Typhoon Hagibis rapidly gains strength; impact on Korea uncertain

Typhoon Hagibis, which is rapidly gaining strength, is forecast to batter Japan and potentially impact South Korea over the weekend, the weather agency said Monday.The typhoon originated 1,450 kilometers east of Guam in the western Pacific Ocean around 3 a.m. Sunday. It has been spotted moving west-northwestward at 26 kilometers per hour in waters some 430 kilometers from Guam, according to the Korea Meteorological Agency. The midsize storm has a central pressure of 945 hectopascals, a maximum w

Social AffairsOct. 7, 2019

Nuclear plant operator remains vulnerable to cyberattack: lawmaker

　Cyberattacks targeting South Korea’s nuclear plant operators have occurred constantly over the past decade, with the number of hacking attempts during the period reaching more than 1,300, a lawmaker said Monday. 　According to Rep. Shin Yong-hyeon from the minor Bareunmirae Party, there have been 1,366 hacking attempts against Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power since 2012. KHNP is the country’s largest electric power company, managing nuclear and hydro plants across the country. 　By cat

TechnologyOct. 7, 2019

[Newsmaker] Entire North Korean crew of fishing boat that collided with

All of the roughly 60 North Korean crew on board a fishing boat that sank after colliding with a Japanese patrol ship in the East Sea early Monday were rescued, Japanese media said. The collision took place at around 9 a.m. in waters some 350 kilometers northwest of the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, NHK and Kyodo News reported. As the fishing boat began to sink, the North Korean crew jumped into the water before Japanese patrol and maritime safety authorities arrived alongside the vesse

North KoreaOct. 7, 2019

Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin wins NLDS Game 3 behind offensive outburst

With more than a little help from his friends in the lineup, Los Angeles Dodgers' South Korean left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin picked up his third career postseason victory over the Washington Nationals on the road Sunday.Ryu was the winning pitcher in the Dodgers' 10-4, come-from-behind victory in Game 3 of the National League Division Series at Nationals Park in Washington. The Dodgers now lead the best-of-five series 2-1 and have a chance to close out the Nationals Monday night.Ryu gave up two earne

BaseballOct. 7, 2019

Seoul city to expand free Wi-Fi network by 2022

The siblings in Korean director Bong Joon-ho's Cannes-winning film "Parasite" may not have to squat down in their basement-level apartment looking for Wi-Fi signal anymore.That is if they go out to a nearby park, parking lot or public facility to use the free Wi-Fi provided by the Seoul city government.The government on Monday announced plans to expand its Wi-Fi network across the city by 2022, providing free Wi-Fi service to Seoul residents and visitors.With the move, the metropolitan

Social AffairsOct. 7, 2019

Korea's 'Mr. Sunshine' wins top TV drama award at Busan film festival

"Mr. Sunshine," a South Korean TV drama about the country's resistance movement against Japanese colonialists, has won the top prize at the inaugural Asian Content Awards of the Busan International Film Festival.The awards were created to recognize Asia's outstanding TV and streaming series that aired within the past five years. The awards ceremony was held Sunday as part of the film festival under way in the southern port city from last Thursday to this coming Saturday. Kim Yong-

FilmOct. 7, 2019

Ministry says it appears hard to send cheering squad for World Cup match in Pyongyang

The unification ministry said Monday it appears to be difficult to send a cheering squad for an inter-Korean World Cup qualifier to be held in Pyongyang next week as the North has not responded to an offer for talks on the matter.North Korea is to host the match between the two Koreas in Pyongyang on Oct. 15. South Korea has been sounding North Korea out about Seoul's push to send a cheering squad in an effort to use the sports event to move the stalled reconciliation process forward. "Thou

Social AffairsOct. 7, 2019

Actors of new 'Terminator' film to visit Seoul this month

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton, the leading actors of "Terminator: Dark Fate," will visit South Korea this month to promote the new American science-fiction action film ahead of its imminent release in the country, its local distributor said Monday.According to Walt Disney Company Korea, the two actors will attend an Asian press junket in Seoul on Oct. 21-22, which will attract reporters from 11 Asian countries, including Japan, Taiwan, India and Singapore. South Korea has be

FilmOct. 7, 2019

Defense chief to visit Oman for ministerial talks this week

Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo was set to leave for Oman on Monday for talks with his counterpart about ways to boost cooperation in defense and arms industry fields, his office said.During his two-day visit, Jeong plans to meet with his Omani counterpart, Sayyid Badr bin Saud, and sign a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation between the two countries, according to the Seoul ministry. The minister is also scheduled to visit the Cheonghae Unit, a 300-strong South Korean contingent

DefenseOct. 7, 2019

[Newsmaker] Unionists of Seoul Subway Line No. 9 begin 3-day strike

Unionized workers of a Seoul subway began a three-day strike on Monday, demanding an increase in the number of workers and the introduction of a step-based salary system.The labor union of Seoul Metro Line 9 Corp., which operates the second and third sections of Seoul Subway Line 9, said it launched the strike at 5:30 a.m. as scheduled after its last-minute negotiations with the management over its demands broke down. The union is affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions. The str

