[Noah Smith] Five unpopular policies the US should adopt

Not every good policy is going to be popular. Sometimes either the public, activists or the commentariat -- or all three -- just get something wrong. This can happen for ideological reasons, or simply because of a lack of information. I’m more optimistic than most pundits, in that I think the public usually gets at least the outlines broadly right. But there are a few issues where the tide of opinion simply seems to be against me. Here are a few:No. 1. The Trans-Pacific PartnershipThe TPP

ViewpointsOct. 14, 2019

Low-cost carriers to go on leading Korea’s flight industry: Boeing

Low-cost carriers are expected to continue to lead the growth of South Korea’s flight industry and to expand the country’s passenger transport capacity and air traffic, an executive from American aircraft manufacturer Boeing said Monday. Randy Tinseth, Boeing’s vice president of commercial marketing, said in a press conference in Seoul that South Korea’s low-cost carriers lead the market in Northeast Asia, accounting for 65 percent of the region’s total capacit

IndustryOct. 14, 2019

[News analysis] PM’s Japan trip raises hopes for Seoul-Tokyo relations, but administration remains cautious

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon’s upcoming trip to Japan is raising hopes for a way out of the impasse in South Korea-Tokyo relations, but Seoul appears cautious on the outlook. On Sunday, the Prime Minister’s Office announced that Lee will be traveling to Japan on a three-day schedule to attend the enthronement ceremony of Japanese Emperor Naruhito.  Lee will attend the ceremony on Oct. 22 and a banquet hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe the following day. Although Lee&rsq

Foreign AffairsOct. 14, 2019

Viva Republica to acquire LG Uplus’ mobile payment unit

　Viva Republica has been picked as the preferred bidder for LG Uplus’ mobile payment business unit, according to industry sources Monday.　The operator of mobile payment app Toss is expected to sign a deal worth more than 300 billion won ($253.6 million) within this month. The two companies have not yet confirmed the agreement. 　“The bottom line is whether Viva Repblica can secure that much amount of money to fund the acquisition,” said an industry source. “We ha

IndustryOct. 14, 2019

LTE speed gap in Seoul metropolitan area widens: lawmaker

　The fourth-generation Long Term Evolution internet speeds are not consistent and vary across the Seoul metropolitan area, a lawmaker said Monday. 　Citing a 2018 survey conducted by the Ministry of Science and ICT, Rep. Park Gwang-on of the ruling Democratic Party said the LTE speed gap between the fastest and slowest neighborhood was as much as three times.　Of the 85 areas in Seoul and surrounding metropolitan areas, residents of Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, experienced the fastest speed of 201

TechnologyOct. 14, 2019

[News brief] Kazakh man suspected of hit-and-run extradited to Korea

A Kazakhstan national who fled the country after allegedly hitting a 7-year-old boy in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, with the vehicle he was driving was extradited to South Korea on Monday and handed over to Jinhae Police Station.The suspect, whose name is being withheld, is accused of a hit-and-run accident at around 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 16, resulting in serious injuries to the victim. He fled to his home country via Uzbekistan the next morning.He was an undocumented immigrant and did not

Social AffairsOct. 14, 2019

Justice Minister Cho Kuk steps down

Scandal-stricken Justice Minister Cho Kuk stepped down from his post Monday amid an ongoing investigation into corruption allegations involving his family, 35 days after he was appointed despite strong objections from the opposition bloc. President Moon Jae-in accepted his resignation. During his meeting with senior aides on Monday afternoon, Moon reiterated his determination to push for the overhaul of the prosecution and expressed regret at having caused “conflicts” among Koreans.　

Social AffairsOct. 14, 2019

[Newsmaker] Seoul subway workers to go on strike Wednesday

The labor union of Seoul Metro, which operates eight subway lines, announced a three-day walkout starting Wednesday if their demands are not met by the government.The union urged the Seoul Metro, Ministry of Interior and Safety and Seoul Metropolitan Government to meet the demands regarding enhancement of working conditions during a press briefing on Monday. “Seoul Metro has the highest rate of industrial accidents among all public corporations, and this results from the insensitivity to s

Social AffairsOct. 14, 2019

Korando, perfect choice for modern families in Korea

Storage for strollers, golf clubs and boxes of groceries, spacious backseats and high-end safety features are increasingly becoming important factors to customers in Korea seeking vehicles that fit their family-oriented lifestyles.Rather than choosing sedans with better driving performance, a growing number of customers -- particularly those in their 30s and 40s -- are looking for mid-sized sport utility vehicles in consideration of fuel economy, passenger convenience and ease of use.According t

MobilityOct. 14, 2019

S. Korea to lift regulations to boost exporters: Deputy PM

The government plans to eliminate various regulations that hinder the development of new technologies and overseas expansion of local firms amid the recent economic uncertainties, South Korea’s top financial policymaker said Monday.It is proposed to allow overseas affiliates of securities companies to take loans from Korean lenders, simplify the screening procedures for chemical facilities, and alleviate the authentication of certified industrial robots. “(The government) will lead t

