Most Popular
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Psy's touch or new trend in music? P Nation’s solo stars lose their shine
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Seoul to hold grand military parade on Tuesday, disrupting major city routes
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Yoon warns North Korea against nuclear attack attempt
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Park Zi-a, the actor who played 'The Glory' heroine's mother, dies
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Miss Universe Korea names 80-year-old model 'best dressed'
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Shut up and dance
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NewJeans fans corner Hybe amid PR backlash, looming National Assembly audit
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Israel targets Palestinian group in first strike on Beirut center
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Seoul mayor suggests shift in immigration policy
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Brit pop legend Oasis to perform in Seoul next year
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Photos capture political upheaval in Korea
Photographers are perhaps the most observant participants of major historical moments. They are at some of the most tumultuous events, capturing in a split second what will become an important new chapter in history. Two dedicated witnesses of Korean history have recently published photo books offering glimpses into Korea’s turbulent moments in history. The Seoul Museum of History published a book, featuring 174 pictures taken by Willard Straight (1880-1918), who lived in Korea for a total of fi
CultureJan. 4, 2016
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K-pop groups to watch in January
The world of K-pop is buzzing in the new year, with artists both young and old, working alone and in groups, announcing new upcoming albums. Dalshabet (Happy Face Entertainment)First up is Dalshabet, who downsized to a quartet from a sextet after members Gaeun and Jiyul left upon the end of their contract. The remaining members -- Woohee, Subin, Ahyoung and Serri -- are set to release a new seven-track EP including the lead track “Someone Like U” on Tuesday. “Someone Like U,” which was teased wi
PerformanceJan. 4, 2016
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Financial chiefs proclaim New Year‘s messages
With lessons from 2015 and aspirations for 2016, leaders of financial institutions in Korea came under spotlight on Monday, the first working day of 2016, as they unraveled different strategies and interests in their New Year messages. The rising call for risk management was the common ground that all CEOs and group chairmen emphasized, despite difference in characters and management philosophies that are revealed in the messages. KB without ‘accidents’ KB Financial Group chairman Yoon Jong-
BusinessJan. 4, 2016
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GM Korea's sales grow 7.6% in Dec.
GM Korea Co., the local unit of U.S. carmaker General Motors Co., said Monday that its sales in December grew 7.6 percent from a year earlier, driven in part by strong overseas shipments.The carmaker sold 61,338 units last month, up from the previous year's 57,015 units, the company said in a press release.Its domestic sales rose 1 percent on-year to 18,287 units, while overseas shipments expanded 10.7 percent to 43,051 units. Meanwhile, GM Korea said its annual sales in 2015 shrank 1.4 percent
IndustryJan. 4, 2016
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SK head makes public appearance amid divorce scandal
Chey Tae-won, who heads South Korea's No. 3 conglomerate SK Group, made his first public appearance on Monday at a New Year's ceremony, a week after he admitted to having an extramarital child and going through divorce procedures with his wife, the daughter of a former South Korean president.Last week, Chey made an official statement by writing a letter to a local daily that he was suffering discord with his wife, adding that they both were going through divorce proceedings. He also admitted to
IndustryJan. 4, 2016
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[Mohamed A. el-Erian] Books to get you through uncertainty
The global economy is not just unusually fluid, it also is being jolted: from above, by economic uncertainties, domestic political polarization and geopolitical threats; and from below by disruptive technologies in an ever-expanding number of industries. That is the theme of my latest book, “The Only Game in Town: Central Banks, Instability and Avoiding the Next Collapse,” which is scheduled to be published Jan. 26. It assesses, from the perspective of central banks, where we are and where we ar
ViewpointsJan. 4, 2016
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Eschenbach to replace Chung Myung-whun in SPO season opener
By Julie JacksonGerman conductor Christoph Eschenbach will be replacing long-time Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra conductor Chung Myung-whun at the podium of the SPO’s upcoming season opener on Jan. 9, the orchestra announced Monday. The change in conductors follows maestro Chung’s sudden departure from the dispute-riddled orchestra organization last week, citing its ongoing legal disputes and “human rights violations” by its former head as reasons for his leaving. Currently the music director of t
PerformanceJan. 4, 2016
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China should fix its drug problem, and here’s how
Just before Christmas, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration alerted U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturers to keep a sharp eye on ingredients imported from Tianjin, China. The problem, it seemed, is that these could be contaminated with cyanide that escaped after an explosion in August of a hazardous material warehouse. Already, the FDA reported, it had detected the deadly chemical in two shipments from the city. The FDA deserves credit for shutting down a poison pipeline aimed at America’s medicine
ViewpointsJan. 4, 2016
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We should tackle the other pollutants, too
Among climate scientists, the consensus is that we must become carbon-neutral by 2050 to avoid catastrophic environmental disruptions. Negotiators at the recent summit in Paris accordingly focused on curbing carbon dioxide emissions.There’s a major problem, however, with a CO2-centric strategy. Because carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere for a century or more, and because we won’t abandon fossil fuels overnight, neutrality by 2050 simply isn’t good enough to keep the Earth from warming 2 de
ViewpointsJan. 4, 2016
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Seoul shares sink to near 4-month low on China stock rout
South Korean stocks plunged more than 2 percent to a near four-month low Monday on the first trading session of 2016, as China's stock market crash and concerns over fourth-quarter corporate earnings dented investor sentiment here.The local currency sharply fell against the greenback, also flirting with an over three-month low.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 42.55 points, or 2.17 percent, to end at 1,918.76, the lowest since Sept. 8, when the comparable figure was 1,878.68 p
Jan. 4, 2016
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[Editorial] Economic challenges
One year ago, government economists said that the Korean economy would be able to recover its vitality in 2015 because the nation -- with no election set in the year -- would push for structural reforms, and there were favorable conditions such as the low price of oil, low interest rates and depreciation of the Korean currency.President Park Geun-hye confidently said in her New Year’s news conference that the Korean economy would grow 3.8 percent in 2015. But those predictions were too rosy, as
EditorialJan. 4, 2016
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[Editorial] Hope for change
Major Korean newspapers and broadcasters usually conduct opinion polls on the occasion of New Year’s Day, using the findings for special feature articles and programs. This year, they drew more public attention due to the general election scheduled for April. In the political arena, the most salient trend found in the media-sponsored public surveys was the surge in popularity of a party to be launched by independent lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo. The figures vary slightly according to pollsters, but m
EditorialJan. 4, 2016
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Renault Samsung sales up 8.1% in Dec.
