hyung-yun] Sharing our legislation with other Asian countries: Laying a foundation for economic growth and democracy

There is a Korean expression: to catch two hares at the same time. This means to accomplish two goals simultaneously. When we chase two hares, they are frightened to death and run away in all directions. Therefore, the implication is that catching two hares at one time is extremely challenging and unlikely.South Korea’s per capita gross national income surpassed $30,000 for the first time last year. And Korea has transformed itself from a recipient of development aid into a donor country a

ViewpointsNov. 6, 2019