Moon vows to maintain security cooperation with Japan despite looming GSOMIA expiry

President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday his government will try "till the last moment" to avoid the termination of an accord with Japan on exchanging military information but he made clear that depends on Tokyo's stance on its export restriction against Seoul. Although the agreement, known as GSOMIA, is schedule to come to an end this weekend, South Korea will maintain partnerships with Japan on regional security, he added.US officials have voiced worries about potential negative impact on

Foreign AffairsNov. 20, 2019

Esper refuses to speculate on US troops reduction in S. Korea

WASHINGTON -- US Defense Secretary Mark Esper refused to speculate when asked Tuesday whether the US would consider reducing troops in South Korea short of a deal on defense cost-sharing.Esper was asked the question during a briefing with reporters near Manila, the Philippines, after the US walked out of defense cost-sharing negotiations with South Korea in Seoul.The US is reportedly seeking an increase of Seoul's contribution to $5 billion from the current $870 million for this year to support

DefenseNov. 20, 2019

2 S. Koreans seized by Houthi rebels released

Two South Koreans who were seized by Houthi rebels in Yemen earlier this week have been released, the foreign ministry said Wednesday. The two, whose identities were withheld, were among 16 people on three boats seized by the rebels Monday for allegedly violating their territorial waters.All of them were released, along with their vessels, early Wednesday morning (Korea time) and are safe and well, the ministry said, adding the families of the two Koreans were informed of the release. The two Ko

Foreign AffairsNov. 20, 2019

Moon says volunteer military system needs time

South Korea needs to move to a volunteer military system, but the switch from the current conscription system will need time and preparation, President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday. “(A volunteer system) is something our society must move toward. But at present, the conditions are not right to introduce a volunteer system, (the change) needs to be planned in the mid- to long-term,” Moon said, speaking in a live televised question-and-answer session with 300 selected civilians. Moon

PoliticsNov. 19, 2019

Go master Lee Se-dol, the only human to beat AI AlphaGo, retires

South Korean Go master Lee Se-dol, who is the only human to score a win against the artificial intelligence Go player AlphaGo, retired Tuesday. The 36-year-old officially retired from Go competition by submitting his letter of retirement to the Korea Baduk Association, which overseas Go professionals in South Korea.    He hinted at his impending retirement following his defeat to Chinese rival Ke Jie in a special match at a Seoul hotel in March. This puts an end to Lee's lege

CultureNov. 19, 2019

National Assembly passes 89 bills on people's livelihoods, economy

The National Assembly passed 89 bills related to people's livelihoods and the economy Tuesday in the midst of lingering partisan tensions over key reform proposals. A plenary session was held to put the non-controversial bills up for vote amid persistent political wrangling over key political and judiciary reform bills that were placed on the fast-track despite objections from the main opposition party.It was the second plenary meeting dedicated to passing legislation during the ongoing parliame

PoliticsNov. 19, 2019

Culture minister to request UNESCO's cooperation to list DMZ as World Heritage

In a meeting with the head of the Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on Tuesday, South Korean Culture Minister Park Yang-woo plans to ask the United Nations body to inscribe the inter-Korean Demilitarized Zone as a World Heritage, according to the ministry. Park is scheduled to meet with Director-General Audrey Azoulay on the sidelines of the UNESCO Forum of Ministers of Culture, set to begin Tuesday morning in Paris. In the bilateral meeting, Park will request UNESCO's coope

CultureNov. 19, 2019

Govt. to allow individual tourists to visit inter-Korean truce village

South Korea is pushing to allow its citizens to make individual visits to the truce village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, which separates the two Koreas, the unification ministry said Tuesday.The Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Promotion Council approved the 1.4 billion won ($1.2 million) expenditure plan to set up a new system to manage visits to Panmunjom, including the launch of a new website for online application for such visits, according to the ministry. The area has been

PoliticsNov. 19, 2019

Pyongyang says denuke talks with US ‘impossible’ unless US drops hostile policy

North Korea’s chief nuclear negotiator said Tuesday dialogue with the United States will be “impossible” unless it abandons its hostile policy against the communist regime. Kim Myong-gil, the roving ambassador at the North Korea’s Foreign Ministry, also emphasized again that the US should not try to involve a third party in their relationship, according to an interview with Korean Central News Agency.  “As we have already reiterated several times, the DPRK-US d

North KoreaNov. 19, 2019

[Graphic News] Global market size for luxury goods and jewelry

　According to Euromonitor International, global luxury goods sales reached $954 billion in 2017 and the global market grew 5 percent in 2018 across most segments.　Luxury cars sales accounted for almost 53 percent of all global luxury goods sales. This proportion grew over the reviewed period, and is expected to continue increasing to 2022.

