Korean Postal Workers’ Union narrowly avoids all-out strike

The Korean Postal Workers’ Union has decided to scrap its plans for an all-out strike initially scheduled to take place this week, narrowly avoiding what would have been the country’s worst-ever delay in postal services, the union said Monday.“It was a difficult decision, but the government said it will make improvements (to prevent) deaths due to excessive workloads. We have also agreed to accept the government’s settlement out of concern that the public would be affecte

Social AffairsJuly 8, 2019

Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong flies to Tokyo to seek support from Japanese suppliers

As South Korea continued to weigh its move against Japanese controls on exports of key materials to domestic tech companies, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong flew to Tokyo late Sunday to meet with his counterparts. 　Finding himself a de-facto channel for Korean industry, and possibly even the government, to relay Seoul’s stance and seek alternatives, Lee is likely to contact Sumimoto Chemical Chairman Hiromasa Yonekura, Mitsubishi Trading CEO Hironobu Abe and Ushio

IndustryJuly 8, 2019

N. Korea renews call for economic development on anniversary of founder’s death

North Korea’s official media on Monday urged its people to build an economic powerhouse as the country marked the 25th anniversary of the death of founding leader Kim Il-sung. “Today’s grand advance in economic development is a sacred and rewarding struggle of our great leaders to realize their aspirations for a patriotic and powerful country,” the Rodong Sinmun, the official mouthpiece of the Workers’ Party, said in an editorial.  On Monday, Kim Jong-un paid h

North KoreaJuly 8, 2019

Young artists take on human body

Our bodies are constantly changing, often in ways we are unaware of. You look at pictures of yourself taken years earlier, and you can see changes you did not notice as they were happening.Chang Seo-young and Hwang Sue-yon are two women artists in their 30s whose works, which make close observations of bodies, are on show at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art’s Young Korean Artists 2019 exhibition.While Chang, 36, and Hwang, 38, both deal with the body, their approaches are

Arts & DesignJuly 8, 2019

[Diplomatic circuit] Yang In-mo to lead Honorary Consular Corps of Korea

Former Samsung Executive Yang In-mo was elected as the new dean of the Honorary Consular Corps of Korea, an organization of diplomats promoting friendship and cooperation among countries. Yang, the honorary consul general of Croatia to Korea, started his two-year term as the sixth dean of the corps on July 1, after a unanimous vote at a regular annual meeting on June 26.  The corps of honorary consuls in Korea consists of honorary consuls in the private sector appointed by foreign governmen

Diplomatic CircuitJuly 8, 2019

[Diplomatic circuit] French Chamber to host Bastille Day gala

The French Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry together with the French Embassy in Korea will host their annual Bastille Day event Friday. More than 500 guests will take part in this biggest event of the year for the French Korean community, a celebration of French culture. Bastille Day, France’s national day, commemorates the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, a turning point in the French Revolution, as well as the Fete de la Federation, a celebra

Foreign AffairsJuly 8, 2019

[Ivo Daalder] Real threat to liberalism is US’ unwillingness to defend it

“The liberal idea has become obsolete,” Russian President Vladimir Putin told the Financial Times in an eye-opening interview. It would be easy to dismiss this declaration of liberalism’s demise, considering the messenger.That would be a mistake. Putin has spent the better part of two decades centralizing his own power at home while actively undermining liberal institutions abroad. But it is the failure of the United States and its allies to adequately defend liberalism that is

ViewpointsJuly 8, 2019

Culture minister vows support for gaming market

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Yang-woo on Monday said the ministry will continue to support growth of the local gaming market while preparing measures related to the World Health Organization’s recent move to classify gaming addiction as a disease.Speaking at a press conference marking his 100th day in office, Park called the gaming market a “fast-growing export market.” “I promised the gaming industry in May that I would remove the monthly restriction for

CultureJuly 8, 2019

[Trudy Rubin] Despite DMZ photo op with Kim Jong-un, Trump has made no progress on eliminating Korean nukes

We all know how much President Donald Trump loves photo ops with strongmen. The latest was his high drama pose with Kim Jong-un, on the northern side of the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea, late last month.Announced by tweet and improvised at the last minute, this move was another instance of Trump’s overtures to autocrats and dictators -- on grounds that warm relationships will morph into great political deals.If Trump’s embrace of Kim -- “we fell in love,&rdq

ViewpointsJuly 8, 2019

Jeju shark warning closes Hamdeok Beach

A beach on Jeju Island was temporarily closed Monday as citizens spotted what appeared to be a shark and alerted staff. At around 12:30 p.m., something that looked like a shark was seen in waters off the Cloud Bridge east of Hamdeok Beach, and the operators immediately limited public access to the beach. Jeju City took a video of the supposed shark off the shore and delivered the footage to Jeju National University’s College of Marine Science to check. There have been a handful o