Social AffairsOct. 7, 2019

Top nuclear envoy to leave for US after Sweden talks break down

South Korea's chief nuclear envoy was set to leave for Washington on Monday for talks with his US counterpart after the breakdown of the working-level nuclear negotiations between the US and North Korea in Sweden. Lee Do-hoon, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, will meet Stephen Biegun, US special representative for North Korea, in Washington to coordinate their positions and strategies in the follow-up to Saturday's talks between Biegun and North Korea's top

Foreign AffairsOct. 7, 2019

[Herald Review] Jarasum becomes island of jazz

GAPYEONG, Gyeonggi Province -- The Jarasum International Jazz Festival took place from Friday to Sunday on Jarasum in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province.The event, launched in 2004, is one of the most successful music festivals here. Hosted on a once-abandoned island, it has garnered a total of 2 million attendees over the years.  On Friday, with the sun glaring, the 16th edition of the annual festival kicked off, featuring 121 artists, 15 overseas acts and eight local acts. Gugak-inspired ja

PerformanceOct. 6, 2019

N. Korea rules out talks with US until withdrawal of anti-North Korea policy

 North Korea said Sunday it does not have any willingness to talk with the United States again until Washington takes "practical measures for complete and irreversible withdrawal of hostile policy against" Pyongyang after their working-level talks broke down in Stockholm. In a statement carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency, the North's foreign ministry blamed Washington for "abusing" the US-North Korea talks for their own domestic politics and added

North KoreaOct. 6, 2019

[Graphic News] Dementia cost Koreans more than W2tr last year

　As the population ages, the number of South Koreans with dementia has soared in recent years and so have associated costs, data showed. In 2018, dementia-related medical spending exceeded the 2 trillion won ($1.67 billion) threshold for the first time.　According to the data provided by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to Rep. Kim Kwang-soo, the number of people diagnosed with various forms of neurodegenerative disease rose from 416,309 in 2014 to 547,700 in 2016 and hit 712,386 last year. 　Du

TechnologyOct. 6, 2019

US, North Korea face uphill battle in nuke talks

The US and North Korea struggled to make headway in their working-level nuclear talks over the weekend, with Pyongyang blaming Washington for lacking a new proposal. Delegations from the US and North Korea held a meeting that lasted over eight hours in Stockholm on Saturday, to revive nuclear diplomacy that has stalled since US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ended their second summit without a deal in Hanoi, Vietnam, in February. Shortly after the meeting, North

North KoreaOct. 6, 2019

[Monitor] Rosy prospects for Samsung Electronics’ Q3 earnings

South Korea’s tech giant Samsung Electronics is expected to see its third quarter earnings come in well over market consensus, according to forecast by Korea Investment & Securities. Next year’s operating profit will be even greater, the securities firm predicted in its report.The revenue of Samsung in the latest quarter will be around 65.8 trillion won and its operating profit sime 7.4 trillion, each exceeding earlier predictions by 5 percent and 9 percent, respectively, the rep

EconomyOct. 6, 2019

[News Focus] Portion of optimists over economy stays at 13%: poll

SEJONG -- A variety of polls show that the public disapproval rating for President Moon Jae-in now outstrips his approval rating.According to a survey from Gallup Korea, the portion of respondents who expressed negative opinion toward the president, exceeded the supporters for him for the sixth consecutive week since August.In the pollster’s latest survey, conducted on Oct. 1-2, 51 percent of the 1,000 citizens polled expressed disapproval of Moon’s performance, while the approval ra

EconomyOct. 6, 2019

[Photo News] BTS Lens sold at Lotte World Tower

An employee promotes contact lenses featuring Korean boy band BTS that is being sold at Avenuel World Tower branch of Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, Seoul, until this Wednesday. The event that offers free BTS posters along with other souvenirs for those purchasing “Boy with love” color contact lenses is co-organized by Big Hit Entertainment and lens provider Metaphor SC, Lotte said. (khnews@heraldcorp.com)

IndustryOct. 6, 2019

[ASEAN-Korea summit] Time to focus on people to create sustainable community with ASEAN

People-oriented diplomacy will empower South Korea’s pursuit of stronger partnership with Southeast Asian nations, Secretary-General of the ASEAN-Korea Center Lee Hyuk said. “We need to make efforts to get to know and respect ASEAN through deep understanding of their cultures and people in order to create an intimate community,” he said in a recent interview with The Korea Herald at the ASEAN-Korea Center in Seoul.The United States’ “America First” policy and

Foreign AffairsOct. 6, 2019

[Ivan Eland] How did we come to have a rogue presidency?

The media has given us blanket coverage of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s announcement of an official House impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump’s apparent attempt to use congressionally appropriated funds to Ukraine to trade a desperate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for an investigation of Trump’s political rival at home. But few commentators have explored how we have arrived at this juncture. And I don’t mean an investigation of Trump and Rudy Giulian

ViewpointsOct. 6, 2019