The Korea Herald

Samsung to mass produce 256GB mobile chips

Samsung Electronics said Thursday it will start mass production of the industry’s first 256-gigabyte Universal Flash Storage from next month for smartphones, with twice the processing speed compared to conventional chips used in PCs. The Korean tech giant, which is also the world’s biggest memory chipmaker, said the new chip will go into high-end mobile devices but didn’t name possible products and clients. According to the company, the chip has a reading speed of 850 megabytes per second and w

TechnologyFeb. 25, 2016

Samsung to mass produce 256GB mobile chips

FSC seeks revamp of listing rules

South Korea’s top financial regulator said Thursday it will push ahead with the second phase of financial reforms aimed at expanding a range of new services and sharpening the competitive edge. Financial Services Commission chairman Yim Jong-yong (Yonhap)The Financial Services Commission said it has mapped out the plan to reorganize listing procedures and the public subscription system in stock markets to facilitate better access to finance for Korean companies on the heels of last year’s reform

BusinessFeb. 25, 2016

Korean Air files court injunction over pilot strike

A group of unionized pilots at Korean Air conduct a silent rally in front of Korean Air’s headquarters near the Gimpo International Airport on Thursday. Yonhap　Korean Air, the nation’s largest flag carrier, requested a court injunction Thursday to put an end to a strike by pilots, claiming their union vote was “invalid.” 　The Korean Air Pilot Union, one of the two pilot unions in Korean Air, went on a strike last Saturday a day after a majority of about 1,900 unionized pilots voted in favor, whi

BusinessFeb. 25, 2016

Korean Air files court injunction over pilot strike

China hopes new U.N. resolution stops N. Korea's nuclear advances

China on Thursday voiced hopes that a new draft U.N. resolution could help prevent North Korea from developing its nuclear and missile programs, but emphasized the "parallel track approach" of achieving the denuclearization of North Korea and discussing a peace treaty for the Korean Peninsula.China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the remarks in response to an announcement by the White House that the U.S. and China agreed on a draft U.N. resolution to punish North Korea's nuclear

World NewsFeb. 25, 2016

New naval base opens on southern resort island of Jeju

South Korea will officially launch the Navy's new base on the southern resort island of Jeju this week, wrapping up the landmark naval project which took the country 23 years and more than 1 trillion won (US$806 million) to accomplish, the Navy said Thursday. The naval base, billed by the Navy as Jeju's private-military sea port, is capable of docking 20 combat vessels and two cruise ships of the largest class simultaneously. Set up along the southern coast of Jeju, the foot of South Korea,

DefenseFeb. 25, 2016

Korea opens new health center in Peru

South Korea's state international aid agency said Thursday it has opened a new health center in Lima, Peru, to provide medical assistance and cooperation to the South American country.The new health care center is the eighth of its kind that the South Korean government has set up in Peru free of charge since 1992, according to the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).KOICA said the modern health center named "Santa Luzmila Mother and Child Center" opened in Comas, in the northern outsk

Social AffairsFeb. 25, 2016

Films shed light on colonial Korea

A government-funded organization responsible for collecting and preserving materials related to Korean cinema unveiled Thursday seven new films from the Japanese colonial era that were obtained from Russia and Germany.　The Korean Film Archive (KOFA) revealed parts of these seven new clips, which depict everyday life in Korea under Japanese rule as well as Japanese colonial economic policy, at a press conference at the Korea Press Center.From left: Professor Song Kue-jin, a historian at Korea Uni

FilmFeb. 25, 2016

CJ HelloVision downplays ISS report on merger plan

SK Telecom faces another hurdle in its plan to merge the nation’s No. 1 cable TV operator CJ HelloVision with its own IPTV unit as a global corporate advisory firm has opposed the deal that is crucial for it to gain leadership in the paid TV market. The Institutional Shareholder Services claimed Thursday the changes in corporate articles of the merged entity will pose “significant dilution risk” to shareholders of CJ Hellovision.A screenshot image of a report on SK Telecom’s merger, which was re

TechnologyFeb. 25, 2016

CJ HelloVision downplays ISS report on merger plan

Venerable Jingwan dreams of Korean Buddhism flourishing in Cuba

The first South Korean monk to visit Cuba for a religions occasion revealed his optimism Thursday about the spread of Buddhism in the Cuban capital of Havana.Cuba is a country of few Buddhists but abounding religious freedom, said Ven. Jingwan of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in an interview with Yonhap News Agency."Although I didn't have the chance to fully dedicate myself to delivering the teachings of Korean Buddhism, I felt certain that the city could be a milestone of fostering Korean

Social AffairsFeb. 25, 2016

Lee Joo-mi wins grand prix at Paris dance competition

Lee Joo-mi, 23, won the grand prix in the contemporary category at Le Grand Prix de Paris Let’s DANCE 2016, an international dance competition that ended in Paris on Feb. 14, Korea National University of Arts announced Wednesday.　Lee has won several prestigious awards, including the grand prix at the Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition in New York in 2014, first prize at the Dong-A Dance Competition and senior female first prize in the contemporary dance category at the 10th Seoul

