Korean Air wins US awards for best first, business class cabins

Korean Air announced Tuesday that it has topped the 2024 USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards in the business and first class category for the second year in a row. The airline also placed second for best in-flight food for the second consecutive year, while its cabin crew ranking improved from sixth to fourth place. The USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards honors top performers across a range of categories. Nominees are selected by a panel of experts, with the final winners

IndustryOct. 2, 2024

N. Korea sends more trash balloons toward S. Korea: JCS

North Korea sent what appeared to be trash-filled balloons toward South Korea on Wednesday, the South's military said, in the first such launch in 10 days. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North launched the balloons, warning they may float toward Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province. Since late May, the North has launched more than 5,000 balloons carrying trash on over 22 occasions in retaliation against anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent to the North by North Korean defectors and activ

North KoreaOct. 2, 2024

[Graphic News] Mobile phone spam hits record high

Mobile phone spam in South Korea reached a record high through August, despite ongoing government efforts to curb unwanted messages and advertisements, parliamentary data showed. From January to August, 280.4 million spam messages and calls were reported or detected by the Korea Internet & Security Agency, up 68 percent from the same period last year, according to the data submitted to the National Assembly by KISA. This year’s figure through August already represent 95 percent of

Social AffairsOct. 2, 2024

[Nedra Rhone] How to quash political rumors

The lyrics from a catchy ’80s tune have been running through my head for the past week. “Stop spreading those rumors around. Stop spreading those lies.” Calling to mind this 1986 song by Timex Social Club was the lighthearted way I dealt with heavy emotions about the impact recent political rumors have had on the country. All week long, I read dispatches from Springfield, Ohio, recounting the school closures, bomb threats, deployment of state troopers and fear of some residen

ViewpointsOct. 2, 2024

[Kim Seong-kon] Understanding uniquely American things

There is a fascinating trend I have noticed in online media articles about America lately, such as “16 uniquely American things,” “13 positive stereotypes about Americans” or “23 US things that make the rest of the world jealous.” Those photo articles provide intriguing insights into what seems distinctively “American” in the collective mind and culture of the US. In the past, people often thought of America as a dreamland or the land of opportunit

ViewpointsOct. 2, 2024

SF Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo back home after injury-shortened rookie season

The San Francisco Giants' outfielder Lee Jung-hoo returned home Tuesday following a rookie season cut short by a shoulder injury in May. Lee signed a six-year, $113 million contract with the Giants in December but only played in 37 games in 2024, after suffering a left shoulder injury on May 12. He crashed into the outfield wall at Oracle Park in San Francisco while trying to make a leaping catch in a game against the Cincinnati Reds. He was initially diagnosed with a left shoulder dislocat

BaseballOct. 1, 2024

S. Korea to attend NATO defense ministers' meeting for 1st time

BRUSSELS (Yonhap) -- South Korea and three other Indo-Pacific partners of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will attend the upcoming defense ministerial meeting for the first time later this month, NATO's chief said Tuesday. New NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the defense ministers of South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, collectively known as IP4, were invited to the meeting scheduled for Oct. 16-17 in Brussels. "I look forward to welcoming them and forging a sh

Foreign AffairsOct. 1, 2024

[Photo News] Armed Forces Day

A grand military parade took place in central Seoul on Tuesday in celebration of South Korea's Armed Forces Day. The parade showcased diverse forces, including around 5,000 military personnel and 340 pieces of equipment, marching along a 1.5-kilometer stretch from Sungnyemun to Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul for an hour from 4 p.m. For the parade, military personnel and vehicles carrying weapons and soldiers traveled from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, to the parade ven

DefenseOct. 1, 2024

[KH Explains] Hanwha Aerospace vies for Chunmoo export to Norway

Hanwha Aerospace is looking to export Chunmoo, the self-developed multiple rocket launch system, to Norway as the Korean defense firm pins hopes on expanding its market presence in Europe. Hanwha Aerospace showcased a life-sized Chunmoo for the first time in Europe at the Eurosatory defense show in Paris in June this year, emphasizing the company’s willingness to secure more clients in the region beyond Poland. Defense industry experts say weapons system manufacturers do not exhibit actual

CompaniesOct. 1, 2024

[Herald Design Forum] VFX expert says creativity is essential, even with AI advancements

Hwang Jung-rock, senior facial modeler at Weta FX, the leading company in visual effects globally, said despite the significant advancements in visual effects technology, it is a person's creativity that ultimately elevates the quality of computer graphics. VFX technology blends live-action footage with computer-generated elements to create realistic visuals in films. Hwang's role as a senior facial modeler involves crafting a digital "puppet" of a character's face. It c

CultureOct. 1, 2024

Abuse against emergency room staff rises 21% in 3 years: data

South Korean emergency room medical staff have experienced increasing instances of physical and verbal abuse in recent years, government data showed Tuesday. Doctors or nurses were subject to abuse from patients at emergency rooms 707 times in 2023, up from 602 in 2022 and 585 in 2021, according to Ministry of Health and Welfare data submitted to Rep. Kim Mi-ae of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. Of the 707 cases for last year, 457 were related to verbal abuse. Physical violence

Social AffairsOct. 1, 2024

[Herald Review] One of Netflix's most expensive Korean originals returns, but at what cost?