World BusinessNov. 19, 2019

Yuhan targets market for female health probiotics

With South Korea’s market for health supplements growing, demand for female health-oriented probiotics is also expected to rise. Yuhan Care, a health supplement and beauty spinoff of Yuhan Corp., held a press event Tuesday to introduce the market’s outlook and the technology behind its newly launched UREX probiotics product, Inner Flora. The man behind the development of probiotics was invited to speak on the matter.At the event, Gregor Reid, the first scientist to discover the benef

IndustryNov. 19, 2019

Newly selected national treasures of Korea to be unveiled to public

The National Museum of Korea will hold an exhibition next year featuring national treasures designated in recent years, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration on Tuesday. The upcoming exhibition between April and June 2020 will unveil some 100 newly designated national treasures and treasures. The items include those owned by temples, private galleries and individuals.One highlight is “Annals of the Joseon Dynasty,” a representative written record of the history of th

CultureNov. 19, 2019

Samsung, LG ramp up outsourcing of smartphone models

With the smartphone market mirroring the PC industry, South Korean tech firms Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are banking on outsourcing production to other global manufacturers to boost their sales overseas, according to industry sources Tuesday. The country’s two biggest phone makers are seeking to increase production by third-party original development manufacturers in countries like India and China. It may be bad news for contractors here, but may be appreciated by overseas vend

TechnologyNov. 19, 2019

Major entertainment firms tipped to log better earnings in 2020

South Korea's major entertainment agencies are expected to see improved earnings next year on growing album sales and global activities of their idol groups, analysts said Tuesday. SM Entertainment and JYP Entertainment, the two largest agencies by market capitalization, reported better-than-expected third-quarter earnings, and they are poised to deliver further improvement in their bottom lines, according to them. SM Entertainment's July-September sales rose to 173.5 billion won ($148.5 mi

IndustryNov. 19, 2019

McDonald’s holds open-kitchen event to highlight food hygiene

McDonald’s Korea said it invited customers to its stores nationwide Tuesday for an open-kitchen event to highlight its food hygiene and safety system.The firm received applications last week from 1,600 customers hoping to participate in the event. The participants could visit any of McDonald’s 310 branches nationwide to survey its management of inventory, kitchen hygiene and the cooking process. A session was held on how McDonald’s cooks its burger patties. The company exp

IndustryNov. 19, 2019

[Kim Seong-kon] From liberator to tyrant in ‘Game of Thrones’

Movies and television dramas are excellent social documents in that they faithfully reflect societal change and the alteration of consciousness throughout history. Sometimes they illuminate us with profound insights into and powerful criticisms of contemporary society. Since films and TV shows enjoy enormous popularity, their impact is huge, more widespread and more powerful than traditional literature. The celebrated HBO series “Game of Thrones” is a good example. In the eighth and

ViewpointsNov. 19, 2019

[Daniel Moss] A bigger threat than NK nukes

You know times are hard in provincial South Korea when the guy selling walkers and hearing aids can only make ends meet by day trading. Lee Ho-cheol, 52, keeps his eyes on flashing stock quotes while his shop, crammed with wheelchairs, canes and other equipment for seniors, sits empty. Lee has run the store for roughly two decades, and his plight shows just how dire things have become. Few of his neighbors make enough money sticking to their day jobs, he says, and many have turned to selling bea

ViewpointsNov. 19, 2019

Weak growth, trade tensions to weigh down on Korean economy in 2020: Moody’s

South Korea’s economy and its key businesses will continue to face challenges next year due to the weak global economic growth pace and persisting trade tensions, global credit ratings agency Moody’s said Tuesday.“Our outlook (for Korea in 2020) is negative,” Chris Park, associate managing director of corporate finance at the agency, said in a press briefing.“Many export-dependent companies here had their profitability decrease in 2019 but continued to maintain or e

EconomyNov. 19, 2019

Gangwon governor calls for resumption of Kumgangsan tours

The South Korean government should resume tours to North Korea’s Kumgangsan, Gangwon Province Gov. Choi Moon-soon said at a press conference held at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club on Tuesday.  “Resumption of the Kumgangsan tours is the deepest wish of the Korean people, and a matter of survival for Gangwon Province and its Goseong County,” Choi said, adding, “The tours will help North Korea to open up to the outside world and usher in peace and st

Social AffairsNov. 19, 2019