Imported car sales up 6.2 % in Oct., Japanese brands suffer extended slump

Imported car sales in South Korea rose 6.2 percent on-year last month helped by new models, but Japanese brands still struggled feeling the pinch of a boycott against Japanese goods amid trade tensions between Seoul and Tokyo, industry data showed Tuesday. The number of newly registered foreign vehicles rose to 22,101 units in October, up from 20,813 a year earlier. But Japanese vehicle sales plunged 58 percent to 1,977 from 4,756 during the same period, the Korea Automobile Importers & Dist

IndustryNov. 5, 2019

Cannes-winning 'Parasite' on a roll at US box office

South Korean auteur Bong Joon-ho's family satire "Parasite" has maintained its strong theatrical presence at the US box office, industry data showed Tuesday.The Korean-language film, released stateside on Oct. 11, added $2.6 million to its US gross from Friday to Sunday, according to data from Box Office Mojo.Its total reached $7.5 million, far outnumbering Bong's previous English-language science fiction movie "Snowpiercer" (2013), which garnered $4.6 million in 2013. 

FilmNov. 5, 2019

Korean won jumps on US-China trade optimism

Despite a weak economy, the South Korean currency has soared against the greenback over the past month due mainly to optimism about US-China trade talks, data showed Tuesday. The local currency closed at 1,159.20 won against the US dollar Monday, up 6.4 won from the previous session and as much as 37 won from the end of September. Market watchers said the won's recent strength stems largely from the growing prospect of a trade deal between the world's two largest economies, not from economic fun

EconomyNov. 5, 2019

US spy aircraft on missions over East Sea: aviation tracker

The United States flew a RC-135S surveillance plane over South Korea's East Sea, an aviation tracker said Tuesday, on an apparent mission to collect intelligence regarding North Korea.The RC-135S Cobra Ball aircraft departed Kadena Air Base in Japan's Okinawa and flew over the East Sea earlier in the day, Aircraft Spots said in a Twitter post.The surveillance aircraft last made a similar flight over the region in early October. As one of America's major intelligence-gathering assets, the aircraf

DefenseNov. 5, 2019

Samsung shuts down custom CPU development project in US

Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest memory chipmaker, has stopped development work on its custom central processor unit cores at its R&D centers in the United States, company officials said Tuesday.Samsung has notified the Texas Workforce Commission of its decision to lay off about 290 members of the custom CPU core teams in Austin and San Jose as of Dec. 31, the Korean tech company said. Starting in 2012, the project has produced custom CPU cores for the Exynos series, its own mobi

IndustryNov. 5, 2019

India contributes $1m for WFP's humanitarian activities in N. Korea

India has contributed $1 million to the World Food Programme for its humanitarian activities in North Korea, the UN agency's monthly report showed Tuesday, as the impoverished North struggles to cope with chronic food shortages. "WFP has intensified the South-South and Triangular cooperation as an avenue to enhance support to the DPRK and has received a contribution from the Government of India of $1 million for its in-country operations," the report said. DPRK stands for the North's o

North KoreaNov. 5, 2019

[Newsmaker] Court reviews arrest warrants in audition show's alleged vote-rigging case

A Seoul court on Tuesday began its review of a prosecution request to issue arrest warrants for a producer of a popular TV audition show over vote-rigging allegations.The Seoul Central Court held its hearing to decide whether to issue arrest warrants for the producer and three talent agency officials embroiled in a scandal over "Produce X 101," a fan-voted idol competition show that ran on cable channel Mnet.Police have been investigating allegations that production staff manipulated m

Social AffairsNov. 5, 2019

Xi voices 'high degree of trust' in Hong Kong leader over unrest

SHANGHAI (AFP) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed a "high degree of trust" in Hong Kong's unpopular leader Carrie Lam as the two met after months of increasingly violent protests in the semi-autonomous city.Xi's show of support follows speculation that Beijing was preparing to remove Lam as city authorities struggle to contain pro-democracy demonstrations that have rocked the financial hub.Their meeting on the sidelines of an international trade fair Monday followed another

World NewsNov. 5, 2019

N. Korea denounces US over terrorism report, says channel of dialogue 'narrowing'

North Korea bristled Tuesday at the United States keeping the communist regime on its list of state sponsors of terrorism, warning that the window for dialogue between the two countries is narrowing due to such "hostile policy." A spokesperson for the North's foreign ministry made the remarks in an interview with the Korean Central News Agency, adding it "condemns and fully rejects (the recent US terrorism report) as a grave politically-motivated provocation" against the Nort

North KoreaNov. 5, 2019

White House welcomes World Series champs to rendition of 'Baby Shark'

The White House on Monday honored the World Series champion Washington Nationals with a ceremony featuring a rendition of "Baby Shark," a children's song popularized by a South Korean company.The catchy tune, which became the unofficial theme song of the baseball team, was played by the U.S. Marine Corps band on the South Lawn before the players arrived, followed by U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump. The ceremony was held to honor Washington's first Major League

