Yoon visits former first lady Yook Young-su's grave

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday paid his respects at the grave of former first lady Yook Young-su, the assassinated wife of ex-President Park Chung-hee, on the 50th anniversary of her death, the presidential office said. Yoon, accompanied by first lady Kim Keon Hee, visited the grave at Seoul National Cemetery in southern Seoul a day after making a phone call to former President Park Geun-hye, Yook's daughter, to express his condolences, according to presidential spokesperson Jeong Hye-

PoliticsAug. 15, 2024

[Hello India] India and S. Korea: Forging stronger ties for brighter future

As we commemorate the 77th anniversary of Independence Day for India, I extend my heartfelt greetings to all fellow citizens, the vibrant Indian diaspora in the Republic of Korea, and our esteemed Korean friends. This day also marks the 79th anniversary of Liberation Day for Korea, and I wish its people and government continued success, good health and prosperity. Over the years, the ROK has achieved impressive success across all fields of human endeavor, particularly advanced manufacturing, t

Foreign AffairsAug. 15, 2024

Independence activist groups, opposition parties to boycott govt.-organized Liberation Day ceremony

Independence activist groups and opposition parties were set to boycott the government's ceremony to mark the 79th anniversary of Liberation Day on Thursday in protest over the appointment of a new president of the Independence Hall of Korea. The Heritage of Korean Independence (HKI), a state-funded association of independence fighters and their descendants, has vowed to skip the ceremony and organize its own at Hyochang Park in central Seoul in protest of the appointment of Kim Hyoung-suk, accu

Social AffairsAug. 15, 2024

[해커스 TOEIC] 토익 점수 Up 단어, Part 5 문제

2) 파트 5 3문제 1. A representative of the firm spent the morning ------- for better wholesale prices with a raw materials supplier. (A) negotiate (B) negotiates (C) negotiating (D) negotiated 해석 그 회사의 대표자는 원재료 공급자와 더 좋은 도매가격을 협상하는 데에 오전을 보냈다. 해설 관용 표현 채우기 문제 ‘그 회사의 대표자는 더 좋은 도매가격을 협상하는 데에 오전을 보냈다’라는 의미가 되어야 하므로 ‘~하는 데 시간을 쓰다’라는 의미의 관용 표현 ‘spend + 시간/돈 + -ing’를 완성하는 (C) negotiating이 정답이다. 어휘 representative 대표자, 대리인 wholesale 도매의, 대량 판매의 raw material 원재료,

English EyeAug. 15, 2024

[Kwang W. Kim] Korea needs a new social contract

In my last essay for The Korea Herald, I introduced the idea of the "Paradox on the Han River." To understand South Korea today, one must squarely face two contradictory realities. One is of incredible success, a rag-to-riches story with global brands, an addictive K-culture and a rising power at the Olympics. Political progress followed this success. Korea is a rare nation in the modern era with a conviction around constitutional democracy. At the same time, Korea’s youth is cha

ViewpointsAug. 15, 2024

Hyun Ki-young's epic 'Oh, Jejudo' and 15 others receive Daesan translation grants

Novelist Hyun Ki-young's three-volume epic novel "Oh, Jejudo” and 15 other Korean literary works have been selected for the 2024 Grants for the Translation, Research and Publication of Korean Literary Works, the Daesan Foundation said Monday. The novel, which won the fiction prize of the 31st Daesan Literary Awards last year, narrates Jeju Island myths and tales following the history of the island from the late Joseon period to the Japanese colonial period and the April 3 uprisin

BooksAug. 15, 2024

[Wang Son-taek] Korea’s standing at Olympics over 100 years

The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris wrapped up a 17-day run with a dazzling closing ceremony on Sunday. Although the South Korean team participated in the event with its smallest number of athletes since 1976, it exceeded expectations by winning 32 medals, including 13 gold medals. In the overall medal standings, South Korea ranked eighth, placing itself among the ranks of France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Italy and Germany as one of the top 10 sports powers. It may look natural now to

ViewpointsAug. 14, 2024

Ukraine claims more advances, prisoners taken as it presses an incursion into Russia

KYIV -- Ukrainian forces pushed on with their major cross-border incursion into Russia's Kursk region for a second week Wednesday, claiming to have taken more ground, captured more Russian prisoners and destroyed a jet bomber while launching what officials said was a massive attack on Russian military airfields. Since the start of the day, assault troops had advanced one to two kilometers in some parts of Kursk, the commander of the Ukrainian military, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said in a video pos

World NewsAug. 14, 2024

Typhoon Ampil to hit Japan on Friday: forecasters

TOKYO -- Typhoon Ampil is expected to make landfall in Japan on Friday, the country's weather forecasters said Wednesday of what will be the second weather system to strike the archipelago in a week. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) forecasts that the slow-moving typhoon, currently south of Japan, will close in on the eastern or northern part of the country Friday through Saturday with a "strong force." In an advisory at 5:05 p.m., Typhoon Ampil was packing gusts of up to 162

