[History through films] ‘A Taxi Driver’: Simple-hearted man’s adventurous ride to Gwangju Democratic Uprising

“A Taxi Driver,” a 2017 action drama flick by Jang Hoon (“The Front Line,” “The Secret Reunion”), is not the first movie to have depicted the Gwangju Democratic Uprising of May 18, 1980. But unlike other movies cover the student-led democratization movement — “Peppermint Candy,” “May 18,” “26 Years” — “A Taxi Driver” sets itself apart by following the day’s events from an outsider’s point

FilmOct. 8, 2024

[KH Explains] Samsung chief says he is still ‘hungry’ for foundry growth

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong on Monday put an end to the long-standing rumor that the memory chip giant might spin off its lackluster foundry business, saying he is still “hungry” for growth. “We are hungry to grow (our) business, not interested in spinning (it) off,” the Samsung chief told Reuters upon his visit to the Philippines. Regarding the delayed operation of the company's new foundry plant currently under construction in Taylor, Texas, Lee said,

IndustryOct. 8, 2024

Less than 1% of illegal lottery websites blocked this year

Over 2,000 websites running illegal lotteries were reported to authorities this year, but only 0.9 percent of them have been blocked by the government, Ministry of Economy and Finance data showed Tuesday. Of the 2,838 websites reported, only 26 had blocked as of July, according to ministry data submitted to Rep. Jung Sung-ho of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. Most of the reported cases -- 2,666 -- were still under deliberation by the Korea Communications Standards Commission. The

Social AffairsOct. 8, 2024

Glass ceiling for women persists among top prosecutors: data

Despite a slight increase in the number of female prosecutors over the last four years, only one in 10 chief prosecutor-level officials in South Korea is a woman, data from the Ministry of Justice showed Tuesday. Of the 46 officials at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office level or higher as of September, just five were women, according to the data submitted to Rep. Park Jie-won of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. SPO-level prosecutors are the second highest rank in Korea's pro

Social AffairsOct. 8, 2024

[Herald Interview] Dentlink eyes becoming 'next Invisalign’

Dentlink intends to become a household name in the burgeoning dental prosthetic market, matching the fame of Align Technology, the US company behind the Invisalign clear teeth straightener, said Kook Jin-hyeok, founder and CEO of Innovaid. Kook founded Innovaid in 2021 to offer Dentlink, a unique international service connecting Korean lab technicians with overseas dental practices. Through it, dental clinics around the world can order prostheses such as zirconia crowns and implant restorations

IndustryOct. 8, 2024

Who is pollster roiling politics with claims of government string-pulling?

Allegations that first lady Kim Keon Hee interfered with the ruling party's candidate nominations ahead of April's legislative general election are stirring up the political landscape in South Korea -- and at the center of it all is a pollster who claims he "advised" President Yoon Suk Yeol. Myeong Tae-gyun became the center of attention after online media outlet Tomato News reported that he had connections with the presidential couple, and played a role in the ruling People

PoliticsOct. 8, 2024

S. Korea sees hottest September on record: KMA

It’s official: South Korea recorded its hottest September on record this year, with the state weather agency recording the highest average temperature, the most heat wave days and most tropical nights last month. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, Korea saw average temperatures reaching up to 24.7 degrees Celsius last month, the highest September average since weather records were first tracked nationwide in 1973. The previous highest September average was just last year

Social AffairsOct. 8, 2024

Kim Jong-un vows to thwart S. Korea-US 'nuclear alliance'

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned Monday that Pyongyang would "not tolerate" any disruption to the Korean Peninsula's balance of power, which he claimed is upheld by North Korea's nuclear arsenal and threatened by the growing "nuclear alliance" between South Korea and the United States. However, Kim simultaneously asserted that North Korea had no intention of attacking the South, North Korea's state media reported Tuesday. The remarks came during his 60th-

North KoreaOct. 8, 2024

North Korean troops killed, wounded in Ukraine war: Seoul defense minister

South Korea’s national defense minister on Tuesday said North Korean troops appear to have been killed or wounded in Russia’s war on Ukraine. Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun told lawmakers on this day that reports of North Korean troop casualties in the Ukraine war are believed to be true based on the ministry’s findings. He was speaking about a report in the Ukrainian news agency Kyiv Post that six North Korean officers were among those killed by a missile strike in

DefenseOct. 8, 2024

Korean language teaching expert says demand has outstripped supply

The Korean language and its writing system Hangeul are not easy to learn, let alone teach. Two non-Korean scholars have shown that that notion might be changing -- and the Korean government agrees. The two scholars will be awarded the Order of Culture Merit, the highest national recognition for contributions in the field of culture, at an official ceremony marking Hangeul Day on Wednesday morning in Sejong City. The city is named after King Sejong the Great (1418-1450), the fourth Joseon king wh

