USFDA approves SK Biopharmaceuticals’ new anti-epileptic drug

A new South Korean anti-epileptic drug will be available in the US from as early as April. The US’ Food and Drug Administration has approved SK Biopharmaceuticals’ anti-epileptic drug XCOPRI (Cenobamate), officials said Friday. The product will be available in the second quarter of 2020 after review by the US Drug Enforcement Administration.The marketing and sales process will be overseen by SK Life Science, the US subsidiary of SK BIopharmaceuticals based in Paramus, New Jersey. XCO

IndustryNov. 22, 2019

Prosecutors raid Coast Guard in Sewol probe

South Korean prosecutors on Friday raided the Korea Coast Guard headquarters and some regional offices as part of its ongoing probe into the 2014 Sewol ferry sinking, one of the country's worst maritime disasters, which killed more than 300 people.A special unit tasked with the probe launched the raid at around 10 a.m. at the Incheon-based Korea Coast Guard headquarters, as well as at regional offices in the southwestern coastal cities of Mokpo and Yeosu.The raid is part of a widening probe into

Social AffairsNov. 22, 2019

Jeju Air opens routes to Phu Quoc, Bohol

Jeju Air Co., South Korea's biggest low-cost carrier, said Friday it has opened routes to Vietnam's Phu Quoc and the Philippines' Bohol amid lower demand for travel to Japan.The budget carrier began to serve the routes from Incheon International Airport to the two Asian cities on Thursday, the company said in a statement.Local airlines have suspended or reduced flights on routes to some less-popular Japanese cities since August amid a trade row between South Korea and Japan.To protest Japan's cu

IndustryNov. 22, 2019

[Weekender] Malaysian chef cooks ‘agak agak’ in Yeonnam-dong

Whenever a young Basira Yeusuff wondered how much chili there was in her soup, her grandmother would always say, “Agak agak.” Meaning “roughly” or “rough estimate” in Bahasa Malaysian, the phrase is used widely in Malaysian kitchens to explain seasoning amounts in home-cooking recipes, said Yeusuff, now a chef, using the tips of her fingers to explain how much “agak agak” could be. It sums up the Malaysian food culture, and that’s why she cho

FoodNov. 22, 2019

Topping box office upon release, 'Frozen 2' to continue winning streak

Sensational Walt Disney animation "Frozen 2" immediately topped the box office on the first day of its release in South Korea, box-office data showed Friday."Frozen 2" sold 606,816 tickets on the first day of its release Thursday here, debuting atop the box office, according to data by the Korean Film Council.On Thursday, the film was shown on 2,343 movie screens across the country and ran 12,998 times, according to the data. This marked 63 percent of all the shows screened t

FilmNov. 22, 2019

Train services reduced as strike continues for 3rd day

Train services across the nation are expected to be reduced again Friday as unionized workers at the state railway operator striked for the third straight day.Subways ran by the Korea Railroad Corp. -- lines No. 1, 3 and 4, and the Gyeongui-Jungang and Bundang lines -- are expected to operate at 82 percent of the usual level, the company said. Other passenger services will also be affected, with the KTX bullet train running at 68.9 percent of the usual level, and the Saemaeul and Mugunghwa lines

Social AffairsNov. 22, 2019

[Weekender] A culinary journey to Asian neighbors

Long overshadowed by Asia’s two gastronomical giants China and Japan, cuisines from Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and other Southeast Asian nations are tantalizing taste buds and adding new flavors to South Korea’s diverse food scene. A visit last week to the Shinsegae Department Store’s basement-level food mall, where only the hottest eateries in Korea are invited to set up, reconfirmed the geographical diversification. A section was created to resemble a food street in an imag

FoodNov. 22, 2019

[Eye Plus] Tracing footsteps of beloved author Kim Yu-jeong

After an hour and 20 minutes’ ride on a train from Cheongnyangni bound for Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, you reach a small station named after a 20th-century novelist beloved by many Koreans: Kim Yu-jeong. Originally called Sinnam Station, it was renamed in 2004, as part of a local project to commemorate the author, who hailed from a rural village called Sile, just a few minutes’ walk from the station. Surrounded by Geumbyeongsan, the town has preserved his birth house and a memo

TravelNov. 22, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Black Money(Korea)Opened Nov. 13Crime, DramaDirected by Chung Ji-youngAn employee of the Financial Supervisory Service is killed in an accident. An employee of a bank takes her own life, putting the blame on alleged sexual harassment by public prosecutor Yang Min-hyeok (Cho Jin-woong). Seeking to clear his name, Yang finds that the two seemingly unrelated deaths are linked to a questionable acquisition by a foreign investment bank.The Divine Move 2: The Wrathful(Korea)Opened Nov. 7Crime, ActionD

FilmNov. 22, 2019

[Travel Bits] Festivals and sights across Korea

Chrysanthemum Exhibition of the Garden of Morning Calm (1)Visitors to the Chrysanthemum Exhibition can enjoy the blazing fall foliage of nearby Chungnyeongsan and the golden waves created by the pine trees, as well as the myriad fully bloomed chrysanthemums covering just about every corner of the 330,000-square-meter outdoor garden. The festival runs through Sunday and is open to visitors of all ages.For more information in Korean, English, Japanese or Chinese, visit www.morningcalm.co.kr.Seoche