"Gyeongseong Creature," one of Netflix's most costly Korean original productions with a reported budget of 70 billion won ($53 million), initially generated excitement for its star-studded cast and its creative depiction of the Japanese colonial era: in which Koreans were subjected to brutal experiments that transformed them into monstrous beings. However, the series faced widespread criticism upon its release in December. Critics objected to the series' sluggish, sloppy narr

TelevisionOct. 1, 2024

[Herald Design Forum] Award-winning motion graphic designer on how 'inspiration' and 'limitlessness' have shaped him

Motion graphic designer Kim Gryun recently achieved all the goals he had set when first starting out in his career, culminating two Emmy Award wins and more. That which drove him to this success deeply resonates with the theme of this year’s Herald Design Forum: “Inspiration, limitless.” “When I first chose this career path, I had what seemed like impossible dreams, but believing in those dreams was the embodiment of 'limitlessness.' Additionally, I always belie

CultureOct. 1, 2024

Traditional music orchestra festival to bring regional flair, cross-genre collaborations

The second edition of the Korean Traditional Music Orchestra Festival is set to kick off on Oct. 15 with more audience-friendly repertoire and collaborations with performers from other genres. The festival, launched last year in collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, will run through Oct. 26 at the Sejong Center’s M Theater in Seoul. During a press conference Monday, Ahn Ho-sang, CEO of the Sejong Center, Park Bum-hoon, composer and

PerformanceOct. 1, 2024

KT chief vows to secure AI leadership

Telecom carriers can further expand their roles in the era of artificial intelligence as they hold the lead in offering diverse services, KT CEO Kim Young-shub said at a mobile conference in Seoul on Tuesday, saying collaboration with tech rivals is crucial to boost service quality. "AI-based services have already been realized across all areas, including telecommunications, health care, public transportation, manufacturing and logistics," Kim said in his keynote speech at this year�

IndustryOct. 1, 2024

Yoon warns North Korea against nuclear attack attempt

President Yoon Suk Yeol said the Kim Jong-un regime would face its destruction should it attempt a nuclear attack at the Armed Forces Day ceremony on Tuesday, in a warning accompanied by a rare showcase of powerful weapons targeting North Korea. “If North Korea ever tries to use a nuclear weapon, it will be met with a decisive and overwhelming response from our armed forces and alliance with the US. And that will be the day its regime ends,” he said. The warning from the president ca

PoliticsOct. 1, 2024

[Survive & Thrive] From seasonal flu to TB, some foreign residents eligible for free shots

As the summer heat gives way to the crisp autumn air, it's time to start thinking about protecting yourself and your loved ones from the flu. If you’re a foreign national resident in South Korea, you may be eligible for free seasonal flu shots, one of many immunizations offered under the government's National Immunization Program, as long as you meet the same priority group criteria applied to Korean nationals. Korea’s vaccine program covers for free 18 essential vaccines f

Hashtag KoreaOct. 1, 2024

[Herald Interview] Sleep tech startup Munice seeks bigger footing in US

In a world where sleep disorders reportedly affect millions, South Korean startup Munice is offering a unique and science-based solution. Their app, Nightly, specializes in using a specific type of rhythmic sound frequency, called monaural beats, designed to promote relaxation and deep sleep. According to CEO Kwon Seo-hyun, 26, Nightly helps users fall asleep faster and experience deeper rest through brainwave entrainment. The app encourages electrical oscillations of the brain to synchronize wi

IndustryOct. 1, 2024

Seoul mayor suggests shift in immigration policy

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon called for a paradigm shift in South Korean immigration policy, highlighting the importance of adopting more inclusive visa policies to tackle demographic challenges. "With a total fertility rate of just 0.7 and the elder population set to surpass 20 percent next year, the potential workforce crisis looms large," said Oh at the Foreign Residents and Migration Policy Forum hosted by the city government. Inclusive visa policies can help keep diverse international r

Social AffairsOct. 1, 2024