[Newsmaker] Cho Kuk’s controversial phone calls take center stage at Assembly hearing

The parliamentary confirmation hearing of Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk Friday focused on the number of times he communicated with the president of Dongyang University.There are speculations that his wife surnamed Chung falsified the President’s Award her daughter received from the university in 2012 without the approval of President Choi Seong-hae, which is based in North Gyeongsang Province. Main opposition Liberty Korea Party lawmakers on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee

PoliticsSept. 6, 2019

Moon back in Seoul amid political trouble over justice minister pick

President Moon Jae-in returned home Friday following a weeklong visit to Thailand, Myanmar and Laos, amid an escalating political row over suspected ethical lapses surrounding one of his most trusted aides.The Southeast Asian nations rolled out red carpets for Moon, who promised win-win economic cooperation and development aid and publicized a plan to play host to a special group summit with ASEAN member states in late November. He's now back in "the eye of a typhoon," confronted

PoliticsSept. 6, 2019

GM Korea’s union to stage all-out protest next week

Unionized workers at GM Korea said Friday they have decided to stage a full-time walkout for three days next week in protest against the rejection of their demands during wage negotiations with the management.This is the first time GM Korea workers will stage all-out protests, after the US carmaker acquired now-defunct Daewoo Motor in 2002.The union said it has 8,000 members from GM Korea and also 2,000 workers at GM Technical Center Korea. GM Korea currently has around 13,000 employees. Leaders

MobilitySept. 6, 2019

DAC to stage ‘Egalia’s Daughters: A Satire of the Sexes’ in October

The Doosan Art Center will stage Kim Su-jung’s “Egalia’s Daughters: A Satire of the Sexes” from Oct. 1-19 at the center’s Space111 theater in Seoul.Kim is an up-and-coming theater director whose works aim to increase awareness of social and political issues. She currently leads the New Universe Theatre Company and is a DAC artist. Kim’s latest work is a contemporary reimagining of the 1977 feminist classic “Egalia’s Daughters” by Norwegi

PerformanceSept. 6, 2019

Cheong Wa Dae locks horns with prosecution over justice minister nominee probe

An intensive investigation into multiple allegations against Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk has led Cheong Wa Dae to lock horns with the prosecution. On Friday, a Cheong Wa Dae official said the prosecution raids on dozens of locations connected to the embattled justice minister nominee and his family were “politically motivated” and amounted to “plotting a rebellion.” The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office had called on Cheong Wa Dae and the ruling party to stop meddlin

PoliticsSept. 6, 2019

Chaebol scions accused of smoking marijuana released on probation

Grandchildren of conglomerate families accused of habitual use of marijuana received suspended prison terms Friday.According to Incheon District Court, SK and Hyundai scions Choi Young-geun, 31, and 28-year-old Chung Hyun-sun were sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for two years for violating the narcotics law. They were also each fined 10 million won.Choi was indicted in April for smoking 81 grams of marijuana on several occasions for about a year since March 2018. The grandson of SK Gr

Social AffairsSept. 6, 2019

Coupang launches special sales event for 1.2 million bedding items

Coupang, a leading e-commerce platform, said Friday it has launched a special sales event for a massive number of bedding items for the fall and winter seasons.Its online bedding store offers 1.2 million bedding products in 12 categories -- blankets, beddings, indoor bed tents, electric blankets and carpets.The main page of the category displays a fully furnished bedroom decorated with products so that customers can easily pick products of their choice.  “Coupang newly introduced the

MobilitySept. 6, 2019

S. Korea reaffirms commitment to UN sanctions on N. Korea after panel report

South Korea will continue to abide by UN sanctions on North Korea until the communist nation's complete denuclearization, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday. The ministry made the statement in response to the latest assessment published Thursday by a UN Security Council committee monitoring sanctions on the communist state.The UN report concluded that North Korea's illegal smuggling of resources such as refined oil and coal through ship-to-ship transfers remains in place in violation of the sa

North KoreaSept. 6, 2019

Gyeonggi governor found guilty in election law violation case

An appeals court on Friday found Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung guilty of violating election law in a ruling that may put his gubernatorial post at risk.The Suwon High Court ordered him to pay a fine of 3 million won ($2,506) for spreading false information ahead of elections, overturning an earlier court decision that found him innocent.In May, the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Court ruled that Lee was not guilty of four criminal charges, including forcibly admitting his elder brother

Social AffairsSept. 6, 2019

LG to showcase CLOi robots at Gwangju Biennale

LG Electronics said Friday it is taking part in the annual design festival in Gwangju by showcasing two of its latest robots. The company will showcase LG CLOi CareBot and GestureBot at a pop-up booth at the Gwangju Biennale festival that will kick off Saturday for a two-day run. The CLOi CareBot is built to exchange emotions with users. For example, it can change its eyes, body postures and voice tone in accordance with the users’ hand gestures.  The CLOi GestureBot teaches users sig