PerformanceFeb. 25, 2016

Lee Joo-mi wins grand prix at Paris dance competition

Egyptian president to visit Korea next week

Egypt's president will make a three-day visit to South Korea next week for talks with President Park Geun-hye, Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday.Park is set to meet with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi next Thursday, a day after El-Sissi arrives in Seoul, the South Korean presidential office said.The two leaders are expected to discuss how to boost cooperation on a wide range of issues, such as trade, infrastructure and construction, as well as culture and education.It marks the first visit b

Social AffairsFeb. 25, 2016

Korean artist’s DMZ project chosen for Venice Architecture Biennale

Korean artist Choi Jae-eun has been invited to present her project about the Demilitarized Zone at the 15th Venice Architecture Biennale in May.　Entitled “Dreaming of Earth,” the work is a collaboration with Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, who was a winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2014 and who is also a long-time friend of Choi.　The premise behind “Dreaming of Earth” is Choi’s belief that the DMZ’s rich ecological heritage can help solve complex issues between North and South Korea,

PerformanceFeb. 25, 2016

Korean artist’s DMZ project chosen for Venice Architecture Biennale

Major Russian museum sends rarely loaned portraits to London

MOSCOW (AP) _ The staff of Moscow's Tretyakov Gallery is packing up some of Russia’s finest paintings to send to London for a landmark exhibition, proving, the gallery's director says, that cultural exchange between the Russia and the West is alive and well.The 26 portraits being sent to the National Portrait Gallery for an exhibition March 17 to June 26 are part of an exchange that also includes major British works loaned to Russia. Despite chilly relations between Moscow and the West and an ec

CultureFeb. 25, 2016

Myanmar backpedals on ban on Bagan temple climbing

YANGON (AFP) - Myanmar has backpedalled on a ban on climbing temples at the tourist hot spot of Bagan, following fears visitors would no longer be able to enjoy the ancient capital's famed sunsets. 　The Ministry of Culture on Monday barred visitors from clambering over the monuments.　But by late Tuesday it had revised the order to let tourists ascend five of the largest pagodas -- in a field of more than 3,000 Buddhist structures. 　“We would like to replace the statement about banning the climbi

CultureFeb. 25, 2016

Kolleen Park presents new musical ‘Airport Baby’

Following her portrayal of a mother who struggles with bipolar disorder in the Korean rendition of the off-Broadway musical “Next to Normal,” musical director, conductor and actress Kolleen Park has stepped away from the stage and reprised her directorial role with her latest musical production, “Airport Baby.” 　The musical touches upon international adoption, a controversial social issue in Korea. It tells the story of a young Korean-American named Josh Coen, played by local actor Choi Jae-rim,

PerformanceFeb. 25, 2016

Kolleen Park presents new musical ‘Airport Baby’

Cosmic Girls make long-awaited debut

The K-pop girl group Cosmic Girls unveiled their debut album Thursday.　The 12-member group of nine Korean and three Chinese members released its first album “Would You Like?” at noon on major Korean music streaming sites. The album has five songs, including the title track “MoMoMo,” as well as “Catch Me,” “Take My Breath” and “Tick Tock.” 　“The girl group has been generating a lot of buzz in the K-pop industry, under the wings of Starship’s winning strategies and China’s largest talent agency Yu

PerformanceFeb. 25, 2016

Hanwha E&C pledges fair trade with partners

Hanwha Engineering & Construction pledged to promote fair trade with its subcontractors as part of efforts to share growth, company officials said Thursday.The builder concluded an agreement for fair trade with its partners at the Federation of Korean Industries in Yeouido, central Seoul, on Wednesday. Hanwha E&C CEO Choi Kwang-ho (center) and representatives from subcontractors attend a fair trade agreement signing ceremony in Seoul on Wednesday. (Hanwha E&C)Under the agreement, Hanwha E&C will

IndustryFeb. 25, 2016

Hanwha E&C pledges fair trade with partners

[Editorial] Sino-U.S. accord

　　A consensus on North Korean sanctions by the U.S and China will be beneficial to South Korea, as this could delay Washington’s plan to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system on the peninsula.　In return for an agreement on reprimanding North Korea, the U.S might decide to halt -- albeit temporarily -- the deployment of THAAD. This could help South Korea avoid clashing with China on the commercial front. 　Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Joo Hyung-hwan recently dismissed the p

EditorialFeb. 25, 2016

[Editorial] Risks on yen’s rise

The Korean won has continued to slide against the Japanese currency since the fourth quarter of last year. The yen has recently gained further as investors seek safe assets after “Brexit” worries led to a plunge in the value of the British pound.　The Japanese currency is hovering over 1,105 won per 100 yen, which is its strongest position since September 2013. The situation has reversed from just several months ago, when the yen was weak against the won because of Japan’s quantitative-easing mea

EditorialFeb. 25, 2016

Multigenerational family saga of redemption

“A Doubter’s Almanac” 　 By Ethan Canin　 Random House (576 pages, $28)　Ethan Canin’s new multigenerational family saga is about the agony of the select few wired to master what seems indecipherable to mere mortals. Here math represents, among other things, a state of existential torment worthy of Sisyphus, who watched helplessly as his boulder kept falling back down the hill.　“There’s no proof in mathematics that can’t be broken down into steps basic enough for a child of reasoning age to follow.

BooksFeb. 25, 2016

Multigenerational family saga of redemption