9 killed, at least 16 injured in Ohio shooting

DAYTON, Ohio — Nine people in Ohio have been killed in the second mass shooting in the US in less than 24 hours, and the suspected shooter is also deceased, police said.Dayton police tweeted that an active shooter situation began in the Oregon District at 1:22 a.m., but that officers nearby were able to "put an end to it quickly." At least 16 others were taken to local hospitals with injuries, police said.The suspected shooter's identity has not been released.Miami Valley Hospita

World NewsAug. 4, 2019

[Jean Pisani-Ferry] The upcoming clash between climate and trade

The incoming president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has laid out a highly ambitious climate agenda. In her first 100 days in office, she intends to propose a European Green Deal, as well as legislation that would commit the European Union to becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Her immediate priority will be to step up efforts to reduce the EU’s greenhouse-gas emissions, with the aggressive new goal of halving them (relative to 1990 levels) by 2030. The issue now is how to

ViewpointsAug. 4, 2019

[David Ignatius] Debaters seemed eerily like “America First” Democrats

Last week’s Democratic presidential debates included little substantive discussion of foreign policy -- even about an imminent troop-withdrawal agreement for Afghanistan -- and most of the candidates seemed as eager to retreat from the world as President Trump. The debaters looked eerily like “America First” Democrats, with scant concern about how the United States should protect its interests abroad. Their eagerness to withdraw from Afghanistan matches that of Trump, who wants

ViewpointsAug. 4, 2019

Seoul crafts Japan countermeasures

Korea is gearing up to fire back at Japan after the neighboring country removed its fast-track export status, while seeking ways to mitigate the economic impact of the trading restrictions as the two Asian countries’ bilateral relations sink to a recent rock bottom. The government plans to announce measures to strengthen the competitiveness of the materials and parts industries this week that will come under tighter rules for export approval, following the Tokyo’s cabinet’s dec

Foreign AffairsAug. 4, 2019

[Newsmaker] Sex slavery statue closed off from view at Aichi Triennale 2019

An exhibition of a statue representing victims of wartime sexual slavery by the Japanese military has been shut off to the public following pressure from the Japanese government and right-wing civic groups.Organizers of the Aichi Triennale 2018, a Japanese international art show, have closed off the area displaying the statue created by two South Korean artists. It was the first-ever museum exhibition of the “Statue of a Girl of Peace” in Japan. Similar statues are displayed in Seoul

Foreign AffairsAug. 4, 2019

New US defense chief to visit S. Korea this week

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper will visit South Korea this week for talks with his South Korean counterpart, the South Korean defense ministry said Sunday.The trip comes as North Korea continues its military provocations against South Korea's joint military exercises with the United States and as Washington reportedly wants Seoul to increase its contribution to the cost of stationing 28,500 American troops in its Asian ally's territory.During his stay in Seoul, Esper will meet with South Korean

Foreign AffairsAug. 4, 2019

Forever Living aims to appeal to Korean customers with high-quality aloe vera products

Arizona-based aloe vera manufacturer Forever Living aims to appeal to Korean customers with high-quality products and marketing of its aloe vera-based health and diet supplements.Forever Living -- the largest aloe vera retailer in the world with 4 trillion won ($3 billion) in annual sales -- entered Korea in 1988.The company has a presence in dozens of countries, with its aloe vera products ranging from cosmetics to health and diet supplements.  It also runs Forever Nutraceutical, a researc

IndustryAug. 4, 2019

How will import process change with Japan’s whitelist exclusion of Korea?

South Korean manufacturers of cutting-edge electronic components are likely to face increasing costs and burden of securing hi-tech materials and parts from Japan following the decision to remove the country from its whitelist of entrusted trade partners. Korean companies that purchase any of the 1,115 items designated as strategic materials from Japan will now be required to submit extra documents including export approval, the final users’ covenants and reasons for imports.  As many

IndustryAug. 4, 2019

BTS Jimin sets new record with 3 songs with 50m streams on Spotify

Jimin of boy band phenomenon BTS has become the first Korean singer to have three songs on Spotify to each surpass 50 million streams.Seven months after “Intro: Serendipity” and “Lie” hit 50 million streams on Spotify, Jimin has extended his record and set a new high-water mark for Korean singers with “Serendipity (Full Length Edition).” No other Korean act has achieved two songs with 50 million streams on Spotify since Psy pulled off the feat with “Gang

PerformanceAug. 4, 2019

S. Korea struggles to attain 2% range GDP growth this year

In light of the trade conflict with Japan and other external risks, concerns are mounting that South Korea’s economic growth this year may fall below 2 percent at worst, lower than the range of 2.2-2.5 percent forecast by the government and the central bank.The state-run think tank Korea Institute for International Economic Policy said in its recent report that Japan’s export restrictions would reduce Korea’s gross domestic product by 0.27-0.44 percentage point. The report

