S. Korea's rare red fox population grows to 120

Over 100 red foxes, once thought to be extinct in the wild, now thrive in South Korea, primarily around the Sobaeksan region in North Gyeongsang Province, following a decade-long reintroduction effort. According to the Korea National Park Service under the Environment Ministry on Monday, the estimated population of red foxes on the South Korean territory, as of September, was around 120, including 21 foxes born in the wild. This marks an increase from last year when the estimated number of red f

Social AffairsSept. 2, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ RM collabs with Megan Thee Stallion

RM of BTS will be featured in Megan Thee Stallion’s upcoming single “Neva Play,” due out Friday. The American rapper announced the news on her Instagram with a poster fashioned after a comic book cover of herself showing off blue hair and counting money with RM in the back looking over his shoulder. “This is one of my favorite RM verses I’ve heard! I’ve never heard him rap in this style before,” she wrote adding a smiling emoji with sunglasses. They firs

K-popSept. 2, 2024

Art clusters in districts north of Han River make for easy gallery hopping

Ahead of Frieze Seoul kicking off on Wednesday, Seoul is in a festive mood with numerous art exhibitions and events taking place at museums, galleries and auction houses around the city. In a two-part series, The Korea Herald offers a roundup of selected events in the city -- in southern and northern parts of the capital. The following piece is the second in the series. -- Ed. Amorepacific Museum of Art Amorepacific Museum of Art in Yongsan-gu has become a key destination for Seoul Art Week this

Arts & DesignSept. 2, 2024

Police launch preliminary probe into Telegram for allegedly abetting deepfake sex crimes

South Korea’s police officials have launched an initial investigation into Telegram, following allegations of "complicity, aiding and abetting" online sexual crimes involving deepfake technology. Woo Jong-soo, the head of the National Office of Investigation, told reporters Monday that the police have launched an unofficial and preliminary investigation into Telegram on suspicion of "complicity, aiding and abetting crimes involving deepfake pornography.” “Investi

Social AffairsSept. 2, 2024

[팟캐스트] (615) 전국으로 퍼진 '딥페이크' 공포

진행자: 홍유, Elise Youn Fear of deepfake porn chat rooms on Telegram targeting indiscriminate women grips nation 기사요약: '딥페이크' 음란물이 텔레그램을 통해 공유된다는 사실이 알려지면서 파장이 커지고 있다. [1] Numerous chat rooms on Telegram suspected of creating and distributing deepfake pornographic material with doctored photos of ordinary women have been discovered recently, stoking fear and outrage across the country. doctored: 조작된, 변조된 stoke: 감정을 더 부추기다 [2] Many victims in these chat rooms -- one of which was found

PodcastSept. 2, 2024

Would Samsung benefit from Intel exit from foundry race?

Facing its worst earnings crisis in its 56-year history, Intel is reportedly reconsidering its lackluster foundry business, where it has set the goal of beating Samsung Electronics to become the industry's No. 2 by 2030. For Samsung, which is seeking to carve out its share in the foundry market dominated by Taiwan-based TSMC, Intel's exit could be beneficial, removing a potential threat, according to experts here. On Sunday, Bloomberg reported that Intel, the world's leading chipm

IndustrySept. 2, 2024

HIT Forum to shed light on new norm -- business diplomacy

Sharpening diplomatic skills is becoming an inevitable mission for Corporate Korea to give new traction to its export-oriented growth amid rising economic fragmentation. The unparalleled technology and unique cultural content that made-in-Korea products hold have led the country to be a trendsetter for Asia and beyond. This year, Korean companies faced new challenges and opportunities induced by major elections taking place around the world, coupled with growing protectionism and trade tension

IndustrySept. 2, 2024

[Herald Review] Stray Kids open new chapter with world tour ‘dominATE’ heavy on drama

A gigantic pair of silver lips was projected onto the main screen, and as they parted, Stray Kids emerged from within, dressed in silver stage costumes. The audience erupted in an ear-splitting cheer as the eight-member K-pop boy group kicked off the final day of their four-day concert at the Kspo Dome in Seoul on Sunday with “Mountains,” a Side-B track from their latest mini-album, "ATE." Stray Kids took center stage, flanked by a mega dance crew that filled the stage. &ld

K-popSept. 2, 2024

[Herald Interview] Abel Quartet to thrill with complete cycle of Mendelssohn string quartets

The Abel Quartet, like many musicians around the world, faced a pivotal moment at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The members, who were based in Vienna, Austria, returned to their home country, South Korea, for a performance, only to find themselves unable to go back to Vienna due to the lockdown there. The quartet found itself in a unique position: the small ensemble was just the right size to take to the stage at a time when many orchestral performances were canceled and many quartets had

CultureSept. 2, 2024

Seoul shares rise ahead of US Fed meeting

South Korean shares rose Monday, as investors bet on a US rate cut. The local currency slightly lost ground against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 6.69 points, or 0.25 percent, to close at 2,681.00. Trade volume was moderate at 262.5 million shares worth 8.5 trillion won ($6.35 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 534 to 325. Foreign investors ended their six-day selling streak, purchasing a net 239 billion won worth of local shares, while institutions

