Rookie Oneus drops new EP ‘Fly With Us’

Rookie band Oneus, which debuted earlier this year, was already back to the music scene Monday with new EP “Fly With Us.”The six-track EP is the final chapter of the band’s “US” trilogy that started with debut EP “Light Us” in January and was followed by “Raise Us” in May. The new album consists of “Intro: Fly Me to the Moon,” “Plastic Flower” “Lit,” “Blue Sky,” “Level Up” and &ldquo

K-popOct. 1, 2019

Opposition leader appears at prosecution office over 'fast-track' bills row

The leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party voluntarily appeared at a district prosecutors office on Tuesday over the party's involvement in the political bickering over the passage of so-called fast-track bills.Hwang Kyo-ahn arrived around 2 p.m. at the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office. According to an official of the party, Hwang made the appearance in lieu of its lawmakers, to whom the prosecution has sent notifications asking them to appear for questioning as part of its

PoliticsOct. 1, 2019

[News brief] Typhoon Mitag may land Wednesday night

Typhoon Mitag is approaching the Korean Peninsula faster than initially forecast and may hit the southern region as early as Wednesday afternoon.The Korea Meteorological Administration said Tuesday the typhoon is forecast to hit Jeju Island on Wednesday afternoon before moving up the peninsula’s west coast, making landfall in the coastal area of South Jeolla Province by midnight.  The weather agency projected the storm will sweep across the nation eastwards and exit into the East Sea

Social AffairsOct. 1, 2019

Moon highlights peace through strength on Armed Forces Day

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday stressed the need for strong defense capabilities at the 71st Armed Forces Day celebrations.“Peace is not something that is defended, but created. Our military’s iron-clad security supports dialogue and cooperation, and enabled (the country) to boldly walk toward permanent peace,” Moon said. He went on to list achievements such as the removal of guard posts from the Demilitarized Zone, the recovery of the remains of Korean War dead and the inter

DefenseOct. 1, 2019

LS Cable & System disaster safety products certified

LS Cable & System has received government certification for its national disaster safety products, becoming the first cable manufacturer to gain this recognition, the firm said Tuesday. The certified products are fireproof, and they emit less smoke and lower levels of toxic gas during a fire, according to the company. In the event of a fire, the company explained, durability is crucial for emergency lights, fire alarms, sprinklers, ventilators and evacuation facilities. The company&rsqu

IndustryOct. 1, 2019

[News brief] Man reported missing during triathlon found dead in Han River

A man who was reported missing during a triathlon in western Seoul on Sunday was found dead Tuesday morning in the Han River. According to Mapo Police Station, the 35-year-old competitor was discovered around 6:45 a.m. lying dead in the water near a dock in Sangam-dong. A resident out on a stroll at the riverside park spotted the body.Investigators had been searching the area after the dead man was reported missing around 2 p.m. Sunday. The water current was reportedly strong during the race, an

Social AffairsOct. 1, 2019

CODE42 attracts investment from Kia, SK, LG, CJ

CODE42, a local startup that is developing an autonomous transportation-as-a-service platform, said Tuesday it has raised 30 billion won ($25 million) in pre-Series A funding from major firms including Kia Motors and conglomerates SK, LG and CJ.This follows the 2 billion won in seed funding it received from Hyundai Motor in March.In one of the most successful pre-Series A funding round here, Kia invested the largest portion of 15 billion won, the company added. The 30 billion won will be used to

MobilityOct. 1, 2019

[News Focus] Employment rate for Koreans in 40s falls for 19th consecutive month

SEJONG -- South Korea saw the number of employed people increase by 452,000 on-year to 27.35 million in August, the latest monthly figure from Statistics Korea.But when broken down by generation, things are looking less rosy for middle-aged people in charge of households involving young children.Those in their 60s dominated the increase in employment with 391,000, followed by those in their 50s with 133,000 and those in their 20s with 71,000.On the contrary, the number of employed dropped among

Social AffairsOct. 1, 2019

[Newsmaker] Cabinet passes bills to comply with ILO conventions

The Cabinet on Tuesday passed revised labor bills that allow the unemployed, dismissed workers, retired public officials, teachers, firefighters and college faculty members to join unions, in a bid to comply with international labor conventions.The Cabinet has approved revised bills on labor unions, public officials’ unions and teachers’ unions to ratify three conventions of the International Labor Organization, the Ministry of Employment and Labor said.The three ILO conventions are

Social AffairsOct. 1, 2019

Ex-PGA player banned for 3 years by Korean Tour for flipping off crowd over camera noise

A former PGA Tour player has been suspended for three years by the domestic circuit for raising his middle finger at the crowd over cellphone camera noise during a recent tournament.The Korea Professional Golfers' Association, which operates the Korean Tour, said Monday that Kim Bi-o will not be eligible to play for the next three years, effective immediately.Kim was also fined 10 million won ($8,350).Kim won the DGB Financial Group Volvik Daegu Gyeongbuk Open in Gumi, 260 kilometers southeast o

