Former President Park's shoulder surgery successful: hospital

Former President Park Geun-hye underwent shoulder surgery at a hospital in Seoul on Tuesday, and the operation was successful, the hospital and the Ministry of Justice said.The surgery began at 8:30 a.m. at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital in southern Seoul and lasted about two hours, they said."The surgery was successfully carried out, and Park is now recovering," the hospital said, adding orthopedic surgeon Kim Yang-soo performed the operation.The 67-year-old Park, who has been in the Seoul

Social AffairsSept. 17, 2019

[News focus] One year on, inter-Korean military pact remains unfulfilled promise

The inter-Korean military agreement that was hailed as a “nonaggression pact” when it was signed just a year ago has become a “merely nominal” agreement as its first anniversary approaches Thursday.The defense chiefs of the two Koreas signed the Comprehensive Military Agreement on Sept. 19, 2018, in Pyongyang on the sidelines of the third summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.  It was not the first bilateral military ag

North KoreaSept. 17, 2019

Cho Kuk’s daughter questioned, wife faces trial in college admission scandal

Prosecutors questioned Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s daughter Monday as part of an investigation into a college admissions scandal involving her mother, Chung Kyung-shim. The first hearing for Chung, indicted on charges of forging a document that is believed to have influenced her daughter’s admission to a medical school, will be held Oct. 18, the Seoul Central District Court said.Cho Min, 28, was subpoenaed by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office and questioned on suspi

Social AffairsSept. 17, 2019

Seoul to become ‘super-aged’ city in 2026

Seoul is likely to become a “super-aged” city in 2026, according to data released by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.Seoul became an “aged” city last year against the backdrop of a low birthrate and longer life expectancy, with more than 14 percent of its population being 65 or older. South Korea’s capital is expected to become a super-aged city in 2026 at this rate, where more than 1 in 5 of the population is 65 years old or above. The number of those who ar

Social AffairsSept. 17, 2019

[News Focus] 57% of Koreans support prosecution reform despite Cho Kuk scandal: poll

SEJONG -- An interest among the people under the Moon Jae-in administration is whether an independent investigative agency, which holds the authority to indict crime-suspected prosecutors or other public officials, will be launched.The agency, which is being pushed in the 20th National Assembly, has been dubbed the Senior Civil Servant Crime Investigation unit.Previous administrations and legislatures had also tried and failed to create such a body, such as the Roh Moo-hyun administration’

PoliticsSept. 17, 2019

Seoul city govt. to hold K-pop festival at Gwanghwamun Square

The Seoul city government plans to hold a K-pop music festival starting next week at a public plaza in central Seoul as part of its projects to make the capital a music hub, officials said Tuesday.The first-ever Seoul Music Festival will be held at Gwanghwamun Square from Sept. 28 to Oct. 6, Seoul Metropolitan Government said.It is part of the city government's five-year plan to spend 481.8 billion won ($405.3 million) on nine projects aimed at fostering the music industry and expanding music pr

Social AffairsSept. 17, 2019

Asiana Airlines begins Incheon-Lisbon service from October

Asiana Airlines will kick off two weekly direct flights to Lisbon, Portugal, from Oct. 28 to March 25 next year. The Incheon-Lisbon service is the first in the industry for a local air carrier. The flights will depart from Incheon Airport on Mondays and Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m. and arrive in Lisbon at 6:50 p.m. The return flight will depart from Lisbon at 8:30 p.m. and arrive in Incheon at 5:50 p.m. the next day. For the Incheon-Lisbon route, Asiana Airlines will operate its newest airc

IndustrySept. 17, 2019

Lotte Liquor to launch yogurt-flavored Soonhari soju in the US

Lotte Liquor, the alcoholic beverage arm of Lotte Chilsung Beverage, said Tuesday that its yogurt-flavored Soonhari Chum-Churum soju will soon be sold in the US. Soonhari Yogurt soju is the latest in the company’s Chum Churum Sunhari line, created by adding fruit flavoring, such as citron, peach, apple and strawberry, to soju. It was manufactured exclusively for export.Earlier this month, some 190,000 bottles of 360 milliliter-size Soonhari Yogurt soju were exported to the US, the com

IndustrySept. 17, 2019

Hanwha Total expands ethylene production

Hanwha Total Petrochemical has completed the expansion of its ethylene production plant and has begun commercial operation with an aim of generating 590 billion won ($496 million) more in sales each year, the firm said Tuesday. The petrochemicals firm has injected a combined 540 billion won since April 2017 to complete the side gas cracker of the naphtha cracking center in South Chungcheong Province. The new facilities are capable of producing 310,000 metric tons of ethylene and 130,000 tons of

IndustrySept. 17, 2019

JTBC, CJ ENM to launch joint video-sharing platform

South Korea’s cable network JTBC and entertainment giant CJ ENM announced Tuesday the launch of a joint video-streaming service amid intensifying competition in the broadcasting industry. The companies have signed a memorandum of understanding to launch an integrated over-the-top video service by combining their video contents. The new platform is expected to become available early next year.The upcoming service will be modeled after CJ ENM’s video-streaming platform Tving, which con

