After 15 years of waiting, iPhone users launch petition to bring Find My feature

The number of people demanding US tech giant Apple enable its Find My app in Korea surpassed 6,500 on Monday on the National Assembly’s petition website, a week after the movement started there on July 22. Find My allows users to track the locations of their Apple devices. If a lost device is nearby, it plays a sound. If users mark a devices lost, it locks or erases personal information. South Korea is the only country where Find My does not work, which has led online petitioners to accuse

IndustryJuly 29, 2024

Amid prolonged doctors' strike, Korea faces critical cardiology shortage

South Korea's health care system is grappling with a severe shortage of cardiology residents as a nationwide doctors' strike enters its seventh month. Recent data from The Korean Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery reveals that only 12 of the country's 107 cardiology residents are still on duty. The study, conducted over three days last week, shows 75 residents have resigned and 20 have pending resignation requests. Several major regions, including Gangwon and North Ch

Social AffairsJuly 29, 2024

Cash-strapped Tmon, WeMakePrice file for court receivership

Cash-strapped e-commerce platforms Tmon and WeMakePrice filed for corporate rehabilitation on Monday. The Seoul Bankruptcy Court announced that the two companies, embroiled in controversy over delayed payments amid a liquidity crisis at their Singapore-based parent, Qoo10 Group, have sought court-supervised restructuring. Corporate rehabilitation allows financially distressed companies to restructure their debts and operations. While this process enables the companies to continue their business

EconomyJuly 29, 2024

LSO led by Pappano to perform in Korea in 1st Asia tour

The London Symphony Orchestra is scheduled to perform at Lotte Concert Hall on Oct. 3 with Sir Antonio Pappano, who will begin his tenure as principal conductor starting with the 2024/25 season. The concert will be part of the first Asian tour by the London Symphony Orchestra with Pappano, as well as the conductor’s first visit to South Korea in six years. In his visit to the country in 2018 as the music director of the Santa Cecilia Orchestra of Rome, he performed with Korean pianist Ch

CultureJuly 29, 2024

Korea to tackle wedding charges, housing regulations to boost birth rate

The government announced new measures to boost marriages for young people and support housing for families with children, as a follow-up measure after a "demographic national emergency" was declared by President Yoon Suk Yeol last month. The Presidential Committee on Aging Society and Population Policy held its second meeting since its launch in June on Monday to review and accelerate the implementation of over 150 challenges and measures designated to address the aging society and low

Social AffairsJuly 29, 2024

Hyundai Motor’s decadeslong support for Korean archery shines in gold at Olympics

South Korea's female archers continued to rewrite history as they won the Olympic gold medal in the women's archery team event in Paris on Sunday, extending the winning streak to a 10th consecutive title. Behind the archery team’s efforts, there was Hyundai Motor Group’s unwavering support that began in 1985. The auto conglomerate’s 40-year-long sponsorship of the Korea Archery Association marks the longest for a single sports association here. Hyundai Motor Group beg

CompaniesJuly 29, 2024

S. Korean women archers dominate Olympics for 36 years

Since the women’s archery team event was introduced at the Olympics in 1988, South Korean women have never failed to win gold. On Sunday in Paris, they demonstrated once again their dominance, winning the 10th consecutive gold. The South Korean team, consisting of Lim Si-hyeon, Nam Su-hyeon and Jeon Hun-young, defeated China in a shoot-off to win 5-4 in the women's archery team final at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The match took place at Les Invalides in Paris on Sunday. President Yoon

More SportsJuly 29, 2024

Police chief nominee blasted for alleged special treatment of son in conscription

The National Assembly confirmation hearing for Cho Ji-ho, the nominee for chief of South Korea's National Police Agency, got off to a rough start Monday, with the main opposition party criticizing him over several allegations, including claims that he had assigned his conscripted son to work at his workplace. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers confronted Cho on reports that he had used his position and power to give his eldest son special treatment for military servic

Social AffairsJuly 29, 2024

6 in 10 workers commute despite dangerous weather: survey

A survey released Monday showed that six out of 10 South Koreans reported braving the weather to arrive at work on time, despite government recommendations to work from home or adjust commuting hours due to safety concerns over natural disasters like typhoons and heat waves. According to the survey conducted by the civic group Workplace Gapjil 119, about 15.9 percent of respondents also expressed concern about facing workplace disadvantages for being late during natural disasters. The survey ask

Social AffairsJuly 29, 2024

Le Sserafim unveils ‘Le Sserafim -- Make It Look Easy’ doc series

K-pop girl group Le Sserafim is to release its documentary series, "Le Sserafim -- Make It Look Easy,” starting from 8 p.m. on Monday. The new release follows “The World Is My Oyster,” the group's first documentary series released in September 2022. The quintet dropped a trailer for the upcoming documentary series on Monday in which the bandmates shared their thoughts about their performances and music. The group also dropped five teasers, each focusing on an individu

