Hana opens 100th child care center

Hana Financial Group said Sunday that it has launched the 100th child care center in Bonghwa-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, as part of its 150 billion won ($108.6 billion) project aiming at addressing the nation’s chronically low birth rate. The Korean financial giant launched the project in 2018, with the aim of establishing a total of 100 child care centers nationwide in collaboration with provincial governments. "I am very pleased with this achievement after six years of efforts t

IndustryNov. 3, 2024

Scandal-hit ex-lawmaker denies corruption claims as pressure on Yoon mounts

Former lawmaker and veteran politician Kim Young-sun, a central figure in allegations that President Yoon Suk Yeol meddled in the June 2022 by-elections, denied accusations that she paid for Yoon's political forecasting and alleged poll manipulation expenses in exchange for the ruling party's nomination to run for her seat in the National Assembly. The prosecution interrogated Kim on Sunday regarding what they consider a violation of the Political Funds Act, namely Kim's wiring of

PoliticsNov. 3, 2024

Hyosung vice chairman takes helm of 2025 APEC business council

HS Hyosung Vice Chairman Cho Hyun-sang has officially begun his role as the member and incoming chair of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) for 2025, Hyosung Group announced on Friday. Appointed the ABAC chair in August this year, Cho recently met with Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Second Vice Foreign Minister Kang In-sun. On Thursday, he also met with Trade Minister Jeong In-kyo to discuss the ABAC's role and vision for next year’s APEC meeting, which will primarily take pl

IndustryNov. 3, 2024

Domestic, sexual abuse consultations hit all-time high

The number of people consulting with the state-run counseling centers for domestic, sexual abuse and domestic conflicts was the highest on record last year, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family data showed Sunday. A total of 337,171 calls were made in 2023 to the national counseling centers for victims of domestic and sexual abuse, along with other forms of domestic conflicts and crimes such as stalking. The figure was up 15.1 percent from the previous year, according to the ministry's

Social AffairsNov. 3, 2024

Explore Gwanghallu Garden for free

Namwon, a city located in the southern part of North Jeolla Province, beckons local and overseas tourists of all ages to its iconic Gwanghallu Garden with no charge for admission until Nov. 20. Gwanghallu Garden, located at the center of the city, is home to stunning architecture and a natural landscape with a lake surrounded by trees now in their autumn hues. Though a ticket costs 4,000 won ($2.90) for visitors from outside Namwon, the local government decided to open the garden for free to mak

CultureNov. 3, 2024

[Photo News] AI-driven growth

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won delivers his closing remarks during the 2024 CEO Seminar held at SKMS Research Institute in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Saturday. Some 30 top executives across SK companies participated in the three-day annual event. The SK chief stressed to spur growth centering on artificial intelligence amid the ongoing efforts for portfolio rebalancing and operational improvements. (SK Group)

IndustryNov. 3, 2024

[Herald Interview] Lufthansa bets big on Korea’s growing cultural influence in Europe

Celebrating 40 years of direct flights between Korea and Germany, Lufthansa Group is intensifying its focus on Korea with tech-driven travel solutions and sustainability efforts. Earlier this year, the group launched direct services from Seoul to Zurich with SWISS and is continuing to explore opportunities to increase capacity in the Korean market. In a recent interview with The Korea Herald, Leandro Tonidandel, Lufthansa Group’s general manager for Korea, shared insights into how Korea&

IndustryNov. 3, 2024

Court backs school that expelled student for attacking classmate with knife

Gwangju court on Sunday said it has ruled against the parents of a high school student who challenged local education authorities for authorizing the boy's expulsion from a school, after he attacked a classmate with a weapon. The student in question attacked the victim with a stationery knife, which he attached to his hand with a glue, during a class trip to the Uleungdo Island in May of last year. He told police that he was "infuriated" that the victim was kicking his seat, and t

Social AffairsNov. 3, 2024

Stray Kids' US album sales surpass 1M

Boy band Stray Kids' album sales in the US have surpassed one million copies this year. JYP Entertainment announced that Stray Kids’ cumulative physical and digital album sales in the US have exceeded one million copies in 2024, marking the first time a K-pop artist has reached this milestone this year. Notably, the group's ninth mini album, "ATE," released in July this year, had sold over 500,000 copies as of Sept. 30, making it the best-selling K-pop album in the US t

