‘Jang-making’ likely to get UNESCO recognition

The traditional Korean ways of making fermented pastes and sauces, or “jang,” are all but certain to make UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage, the Korea Heritage Service said Tuesday, citing a decision the same day by the UN culture and heritage body to recommend the practice for inscription. The final decision by the 12-member Evaluation Body of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage will be reviewed by the 24-country

CultureNov. 5, 2024

Seventeen to light up LA

Los Angeles is about to be illuminated in Seventeen's colors. Pledis Entertainment announced Tuesday its plans to hold Seventeen The City Los Angeles — an event set to transform downtown LA and the city's iconic landmarks with Seventeen-themed activities and displays. Los Angeles marks the final stop of Seventeen’s US tour "Right Here," which began in October. Seventeen The City, which will run from Thursday to Monday, offers events for fans to enjoy before and af

K-popNov. 5, 2024

KTO to publish foreign language e-book on Korean food, ingredients

Stories about popular regional cuisines, ingredients and liquors will be published in Korean and foreign languages in an e-book titled "Taste Your Korea," according to the Korea Tourism Organization. The e-book, to be published in collaboration with the leading Korean comic artist and foodie Huh Young-man, will be released by the end of the year. Huh is best known for his mega-hit comic, “Sik Gaek,” (2002-2010) and is the host of the food reality show “Huh Young-man&r

TravelNov. 5, 2024

[Out of the Shadows] Seoul room clubs offer drugs to compete for clientele

Room salons -- private bars that hire women to entertain guests -- are often accused of abusing their closed-door nature to provide illegal prostitution services. But recently they have been turning to drugs to compete for customers. The main substances used here are ketamine and ecstasy, according to people close to the matter and the police. “The term ‘candy,’ for example, is slang for ecstasy, and its main consumers are visitors of nightlife facilities and those working in e

Social AffairsNov. 5, 2024

KT unveils world’s first 8K IPTV set-top box

South Korean telecom carrier KT Corp. on Tuesday released the world’s first artificial intelligence IPTV set-top box that supports advanced 8K resolution with on-device AI capabilities. The company said the Genie TV set-top box 4 is the first IPTV set-top box globally equipped with an 8K UHD chipset. It offers four times the number of pixels of a 4K UHD screen and 16 times that of a full HD screen. “With a 50 percent performance improvement in its CPU and a dedicated NPU, it optimi

TechnologyNov. 5, 2024

Global scholars discuss AI’s future at Samsung forum

Global scholars and artificial intelligence experts discussed the future of AI, semiconductors, and the use of the technology in everyday life at this year's Samsung AI Forum that kicked off Monday. During the two-day event, renowned academics including Turing Award winners Yoshua Bengio and Yann LeCun, and AMD Chief Technology Officer Joseph Macri, shared their research advancements in AI and computer engineering. “AI is changing our lives at a surprising speed, and as it gets strong

IndustryNov. 5, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'Hellbound Season 2' director, actor discuss unanswered questions, cast change

The first season of Netflix's dark fantasy thriller "Hellbound" was an explosive success, racking up 110 million viewing hours just 10 days after its release with its distinctive narrative in which Koreans are unexpectedly warned by "angels" that they are destined to go to hell. Now, the series is back with a gripping second season and an unexpected twist -- people who were once condemned and cast to hell are now being brought back to life. According to the show's c

TelevisionNov. 5, 2024

[Hearld Interview] BBC Proms' David Pickard brings British institution to Korea as final project

After a decade at the helm of one of the world’s most celebrated classical music festivals, David Pickard, the artistic director of the BBC Proms, is marking his final year with a milestone: the BBC Proms’ debut in Korea, a country he first visited in 1986 with the Royal Opera Company. Introducing the Proms to Korea is part of the festival’s mission to reach audiences far beyond its London roots, according to the director. "The Proms still lives by the motto of its founder

CultureNov. 5, 2024

SK Telecom unveils AI assistant Aster for global users

SK Telecom, South Korea’s largest wireless carrier by membership, on Tuesday unveiled its new artificial intelligence-powered personal assistant Aster for global markets. Designed as an agentic AI, Aster goes beyond simple question-and-answer or search functions. It engages users in an interactive dialogue to understand their intentions, and make plans and perform tasks on their behalf. According to the company, the AI agent’s capabilities in planning, task management and quick respo

TechnologyNov. 5, 2024

K-water begins hydroelectric dam construction in Solomon Islands

The construction of a hydroelectric dam has begun as a part of the Solomon Islands’ first-ever large-scale renewable energy project, according to the Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) on Tuesday. According to K-water, a groundbreaking ceremony was held on Monday in the capital city of Honiara in the Solomon Islands to mark the start of K-water’s project to build a hydroelectric dam on the islands’ Tina River. The ceremony was attended by more than 500 individuals, inc

Social AffairsNov. 5, 2024

Seoul reports positive feedback from plant distribution project

Seoul’s plant-distribution initiative has proven effective in improving the mental health of young Koreans living in social isolation and seclusion, city officials said Tuesday. In a survey of 302 Seoul residents aged 19 to 39 who received free plants such as ivy, dwarf umbrella trees, hoya lisa, and Chinese evergreens as part of the city-run program, 90.9 percent reported that growing the plants at home positively impacted their mental well-being. Participants reported increased self-effi