World NewsNov. 5, 2019

Poet once at forefront of #MeToo movement publishes collection in English

Poet Choi Young-mi, one of the leading voices in the #MeToo movement in Korea’s literary scene last year, has published her first collection of poems in English, “The Party Was Over.” The collection includes the poem “Monster” (2017), which Choi described as being based on her experience of sexual harassment. The revelation fueled the #MeToo movement in Korea, which shook up the country in early 2018 after a female prosecutor accused her superiors of sexual harassme

BooksNov. 5, 2019

US underscores commitment to Indo-Pacific region after RCEP deal

WASHINGTON -- The United States Monday underscored its commitment to free trade with the Indo-Pacific region after a bloc of nations led by China struck a major trade deal without US participation.The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the world's largest free trade agreement, was announced earlier Monday by the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and its dialogue partners -- South Korea, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.The China-led RCEP is seen as

Foreign AffairsNov. 5, 2019

S. Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin nominated for National League Cy Young Award

South Korean left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin has been nominated for the 2019 National League Cy Young Award.Ryu, who led all of baseball with a 2.32 ERA for the Los Angeles Dodgers this year, was announced as one of three finalists for the NL's top pitching prize by the Baseball Writers' Association of American on Monday (US Eastern Time).Ryu, who's now a free agent, is the first South Korean pitcher to be shortlisted for the Cy Young in either league.BBWAA members already cast their ballots at the end

BaseballNov. 5, 2019

US formally starts withdrawal from Paris climate accord

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- The United States on Monday formally notified the United Nations that it was withdrawing from the Paris climate accord, making the world's largest economy the sole outlier from the agreement.President Donald Trump went ahead with the pullout despite mounting evidence of the reality and impact of climate change, with September the fourth month in the row with near- or record-breaking temperatures.The United States presented its withdrawal letter to the United Nations on the fi

World NewsNov. 5, 2019

Pharma experts throng Frankfurt for CPhI Worldwide 2019

FRANKFURT -- Celebrating its 30th anniversary, CPhI Worldwide 2019 is being held in Frankfurt, Germany, this week, with over 45,000 participants from the pharmaceutical industry.At the biggest global annual pharma event, participants will attend a three-day course from Tuesday on the latest medical solutions while getting a chance to network with peers. Presentation on the different pharma development and manufacturing processes, technology and products are scheduled at six subevents.In the main

IndustryNov. 5, 2019

15 countries, including Korea, to sign trade megadeal

Leaders from 15 Asia-Pacific countries, including South Korea, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, declared that they had reached agreement on all 20 chapters of a trade megadeal and expressed their willingness to sign it in 2020, officials said Monday. Called the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, it is in essence a massive regional trade deal among the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the six countries with which ASEAN has free trade agreements -

IndustryNov. 4, 2019

Bong Joon-ho wins at Hollywood Film Awards

South Korean director Bong Joon-ho won the award for best filmmaker at the 23rd Hollywood Film Awards on Sunday.During the annual event in Beverly Hills, California, Bong was commended for his recent film “Parasite,” for which he won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival this year.  This year’s Hollywood winners also include Charlize Theron, who took home the career achievement award; Antonio Banderas and Renee Zellweger, chosen as best actor and actress; and Al

FilmNov. 4, 2019

46 foreign companies receive government awards for investment

Forty-six foreign companies received government awards for their investments in advanced technologies and for creating jobs in South Korea, during an annual event for foreign companies held Monday. Foreign Company Day, hosted by the Industry Ministry and the Korea Foreign Company Association, or FORCA, is a ceremony that has taken place since 2001 to recognize contributions to attracting foreign investment here.  The 46 awardees include the Korean arm of US-based firm Air Products and Chemi

IndustryNov. 4, 2019

MLB fan event in Seoul postponed over payment issues

A fan event scheduled in Seoul with former Major League Baseball stars on hand has been postponed indefinitely over payment issues, local organizers said Monday.To Go Communication, the PR agency for MLB Experience in Korea, said the event, originally scheduled to run from Thursday to Sunday, has been put on hold, after Mohenic Garages, the presenting sponsor and investment partner, failed to make its due payment.The event was put together by MLB to bring South Korean fans closer to the wor

SportsNov. 4, 2019

Korea, China sign ‘clear sky’ plan to fight fine dust

South Korea’s environment minister and his Chinese counterpart vowed close cooperation to combat air pollution at their first annual ministerial talks in Seoul on Monday amid public concerns over toxic particles blowing in from China.  Minister Cho Myung-rae and Chinese Environment Minister Li Ganjie signed a “clear sky” action plan that includes joint implementation of policies, joint research, and exchanges of technology and personnel between the two countries to fight t

Social AffairsNov. 4, 2019