Resumption of US-NK dialogue a matter for speculation as drills come to end

A possible resumption of talks between the US and North Korea is in the spotlight as the top nuclear negotiator from Washington is due in Seoul on Tuesday, the final day of their joint military drills. According to the US Department of State, US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun is set to arrive here after visiting Tokyo. His trip to both countries is intended to “further strengthen coordination on the final, fully verified denuclearization” of North Korea. 

North KoreaAug. 19, 2019

Beleaguered air carriers halt cargo services, suffer slump in stock prices

Hit with the triple whammy of global trade conflicts, diminished profitability and management risks, South Korea’s two full-service air carriers have decided to severely cut back on cargo services to carry through their quarterly operating loss, which exceeds 100 billion each.Korean Air and Asiana Airlines both said Monday that they were suspending domestic cargo delivery service as of October, in an effort to improve their financial situation after reporting poor second-quarter earnings a

IndustryAug. 19, 2019

Much ado about bras

For many women, the best moment at the day’s end is getting to unclasp their bras. Now increasingly more women are wondering why that kind of freedom should be confined to home. On May 28, 2018, a group of young women celebrated the annual Menstrual Hygiene Day with a campaign to reject shaming and lift taboos related to menstruation. At the event held in Yeongdeungpo in western Seoul, some women also rallied topless to protest against male voyeurism.  When women’s rights

Social AffairsAug. 19, 2019

[Ann McFeatters] History seems to be repeating in Russia, China

It’s beginning to feel like a 1980s news tape showing America’s despotic enemies running amok.In Russia, a mysterious fatal explosion a few days ago in one of the country’s 10 secret cities where nuclear research takes place has caused an uptick in radiation and raised alarm around the world.It also raises memories of the 1986 meltdown at the Ukrainian nuclear power plant at Chernobyl, which Russia tried desperately to hush up, lying repeatedly about how serious it was. An esti

ViewpointsAug. 19, 2019

[Andrew Sheng] Hong Kong problems are essentially a family quarrel

Summer 2019 will go on record as the hottest summer in human recorded history, but it will also be remembered as a summer of madness, when there are protests everywhere and violence seems to be on the boil. Who would have expected South Korea to be quarreling with Japan? Or India taking away the autonomy of Jammu/Kashmir to direct rule by Delhi? Or the Argentinian peso dropping 30 percent in one day? Why did the US put every one of their major trading partners, including Singapore, Malaysia and

ViewpointsAug. 19, 2019

KOICA holds events to mark World Humanitarian Day

The state-run Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has launched a series of events in Seoul to mark the United Nation’s World Humanitarian Day to honor the contribution of people working on the frontline of emergencies. Under the theme “Gather Together for Humanity,” the KOICA will hold a photo exhibition and talk concerts at Seoul Citizens Hall for eight days from Monday to Aug. 26, jointly with Korea NGO council for Overseas Development Cooperation, UN organizations

Foreign AffairsAug. 19, 2019

Artist couple of Okin Collective found dead

Artist couple Yi Joung-min, 48, and Jin Shi-u, 44, of Okin Collective were found dead at their home Friday, sources within the local art community said Monday. According to the sources, the couple had experienced financial difficulties and conflicts with others in the art world. Police are currently investigating, they said.Okin Collective was a three-member artist collective founded in 2009 to address issues surrounding the eviction of residents of the Okin Apartment Complex in Jongno-gu, centr

Arts & DesignAug. 19, 2019

S. Korean banks criticized for ‘irresponsible selling’ of DLS products

South Korean banks and brokerages are in hot water for selling high-risk derivatives-linked securities and related funds to their customers, mostly retail investors, allegedly without providing sufficient warnings or instructions. According to the watchdog Financial Supervisory Service on Monday, eight major financial institutions here sold a combined 822.4 billion ($678.8 million) worth of DLS and funds that use the high-risk product to 3,654 individual investors and 188 businesses as of Aug. 7

MarketAug. 19, 2019

Celltrion Healthcare expands overseas operations to Europe, Central America

The sales unit of South Korean biopharma giant Celltrion Group is accelerating efforts to expand its overseas operations by launching 10 additional offices in Europe and Central America in the first half, the company said in a regulatory filing Monday.Celltrion Healthcare, the overseas sales and marketing unit of the biosimilar drug manufacturer, has launched offices in Italy, Germany, Belgium, Norway, France and Finland. The list also includes Canada, Chile and Peru.  Celltrion has been ex

TechnologyAug. 19, 2019

[Newsmaker] Liberty Korea Party confirms nationwide rally despite criticism

Liberty Korea Party Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn on Monday reaffirmed his plans to “stand against the left-leaning tyranny” of the Moon Jae-min government by staging a nationwide rally this weekend, widely seen as a move to shore up the main opposition party’s dwindling approval ratings. “In launching an all-out protest we will stand against the left-leaning tyranny of the Moon administration,” he said at a top-level party meeting.“Starting with the rally on the Aug