TravelNov. 22, 2019

[Weekender] Vietnamese coffee and sandwiches in Seoul

To refresh oneself with Vietnamese coffee in Seoul, Cong Caphe in Yeonnam-dong, western Seoul, is the prime destination. The successful Hanoi-based cafe chain offers visitors a glimpse inside Vietnamese cafe culture, serving various Vietnamese-style coffees and coffee variation drinks, such as the famous Coconut Smoothie Coffee. Coconut Smoothie Coffee features sweet coffee mixed with a coconut-flavored smoothie. In this rather chilling weather, the drink can be brain freezing, but the flav

FoodNov. 22, 2019

[Weekender] Taiwan arrives on Korean cafe scene

Myeong-dong is a symbolic battlefield in Korea’s franchise world. To be considered successful, one has to have a store or two there -- ideally right at the center of the busy tourist district. New store openings and closures are watched by many for signs of changes in food trends. A visit to the area earlier this week revealed the increased presence of one particular Asian country among Myeong-dong’s cafes and dessert shops -- Taiwan. Taiwanese tea chain Tiger Sugar has an impre

FoodNov. 22, 2019

Esper calls on S. Korea, Japan to show leadership to resolve dispute

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Thursday called on South Korea and Japan to show leadership and resolve their differences ahead of the planned termination of a military intelligence-sharing pact between the two Asian allies.The General Security of Military Information Agreement, set to expire at midnight Friday, is seen by Washington as a key platform for trilateral security cooperation against North Korea's nuclear threat and China's military rise."My message to them was, look, I unders

DefenseNov. 22, 2019

Top diplomats of S. Korea, US hold phone talks on GSOMIA, defense cost sharing

The top diplomats of South Korea and the United States held telephone talks late Thursday and discussed a soon-to-expire military information-sharing pact between Seoul and Tokyo, and their ongoing defense cost-sharing negotiations, Seoul's foreign ministry said. The phone talks between Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo came just ahead of the planned expiration of the General Security of Military Information Agreement, set for Saturday.  The allies are al

DefenseNov. 22, 2019

Ex-minister grilled for 9 1/2 hours, remains silent on second summons

Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk was grilled by prosecutors for about 9 1/2 hours on Thursday for a second time, questioned in relation to his family’s alleged wrongdoings.The questioning, which took place at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, comes a week after Cho attended the first questioning on allegations he may have been involved in some of the charges raised against his wife, Chung Kyung-sim. Chung, a university professor, was indicted on 15 counts related to a dubious p

PoliticsNov. 21, 2019

OECD cuts growth outlook for S. Korea to 2 percent

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on Thursday slashed its growth outlook for South Korea's economy this year to 2 percent amid a slowdown in global trade.The OECD's outlook represented a drop from its previous forecast of 2.1 percent in September. It said the South Korean economy would grow 2.3 percent in 2020, unchanged from its previous forecast."Economic growth will remain subdued, as the global slowdown and trade tensions hold back exports, while high unce

EconomyNov. 21, 2019

Moon wished for NK leader's participation in ASEAN summit to create int'l support for peace: Cheong Wa Dae

The office of President Moon Jae-in expressed regret Thursday that North Korea rejected an invitation for leader Kim Jong-un to visit South Korea for the upcoming summit with Southeast Asian nations, saying Moon wants a joint opportunity to drum up international support for the Korea peace process. Cheong Wa Dae was responding to Pyongyang's statement hours earlier that Kim has decided to not to attend the Busan event scheduled for next week. Moon sent a letter to Kim on Nov. 5 to thank him fo

PoliticsNov. 21, 2019

Local PEF chosen as preferred bidder to buy SKC Kolon PI

A local private equity fund was selected the preferred bidder on Thursday to acquire a controlling stake in SKC Kolon PI Inc., a joint venture between South Korea's SKC Co. and Kolon Industries Inc. that makes polyimide (PI) film. SKC and Kolon Industries said they've selected Glenwood PE as the preferred bidder to acquire their 54.06 percent stake in SKC Kolon PI. SKC and Kolon Industries each hold a 27.03 percent stake in the PI maker. Industry insiders speculate that the deal is worth ar

IndustryNov. 21, 2019

[Graphic News] S. Korea ranks among top OECD member countries in treatment of cancer: data

　South Korea ranks as one of the leading members among the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in the treatment of cancer, medical data showed.　The 2019 Health at a Glance report released by the Paris-based organization said Asia’s fourth-largest economy had the highest five-year survival rate for colorectal, rectal and stomach cancers among the 32 member states checked, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, which examined the data, said.　The cancer survival rate, which is

TechnologyNov. 21, 2019

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

Year-end afternoon tea at Park Hyatt Seoul Park Hyatt Seoul’s The Lounge is offering the “Festive Afternoon Tea” to celebrate the Christmas and year-end season. The afternoon tea set includes honey cheese panini, bulgogi sandwich and mushroom cream soup. Desserts that resemble winter-related icons such as present boxes and mini trees will also be included. The food items will be served on traditional Korean pottery plates. 　The promotion is available from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. an

FoodNov. 21, 2019