LG Chem becomes first Korean battery company to join RMI

LG Chem announced Monday it has become the first South Korean battery manufacturer to join the Responsible Minerals Initiative.RMI is a global association established in 2008 that monitors the ethical sourcing of minerals -- such as gold, tin, tantalum and tungsten -- mined in conflict regions. It also keeps an eye on the sustainable mining of cobalt, an indispensable raw material for batteries used for smartphones and electric vehicles.LG Chem said it joined the RMI to transparently source the

IndustryOct. 21, 2019

Shinsegae appoints ex-retail consultant as E-mart CEO

Korean retail conglomerate Shinsegae Group has appointed former Bain & Company consultant Kang Heui-seok as new chief of discount chain E-mart, in an earlier-than-expected company reshuffle.Kang joined Bain & Company in 2005 and was promoted to partner in 2014 to oversee the consumer product and retail projects. Before joining Bain & Company, he worked at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, dealing with agro-economic policy since 1994.  “The latest reshuff

IndustryOct. 21, 2019

Hyundai Motor invents self-driving tech using machine learning

Hyundai Motor Group said Monday that it has developed the world’s first self-driving technology using AI-based machine learning, which detects the driver’s driving pattern and apply it to the smart cruise control system.In recent years, a host of carmakers have added advanced driver assistance systems to their models for safer and more convenient driving. One of the core technologies is adaptive cruise control, a function which makes a car slow down and speed up automatically to

MobilityOct. 21, 2019

S. Korea grapples with gender discrimination in workplace

South Korea has seen its female employment index improve steadily over the past 10 years, but continues to struggle with gender equality when it comes to parental leave and consequent career breaks, data showed Monday.Unlike in most developed economies which tend to see the employment rate of women in their 40s peak and start declining in the 50s, Korea has seen women in their late 30s and early 40s -- the prime age for childbirth and childcare -- being pushed out of the labor market. All seven

EconomyOct. 21, 2019

Mercedes-Benz Korea launches first pure EV

Mercedes-Benz Korea, local importer and distributor of the German luxury carmaker, said Monday that it has launched its first pure electric car under its green car brand EQ.The new Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 4MATIC made its global debut last year in Europe, and in March at the Seoul Motor Show.  For enhanced customer experience, the company also introduced premium charging services and has expanded charging networks.The new EQC is powered by an 80-kWh lithium-ion battery developed by Daimler sub

MobilityOct. 21, 2019

Ministry to host forum on peace-driven economy of Korean Peninsula

The Ministry of Unification and state-run Korea Institute for National Unification are jointly hosting an international forum Tuesday on ways to draw up a road map for the era of a peace-driven economy. The International Forum on Korean Peninsula Peace Economy 2019 is designed to raise domestic and international understanding of the peace economy and the new economic map initiative of the Moon Jae-in administration to foster the formation of an inter-Korean economic community. Officials fro

North KoreaOct. 21, 2019

[Feature] Thai worker’s death raises questions over migrant crackdown

Last month, a 29-year-old Thai man who was working in Korea illegally was found unconscious in the mountains near a factory in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, after a crackdown by immigration authorities. 　Video footage shows a gray van stopping in front of the factory. As officers get out of the van, migrant workers shout, “Officers are here for a crackdown,” and then scramble to escape. The Thai man was found some 100 meters away from the factory and was transferred to a hospita

Social AffairsOct. 21, 2019

South Korea’s ICT exports skid for 11th month

South Korea’s information communications technology exports have declined for 11 straight months due mainly to a slowdown in demand for memory chips, data showed on Monday. According to the Trade Ministry, Korea’s ICT exports stood at $15.8 billion in September, down 22 percent from the same period last year. The on-year decline has continued for 11 consecutive months since November last year. The shipment of chips last month stood at $8.5 billion, a 31.5 percent drop on-year. D

IndustryOct. 21, 2019

Beijing says no one can stop Taiwan 'reunification'

BEIJING (AFP) -- China's defence minister made an uncompromising call Monday for the "reunification" of Taiwan with the mainland, telling a high level defence forum that the process was something "no force"  could stop.Self-ruled Taiwan is viewed by China as a renegade province which will eventually be unified with the mainland, by force if necessary, after the two sides split in 1949 after a civil war.China will not stop in its efforts towards "realising the comple

World NewsOct. 21, 2019

Rookie TXT returns with new album ‘The Dream Chapter: Magic’

TXT, the rookie band from BTS agency Big Hit Entertainment, on Monday returned to the music scene with the group’s first full-length album, “The Dream Chapter: Magic.”The new album arrives seven months since the five-piece act -- leader Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun and Huening Kai -- made a much-anticipated debut in March with EP “The Dream Chapter: Star.” The new eight-track album is led by “Run Away,” a synth-pop tune that highlights its brig