PoliticsAug. 19, 2019

SK chief opens Icheon Forum, SK Univ. to speed up ‘deep change’

Seeking changes in the way a conglomerate operates, SK Group kicked off an annual in-house forum Monday in search of a new path to transform its wide range of businesses. Hosted by Chairman Chey Tae-won, the Icheon Forum invited CEOs of affiliates, executives and rank-and-file employees to discuss the future of the nation’s third-largest conglomerate, which faces growing geopolitical risks, technological competition and fast-changing consumer markets, officials said.During the third editio

IndustryAug. 19, 2019

Actors Bae Jong-ok, Jung Jae-young to present film award at Busan

The annual Busan International Film Festival is gearing up for its October opening, as it named actors Bae Jong-ok, Jung Jae-young as presenters for this year’s “Actor & Actress of the Year” award.Organizers for this year’s BIFF made the announcement Monday, ahead of the festival that will be held Oct. 3-12 this year. The award will be announced at the closing ceremony on Oct. 12, and will receive 5 million won ($4,130) in prize money. The award was created to shine l

FilmAug. 19, 2019

‘Moon Palace’ highlights ‘Korea in Denmark’ exhibition in Copenhagen

Wolseong (Moon Palace), a now-destroyed royal dwelling of the Silla Dynasty (57 B.C.-A.D. 935), is now the subject of a Danish exhibition held to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.The Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage of the Cultural Heritage Administration, along with Gyeongju City, has been hosting the exhibition “Korea in Denmark - Welcome to the Moon Palace: Wolseong” at the Nikolaj Kunsthal in Copenhagen, Denmar

CultureAug. 19, 2019

Rapper Flowsik to release new single on Sunday

Hip-hop artist Flowsik announced Monday at midnight that he will release a new digital single on Sunday, through a teaser image that he uploaded on his social media page. According to the teaser image, the single will be released at 6 p.m. with the title “1 week,” marking the rapper’s first release in eight months.Flowsik’s agency, Wonder Co. Ltd., told local media that an artist who will “surprise everyone” will take part in the upcoming song, and will also m

PerformanceAug. 19, 2019

Gugak Museum reopens with interactive, high-tech experience

Gugak Museum, South Korea’s only museum dedicated to traditional music gugak, reopens today after a yearlong renovation, offering interactive, high-tech and hands-on exhibits. First opened in 1995 under the auspices of the National Gugak Center, the museum, located in Yangjae-dong, southern Seoul, has been a treasure trove of Korean music and instruments. The remodeling has enhanced visitors’ experience with cutting-edge audio and music-making installations, officials said. 

PerformanceAug. 19, 2019

Police mull publicly naming suspect in case of dismembered body in Han River

Police are to review revealing the identity of a suspect in the murder of a 32-year-old man whose torso was found without a head or limbs in the Han River on Aug. 12.Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency said Monday a committee was to be launched to decide whether to make the suspect’s identity public and to what scope.The suspect, a 39-year-old motel employee, turned himself in to Jongno Police Station on Saturday after police identified the victim via fingerprint analysis after a sever

Social AffairsAug. 19, 2019

Gucci, Louis Vuitton use retro mobile games for marketing

Global fashion houses Gucci and Louis Vuitton have incorporated 8-bit retro games into their mobile apps and online websites to attract more millennial attention. Gucci, the first from high fashion house to pivot to games for marketing, has launched the Gucci Arcade corner in its smartphone application since July. The Gucci Arcade currently has two titles Gucci Bee and Gucci Ace, whose names take after the iconic fashion lines of the Italian brand. Users can play the game for free after download

IndustryAug. 19, 2019

[Newsmaker] Panel confirms widespread use of humidifier disinfectants in military

Humidifier disinfectants, suspected to have been a cause for at least dozens of deaths, were widely used in military barracks and hospitals in the early 2000s, a state-funded agency revealed Monday, raising speculation that a large number of service members could have been exposed to the chemicals.The Special Commission on Social Disaster Investigation said it has confirmed 12 institutions affiliated with the Army, Navy, Air Force and units under the defense ministry had purchased more than 800

DefenseAug. 19, 2019

Naver’s Papago enhances image translation

Papago’s image translation function will be updated to automatically detect text and improve accuracy for three languages.South Korean tech giant Naver said Monday its service Papago will upgrade its image translation for English, Chinese and Korean. The function translates text captured in images.The improved image translation uses deep learning technology to enhance text extraction and recognition from an image.With the “Translate all” feature, users will no longer need to ma

TechnologyAug. 19, 2019