As Japan lowers Korea’s trade status, Seoul announces W5tr plan to boost materials capacity

　With the effectuation on Wednesday of a Japanese government resolution effectively downgrading South Korea’s trade status, the Korean government pledged to spend 5 trillion won ($4.1 billion) to increase its own capabilities in the development of key industrial materials. 　President Moon Jae-in’s office, Moon’s governing Democratic Party and relevant government agencies announced a comprehensive research and development strategy to reduce the country’s reliance on Japane

IndustryAug. 28, 2019

Do not try to read between the lines -- just walk right in

Tautly stretched lines in different colors form geometric shapes in and outside of the gallery space. They extend from the basement all the way to the high ceiling of the upper floor. Some lines define quadrangles that are leaning against a wall, while others come out from one wall just to meet another. The sculptures, made of yarn, appear lightweight. In terms of visual presence too, they are “barely there.” But the yarn sculptures are visually intriguing, after all. Gallery Hy

Arts & DesignAug. 28, 2019

[Kim Myong-sik] The sickening hypocrisy of a leftist ideologue

The air over the Republic of Korea remained clear through this summer, thanks to the southeasterly winds blowing from the Pacific Ocean. As the cooler season approaches, we are again worried about seeing gray skies full of fine dust from China -- in addition to the political, economic and security problems that are already affecting the nation and seem unlikely to go away anytime soon. Externally, relations between Seoul and Tokyo have sunk to their worst level since normalization of ties in 196

ViewpointsAug. 28, 2019

[Joseph E. Stiglitz] Is stakeholder capitalism back?

For four decades, the prevailing doctrine in the United States has been that corporations should maximize shareholder value -- meaning profits and share prices -- here and now, come what may, regardless of the consequences to workers, customers, suppliers, and communities. So the statement endorsing stakeholder capitalism, signed earlier this month by virtually all the members of the US Business Roundtable, has caused quite a stir. After all, these are the CEOs of America’s most powerful c

ViewpointsAug. 28, 2019

Short, flashy web-based dramas appeal to binge watch-loving new generation

As new digital media, like YouTube, has become a mainstream content distribution platform, web-based series have carved out an independent genre in South Korean show business based on explosive popularity among teenagers.Drama "A-Teen," produced by Playlist Global, a web drama studio under the wing of South Korea's largest internet portal operator Naver, is one of the biggest smash hit mini-dramas in the country.Premiering in July 2018, the series of 24 eight-minute episodes created a

TelevisionAug. 28, 2019

[From the Scene] Where 20,000 BMW auto parts are sent out daily

Anseong, GYEONGGI PROVINCE -- BMW’s Regional Distribution Center in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, can be described as an automotive version of Amazon’s warehouses. It opened in 2017 to facilitate auto parts supply for customer satisfaction. Piles of cardboard boxes of different sizes are stacked on shelves at the BMW RDC, where approximately 20,000 lines, or auto parts, are sent daily to dealerships nationwide. Each employee works with a handy scanner, moving on personal cart

MobilityAug. 28, 2019

British ambassador attends opening of new facilities at Seoul Foreign British School

British Ambassador to South Korea Simon Smith and British Embassy deputy head of mission Nikesh Mehta visited Seoul Foreign British School on Monday, joining principal Andy Freeman and head of Seoul Foreign School Colm Flanagan in the official opening of the school’s new learning and collaboration facilities, including a reception area, gym, multipurpose area and expanded design lab.Seoul Foreign British School, established in 1981, offers the English National Curriculum within the IPC, IE

Social AffairsAug. 28, 2019

TV celebrity Holley gets suspended prison sentence in drug case

Robert Holley, a naturalized Korean citizen from America and TV personality, was given a suspended prison sentence Wednesday in a local court's ruling on his drug case.The Seoul Western District Court sentenced Holley to a one-year imprisonment, suspended for two years, for taking a banned substance earlier this year. The court also ordered him to take a 40-hour lecture on anti-drug medications.Holley, better known among local TV viewers by his Korean name Ha Il, was indicted in April on charges

Social AffairsAug. 28, 2019

[New focus] Probe into Cho fans speculations, renews wrangling over confirmation hearing

The investigation into Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk is expanding, along with controversy and partisan strife surrounding related developments. On Tuesday, the prosecution raided locations linked to allegations involving Cho and his family, launching the first-ever criminal investigation into a ministerial nominee.  Unlike other investigations into high-profile allegations, the probe got off to a swift start. The prosecution secured search warrants the previous day and conducted simultan

PoliticsAug. 28, 2019

RB Korea chief blames lax govt. supervision for humidifier sanitizer scandal

The chief of a local humidifier disinfectant manufacturer responsible for the nation's worst consumer chemical disaster that broke out in 2011 triggered a controversy Wednesday by arguing that the tragedy was caused by insufficient government supervision.Park Dong-suk, CEO of Oxy Reckitt Benckiser (RB Korea), a wholly owned unit of British consumer giant Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC, made the controversial remarks during a hearing organized by the Special Commission on Social Disaster Investigati