K-popOct. 21, 2019

S. Korea issues travel warning for Chile

South Korea issued a travel warning for Chile on Monday, as protests over a hike in public transport fares are escalating into nationwide riots, the foreign ministry said.A "yellow warning," the second lowest of the four-phase travel advisory system, calls for South Korean citizens to refrain from traveling to the South American nation and for those staying there to take extra caution for safety, the ministry said in a release.  Demonstrations turned into violent riots in Chile ov

Social AffairsOct. 21, 2019

Moon asks religious leaders to help heal social conflicts

President Moon Jae-in expressed concern Monday about unrelenting social and ideological rifts in South Korea, requesting that the religious community help address the problem.He highlighted the political wrangling over some key policy goals supported by many people, including prosecution reform, and the ensuing conflict among citizens.As a specific example, the president cited a controversial plan to create an independent unit to investigate corruption by high-ranking government officials."

PoliticsOct. 21, 2019

China's defense chief meets vice defense ministers from Koreas: Xinhua

China's Defense Minister Wei Fenghe held bilateral meetings with the vice defense ministers from the two Koreas and called for boosting cooperation with the respective countries, China's Xinhua News Agency reported Monday.Wei Fenghe met with Seoul's Vice Defense Minister Park Jae-min on Sunday in Beijing on the sidelines of the 9th Beijing Xiangshan Forum that kicked off in the day for a three-day run until Tuesday, according to the news report.     During the meeting, Wei Fe

DefenseOct. 21, 2019

Defectors send leaflets to NK criticizing Pyongyang over World Cup qualifier

A group of North Korean defectors said Monday it has sent anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the inter-Korean border, condemning the communist nation over a recent World Cup qualifier held between the two Koreas behind closed doors. Fighters for a Free North Korea released balloons carrying 500,000 leaflets from Gimpo, west of Seoul, to the North on Sunday, criticizing the North over the inter-Korean match held in Pyongyang last week with no fans, journalists or live broadcasting allowed. The group

North KoreaOct. 21, 2019

[Video] A mix of ‘nogari’ and beer in Euljiro, Seoul

Euljiro has emerged as one of the most popular districts in Seoul thanks to a host of unique pubs, cafes and shops. A distinctive vibe resonates through its narrow alleys, best known for their old print shops. The Korea Herald’s interns visited Manseon Hof, a popular spot in Euljiro that is going strong on social media. Thanks to its surging popularity, thirsty hordes usually begin to appear early in the evening. The pub’s signature dish is “nogari,” or dried pollack, whi

FoodOct. 21, 2019

S. Korea's foreign currency deposits rise in Sept.

Foreign currency deposits held by banks in South Korea continued to rise for a second straight month in September, with deposits held both by individuals and companies growing, central bank data showed Monday.The overall amount of foreign currency savings here came to $72.64 billion as of end-September, up $1.67 billion from a month earlier, according to the data from the Bank of Korea. The reading marks an acceleration from August, when foreign currency deposits gained $1.13 billion, marking a

EconomyOct. 21, 2019

[Feature] Where is South Korea’s ‘Star Wars’?

With stories of intergalactic warfare, robots gone rogue and distant alien civilizations, science fiction remains one of the world’s most popular literary genres, gripping readers with its ability to integrate technological change and innovation into fantastical stories. It is curious then that South Korea, heralded as one of the most technologically innovative countries in the 21st century, has yet to find its foundation in the genre. While neighboring countries China and Japan have seen

CultureOct. 21, 2019

Pedestrian dies after being hit by 3 vehicles

A pedestrian walking in the middle of a major road died in Incheon after being hit by three vehicles early Sunday morning.Incheon Michuhol Police Station said Monday that three drivers have been booked for the death of the 44-year-old man.At 2:26 a.m., the victim, who was walking in the third lane of an eight-lane road in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, was initially knocked over by a motorcycle driven by a 16-year-old. A taxi then struck the man, who had tumbled into the second lane, followed by another

Social AffairsOct. 21, 2019

Quarantine officials on high alert as 11th ASF confirmed from wild boars

South Korea's quarantine authorities on Monday confirmed the 11th outbreak of African swine fever from wild boars near the border with North Korea, sparking concerns over the further spread of the deadly animal disease in the area.The latest confirmed case was reported within a civilian control line near the border, according to the Ministry of Environment.A total of eight ASF cases have been reported within the civilian control line this month, while two cases came from outside of the line. One

Social AffairsOct. 21, 2019