Social AffairsNov. 5, 2024

Kia Sportage returns stronger

Kia unveiled the new Sportage, the automaker’s best-selling sport utility vehicle, in Seoul on Monday, highlighting the enhanced product’s all-around upgrade, which it expects to continue accounting for a major part of the automaker’s market presence. “The new Sportage, which we are presenting today with pride, contains innovative changes that are on par with a full model change,” said Jeong Woo-jeong, head of Kia’s domestic business division, in a media prese

MobilityNov. 5, 2024

Q3 sees mixed fortunes for Korean tire makers amid higher shipping costs

South Korea’s top three tire manufacturers -- Hankook Tire, Kumho Tire and Nexen Tire -- showed mixed financial performances in the third quarter as they grappled with rising costs and softer demand in the automotive market. While Hankook and Kumho managed to post strong profits, Nexen struggled amid rising shipping expenses and weaker demand in North America. Hankook Tire led the pack, hitting a new record for quarterly sales at 2.44 trillion won ($1.77 billion), up 4.1 percent from last

IndustryNov. 5, 2024

Top court upholds teen's 20-year term for killing mother

South Korea’s Supreme Court upheld a 20-year prison sentence for a 15-year-old who killed his mother after she scolded him. The court ruled on Oct. 31 that there were no errors in the lower court’s verdict, dismissing the defendant’s claims that he was mentally ill, according to media reports Tuesday. The teenager was convicted of murdering his mother on October 1 last year, during the Chuseok holiday, at their residence in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. His mother was

Social AffairsNov. 5, 2024

Bus driver saves unconscious passenger: report

A driver of a Seoul bus who resuscitated an unconscious female passenger is being praised for his quick thinking and appropriate measures, a local media outlet reported Tuesday. According to Newsis, the incident occurred at around 6:53 p.m. on Oct. 22 as a No. 3217 was waiting for the light to change. The passenger, who had been standing near the door, suddenly fainted and fell to the floor. A surveillance footage of the bus, revealed by the Seoul Bus Transport Association, showed the driver O

Social AffairsNov. 5, 2024

3 out of 10 young Koreans say moving out of parents' house unnecessary

Nearly a third of young people in South Korea do not think financial or residential independence from their parents is necessary after they reach adulthood, a recent survey showed. The state-run Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs on Monday revealed the results of its survey on Koreans aged 19-34, on young Koreans' perceptions of adulthood, independence and the meaning of family. Some 30.2 percent of respondents said moving out of one's parents' home is not necessary,

Social AffairsNov. 5, 2024

[Bills in Focus] Strengthening workplace safety, minority shareholders

Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Act on the Collection of Insurance Premiums for Employment Insurance and Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Proposed by Rep. Cho Ji-yeon (People Power Party) ● In response to the tragic fire at a lithium battery factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, which resulted in the loss of 23 lives -- 18 of whom were residents of foreign nationality — this proposed amendment aims to tighten the accountability of risk assessment certifications for wo

PoliticsNov. 5, 2024

MCCAAi shows AI prowess through product placement solution, context-aware generative content

MCCAAi Co., Ltd. demonstrated its technology through a multimedia work entitled "The Beginning of the Return," created by its generative AI solution MOAI, during the inaugural AI Content Festival that wrapped up on Saturday at COEX in southern Seoul. Produced entirely through generative AI, "The Beginning of the Return" incorporates images, voices, music and other elements to showcase the capability of the technology to create high-quality content. The piece was created at th

TechnologyNov. 5, 2024

[해커스 TEPS] 텝스 시험대비 단기간 고득점 단어 & 문법 5문제

2) 해커스 텝스 문법 Part Ⅰ Choose the best answer for the blank. 1. A: Did the lady at the antiques store tell you where the lamp came from? B: No, I didn’t think __________. (a) ask (b) to ask (c) asking (d) is asking 해석 A: 골동품 상점의 여자분이 그 전등이 어디에서 온 것인지 말해주었니? B: 아니, 물어볼 생각을 하지 못했어. 해설 목적어 채우기 타동사 think 뒤에 목적어가 없으므로, 빈칸은 목적어 자리이다. 따라서 보기 중 목적어 역할을 할 수 있는 to부정사 (b) to ask가 정답이다. 참고로, 보기 (c) asking은 빈칸 앞의 동사 think가 자동사일 경우 동명사로 간주되어 ‘think+전치사+명사’의 형태로 사용될 수 있음을 알아둔다.

English EyeNov. 5, 2024

Harris, Trump make final appeals to voters on Election Day eve amid tight race

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her Republican rival Donald Trump made their final pitch to court undecided voters and "get out the vote" on Monday, a day before the high-stakes general election that could reshape America's policy on its alliances, the economy, trade, and other key issues. Vice President Harris and former President Trump held a series of final campaign events, particularly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which is seen as a must-win battleground

World NewsNov. 5, 2024