Social AffairsAug. 28, 2019

SK Innovation’s PR campaign attains over 14 million views

SK Innovation, the chemical arm of South Korea’s third-largest conglomerate SK Group, said Wednesday that its latest public relations campaign on innovation has topped 14 million views within 10 days of its launch. The campaign, titled “Innovation is Natural to Us,” was uploaded Aug. 19 on YouTube, Facebook and major broadcasting channels. It featured eco-friendly business items such as solar-powered gas stations, high-performance electric car batteries and ultralight car mater

IndustryAug. 28, 2019

Daewoo E&C seeks new opportunities in Vietnam with CC1

Daewoo Engineering and Construction will expand its presence in Vietnam by starting new businesses in collaboration with the Southeast Asian country’s major construction firm CC1, the company said Wednesday. Daewoo E&C and CC1 signed a memorandum of understanding at the Korean company’s headquarters in Euljiro, central Seoul, on Friday, under which the two partners will exchange information about biddings in the Korean and Vietnamese markets and seek new businesses together. CC1

IndustryAug. 28, 2019

LG Innotek develops flexible 3D lighting for premium cars

LG Innotek, electronic parts affiliate of LG Group, announced Wednesday the firm has developed flexible three-dimensional lighting for premium cars with a plan to aggressively enter the high-end vehicle market. Dubbed Nexlide-HD, it is a module for cars’ front and rear external lighting that emits bright and uniform light. The lighting module consists of a number of specialized LED packages attached to a thin substrate, which helps spread the light around 180 degrees. Previous lighting mod

TechnologyAug. 28, 2019

Hyundai Steel opens steel experience corner at Kidzania

South Korean steelmaker Hyundai Steel said Wednesday it has opened a steel experience center at Kidzania Seoul, where children can roleplay as steel researchers for a day.  The center allows children to learn about the role and importance of steel in daily lives. Children will be able to see and touch raw materials like iron ore and coal, and see the different steel parts that go into cars. According to Hyundai Steel, this is the first such center in the steel industry.The company said the

IndustryAug. 28, 2019

Kumho Tire rebounds to posting surplus in Q2

Kumho Tire announced Wednesday it had achieved an operating profit after 2 1/2 years of losses.The tiremaker said it posted a surplus of 24 billion won ($19.8 million) in operating profit in the second quarter this year. Combined with its 9.1 billion won in profit in the first quarter, that overcomes the 29.7 billion won in operating loss last year. Its debt-to-equity ratio also fell from 354.87 percent in March last year to 205.12 percent the same time this year. The company attributed its curr

IndustryAug. 28, 2019

Making a U-turn, Hyundai Mobis to build new EV parts plant in Ulsan

Marking the first case of a Korean conglomerate bringing its overseas manufacturing facility back home, Hyundai Mobis said Wednesday it will build a new plant to produce electric vehicle components in Ulsan, injecting 300 billion won ($247 million) in fresh investments.The new plant will be capable of producing core EV parts for 100,000 vehicles a year, with its operation starting in 2021, the company said.The auto parts maker’s decision of making a “U-turn” investment raises h

MobilityAug. 28, 2019

Hyundai Motor union OKs tentative wage deal without strike

Unionized workers at Hyundai Motor Co. have reached a tentative wage and collective bargaining agreement, averting strikes for the first time in eight years, the company and the union said Wednesday.  "The union has decided to accept the company's revised proposals as uncertainties in business environments grow further due to uncertain political and economic situation stemming from an escalating US-China trade war and Japan's restrictions on exports (of key materials) to Korea," u

MobilityAug. 28, 2019

Gmarket curates Chuseok gift ideas for expats in Korea

An estimated 1.7 million expatriates reside in Korea, according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Justice. More among the foreign population shop for groceries online via locally operated platforms, where there are options to shop vegetarian, omnivorously or halal. Reflecting the growing demand from foreign consumers, local online marketplace Gmarket, operated by eBay Korea, said Wednesday that it has launched the Hansoowe Gift Set, with curated and discounted gift items exclusive to th

IndustryAug. 28, 2019

NK expected to send message at Supreme People's Assembly

North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament will hold its second meeting of this year Thursday amid stalled denuclearization talks.The Supreme People’s Assembly revises the North’s constitution and laws. It also sets basic policy principles, makes major personnel appointments and approves budget plans. As it is rare for the assembly to be held twice a year, attention is on what decisions will be made Thursday. The meeting comes after South Korea-US military drills, which Pyongyang ha

North KoreaAug. 28, 2019