K-popJuly 29, 2024

K-pop stars take top spots at Billboard 200

K-pop acts took over Billboard’s main album chart with Stray Kids nabbing its fifth No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and BTS’ Jimin landing at No. 2. This marks the first time that K-pop albums have claimed the No.1 and No. 2 spots on Billboard 200. Stray Kids topped the Billboard 200 dated Aug. 3 with its ninth EP “Ate” earning 232,000 equivalent album units in the US, according to Billboard. The Billboard 200 chart, compiled by Luminate, ranks the best-performing albums in th

K-popJuly 29, 2024

'My Name Is Gabriel' losing viewership battle with 'Jinny's Kitchen'

"My Name Is Gabriel," one of the most highly anticipated entertainment shows of this year, going head-to-head with the second season of star producer Na Young-seok's "Jinny's Kitchen," has continued to suffer low viewership, with experts noting the show has failed to leverage Kim's strengths. "My Name Is Gabriel" stars top celebrities such as actor Park Bo-gum and TV personality Kim Jin-young, otherwise known as Dex, who adopt different identities for

TelevisionJuly 29, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'Tiny Desk Korea,' a small production with big goals

A small office filled with albums, books and LPs, a singer performing in a modest setup without any special effects or lighting — these are the images that come to mind when thinking of "Tiny Desk Concerts." "Tiny Desk Concerts," adapted from a popular National Public Radio segment in the United States that began in 2008, strives to capture the essence of music across genres and generations. Kang So-yeon and Kim Hee-won, project managers at South Korea's telecommun

PerformanceJuly 29, 2024

Coupang marks Rocket Luxury’s 1st year with special event

Coupang announced Monday that it will hold a special event to mark the first anniversary of its luxury beauty section, "Rocket Luxury," running until Sunday. The event features 21 brands available on Rocket Luxury -- including Estee Lauder, MAC, Bobbi Brown, Clinique and Biotherm -- highlighting a large number of bestsellers that have been highly popular over the past year. Exclusive perks are offered to Coupang's Wow members: Free gifts are given with the purchase of beauty items

IndustryJuly 29, 2024

[Photo News] Sweet collaboration

Samsung Electronics on Monday unveiled its latest collaboration with US chocolate maker Hershey’s for its mobile device accessories from cases for foldable phones to watch straps. Starting from Korea, the products are set to hit shelves in overseas markets, including the US, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines, in phases in the coming weeks. (Samsung Electronics)

IndustryJuly 29, 2024

Renault Grand Koleos caters to fuel-efficient family car market

Renault Korea’s latest mid-size hybrid SUV, the Renault Grand Koleos, is showing a promising start following its debut at the 2024 Busan Mobility Show last month, reporting over 10,000 contracts signed within the first month. According to Renault Korea, more than half of Grand Koleos buyers are in their 40s and 50s, a demographic seeking fuel-efficient family cars. This trend reflects a broader market shift in the Korean market, where hybrid vehicles have grown significantly. According to

MobilityJuly 29, 2024

HD Hyundai Marine Solution seals $60m European vessel service deal

HD Hyundai Marine Solution, the ship maintenance unit of HD Hyundai, announced Monday that it has secured a record $60 million maintenance deal with a Euro-based vessel company. The company said it recently signed a Long Term Service Agreement with a European company, without further elaborating on the company name or other details due to the deal conditions. Under the terms of the deal, HD Hyundai Marine Solution will provide parts and equipment for 38 vessels until 2029, along with skilled eng

IndustryJuly 29, 2024

[Bills in Focus] Tax delay for virtual assets, regulating 'dark pattern'

Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Income Tax Act Proposed by Rep. Song Eon-seog (People Power Party) ● Under the current Act, income from the transfer or lease of virtual assets will be classified as “other income” and be subject to taxation from January 1, 2025. This aims to achieve tax parity between physical assets, such as cash and real estate, and virtual assets, such as cryptocurrency. However, given the deteriorating sentiment towards investment in virtual assets due to

PoliticsJuly 29, 2024

Actor Son Suk-ku’s ‘Night Fishing’ wins award at Fantasia International Film Festival

South Korean actor Son Suk-ku’s 13-minute-long experimental film “Night Fishing” received the Best Editing Award at the 28th Fantasia International Film Festival, which kicked off on July 18 and continues through Aug. 4 in Montreal, Canada. The “Night Fishing” story, which unfolds from the perspective of a car’s cameras, revolves around an anonymous agent (Son) on a mission to track down an unidentified creature flying in the sky. As the sun sets, he lies in a

FilmJuly 29, 2024

LIG Nex1 acquires 60% stake in Ghost Robotics

Korean defense firm LIG Nex1 said Monday that it had acquired a 60 percent stake in Ghost Robotics, a leading US quadruped robot maker, in partnership with Korea Investment Private Equity. LIG Nex1 finalized all investment steps, including approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, Friday. The acquisition, valued at approximately 332 billion won ($240 million), secures LIG Nex1 a 60 percent share of Ghost Robotics. Founded in Philadelphia in 2015, Ghost Robotics is k

IndustryJuly 29, 2024