World NewsAug. 14, 2024

Gov't to secure additional COVID-19 treatments this month: presidential office

The government will secure and distribute additional COVID-19 treatments before the end of this month to fight a resurgence of infections nationwide, a presidential official said Wednesday. South Korea has seen a sharp increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, with virus hospitalizations at 220 major medical institutions nationwide having risen sixfold in a month to come to 861 as of the first week of August, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. "We

Social AffairsAug. 14, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] NewJeans' ‘Cookie’ music video surpasses 100 m views

NewJeans added another video to the list of those with more than 100 million views on YouTube. Its music video for “Cookie,” one of the three focus tracks from its debut EP, reached the milestone and became the group’s fifth to do so, following performance videos for “Hype Boy,” “OMG” and “Ditto,” as well as the music video for “Super Shy.” The single was touted as “the best song from the debut EP by the impressive young K-p

K-popAug. 14, 2024

North Korean defector becomes governor of home province

North Korean defector Ji Seong-ho, who completed his term as a lawmaker with the ruling People Power Party in May, took office as the governor of his hometown North Hamgyong Province on Wednesday. South Korea appoints heads of offices to govern areas north of the inter-Korean border. Their affairs are overseen by the Ministry of Interior and Safety’s Committee for the Five Northern Korean Provinces. These largely symbolic roles are intended to keep in line with Article 3 of the Constitutio

PoliticsAug. 14, 2024

Korean brokerages to halt daytime trading of US stocks

Local securities firms that offer daytime trading of US stocks for South Korean investors are to tentatively suspend the service, following the order cancellation fiasco that happened earlier this month. A total of 19 brokerage houses, affected by the cancellation of orders by the US overnight trading platform operator Blue Ocean Technologies, are to temporarily suspend the service from Friday, according to the Korea Financial Investment Association. “Representing local securities firms,

MarketAug. 14, 2024

Korean apparel company Hansae sets sights on boosting American football

South Korean apparel manufacturer Hansae signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korea American Football Association to promote American football, a sport still unfamiliar to many in Korea, the company announced Wednesday. Hansae and KAFA officials convened at the apparel-maker's Seoul headquarters on Tuesday to sign the deal and discuss joint initiatives. Under the partnership, the groups plan to provide uniforms for Korea's national teams and sponsor an amateur football league.

IndustryAug. 14, 2024

AmCham seminar offers insight on US work visa

The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea hosted a seminar on Wednesday at the IFC Forum in Yeouido, Seoul, offering an in-depth overview of the US work visa process. The event focused on providing essential information about US work visas, including the visa categories, their specific requirements and permitted business activities under each visa type. Experts from various fields also offered insights for corporations and individuals looking to expand into the US market, addressing challenges a

EconomyAug. 14, 2024

Bus driver accused of negligent homicide of disembarking passenger

A Seoul bus driver is under investigation after a passenger was killed when the vehicle sped off before they had fully disembarked, police said Wednesday. The Seoul Yeongdeungpo Police Station have filed a case against the driver for professional negligence resulting in death for the fatal accident that occurred in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Monday. The victim, in her 80s, fell to the ground while disembarking when the vehicle began to move. She got caught in the rear wheel and was later pronounc

Social AffairsAug. 14, 2024

Century after ancestors' sacrifice, descendants become Korean citizens

On Monday, ahead of the 79th anniversary of National Liberation Day celebrated on Aug. 15, a special ceremony took place at the National Memorial of the Korean Provisional Government, which opened in 2022 to commemorate the China-based Korean government in exile during Japanese colonization from 1910-45. A total of 27 descendants of 14 independence activists -- 14 from Russia, 11 from China, one from Kazakhstan and one from Cuba -- became Korean nationals upon receiving citizenship certifica

PoliticsAug. 14, 2024

Pianist Park Jae-hong highlights hidden gems by Rachmaninoff, Scriabin in latest album

For emerging Korean pianist Park Jae-hong, his latest album featuring two Russian composers and the upcoming recitals showcasing it will be special, as he will bid a temporary goodbye to the music of these composers he loves this fall. On Monday, Park released his Decca debut album, featuring Alexander Scriabin’s 24 Preludes Op. 11 and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Sonata No. 1 in D minor Op. 28 - the two composers’ lesser-known works. Park, winner of the 2021 Busoni Piano Compet

CultureAug. 14, 2024

Over 4,300 more faculty members needed amid med school quota hike

Thirty-two medical schools have requested from the government 4,301 additional faculty members over the next six years, in order to address an anticipated faculty shortage in light of the state's plan to expand the medical school enrollment quota across the country. The medical schools slated for a quota increase next year submitted their requests for the thousands of additional faculty members to the Education Ministry in March, according to the report compiled by Rep. Jin Sun-mi of the

Social AffairsAug. 14, 2024