Renault Samsung Motors Co., the local unit of French auto firm Renault S.A., said Monday that its December sales grew 8.1 percent on-year mainly due to brisk overseas demand. The automaker said in a press release that it sold a total of 25,555 units last month, compared with the 23,645 units tallied a year earlier.Exports jumped 15.3 percent on-year to 15,320 units, while domestic sales edged down 1.2 percent to 10,235 units. For 2015, Renault Samsung said it sold 229,082 units, up 34.9 percent
IndustryJan. 4, 2016
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S. Korean food producers set sights on halal market
South Korean processed food companies and farmers are ramping up efforts to tap into the rapidly growing global halal market as they face tougher competition from cheaper rivals and unfavorable foreign exchange rates, industry watchers said Monday.Halal food refers to food products that are prepared in a specific way according to Islamic Sharia law, which covers not only meat but also fruits and vegetables. The global halal market stands at around $2.3 trillion, or roughly 18 percent of the tota
IndustryJan. 4, 2016
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S. Korean retail sales up 4.2% in Nov.
South Korea's retail sales rose 4.2 percent in November from a year earlier on the back of brisk demand for consumer goods like electronics, furniture and garments, a government report showed Monday.Retail sales reached 32.27 trillion won ($27.3 billion) in November, compared with 30.96 trillion won a year ago, according to a report by Statistics Korea.The figure, however, dropped slightly from October's 32.38 trillion won, which marked a 10-month high.Sales of consumer electronics, computers an
Jan. 4, 2016
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Free agent pitcher Oh Seung-hwan to travel to U.S. for MLB talks
South Korean free agent pitcher Oh Seung-hwan will soon travel to the United States for talks with interested big league clubs, a source close to the player said Monday."Multiple Major League Baseball clubs have taken interest in his service," the source said. "And Oh will travel to the United States sometime this week."Oh, South Korea's all-time saves leader who has also enjoyed a successful stint in Japan, has been training on his own in Guam since Dec. 18. He had previously traveled to the Un
BaseballJan. 4, 2016
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Seoul shares down 1.28% in late morning trade
South Korean stocks traded 1.28 percent lower late Monday morning due to losses in techs and automakers.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 25.14 points to 1,936.17 as of 11:20 a.m.Top market cap Samsung Electronics slumped 2.94 percent, and global chipmaker SK Hynix fell 1.46 percent.No. 1 automaker Hyundai Motor fell 2.68 percent, and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors shed 3.04 percent.In contrast, LG Chem, the country's top chemical firm, advanced 3.5 percent.U.S. stoc
Jan. 4, 2016
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'Warm winter' alters public life
Kim Mi-ra, a 58-year-old businesswoman in Seoul, has not worn a thick and heavy padded coat this winter. She has so far preferred a thin woolen overcoat or a light jacket. “A heavy padded coat with muffler and gloves do not seem to be necessary this winter. I purchased a high-end goose down parka in October last year, but I only wore it once or twice,” said Kim. Unlike previous years, the winter temperature has remained unusually warm this season. The spring flower forsythia has prematurely come
Social AffairsJan. 4, 2016
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Number of North Korean defectors halves after Kim Jong-un assumes power
The number of North Korean defectors to South Korea has halved since the launch of the Kim Jong-un regime, apparently attributable to the communist nation's tougher border control, the Unification Ministry said Monday.A total of 1,277 North Koreans entered South Korea via China and other countries in 2015, down 52.8 percent from 2,706 recorded in 2011.Kim took the helm of the North in late 2011 soon after the death of his father Kim Jong-il.The number of North Korean defectors settling in the So
North KoreaJan. 4, 2016
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Camping operator to compensate for negligence over death of drowned student
A local court has ordered a company that runs camping tours to a deserted island to compensate an insurance firm for negligence over the drowning death of a student off the country's southwestern coast.The Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of the insurance company that filed a suit against the camping operator seeking compensation for 120 million won ($102,000) it paid to one of the bereaved families.In 2012, the bodies of two students who participated in a camping tour at Shinan Count
Social AffairsJan. 4, 2016