US would seek for UNSC measures if N. Korea fires missiles again: news report

Although the United States has played down recent launches of short-range missiles by North Korea, it will seek substantive action if the communist regime fires again.A Japanese news outlet reported late Tuesday that the US has warned that if North Korea launches a short-range ballistic missile again, it will demand further measures to be taken by the United Nations Security Council.According to Japan’s Kyodo News Agency, the US told Japan and permanent members of the UNSC that it will &ld

North KoreaMay 22, 2019

Bush in S. Korea for former President Roh's death anniversary

Former US President George W. Bush arrived in South Korea on Wednesday to attend a ceremony to mark the 10th anniversary of former President Roh Moo-hyun's death.He arrived at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul on a special Korean Air flight, wearing a jacket and sneakers. He waved to reporters but did not answer a question about whether he has any message for South Koreans.Bush is scheduled to meet with President Moon Jae-in at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday morning and head to Bongha Vill

InternationalMay 22, 2019

European nations pitch to attract Korean startups at EXIT Daejeon 2019

European countries pitched to attract South Korean startups during an event held at the Global Startup Festival Daejeon 2019 on Wednesday. During a sideline event called Startup Talk Concert with Foreign Embassies, officials from Finland, the Netherlands and Australia said their governments and private sector are putting a lot of efforts to nurture domestic and overseas startups. “The Australian government is putting more emphasis on startups as the country shifts from coal and mining

TechnologyMay 22, 2019

Global policy framework to enhance transport connectivity in spotlight

LEIPZIG, Germany -- Seeking to set standards to improve transport connectivity around the world and address concerted efforts on decreasing carbon emissions, a three-day forum was kicked off in the German city of Leipzig with more than 1,000 delegates from 70 countries.At the International Transport Forum, dubbed as Davos of Transport, around 40 ministers gathered to discuss a wide range of topics from vehicle-to-vehicle connectivity to new trade routes. South Korea holds the presidency of this

MobilityMay 22, 2019

[Kim Myong-sik] Insatiable ‘historians,’ enough is enough

Korea today has an abundant supply of photo artists, poets and historians. New smartphones are equipped with high-definition cameras of 12 to 16 megapixels, which can produce great pictures. But our amateur photographers, many of whom are old, need something different. They go about on city streets, mountains and seashores carrying branded cameras -- the digital version -- with long lenses and even tripods to take thousands of shots of anything within their sight. Poets, of course self-styled, m

ViewpointsMay 22, 2019

[Carl P. Leubsdorf] One constant to Trump’s foreign policy: failure

As a presidential candidate in 2016, Donald Trump promised to pursue an “unpredictable” foreign policy to keep the nation’s enemies off balance. But in recent weeks, his unpredictability seems to be keeping his own administration off balance.　 Whether the issue is Venezuela, Korea or Iran, his administration has displayed contradictory positions that have created doubt about its true intent, both abroad and at home. They’ve been marked by barely concealed public dissen

ViewpointsMay 22, 2019

[Seoul Food Alley] Chicken stew alley with fishy vibe in Dongdaemun

Seoul’s alleys are filled with eateries specializing in particular dishes. The Korea Herald takes you on a foodie trip to narrow alleys where decades-old establishments beckon diners with their secret recipes, often handed down through generations. -- Ed.Hidden among massive shopping malls, the back alleys of Dongdaemun are filled with old eateries that have been serving spicy meals for decades. Tucked away near Pyounghwa Market, the wholesale market for clothing, is a meter-wide alley serving c

FoodMay 22, 2019

US, North Korea square off over seized trade ship

The US State Department on Wednesday reaffirmed that UN sanctions against North Korea will remain in place, after Pyongyang publicly criticized Washington’s “extreme hostile policy” regarding the seizure of its cargo ship, escalating tensions between the two countries amid stalled nuclear talks. In a rare press conference at the UN in New York on Tuesday, North Korea’s UN Ambassador Kim Song demanded immediate return of the country’s second-largest cargo ship, the W

North KoreaMay 22, 2019

QLED TV leads growth of global TV market in Q1

Quantum-dot light-emitting diode TVs led growth in the world’s premium TV market in the first quarter of this year, in contrast to organic light-emitting diode TVs, according to market data on Wednesday. Data compiled by IHS Markit showed that a total of 912,000 QLED TVs were sold in the January to March period, increasing 2.5-fold from 367,000 units in the same period last year. Samsung Electronics spearheaded growth in QLED TVs by selling 896,000 units, a threefold increase from a year e

TechnologyMay 22, 2019

[Herald Review] ‘Aladdin’ remake is OK, but not enchanting

Watching the trailer of the “Aladdin,” 2019 remake of the beloved 1992 Disney animation, I thought it would be either be fantastic or a steaming pile of disappointment. To my surprise, it was neither. The Guy Ritchie film had its fun moments, and was an absolute joy to the eyes. Its characters were likeable, but the flick had some clunky storytelling moments and did not really capture the wonder and magic of the original.  “Aladdin” / Walt Disney Co. Korea“Street rat” Aladdin (Mena Massoud) is a