IndustrySept. 17, 2019

Hanwha shortlisted for Australian infantry fighting vehicle program

South Korea’s Hanwha Defense said Tuesday it has been shortlisted for the Australian military’s multibillion-dollar plan to replace its current aging fleet of mobility vehicles with advanced capability.　According to the company, its AS21 Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle is one of two contenders for the Land 400 Phase 3 Program. Competing against Hanwha’s Redback is German firm Rheinmetall Defence’s Lynx KF41.　　The two companies’ IFVs were selected over other global

IndustrySept. 17, 2019

Aveva to upgrade integrated industrial software in digital push

SINGAPORE -- UK-based industrial software developer Aveva said Tuesday it plans to introduce its newly integrated industrial software by November in its digital push to streamline large-scale projects.The news comes amid the UK company’s push for software integration following its merger with French multinational firm Schneider Electric’s industrial software business in March 2018. Since the merger, Aveva has strived to bring together its design, engineering and construction capaciti

TechnologySept. 17, 2019

Seoul calls for action on Fukushima at IAEA

South Korea raised concerns at the general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna on Monday about Japan’s plans to dispose of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant.Seoul’s First Vice Minister of Science and ICT Mun Mi-ock brought attention to Tokyo’s handling of radioactive water during her keynote speech at the IAEA’s 63rd General Conference.“Issues concerning the disposal of Fukushima contaminated water still remain unanswered

Foreign AffairsSept. 17, 2019

S. Korea urges IAEA to play role in Japan's Fukushima water discharge plan

The International Atomic Energy Agency has to play an active role in the possible move by Japan to discharge contaminated water from its disabled Fukushima power plant into the Pacific Ocean, a senior South Korean government official has said.Delivering a keynote speech at the General Conference of the international organization In Vienna on Monday, South Korean first vice science minister Mun Mi-ock stressed that Japan has not answered questions about its water discharge plan amid fear and anxi

Foreign AffairsSept. 17, 2019

Korean shipbuilders may bag more orders after Saudi oil attack

South Korean shipbuilders may receive more orders following drone strikes on Saudi Arabia's crude processing facilities, analysts here said Tuesday, as the incident is likely to push up demand for liquefied natural gas tankers and offshore facilities.Saudi Arabia shut down about half of its oil production Saturday following a series of drone attacks that damaged two key oil installations. The Saudis said that the closure will affect 5.7 million barrels of crude production a day, about 5 percent

IndustrySept. 17, 2019

BTS agency rejects dating rumor about member Jungkook

The management agency of boy band BTS refuted a dating rumor involving the band's youngest member, Jungkook, on Tuesday.The rumor originated from CCTV footage of a couple on the resort island of Geoje, which was circulated online. The image shows a man hugging a woman from behind in a shop, causing some people to allege that Jungkook is in a romantic relationship.BTS' management agency, Big Hit Entertainment, however, flatly rejected the rumor, vowing stern legal action against any privacy-compr

K-popSept. 17, 2019

US Forces Korea extends curfew suspension for 3 months

US Forces Korea said Tuesday it extended the suspension of a curfew for its troops for an additional 90 days, calling it a period to demonstrate their "good order and discipline at all times and under all conditions."The curfew, between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., was imposed in 2011 amid public outcry over allegations of sexual violence and other crimes by USFK troops. The temporary suspension of the curfew began on June 17, and will be extended until Dec. 17, according to the USFK.  &quo

DefenseSept. 17, 2019

Facing US ban, Huawei emerging as stronger tech competitor

SHENZHEN (AP) -- Long before President Donald Trump threatened to cut off Huawei's access to US technology, the Chinese telecom equipment maker was pouring money into research that reduces its need for American suppliers.Huawei's founder says instead of crippling the company, the export curbs are making it a tougher competitor by forcing managers to focus resources on their most important products.Little-known to Americans, Huawei Technologies Ltd. is the No. 2 smartphone brand worldwide and the

World NewsSept. 17, 2019

S. Korea to publicly display F-35A fighter for first time next month

South Korea is planning to showcase F-35A stealth fighters to the public for the first time during the Armed Forces Day ceremony next month to officially mark their introduction into the country, officials said Tuesday.South Korea has so far brought in eight F-35As, beginning with two in late March, under a plan to deploy a total of 40 fifth-generation jets through 2021. But the military has handled their arrivals in a low-key manner, sparking speculation the government is concerned about object

DefenseSept. 17, 2019

South Korea culls pigs after confirming African swine fever

South Korea is culling thousands of pigs after confirming African swine fever at a farm near its border with North Korea, which had an outbreak in May. South Korea's agriculture ministry said the country's first case of the highly contagious disease was confirmed Tuesday in tests on five pigs that died at the farm in the city of Paju. The government has vowed stern quarantine measures to prevent the spread of the disease, which threatens a massive industry that involves 6,000 farms raising more

Social AffairsSept. 17, 2019