Korea Art Week seeks to reach out to public

Korea Art Week 2019 aims to reach a broader audience this year, with a larger number of participants from both the private and public art sectors. Organized by the Culture Ministry’s Korea Arts Management Service, the weeklong event from Sept. 25 to Oct. 9 promotes local exhibitions and art markets.  Marking its fifth edition, Korea Art Week will involve some 250 public and private art museums and nonprofit exhibition spaces around the country, a large increase from the 180 that parti

Arts & DesignSept. 9, 2019

[Announcement] Herald Design Forum 2019

Herald Design Forum 2019 will be held on Oct. 10 at Grand Hyatt Seoul, under the theme “Do We Need Another Planet?”The forum, which celebrates its ninth anniversary this year, has invited internationally recognized designers, artists and scientists to discuss issues related to ecology and the environment, as well as future prospects. A keynote speech by actress Gong Hyo-jin, an environmental activist who leads a local upcycling project, “Super Magic Factory,” will op

Arts & DesignSept. 9, 2019

Drug smuggling in Korea doubles in 2018: data

The amount of illegal drugs confiscated by the South Korean investigative authorities doubled over the year in 2018, according to prosecution figures released on Monday.The prosecution seized a total of 517.2 kilogram narcotics last year, a 99.8 percent jump from 258.9 kg in 2017, a report released by the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office showed.  The report showed that the amount of drugs smuggled increased as more suppliers inside Korea have become involved in international drug trade, sn

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2019

Galaxy Fold sailing smoothly toward new foldable market

Samsung Electronics’ limited edition strategy for the Galaxy Fold is turning out to be working effectively by accurately targeting consumers’ penchant for rarity, according to industry sources Monday. After the first batch of the world’s first 7.3-inch foldable device was sold out on Thursday and Friday, there are an increasing number of Koreans who are seeking ways to get the limited phone online. On online communities where people trade second-hand products, there were posts

TechnologySept. 9, 2019

[Herald Review] Yo-Yo Ma ‘saves’ Korea with Bach’s cello suites

On Sunday, Chinese American cellist Yo-Yo Ma delivered his message of “I want Bach to save the world” to the Seoul audience. Ma, 64, performed J.S. Bach’s six cello suites for solo cello as part of the Credia Park Concert at Jamsil in eastern Seoul, playing all 36 movements without an intermission in a 150-minute concert.The Bach Project began in August 2018 and has spread across 36 cities on six continents over a period of two years. “I want Bach to save the world,&rdquo

PerformanceSept. 9, 2019

Scent of mugwort fills Andaz Seoul

Global hotel chain Hyatt’s luxury lifestyle hotel brand Andaz opened its first property, Andaz Seoul Gangnam, in Apgujeong-dong, southern Seoul, Friday. According to the hotel, Andaz, meaning “personal style” in Hindi, hopes to overcome the stereotypes of a luxury hotel and respect the individuality of each guest and service staff member.  The 241-room hotel is Andaz’s 21st in the world and its fourth in Asia -- the others are in Tokyo, Shanghai and Singapore. The h

TravelSept. 9, 2019

US coaxing, pressuring N. Korea for talks

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday that the US is hopeful that its nuclear talks with North Korea will resume within days or weeks, while the US Congress and other officials warned that other countries in the region may seek nuclear armament if Pyongyang fails to denuclearize. In an interview with ABC, Pompeo made a fresh call to restart working-level dialogue. Washington has repeated calls for the resumption of dialogue, to which Pyongyang has been lukewarm in responding. US Presiden

North KoreaSept. 9, 2019

[Herald Interview] New Busan-Jinhae FEZ chief seeks paradigm shift

For the past 15 years, the Busan-Jinhae Free Economic Zone in South Gyeongsang Province has succeeded in developing infrastructure and creating a suitable business environment for investors. And now is the time to seek a paradigm shift by nurturing innovative technologies and easing regulations for the growth of new industries, its new chief said. In an interview with The Korea Herald, BJFEZ Commissioner Ha Sung-cheol said he seeks to attract companies specialized in manufacturing high value-add

IndustrySept. 9, 2019

[Joe Nocera] Trump administration playing dirty with automakers

The sad degradation of the US Department of Justice’s antitrust division continues. An agency charged with upholding the nation’s antitrust laws, without fear or favor, has become just another tool President Donald Trump uses to reward his friends and punish his enemies in corporate America.I don’t know how else you can characterize the news, reported by the Wall Street Journal on Friday, that the DOJ is investigating four major automakers that agreed to abide by California&rsq

