[Graphic News] Bangkok world’s most visited city again

　Bangkok was the world’s most-visited city in 2018 for the fourth consecutive year, ahead of Paris and London, according to a ranking compiled by Mastercard.　Thailand’s capital hosted more than 22 million international overnight travelers, Mastercard’s latest Global Destination Cities Index shows. 　Seoul ranked No. 11 with 11.25 million visitors.　Rankings are based on the number of overnight visitors. The average Bangkok stay was 4.8 nights. (Bloomberg)

TravelSept. 11, 2019

Bodies of mother and son found inside refrigerator at fire scene

The bodies of a 62-year-old woman and her 35-year-old son were discovered Wednesday inside a fridge at an apartment that was burned down in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. No one else was injured in the fire. Local police said the fire erupted around 5:22 a.m. the same day, following an explosion at the unit located on the fifth floor of the apartment. In extinguishing the fire in about 40 minutes, firefighters found the two burnt bodies inside each compartment of the two-door refrigerator,

Social AffairsSept. 11, 2019

JTI’s Ploom Tech enters duty-free stores

Japan Tobacco International in Korea said Wednesday that its odor-reduced tobacco vapor product Ploom Tech will be sold at duty-free stores Lotte and Shilla Duty Free from mid-September. The heat-not-burn product, which was released in July, is the first e-cigarette to use hybrid technology by indirectly heating tobacco leaves through vapor.The price of the Ploom Tech starter kit is $27 and as part of the launch event, a limited number of mouth pieces will be offered for free, the company said.&

IndustrySept. 11, 2019

[Kim Myong-sik] Half century from Jeon Tae-il to Cho Kuk

The name of a social activist that I heard for the first time working as a journalist was Jeon Tae-il, a cutter employed by a small-time garment maker in Seoul’s Cheonggyecheon area. The 22-year-old man was little known even among workers in the corridors of the clothes factories, although he had led protests against extreme working conditions at his and other workplaces for some time. But he instantly became the symbol of labor movements in Korea when he set himself alight, waving the pri

ViewpointsSept. 11, 2019

[Newsmaker] NK’s test-firing of new rocket launcher likely failed

North Korea said Wednesday it test-fired its “super-large multiple rocket launcher” the previous day, however there is speculation in Seoul that one of the projectiles failed to reach its target in the sea. The North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency said leader Kim Jong-un guided the weapons test. It is the second test of the super-large multiple rocket launcher after Aug. 24, and the 10th launch of projectiles conducted by the regime this year.“The Supreme Leader l

North KoreaSept. 11, 2019

Activists decry state human rights watchdog for shoddy probe

A group of activist lawyers continued to decry Wednesday a state human rights watchdog’s probe of the high-profile defection of North Korean restaurant workers in 2016, the results of which were shared with relevant authorities this week.Lawyers for a Democratic Society, more widely known by the Korean acronym Minbyun, staged a protest outside the National Human Rights Commission of Korea headquarters, accusing it of “deliberately equivocated account on ‘the waitresses cas

Social AffairsSept. 11, 2019

Moon wishes for 'fair country' in Chuseok message

President Moon Jae-in expressed hope Wednesday for a "fair country" in his public message to mark Chuseok, one of the biggest traditional holidays in Korea. "I hope it can be a country that is fair to all of us," he said on the eve of the four-day Chuseok holiday period. This year's Chuseok, the Korean autumn harvest celebration, falls on Friday.Moon mentioned three of his policy goals -- a vibrant economy, a fair society and a peaceful Korean Peninsula.He also offered words

PoliticsSept. 11, 2019

Japan's Abe shakes up cabinet, brings in rising star

TOKYO (AFP) -- Japan's Shinzo Abe on Wednesday appointed new foreign and defence ministers and promoted a popular rising political star, in a cabinet reshuffle that fuelled speculation over the prime minister's successor.The spectacular appointment as environment minister of the telegenic Shinjiro Koizumi, the 38-year-old son of much-loved former PM Junichiro Koizumi, set tongues wagging in Tokyo political classes as the Abe era draws to a close."Abe intends to start an open race to pick th

World NewsSept. 11, 2019

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Autumn arrives at Grand Hilton Seoul Grand Hilton Seoul presents Happy Fallidays package for fall.The deal offers one-night stay at a mountain-view room, two glasses of fruit tea and a breakfast for two. Guests can choose the tea flavor, ranging from citron, grapefruit to Jeju hallabong.The deal also offers executive lounge benefits for happy hour, dessert bar, free rental of Cellreturn LED face masks and Nintendo Switch. Access to the indoor pool and fitness facility are complimentary.The packa