MarketSept. 2, 2024

K-pop groups face dilemmas when confronted with political issues

K-pop idols continue to grapple with navigating geopolitical controversies, as highlighted by a recent incident involving JYP Entertainment's K-pop group Nmixx. The group performed part of “Dokdo is Our Land” in a YouTube video on Aug. 22, sparking a heated dispute between Korean and Japanese fans. The incident raised a critical question: Should K-pop bands refrain from addressing political issues, or should they be candid about their political positions? Japan has claimed sover

K-popSept. 2, 2024

South Korean school administration goes digital

In a shift towards digitization, the traditional method of submitting a child's absence report by paper, a process familiar to countless South Korean parents, is soon to become a thing of the past. No longer will parents need to fold an absence note, and slip it into their child's backpack. Instead, parents will be able to submit these reports online, according to the Ministry of Education on Monday. Starting Monday, parents of elementary, middle and high school students across South K

Social AffairsSept. 2, 2024

Assembly holds opening ceremony 96 days late

The National Assembly on Monday held its opening ceremony nearly 100 days after the members of the new parliament began working and with the incumbent president skipping the event for the first time since South Korea ended decades of military dictatorship in 1987. President Yoon Suk Yeol’s decision to skip the Assembly’s ceremony, where it had been customary for the president to give a congratulatory speech since 1987, followed hearings held by the parliamentary judiciary committee i

PoliticsSept. 2, 2024

LG Electronics eyes IPO in India to spur growth

LG Electronics is mulling a stock debut in India, a burgeoning market where the Korean tech giant has made efforts to secure a firmer footing for almost two decades. In a recent interview with Bloomberg Television, LG Electronics CEO Cho Joo-wan hinted at the possibility of an initial public offering of the company’s Indian unit, saying the company is closely monitoring the Indian market to meet its sales target of 100 trillion won ($74.6 billion) by 2030. “(An IPO) is one of many op

IndustrySept. 2, 2024

Better Korea-Mongolia cooperation can reduce trade reliance on China: officials

South Korea and Mongolia need to strengthen cooperation on the supply of critical minerals to lessen their trade reliance on China, officials and experts from the two countries said at the Korea-Mongolia Vision Forum in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Co-hosted by Herald Media Group and the Ahnsei Foundation, the forum was held at the Novotel in the Mongolian capital on Aug. 27. During the session titled “Core Minerals Cooperation Plan," participants discussed ways for the two countries to wor

EconomySept. 2, 2024

[Photo News] HD Hyundai HeeMang Foundation

HD Hyundai officially launched the HeeMang Foundation on Monday, an initiative dedicated to supporting the families of workers who lost their lives in major shipyard accidents. The foundation, whose name means "hope" in Korean, will provide scholarships and financial assistance to bereaved family members, fulfilling a proposal made by HD Hyundai Chairman Kwon Oh-gap (first from left) earlier this February. Former Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Ki-kwon (fourth from left), appointe

CompaniesSept. 2, 2024

SK Ecoplant acquires SK Materials Airplus, eyes synergy in semiconductor business

Energy and environmental solutions provider SK Ecoplant announced Monday that it has officially incorporated energy supplier SK Materials Airplus as its subsidiary. During a special shareholders' meeting held at its headquarters in central Seoul, SK Ecoplant approved a comprehensive stock exchange agenda for SK Materials Airplus, which involves issuing new shares in exchange for the entire stake in SK Materials Airplus currently held by SK. SK Materials Airplus' long-term business mo

IndustrySept. 2, 2024

Posco chief urges closer Korea-Australia ties

Posco Group Chairman Chang In-hwa, who also serves as the head of the Korea-Australia Business Council, emphasized the need to strengthen economic relations between South Korea and Australia, particularly in the areas of natural resources, eco-friendly materials and infrastructure. “South Korea and Australia have been collaborating to pioneer future green development, which includes advancing eco-friendly materials and infrastructure beyond traditional resource cooperation in minerals and

IndustrySept. 2, 2024

Hole-in-one insurance agent's license revoked for fraud

A South Korean court recently upheld the state financial watchdog's decision to revoke the license of an insurance salesperson, after he submitted a fraudulent receipt in order to receive benefits for his hole-in-one insurance subscription. The Seoul Administrative Court ruled against the insurance agent, who challenged the Financial Services Commission's decision to take away his license for insurance fraud. In November 2014, the plaintiff shot a hole in one at a local golf course th

Social AffairsSept. 2, 2024

Yoon's popularity falls to 2-year low amid medical standoff

President Yoon Suk Yeol's job approval rating has sunk to its lowest depths in about two years, amid a lingering standoff between medical circles and the government that has sapped public trust in his medical reform push. According to South Korean pollster Realmeter on Monday, Yoon's job approval rating dropped to 29.6 percent in the fifth week of August, down 0.4 percentage point from the previous week. It was the lowest since his rating marked 29.3 percent in the first week of August

PoliticsSept. 2, 2024