EconomyAug. 4, 2019

[Herald Review] ‘Ghost Walk’ delves into life through eyes of a specter

What does it mean for someone to live? To lead a life that is beyond mere survival, to bring meaning to a moment of fleeting existence on Earth?Yu Eun-jeong explores the existential question in her first feature film, the cleverly-directed and poignant “Ghost Walk,” through the eyes of someone who is no longer among the living.The film follows Hye-jeong (Han Hae-in), a factory worker whose provincial life is devoid of any fun, challenges, or emotional stimulation, shutting herself do

FilmAug. 4, 2019

South Korean man arrested in Hong Kong on suspicion of illegal protest

Amid mass protests in Hong Kong objecting to a controversial extradition law, a South Korean man in his 20s was arrested for allegedly participating in an illegal protest, South Korean authorities said Sunday.This is the first time a South Korean national has been arrested since pro-democracy demonstrations began in the semiautonomous region in June.According to South Korea’s Consulate General in Hong Kong, Hong Kong police are interrogating the man, who was arrested at around 2 a.m. Sunda

Social AffairsAug. 4, 2019

Tech firms expand mobile payment services offline

Seeking to introduce a series of advanced mobile payment services targeting the offline market this year, tech companies are up for heated competition over the smartphone-based payment market here.Dominant Korean internet portal Naver said last month that it would soon launch a mobile payment system available at local stores and restaurants. Combined with its incumbent Naver Pay mobile payment platform, offline service “Table Order” is expected to launch in the third quarter of this

TechnologyAug. 4, 2019

S. Korea to expand state budget to cope with Japan’s trade curbs

The ruling party, government and presidential office on Sunday vowed to add at least 1 trillion won ($833 million) to next year’s state budget, in an effort to expand fiscal space amid escalated trade tension with Japan.They also agreed to kick off a task force to promote the manufacturing competitiveness of local parts, components and equipment, to make up for the loss of Japanese imports.  “The government should swiftly execute the corresponding amount from the (recently appro

MarketAug. 4, 2019

S. Korea, US to begin joint military drills Monday

South Korea and the United States will stage joint military drills as scheduled despite warnings from North Korea, the South Korean military authority said Sunday.The joint drills will begin Monday with a computer-simulated command post exercise (CPX) to cope with any emergency on the Korean Peninsula and last for half a month, according to the authority.After the CPX, the allies will spend the remaining 10 days intensively verifying Seoul's capabilities for its envisioned retaking of wartime op

DefenseAug. 4, 2019

Main opposition warns its lawmaker who showed up drunk at National Assembly

Main opposition Liberty Korea Party Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn has issued a warning to Rep. Kim Jae-won, who stirred up controversy after answering questions on the extra budget under the influence of alcohol, the party said Sunday.Kim, chairman of the parliamentary special committee on budget and accounts, showed up drunk at the National Assembly near midnight on Aug. 1 and answered reporters’ questions about the supplementary budget. “It has been confirmed that Rep. Kim Jae-won drank o

PoliticsAug. 4, 2019

Koreans hold candlelight vigil to protest Abe government

Some 680 civic groups held a candlelight vigil over the weekend in protest of the Japanese government’s decision to take South Korea off a list of preferred trading partners and to call on Tokyo to apologize for war crimes it committed in World War II.According to organizers, a Japanese civic group also sent its support, backing the protest against the Abe government’s escalation of conflict with Korea. Some 15,000 people took to the streets to join the candlelight vigil in swelterin

PoliticsAug. 4, 2019

Police to focus on areas with large foreign populations in safety push

Police are expanding efforts to improve safety in neighborhoods with large foreign-born populations.The Korean National Police Agency rolled out additional plans for improving safety in areas with large number of non-citizens on Sunday, including a data analytics project using cellphone data. The announcement follows an earlier move on March 17, when the agency said it would apply crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) to 19 districts with high populations of non-citizens, includi

Social AffairsAug. 4, 2019

Korean victim of Japan’s WWII sex slavery dies, survivor number down to 20

A Korean woman who was forced into sexual slavery for Japanese soldiers during World War II died Sunday.The Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan said Sunday the woman had died earlier in the morning. The funeral will be held in private as per her and her family’s wishes. She is the fifth surviving South Korean sex slavery victim to die this year. This brings to 20 the number of former sex slaves registered with the government. Gender Equality Minis

Social AffairsAug. 4, 2019