FilmMay 22, 2019

Hyundai E&C clinches $2.45b plant deal in Iraq

Hyundai Engineering & Construction has clinched a $2.45 billion deal to build a seawater processing facility in Iraq, marking its first overseas contract this year, officials said.The South Korean builder on Wednesday signed a letter of intent with the state-run Basra Oil Co. for a 49-month project to build a seawater supply plant in the southern state of Basra.Once completed, the facility will be capable of supplying 5 million barrels of fresh water per day, contributing to increasing crude

IndustryMay 22, 2019

[Herald Interview] The Shortcut to train talent from diverse backgrounds

DAEJEON -- Established in January, 2016, The Shortcut, a community-based Finnish organization, has been offering pro-bono training programs for people with diverse backgrounds, including refugees, immigrants, and multicultural youth, to help them get a breakthrough in the technology sector.While nurturing people to have skill sets, the organization also helps quench the thirst for skilled personnel in the startup world. “What we do is accelerate people from diverse backgrounds to thin

TechnologyMay 22, 2019

Toss vs. Kiwoom: anticipation builds for Korea's third internet-only bank license

As South Korea’s financial regulators prepare to issue new operational licenses for internet-only banks here next week, all eyes are on the approval prospects of Toss Bank and Kiwoom Bank -- the two consortia currently in the running for preliminary permits. 　Up to two licenses are up for grabs, though the Financial Services Commission, the country’s chief financial regulatory body, has hinted it may approve only one. 　 The FSC’s review panel and the Financial Supervisory Servi

MarketMay 22, 2019

[Newsmaker] Crested ibises return to wild in S. Korea 40 years after going extinct

Crested ibises, an endangered bird, were reintroduced to the wild in South Korea on Wednesday, 40 years after the species went extinct on the Korean Peninsula.Forty crested ibises, which were bred in captivity at the Crested Ibis Restoration Center, were released into the wild of Upo Wetland in Changnyeong of South Gyeongsang Province, 350 kilometers southeast of Seoul.The Ministry of Environment and local governments organized a release ceremony for the birds at the wetland, just in time for Wo

Social AffairsMay 22, 2019

Swinging times in the DMZ

You can ride on a swing in the Demilitarized Zone along the border between the two Koreas, and it’s even a three-seater. Danish artist group Superflex’s two-swing set from their 2017 large-scale installation “One Two Three Swing!” has been installed at Dora observatory situated at the northernmost point of the DMZ, in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. Tourists and soldiers visiting Dora observatory were swinging under blue-clear sky on Tuesday. Taking pictures of them was Jak

Arts & DesignMay 22, 2019

[Foreign Execs in Korea: 1] Turning Hyundai Motor into agile global player

The Korea Herald is publishing a series of interviews with foreign executives at Korean firms on their role and vision for change, growth in the homogenous corporate world. -- Ed.What drove the former BMW executive to take on the heart of the research and development unit of Hyundai Motor four years ago was the strategic vision of the carmaker’s heir and Korean engineers’ ambition for perfection.In an interview with The Korea Herald, Albert Biermann, the head of R&D at Hyundai Mo

MobilityMay 22, 2019

US e-cigarette brand Juul lands in Korea

Despite government efforts to curb smoking, the tobacco industry here and abroad has been advancing with new innovative products, the latest being US e-cigarette maker Juul Labs that formally launched here Wednesday.Juul claims that that its vape pens will hit the local market Friday, challenging the tobacco market here which has recently been led by heat-not-burn tobacco devices.  It is the American startup’s first Asia-Pacific entry since it was launched in 2017.In the US, Juul acco

IndustryMay 22, 2019

Posco upgrades benefit sharing incentives for business partners

South Korea’s largest steelmaker Posco will be upgrading its benefit sharing system, expanding opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises and increasing performance compensations, the company said Thursday.Pioneered by Posco in 2004, benefit sharing system is a joint cooperation between corporates and SMEs that provides a win-win scenario for both parties. Not only can SMEs utilize technologies of large corporates, but corporates can also improve its materials and secure a stable

IndustryMay 22, 2019

South Korea seeks to become bio-health powerhouse, invest W4tr in bio big data

South Korea has chosen the bio-health industry as one of its three new target growth engines, alongside non-memory chips and future mobility. Through the industry, it aims to capture a 6 percent global market share, reach $50 billion in exports and create 300,000 jobs by 2030. “Bio-health will continue to grow and develop,” said President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday at a ceremony to proclaim the nation’s bio-health vision in Osong Bio Valley, North Chungcheong Province, attended b

IndustryMay 22, 2019