Social AffairsJuly 8, 2019

Moon urges Japan to reconsider export restrictions on Korean tech firms

President Moon Jae-in on Monday urged Japan to withdraw restrictions on exports of hi-tech materials to South Korea, while calling on government agencies to work closely with the business community to deal with the “unprecedented emergency.”Speaking at a weekly meeting with senior presidential aides, Moon said that Japan’s move violates principles of free trade, and urged it to reconsider using trade for political ends. “(I) urge Japan to withdraw the measures, and call f

Foreign AffairsJuly 8, 2019

SK Innovation’s trading unit to quadruple oil blending capacity

A trading unit of SK Innovation, which owns the country’s largest refiner SK Energy, will quadruple its offshore low-sulfur fuel supply in 2020 to meet the growing demand for diesel fuel with substantially lowered sulfur content under toughening emission control regulations, the company said Monday.SK Trading International plans to increase its oil blending capacity from 23,000 barrels per day to 90,000 barrels next year, aiming to become the No. 1 provider of low-sulfur fuel in Asia. The

IndustryJuly 8, 2019

S. Korea says it complies with anti-NK sanctions after Abe raises suspicion

South Korea is faithfully complying with sanctions on North Korea, a foreign ministry official said Monday, a day after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe raised the possibility of non-compliance, apparently to justify Tokyo's recent export restrictions against Seoul.In a debate hosted by Japan's BS Fuji TV, Abe said it is a matter of course to suspect that South Korea may not abide by sanctions on the North because it did not keep to an agreement with Tokyo over the issue of wartime forced labo

Foreign AffairsJuly 8, 2019

Process for internet-only bank applications to resume

South Korea’s financial regulator is to resume the process to select a new online-only bank here, hoping to announce the result by the year’s end, according to officials Monday.The Financial Services Commission plans to announce later this month its plan to receive applications for business approval for an internet-only bank, officials said. The feasible timeline is to receive applications starting October and grant a preliminary license to one or more successful applicants by the en

MarketJuly 8, 2019

Japan’s export curbs cast cloud over HHI-DSME takeover

Amid the growing political and economic row between South Korea and Japan, Hyundai Heavy Industries faces fresh concerns over its decision to acquire Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering as it needs to get approval from Japan’s regulators amid a widespread anti-Korean sentiment. After submitting a request for formal approval from Korea’s Fair Trade Commission early this month, HHI is slated to make similar requests to antitrust watchdogs in Japan, China, Kazakhstan and the Eu

IndustryJuly 8, 2019

[News briefs] Police arrest homeless man for threatening Our Republican Party member

A 55-year-old homeless man has been arrested on charges of threatening a member of the far-right Our Republican Party with a utility knife, police said Monday.According to Jongno Police Station, the suspect stepped inside the party’s tent at Cheonggye Plaza in central Seoul on Sunday morning, took out the weapon and threatened the victim to remove the tent. The suspect and victim engaged in a quarrel after the suspect complained about the tent.Party members reported the case to police and

PoliticsJuly 8, 2019

Kakao suspends popular emoji sales amid plagiarism row

South Korea’s top mobile messenger app operator Kakao said Monday it has suspended sales of its highly sought-after emoji, amid plagiarism allegations by a Japanese developer. According to the firm, its “DDingdongs Day” emoji is no longer available on its Kakao Talk app store. After it was launched last year, the emoji gained popularity after some K-pop fans spotted popular boy band BTS members using it. Japanese developer Yuki Kanai has claimed that Kakao’s emoji plagiar

TechnologyJuly 8, 2019

School Food enters Hong Kong with grab-and-go concept

South Korean food chain operator SF Innovation is officially launching its Korean food brand School Food in Hong Kong by opening a store in Tseung Kwan O, the company said Monday.  The new store, the third of its kind in Hong Kong, will be located in Metro City Plaza and will showcase the grab-and-go food concept. Metro City Plaza is one of the largest shopping centers in the Tseung Kwan O area, run by Hong Kong’s real estate group Henderson Group.The company said it aims to offe

IndustryJuly 8, 2019

[News Focus] Korea vitalizes redeveloping harbors on 3 sides

SEJONG -- Earlier this year, South Korea pledged to foster “smart harbors” across the country as part of a move in a variety of sectors preparing for the coming era of the “fourth industrial revolution.”The futuristic harbors will likely be equipped with state-of-the-art technologies such as artificial intelligence, the internet of things and robotics, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.Officials said the project’s focus will be 31 harbors designated

IndustryJuly 8, 2019