TechnologySept. 6, 2019

SsangYong’s Korando attains top safety rating in Europe

SsangYong Motor’s Korando has received the top safety rating from the European New Car Assessment Program, the company said Friday.The sport utility vehicle garnered five stars in all four categories, proving it has an excellent drive assist program and can protect passengers and pedestrians effectively, it added. “By securing various safety features such as Deep Control system, state-of-the-art vehicle control technology and the (greatest) number of air bags (in South Korea), Korand

MobilitySept. 6, 2019

First batch of Galaxy Fold sells out on launch day

Samsung Electronics said Friday the first batch of Galaxy Fold, the world’s first foldable smartphone, was sold out as soon as it hit the market here.While did not disclose the number of phones it sold on the first day, industry sources estimate that the first round of preorders could be around 1,000, all through the country’s three mobile carriers.The figure doesn’t include the number of devices purchased on Samsung’s online and offline shops.  Some early adopters w

TechnologySept. 6, 2019

Over 2,000 booked for dating violence in July, August

The National Police Agency said Friday that 4,185 cases of dating violence were reported between July and August during a two-month crackdown. Of those reports, 2,052 led to suspects being booked and 82 led to suspects being detained.Physical assault was the most common type of abuse reported, accounting for 64.1 percent of the complaints. Forcible confinement was next, accounting for 9.6 percent of the reports, followed by breaking into homes at 5.5 percent.The largest percentage of accused peo

Social AffairsSept. 6, 2019

S. Korea considering naming non-diplomat official to lead defense cost negotiations with US: sources

The government is considering naming a non-diplomat official, such as a financial technocrat, to head negotiations with the US on sharing the cost for the upkeep of American troops, sources said Friday.That would mark a departure from the tradition that officials from either the foreign or defense ministries have led the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) aimed at determining how much South Korea should shoulder the cost of US troop presence in the country.The two sides expected to launch the nego

Foreign AffairsSept. 6, 2019

Han Sung Motor holds Chuseok event for GLC, E-Class customers

In celebration of the Chuseok holiday, Han Sung Motor, the largest official dealer of Mercedes-Benz in South Korea, is holding a promotional event for customers purchasing the GLC or the E-Class this month, the company said Friday. Each of these customers will receive a Mercedes-Benz trolley bag and the chance to enter a lucky draw. Fifty winners will receive invitations to Han Sung’s annual Oktoberfest event at the Grand Hyatt Seoul next month. The company also plans to hold a separate ev

MobilitySept. 6, 2019

Seoul Foreign School to hold first university fair in Seoul

Seoul Foreign School is set to hold the first World University Fair in Seoul on Saturday, providing students and the public a platform to explore opportunities for admission into more than 160 universities from 19 countries around the world.  At the one-day Seoul World University Fair, which will open at noon on Saturday at the its campus in western Seoul, students and their parents can meet with representatives from the schools and obtain information. “It is an opportunity not j

Social AffairsSept. 6, 2019

Zimbabwe ex-president Mugabe dies aged 95

HARARE (AFP) -- Robert Mugabe, who led Zimbabwe with an iron fist from 1980 to 2017, has died aged 95, the country's president announced Friday.First heralded as a liberator who rid the former British colony of Rhodesia of white minority rule, Mugabe used repression and fear to hold on to power in Zimbabwe until he was finally ousted by his previously loyal military generals."It is with the utmost sadness that I announce the passing on of Zimbabwe's founding father and former President... R

World NewsSept. 6, 2019

S. Korea, Central European nations agree to boost defense ties

South Korea's vice defense minister held talks with his counterparts from the Visegrad Group, an alliance of four Central European countries, Friday and agreed to strengthen defense cooperation between the two sides, Seoul's defense ministry said.The meeting between Vice Minister Park Jae-min and his counterparts from Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland took place on the sidelines of the eighth Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD) in Seoul. During the talks, the two sides discussed ways to

Foreign AffairsSept. 6, 2019

Kia hires ex-BMW, Infiniti designer

Kia Motors, sister company to Hyundai Motor, has hired Karim Habib, former designer for BMW and Infiniti, to fill an executive position at its design center. The Canadian designer built his career at BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Infiniti.At Infiniti, he worked on design projects including the electric vehicle concepts QX Inspiration and Prototype.Habib will work with Luc Donckerwolke, the former Bentley designer currently in charge of vehicle design for both Kia and Hyundai, the company said.By Cho Ch

MobilitySept. 6, 2019

[IFA 2019] Samsung CEO bets on Bespoke to expand presence in European built-in market

BERLIN -- Samsung Electronics CEO Kim Hyun-suk highlighted the rapid sales growth of the firm’s latest built-in refrigerator brand, called “Bespoke,” saying the company’s focus is not on product specifications but on developing products that people desire in their hearts.“We believe Bespoke can change the dynamics of European built-in market,” Kim said on the eve of IFA 2019, stressing that Europe accounts for 40 percent of the world’s built-in market.&l

IndustrySept. 6, 2019