PeopleOct. 8, 2024

LG posts record sales in Q3; profits down on rising costs

LG Electronics on Tuesday expected its third-quarter sales to reach an all-time high of 22.17 trillion won ($16.5 billion), outpacing an earlier market consensus of 21.77 trillion won. But its operating profits during the same period were estimated to have plunged nearly 21 percent to 751.1 billion won from a year ago, largely due to rising logistics and marketing costs. The earnings guidance was far lower than market expectations. FnGuide, a local market intelligence firm, projected the compa

IndustryOct. 8, 2024

Samsung's chip head apologizes as Q3 earnings miss estimates

Samsung Electronics predicted Tuesday that its operating profit for the July-September period would miss market expectations due to a slow recovery in memory demand and the lackluster performance of High Bandwidth Memory chips used in artificial intelligence computing. Samsung's third-quarter operating profit is estimated to hit 9.1 trillion won ($6.76 billion), up 274.5 percent from a year ago, according to the company’s earnings guidance. The figure is lower than the 10.77 trillio

IndustryOct. 8, 2024

Conscripting women to lead to 'more babies,' claims military think tank

The chief of a military think tank in South Korea has sparked controversy after suggesting that conscripting women into the military could boost marriage and fertility rates. Kim Hyung-chul, president of the Korea Institute for Military Affairs, a nonprofit public interest foundation under the Ministry of National Defense, talked about whether women should go to the military in an interview on the local YouTube channel, “Pen and Mike” on Sept. 23. “We have reached a point whe

Social AffairsOct. 8, 2024

Surge in military enlistment among medical students

The number of medical students opting for military enlistment instead of continuing their medical studies has surged, surpassing 1,000, in response to the government's decision to expand medical school quotas, government data showed Tuesday. Data obtained by Rep. Jin Sun-mee of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea from the Ministry of Education reveals that as of Aug. 23, military leave had been granted to 1,059 students from 37 of the nation's 40 medical schools. This exclude

Social AffairsOct. 8, 2024

Yanolja enhances global travel data value chain

Korean travel platform operator Yanolja said Tuesday that it is ramping up global efforts to enhance its artificial intelligence-based travel solutions by securing extensive travel data. Its data solutions affiliate Yanolja Cloud Solution has recently relocated its headquarters to an information technology hub in Surat, India, to recruit local tech talent and advance its travel solutions. The decision comes as the Indian unit plays a key role in collecting travel data from numerous transactions

IndustryOct. 8, 2024

S. Korea, Singapore seal supply chain agreement

SINGAPORE -- The leaders of South Korea and Singapore on Tuesday agreed to ensure resilience in the supply chain as the two countries signed a new bilateral arrangement to weather supply chain crises especially in advanced manufacturing, biotechnology and energy. The nonbinding supply chain partnership arrangement was signed during President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to the city-state as part of a weeklong trip to Southeast Asia. In a press conference held Tuesday at the Parliament House of Si

PoliticsOct. 8, 2024

LG Energy Solution wins 10-year battery supply deal from Mercedes

LG Energy Solution has secured a major long-term contract to supply electric vehicle batteries to a key affiliate of Mercedes-Benz. The deal, announced Tuesday, primarily targets North America and other key markets, although the exact regions were not specified. Under the terms of the agreement, LG will provide 50.5 gigawatt-hours of EV batteries over 10 years, starting in 2028. While financial details of the deal remain undisclosed, industry analysts believe it likely reaches billions of dollar

MobilityOct. 8, 2024

Cheonan World Dance Festival celebrates creativity, diversity

The 20th edition of the Cheonan World Dance Festival showcased awe-inspiring performances by some 4,000 dancers and crew members from 54 countries, reaching an all-time high number of participants since its launch in 2003. The event, which ran from Sept. 25 to 29, entertained 880,000 spectators from South Korea and abroad with diverse dance competitions, parades, cheerleading shows and more. As the 28 dance troupes from around the world competed in the International Dance Competition at Cheonan

CultureOct. 8, 2024

Baby Monster to release first full-length album in November

Rookie girl group Baby Monster will release its first full-length album, “Drip,” on Nov. 1, seven months after its April debut, YG Entertainment said Monday. The title track, "Drip," composed with the help of Big Bang’s G-Dragon, is expected to be a dance anthem for all ages. The other eight tracks include "Clik Clak," a hip-hop track described by YG Entertainment Chief Executive Producer Yang Hyun-suk as “unlike anything YG has ever presented before,&

K-popOct. 8, 2024

Korea launches antidumping probe into Chinese steel

Following the US and EU’s efforts to curb the flow of "underpriced" Chinese steel, South Korea has launched an anti-dumping probe into imports of Chinese-made heavy steel plates. The Korea Trade Commission under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on Friday that it initiated an investigation against the Chinese steel suppliers, including Shagang Group. The steel products in question, sheets 6 millimeters thick or more, are primarily used in shipbuilding. After a

IndustryOct. 8, 2024