ViewpointsSept. 9, 2019

[Adam Minter] Time to regulate outer space

Last week, the European Space Agency reached out to warn Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies that one of its satellites might collide with a SpaceX communications satellite. When ESA first raised such concerns in late August, the chances of a crash were 1 in 50,000; SpaceX had said then that it didn’t think the risk was high enough to justify action. Now the odds had narrowed to 1 in 1,000. Yet ESA received no reply.Eventually the space agency unilaterally moved its satellite

ViewpointsSept. 9, 2019

Short films to be produced to promote S. Korea’s image

Three young directors will create short films that will depict unique aspects of South Korea, in a bid by the government to provide a fresh new image of the country to the outside world.According to the Korean Culture and Information Service, an affiliate of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, directors Oh Seung-yoon, Lee Dong-eun and Shin Su-won will participate in the joint project of creating a three-part omnibus.  Oh, whose most notable works include 2018 animation film “

CultureSept. 9, 2019

[News Focus] Seoul apartment prices keep skyrocketing since 2017

SEJONG -- A large portion of online commenters say that the Moon Jae-in government should be held accountable for letting housing prices spiral out of control since taking office in May 2017.A variety of data showed that Seoul apartment prices climbed sharply between 2017 and 2018, compared to figures during past administrations.In 2012, apartment prices in Seoul posted the negative growth of 6.1 percent on-year, hit by the subprime mortgage fiasco in the US and the global financial crisis.Figur

EconomySept. 9, 2019

8 firms fined 3.1 bln won over price fixing

South Korea's antitrust regulator said Monday it has fined eight logistics companies a combined 3.1 billion won ($2.6 million) for colluding to fix their bidding prices for a state-run utility firm and its three power generation units.Hanjin Transportation Co., CJ Logistics Corp. and six other logistics companies fixed their bids on 10 occasions between 2011 and 2016 to secure a stable quantity of goods for transportation from Korea Electric Power Corp. and avoid price competition, according to

MarketSept. 9, 2019

S. Korea recovering from typhoon amid new torrential rain warning

South Korea is making all-out efforts Monday to recover from the damage incurred by Typhoon Lingling that smashed the Korean Peninsula over the weekend, which killed three, injured 24 others and damaged more than 9,400 facilities. To make things worse, a new torrential rain warning, issued nationwide following the retreat of the typhoon, is feared to slow the recovery work and cause additional damage.  According to the interior ministry, Lingling, whose winds were the fifth strongest ever r

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2019

Rescue continues for those aboard Hyundai Glovis ship

South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday that the rescue operation to save those believed to be trapped inside Hyundai Glovis’ capsized cargo ship off the US East Coast was underway, as the related authorities gathered for a meeting to dispatch a team to deal with the accident.According to the ministry, Hyundai Glovis car transport vessel the Golden Ray listed sharply in waters off the US state of Georgia at around 1:30 a.m. Sunday, local time. The Golden Ray was carryi

IndustrySept. 9, 2019

[Newsmaker] Prison term confirmed for ex-governor found guilty of rape

The top court on Monday confirmed the 3 1/2-year prison sentence for former South Chungcheong Province Gov. An Hee-jung for raping his female aide, in the country’s highest-profile #MeToo movement case.The Supreme Court acknowledged “invisible power” held by 54-year-old An -- at one time a strong presidential contender in the liberal bloc -- in using his authority and sexually assaulting the victim -- An’s secretary -- upholding an appeal court’s ruling. The la

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2019

Hyundai, Kia invest in European EV charging venture for clean mobility

Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors said Monday that they will invest in Ionity, a joint venture by the world’s leading automobile giants to build a pan-European high-power charging network for electric vehicles.Hyundai Motor Group, parent firm of the nation’s top two automakers, has acquired a 20 percent stake in the joint venture in an effort to demonstrate its commitment to clean mobility, the firms said. Details such as the value of the deal were not provided.  Ionity

MobilitySept. 9, 2019

SK Energy to issue green bonds worth W300b

SK Energy, an oil refining unit of SK Innovation, is set to become the first Korean manufacturer to issue green bonds in an effort to strengthen eco-friendly businesses, the company said Monday. A green bond is specifically earmarked to be used for climate and environmental projects.The company said it will issue green bonds worth 300 billion won ($251 million) on Sept. 26 and may increase the amount to 500 billion won later. The conditions of issuance will be determined after conducting demand

IndustrySept. 9, 2019

Incheon gears up for 2020 ADB annual meeting

Incheon is gearing up for the 53rd Asia Development Bank annual meeting slated for May 2020, the city office said Monday.South Korea, an ADB member since its establishment in 1966, is now a contributing country after having been a beneficiary of its assistance during postwar economic reconstruction.Incheon will be the third Korean city to host the event, following the third meeting held in Seoul in 1970 and the 37th meeting held in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, in 2004. The decision to designate Incheo

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2019