Stray Kids return with ‘ATE,' ambitious to broaden music

Stray Kids have returned with confidence and aspirations to reach a broader audience. The eight-member group dropped its 9th mini album, “ATE,” on Friday, expressing ambitions to broaden their musical spectrum. "This is our first album of the year. As our unique style has become more distinct, we've worked hard to prepare it, so please enjoy it," said leader Bang Chan during a press conference held at the Conrad Seoul in Yeongdengpo-gu, Seoul on Friday. The title track

K-popJuly 19, 2024

Crypto investor protection law takes effect in Korea

South Korea’s first law specifically designed to protect cryptocurrency investors took effect on Friday, bringing the virtual asset industry within legal boundaries. The Virtual Asset User Protection Act aims to prevent unfair trading practices in the volatile crypto market, in response to how it was shaken by such incidents as the Terra-Luna crash and bankruptcy of crypto exchange FTX. The new law defines virtual assets as electronic tokens with economic value that can be traded or transf

MarketJuly 19, 2024

Merger boosts SK On’s bid for turnaround

SK On's announcement Wednesday that it will merge with SK Trading International and SK Enterm has raised hopes of a potential turnaround in its financial performance and competitiveness in the battery industry. SK On has been grappling with persistent financial losses. The company, spun off from SK Innovation in October 2021, reported an operating loss of 581.8 billion won ($419.5 million) last year and 315 billion won in the first quarter of this year. This marked its 10th consecutive quar

CompaniesJuly 19, 2024

Samsung sees fewer preorders for Galaxy Z foldable phones

Preorders for Samsung Electronics’ new foldable smartphones have topped 910,000 units in South Korea, a decline from 1.02 million preorders for their predecessors last year, according to the tech giant on Friday. Ahead of the official release of the Galaxy Z Flip6 and Fold6 on July 24, Samsung accepted preorders for the new phones for a week until Thursday in Korea. Despite a nearly 10 percent decline from last year, consumers in their 20s and 30s – Samsung’s target audience &n

TechnologyJuly 19, 2024

Overseas-based fashion brands flock to Korea

South Korea's fashion scene is drawing increased interest from well-known global brands, particularly those targeting young women. Several overseas-based labels, such as Alo Yoga, On, Brandy Melville and Human Made, are slated to enter Korea's market. These brands have already garnered a loyal following among young Koreans, who previously relied on overseas purchases to access them. This influx is driven by a confluence of factors. A key driver is the perception that Korean celebriti

ConsumerJuly 19, 2024

Political blame game intensifies in Seoul over Sue Mi Terry row

The recent indictment in the US of Sue Mi Terry, a North Korea expert who formerly worked for the US Central Intelligence Agency, is feeding the political blame game between the ruling bloc and opposition here over which administration is responsible for what is perceived as South Korea's spying blunder. A South Korean liberal lawmaker who formerly served as the chief of South Korea's National Intelligence Service slammed President Yoon Suk Yeol's office for "creating an inte

PoliticsJuly 19, 2024

Over 40 North Korean trash balloons detected overnight: JCS

Over 40 balloons carrying trash flew across the border from the North and fell in northern Gyeonggi Province overnight, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff announced Friday. The JCS detected at least 200 balloons flying from North Korea from 5 p.m. Thursday until 5 a.m. Friday, and one-fifth of them dropped in South Korea. Residents of Seoul received an alert at around 5:50 p.m. Thursday that a North Korean balloon had entered South Korea's territorial airspace. The balloons mostly carried paper

PoliticsJuly 19, 2024

Boryeong Mud Festival offers therapeutic tourism at beauty and wellness center

Boryeong Mud Festival, one of South Korea’s most celebrated summer events, presents therapeutic experiences for festivalgoers with its mud-themed beauty and wellness center for the first time. The festival is an extravaganza of mud, first held in 1988 at Daecheon Beach along Korea's west coast, in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province. Many holidaymakers enjoy the summer event not only to experience the dynamic, mud-themed activities -- mud slides, an air bounce, mud yachting and more

TravelJuly 19, 2024

[팟캐스트] (602) 트럼프, 유세중 피격

진행자: 홍유, Elise Youn Trump shot in ear at campaign rally 기사요약: 11월 미국 대선을 3개월여 앞둔 13일 공화당 대선 후보인 도널드 트럼프 전 대통령의 야외 유세 도중에 그를 겨냥한 총격 사건이 발생했다. [1] Donald Trump was shot in the ear during a Saturday campaign rally, in an attack that left the Republican presidential candidate's face streaked with blood and prompting his security agents to swarm him, before he emerged and pumped his fist in the air, mouthing the words "Fight! Fight! Fight!" *prompt: 즉각적인, 지체 없는 *swarm: 떼[무리]를 지어

PodcastJuly 19, 2024

Parliamentary committee to hold hearing on Yoon's impeachment petition on Marine's death anniv.