Social AffairsOct. 1, 2019

[Feature] '90s-born generation drives changes in politics, workplace in Korea

In Korea, understanding those born in the 1990s is all the rage now, as they enter the workforce and emerge as a powerful new voting bloc. 　 Shelves at major bookstores are filled with new hardbacks on the ‘90s-born -- an attempt to define and understand what they are like as voters, employees and consumers. 　 Even President Moon Jae-in recently presented Blue House staff with the bestselling book “‘90s Generation is Coming,” by Lim Hong-teak, saying, “We

Social AffairsOct. 1, 2019

S. Korea urges Japan to resolve trade dispute

South Korea on Tuesday once again urged Japan to resolve their trade dispute through consultations in accordance with the World Trade Organization regulations, according to government officials. Japan unilaterally announced its decision to impose tighter export controls against Korea three months ago. On July 4, it tightened export controls for three high-tech materials: fluorinated polyimide, photoresist and hydrogen fluoride.“The export restrictions are still in place. The number of expo

IndustryOct. 1, 2019

S. Korea's F-35As make official debut on Armed Forces Day

South Korea showcased its F-35A stealth fighters to the public for the first time during the Armed Forces Day ceremony Tuesday to officially mark the introduction of the radar-evading high-tech fighters that North Korea has angrily protested.  South Korea has so far brought in eight F-35As, beginning with two in late March, under a plan to deploy 40 fifth-generation jets through 2021. But it has handled their arrivals in a low-key manner, sparking speculation Seoul is concerned about r

DefenseOct. 1, 2019

US e-scooter firm Lime taps S. Korea this week

US electric scooter company Lime said Tuesday it will begin e-scooter sharing services in South Korea on Friday to capture burgeoning demand for urban mobility solutions. South Korea will be the first Asian market where Lime will introduce its e-scooter sharing platform, Lime Korea said in a statement."We are extremely excited to finally start Lime's e-scooter service in Korea, a dynamic market with significant demand for increasing micro mobility," Mitchell Price, Lime's Asia Pacific

IndustryOct. 1, 2019

Suspected ASF case south of Seoul tested negative

South Korea's agricultural ministry said Tuesday a new suspected case of African swine fever reported south of Seoul a day earlier was negative, easing concerns over a possible nationwide spread of the fatal animal disease.The suspected case was in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, about 42 kilometers south of the capital, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. It would have been the first ASF case to occur south of Seoul, if it tested positive. So far, all confirmed cases

Social AffairsOct. 1, 2019

NK ambassador urges US to come to nuclear talks with new proposal

North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations urged the United States Monday to come to denuclearization negotiations with a new proposal acceptable to Pyongyang.In an address to the UN General Assembly in New York, Ambassador Kim Song said it is up to Washington to turn any future negotiations into a "window of opportunity" or "an occasion that will hasten the crisis."His remarks come as Washington and Pyongyang are expected to resume working-level talks in the coming weeks

North KoreaOct. 1, 2019

Netflix announces fourth season of hit show 'Stranger Things'

NEW YORK (AFP) -- Netflix announced Monday a fourth season of retro sci-fi show "Stranger Things," the site's most successful original production, as it bids to fend off intense competition from other streaming platforms.The video subscription service added that it had entered into a multi-year deal with the hit series' creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, to work on unspecified film and series projects."Stranger Things," a nostalgic 1980s drama about a gang of suburban adolescent

TelevisionOct. 1, 2019

China celebrates 70 years as Hong Kong unrest looms large

BEIJING (AFP) -- China celebrates 70 years of Communist Party supremacy Tuesday with a parade of tanks, missiles and troops, a muscular display of its rising superpower status even as it faces an unprecedented challenge to its authority in seething Hong Kong.Authorities in Beijing have closed roads, banned the flying of kites, and shut some bars as they tightened security for an event celebrating China's journey from a country broken by war and poverty to being the world's second-largest economy

World NewsOct. 1, 2019

Australian PM confirms Trump asked for help investigating Mueller probe

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed that US President Donald Trump asked him to help gather information for an inquiry into Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election.The New York Times, citing two unidentified US officials, earlier reported the request to assist in the investigation -- which aims to discredit the Russia probe -- was made during a recent telephone call between Trump and Morrison.An Australian government spokesma

World NewsOct. 1, 2019

S. Korea logs first drop in inflation in September

South Korea's headline inflation dropped for the first time in September due to declines in prices of agricultural products and stabilizing petroleum prices, the statistics agency said Tuesday.South Korea's consumer prices fell 0.4 percent in September from a year earlier, marking the first on-year drop in inflation since Statistics Korea began compiling related data in 1965. The statistics agency said the record low consumer prices are blamed on a fall in prices of agricultural products, stabil

EconomyOct. 1, 2019