EconomyOct. 14, 2019

[Photo News] THE AMG FAMILY

Dimitris Psillakis (left), CEO and president of Mercedes-Benz Korea, and Mark Raine, vice president of product and marketing, pose for photos at a session held for the media to test the new Mercedes-AMG GT four-door coupe and E53 4MATIC+ at the AMG Racing Track in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. Introducing the family of high-performance AMG vehicles, Psillakis said, “No matter which AMG model you choose, you will get a high-performance vehicle, which excites with powerful performa

MobilityOct. 14, 2019

SK hynix’s YouTube video hits 12 million views

A YouTube video that chronicles SK hynix’s technological challenges over the years to mass-produce the world’s first 128-layer triple-level cell 4D NAND chip has received over 12 million views in less than two weeks of its release, the company said in a statement Monday.The corporate promotion video titled “Cheongju Jikji,” narrates how the company’s challenging spirit resembles the passion and drive that drove the inventors of the world’s first metal movable

TechnologyOct. 14, 2019

LVMH set to lose W8b from drop in YG’s stock value

Despite YG Entertainment’s scheduled return of a 67 billion won ($56.6 million) investment to LVMH this week, the French luxury giant is still projected to lose around 8 billion won due to the decline in the K-pop agency’s stock value, local reports said Monday. According to reports citing financial industry sources, LVMH also purchased 503,588 common shares of YG worth 20.3 billion won when it bought 1,359,688 redeemable convertible preferred shares in the entertainment agency via i

MarketOct. 14, 2019

Upbit operator Dunamu to launch comprehensive OTC platform

Dunamu, an operator of global cryptocurrency exchange Upbit, announced Monday that it plans to launch a comprehensive over-the-counter trading platform that deals with all types of unlisted stocks. According to the Upbit operator, it will jointly launch the platform, which will be available in the form of an app, with local brokerage Samsung Securities and big data analytics company Deep Search by the end of the month.  The goal of this collaborative effort is to address the problem of &ldq

MarketOct. 14, 2019

[Diplomatic circuit] Colombia eyes bolstering exports to S. Korea: trade minister

Colombia’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism Jose Manuel Restrepo said the country is keen to bolster South Korea-bound exports, stressing now is the time to reshape bilateral trade between the two nations. “Exports from Colombia (to Korea) are (valued at) $600 million. The number of exporters (from Colombia) is growing. On the other side, we have imports of Korea at around $800 million. This means the balance is against Colombia. But that balance improving,” Colombian Mi

Diplomatic CircuitOct. 14, 2019

[Diplomatic circuit] German ambassador to Korea hopes for unity on Korean Peninsula

German Ambassador to South Korea Stephen Auer said last week he hopes for the peaceful reunification of the two Koreas in the near future, as Germany celebrated the 29th anniversary of its reunification and the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.“Today is an emotional day not only for the German people but also for Koreans. The day of German unity and the fall of the Wall are special occasions because of our shared history of the separation of our nations,” Auer said at

Diplomatic CircuitOct. 14, 2019

[Diplomatic circuit] IVI urges international cooperation on R&D, distribution of vaccines

The International Vaccine Institute, an international organization based in Seoul, held a forum on its 22nd anniversary where the participants exchanged ideas on ways to boost global collaboration on research and development on vaccines and their delivery.“I hope for greater cooperation among IVI members and non-IVI members to expedite research and development, and distribution of vaccines,” International Vaccine Institute Director General Jerome Kim said in his welcoming speech.Abou

Diplomatic CircuitOct. 14, 2019

[Diplomatic circuit] ASEAN-Korea train to traverse S. Korea

Top officials from ASEAN countries and South Korea will hop on a train to travel across the country alongside citizens of the participating countries. The event, marking the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-Korea dialogue, also aims to promote next month’s ASEAN-Korea summit in Busan, the organizers said Monday.“The program aims to promote people-centered connectivity between ASEAN and Korea under the overarching theme of People, Prosperity, and Peace. … The journey will be featuring

Diplomatic CircuitOct. 14, 2019

[News Focus] Coway acquisition will fortify business stability: Netmarble

How does it add up when a games company acquires a home appliance rental business? Netmarble, a Korean firm that focuses on mobile game development and distribution, was on Monday named the preferred bidder for a 25.08 percent stake in Woongjin Coway, a firm that operates subscription services for water and air purifiers, mattresses and other miscellaneous household appliances.Netmarble, through an investors’ conference call the same day, explained that it will combine the technological ex

IndustryOct. 14, 2019

[Breaking] Justice Minister Cho Kuk steps down

Justice Minister Cho Kuk resigned from his cabinet post Monday, after nearly two months of investigation by prosecutors into corruption allegations surrounding his family. Cho said in a statement that while “prosecution reform had been (his) life’s mission as a scholar,” “something inconceivable has happened,” and that his role was over. Cho’s wife Chung Kyung-shim was summoned for questioning by prosecutors for the fifth time Monday morning.The parliamen

PoliticsOct. 14, 2019