K-popNov. 3, 2024

Man hides father's body in freezer for over a year 'because of inheritance'

A man was found to have hidden his dead father's body inside a freezer for over a year due to unspecified inheritance issues, local police said Sunday. Officials at the Icheon Police Station in Gyeonggi Province are investigating a man in his 40s for violation of the Article 161 of the Criminal Act, which covers damaging, destroying, concealing or taking possession of a corpse. The suspect turned himself in on Friday to local police, who found the body of the deceased inside the suspect&#

Social AffairsNov. 3, 2024

Handball players commended for rescuing car accident victim

The city of Busan last week presented a certificate of appreciation to three handball players who rescued a driver pinned under the car after an accident. Kim Da-young, Shin Jin-mi and Jeong Ga-hee of South Korea's Division 1 H-League were commended last Thursday for providing assistance in the aftermath of a car accident at around 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 11. The three players found a car that had overturned after colliding with a guardrail in Yangsan city, South Gyeongsang Province, and blocked

Social AffairsNov. 3, 2024

6 in 10 wage workers leave jobs within a year

Six out of 10 newly hired employees leave their jobs within the first year in South Korea, government data showed Sunday. The report, from the Korea Employment Information Service under the Labor Ministry, shows that only 40.1 percent of wage workers -- those subscribed to employment insurance schemes after being hired -- retained their positions for more than a year as of 2021. The rate of employees staying in their jobs for over a year has been steadily declining, from 42.2 percent in 2021

Social AffairsNov. 3, 2024

Ruling, opposition parties expected to wrangle over 2025 budget deliberations

The National Assembly is set to begin deliberations on the 2025 budget proposal this week, with ruling and opposition parties expected to wrangle over spending on controversial projects. On Monday, the National Assembly is set to begin deliberations on next year's budget of 677.4 trillion won ($509.7 billion), a 3.2 percent increase from the previous year. The ruling People Power Party is expected to advocate the government's focus on discretionary spending due to fiscal deficit, while

PoliticsNov. 3, 2024

EU's Borrell vows to advance security, defense ties with S. Korea

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Sunday he will discuss ways to advance the EU's security and defense cooperation with South Korea during his visit to Seoul. Borrell, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, wrote on social media platform X earlier in the day that he arrived in Seoul to co-chair the first Strategic Dialogue with Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul. "Over the past years, we have become even closer partners making signif

DefenseNov. 3, 2024

Sharp rise seen in household credit, driven by savings banks, credit unions

South Korea's household credit increased at a faster rate in October due to rising loans from savings banks and credit unions despite the government's efforts to curb household debts, financial data showed Sunday. Outstanding household credit extended by all financial institutions, including commercial banks, savings banks, and insurance and securities firms, rose by 6 trillion won ($4.35 billion) from a month earlier in October, accelerating from a 5.2 trillion-won increase in Septemb

EconomyNov. 3, 2024

[Photo news] Rally against first couple

CultureNov. 2, 2024

[Photo news] LGBT festival in Incheon

CultureNov. 2, 2024

N. Korean FM: strategic value of ties with Russia gains greater importance in severe int'l landscape

North Korea's foreign minister, currently visiting Russia for talks, said the strategic value of her country's relations with Russia holds greater importance in the severe international political landscape, the country's state media reported Saturday. Choe Son-hui made the remarks during her speech at a ceremony unveiling a plaque honoring North Korean founder Kim Il-sung's first official visit to the former Soviet Union, held at Moscow's Yaroslavl Railway Station the pr

North KoreaNov. 2, 2024

[Photo News] In celebration of martyrs

CultureNov. 2, 2024

[What to see] Autumn gallery-hopping in Seoul

A number of new art exhibitions have begun in Seoul, inviting the aesthetically inclined to take an autumn stroll to one of the city's many galleries. The following is a selection of three shows that stand out, featuring works by international artists. Galerie Eva Presenhuber’s pop-up exhibition in Seoul Based in Zurich and Vienna, Galerie Eva Presenhuber has opened a pop-up exhibition with Seoul-based P21 gallery in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, showcasing a solo exhibition by Scottish artist

Arts & DesignNov. 2, 2024