FoodSept. 11, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in Theaters this week

It Chapter Two(US)Opened Sept. 4HorrorDirected by Andy Muschietti Twenty-seven years after the Losers Club defeated Pennywise, he has returned to terrorize the town of Derry once more. Now adults, the Losers have long since gone their separate ways. However, kids are disappearing again, so Mike (Isaiah Mustafa), the only one of the group to remain in their hometown, calls the others home.Tune in for Love(Korea)Opened Aug. 28Romance, DramaDirected by Jung Ji-wooIn 1994, when singer Yoo Yeol appea

FilmSept. 11, 2019

[Eye plus] Where tradition lives on

The approaching Chuseok holiday is a time of the year that Koreans press pause in their busy day-to-day life and appreciate traditional values of their family, communities and the nation as a whole. Many families visit palaces and famous historic sites during the holiday, usually after performing ancestral rites in the morning of Chuseok, which this year falls on Friday. One of the popular destinations is Namsangol Hanok Village in central Seoul, a traditional village that shows what life was du

CultureSept. 11, 2019

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

1. Coex Aquarium hosts Chuseok eventCoex Aquarium is holding its “Follow moonlight, follow water” Chuseok event to commemorate the holidays this week, from Thursday to Sunday.As it is a Korean tradition to wish upon the full moon during Chuseok, a full moon display will be placed at the “Wish Place” zone in front of the Pirarucu tank at Amazonia World.A special underwater performance of Korean traditional games will replace the usual mermaid performance at Deep Blue Squar

TravelSept. 11, 2019

Mirae Asset buys 15 premium hotels in US

Mirae Asset Global Investments said Wednesday that it has acquired 15 premium hotels in the United States, marking the single highest number in overseas alternative investments by a Korean company.The asset management unit of Mirae Asset Financial Group recently signed a contract with China’s Anbang Insurance to acquire 15 five-star hotels and resorts in key US cities, officials said. The total figure on the package deal was not revealed. Competitors in the bid were top-tier global investo

MarketSept. 11, 2019

Tension mounts between prosecution and Justice Ministry

Tension is mounting between the prosecution and Justice Ministry, with embattled Justice Minister Cho Kuk pushing for an overhaul of the powerful law enforcement agency and prosecutors accelerating a probe into corruption allegations involving his family. Controversy surfaced Wednesday after Justice Ministry’s senior officials were reported to have suggested high-ranking officials from the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office set up an investigation team excluding Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok

Social AffairsSept. 11, 2019

[Newsmaker] Bolton’s exit may add flexibility to NK talks but could hinder full denuke efforts

Hawkish US national security adviser John Bolton’s departure may bring flexibility to the upcoming nuclear talks with North Korea but could undercut efforts to achieve the regime’s complete denuclearization, analysts said Wednesday.US President Donald Trump announced in a surprise tweet Tuesday that he has fired the conservative advisor and that he will name a replacement next week. He cited strong disagreements with many of Bolton‘s foreign policy suggestions.Bolton’s re

North KoreaSept. 11, 2019

Moon says no to ministry’s presidential library plan

President Moon Jae-in does not want a library to store documents and materials produced during his presidency to be constructed, Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday.A day earlier, the National Archive of Korea announced a project worth 17.2 billion won ($14.4 million) to build a separate presidential library for Moon.It cited a shortage of space in the national library for the country’s retired presidents, located in the city of Sejong.The agency, affiliated with the Ministry of the Interior and

PoliticsSept. 11, 2019

Coupang’s CS delivery expert certification approved by government

Coupang’s in-house deliverymen certification system has been recognized by the Human Resources Development Service of Korea under the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the company said Tuesday. It is the first delivery-related certification to be approved by a government agency.Coupang’s CS Delivery Expert certification, broken down to Fresh, Senior, Pro, and Master level, is used to rate the level of expertise of Coupang’s deliverymen Coupangmen.  Coupang explained that t

IndustrySept. 11, 2019

Films, performances, events to spice up Chuseok

It is called the “grand national migration,” as Koreans pack up, and set off to visit their hometowns, families, and pay respect to their ancestors during the upcoming Chuseok holidays.During the four-day holidays, one of the biggest in the nation -- commemorating the autumn harvest -- there are several events being offered to keep oneself entertained.Film distributing giants Lotte Entertainment and CJ Entertainments are clashing head-on as their heavyweight movies roll out on Wednes

CultureSept. 11, 2019