A parliamentary committee is set to hold a hearing Friday to address an online petition demanding the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, focusing on allegations of his interference in a probe into a young soldier's death. The National Legislation and Judiciary Committee will review the petition urging the National Assembly to propose a bill to impeach Yoon citing five reasons, including his alleged influence on the military's investigation into the Marine's death, and first l

PoliticsJuly 19, 2024

S. Korea brings largest-ever 'Korea House' to Paris Olympics

South Korea will operate its largest-ever "Korea House" during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics to promote its culture and serve as a support base for its athletes, the culture ministry said Friday. Co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Sports and Olympic Committee, the facility will run from July 25 to Aug. 11 at Maison de la Chimie (House of Chemistry), an international conference center in the heart of Paris. The Korea House has been a tradition since

Social AffairsJuly 19, 2024

S. Korea-Turkey revised double taxation treaty to take effect next week

A bilateral double taxation avoidance treaty between South Korea and Turkey was to come into force next week, Seoul's finance ministry said Friday. The revised convention, set to take effect Sunday, sets the maximum rate of withholding tax in the source country on income payments at 15 percent, compared with the current 20 percent, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The revision aims at easing the tax burden on companies doing business in the other country, and better prevent

EconomyJuly 19, 2024

[김대균의 영어산책] 시중 단어책에 비중있게 다루지 않았거나 나오지 않는 최신 토익 기출 실용단어 정리(1)

단어를 암기하는 것은 참 고된 작업일 수 있다. 그런데 새로운 단어들을 찾는 일은 더욱 더 고되고 힘들다. 시중에 나와있는 단어 책들을 다 보고 시험도 매 회 보면서 서점의 책들에서 빠진 단어들만 골라내는 작업이기 때문이다. 아래 단어들은 최근에 출제된 토익 시험에 보인 단어들이다. 이 중에 시중 서점에 나오는 단어들도 몇 개 포함되어 있지만 대부분은 없는 단어들이다. 단어 책에 나오는 단어들이라 할 지라도 비중 있게 다루지 않은 단어들이어서 Korea Herald독자들에게 제일 먼저 정보를 드린다. dip - dipping in a can. (v.) (담그다=immerse) ★★★★★  She was dipping the brush in a can of paint. (그녀는 붓을 페인트 통에 담그고 있었다.)  dip - dip in sales. (n.) (하락=decrease)   ● dip은 파트1에서 ‘담그다’의 의미로 파트5에서 ‘

English EyeJuly 19, 2024

Seoul shares open lower on Wall Street losses

Seoul shares got off to a weak start Friday on overnight losses on Wall Street. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 23.81 points, or 0.84 percent, to 2,800.54 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, Wall Street shares tumbled as a weeklong decline in tech and chip stocks expanded to other blue chips. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq composite dropped 0.78 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average slumped 1.29 percent. In Seoul, most blue chips

MarketJuly 19, 2024

N. Korean leader discusses military ties with visiting Russian vice defense minister

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has discussed the "importance and necessity" of military cooperation with Russia's vice defense minister, state media reported Friday, amid Pyongyang's deepening military alignment with Moscow. Kim met with a Russian military delegation, headed by Aleksey Krivoruchko in Pyongyang on Thursday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). He has become the first known ranking Russian military official to visit North Korea since Russian Pre

North KoreaJuly 19, 2024

S. Korean military resumes loudspeaker broadcasts near border in response to NK balloons

South Korea's military conducted propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts toward North Korea in response to its latest launch of trash-carrying balloons into the South, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Friday. The broadcasts took place from Thursday evening to early Friday in areas near where the balloons were launched, the JCS said in a notice to reporters. It did not provide further details. "The military's response going forward will fully depend on North Korea's actions," the

DefenseJuly 19, 2024

[Well-curated] Mountain retreat, flower studio and Pixar pop-up

Discover true self through nature at Romyzian Garden When life feels dull and everyday routines become tiring and noisy, Romyzian Garden may offer a place of peace and comfort through nature. Located on the serene slopes of Garisan, a mountain in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province, the unique garden is a 100,000 square meter sanctuary for healing and reflection. Romyzian Garden was lovingly created by a husband (Zian) for his wife (Romy), taking ten years to complete. Every tree and stone in the garden

CultureJuly 19, 2024

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Westin Josun Seoul presents summer Champagne promotion The Westin Josun Seoul in Jung-gu, central Seoul, offers two Champagne promotions to celebrate the summer season. The Ninth Gate presents two bottles of Champagne with truffle fries for four guests. The restaurant offers Moet & Chandon Imperial and a bottle of the guests’ choosing among Taittinger Reserve Brut, Champagne Drappier Carte D’Or Brut and Louis Roederer Collection 243. The weekday dinner promotion is priced at 250,

TravelJuly 19, 2024

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Project Silence” (South Korea) Opened July 12 Thriller/action Directed by Kim Tae-gon Trapped on a collapsing bridge shrouded in fog, national security officer Jung-won (the late Lee Sun-kyun), his daughter and other survivors find themselves in a fight for their lives against a mysterious creature. “Escape” (South Korea) Opened July 3 Action Directed by Lee Jong-pil North Korean soldier Gyu-nam (Lee Je-hoon) is about to be discharged after 10 years of service. Faced w

FilmJuly 19, 2024

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Water festival in Busan Water gun battles, slides and fully air-conditioned shelters -- perfect for parents to unwind while their children splash about -- are summertime attractions found at LetsRun Park in Busan. Every Saturday and Sunday through Aug. 25, performances such as magic shows will take place at the water festival. Visitors can enter at two time slots, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Check the latest at park.kra.co.kr. Petite France in Gapyeong Petite Franc

TravelJuly 19, 2024