Pyongyang calls fans of hit TV drama ‘Crash Landing’ ‘immoral’

Pyongyang’s propaganda media outlets lashed out at South Korea’s latest hit TV drama series and a film dealing with North Korea, calling them an “unacceptable and atrocious provocation.”   　 “Recently, South Korean authorities and film producers are releasing anti-republic films and TV dramas that are deceptive, fabricated, absurd and impure, putting all their efforts on making strategic propaganda,” the North said via an editorial published by online p

North KoreaMarch 4, 2020

FSS to impose sanctions on KT&G over alleged accounting fraud

  South Korea’s financial watchdog is likely to slap sanctions on the tobacco giant KT&G over accounting fraud allegations, according to officials Wednesday.  The Financial Supervisory Service sent a preliminary notice to KT&G last month, concluding that the firm violated financial reporting standards by reporting its Indonesian affiliate Trisakti in its consolidated financial statements even though it exerts no actual influence. The notice, which recommends prosecuto

EconomyMarch 4, 2020

Coronavirus hits Korea‘s gaming scene

As the number of people infected by the novel coronavirus increases daily, the gaming scene in Korea is suffering -- especially esports. The most popular esports league in Korea, the 2020 League of Legends Champions Korea decided on Tuesday to postpone the start of the second round-robin event for the spring season, following the first, initially held without spectators to prevent the spread of new coronavirus. “2020 Woori Bank LCK Spring has decided to take a temporary break from the fi

CultureMarch 4, 2020

Trust in presidential office, media falls over COVID-19 outbreak

The public trust in the presidential office and media fell while feelings of anger have grown significantly amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, research showed Wednesday. According to a survey conducted by a team led by professor You Myoung-soon of the Graduate School of Public Health at Seoul National University, 49.5 percent of the public said that they trusted Cheong Wa Dae with regards to the outbreak, while the figure for the media came to 39.9 percent. In comparison, the figures for C

Social AffairsMarch 4, 2020

Election body mulls special voting measures amid virus outbreak

Those affected by the COVID-19 outbreak may be allowed to vote from home in the April 15 general elections. According to reports, the National Election Commission is considering ways to enable COVID-19 patients and people under quarantine to vote in the general elections. One possible option is allowing them to apply to vote from their places of residence. Those who might be eligible under the new rules include hospitalized COVID-19 patients, patients in home isolation and others whose movem

PoliticsMarch 4, 2020

Seoul official calls Japan’s reaction to coronavirus ‘political’

The chief of South Korea’s National Health Insurance Service described the Japanese government’s handling of the novel coronavirus crisis as “political,” with the upcoming Tokyo Olympics at stake. 　 Kim Yong-ik, president of the NHIS, said the number of infections in the neighboring country could be much higher than reported and that Japan is “not testing enough.” 　 “If a country does not test and diagnose, COVID-19 will be passed over as a cold, and

Foreign AffairsMarch 4, 2020

BOK hints at rate cut over Fed‘s emergency action

South Korea’s central bank on Wednesday decided to hold its base rate at 1.25 percent for the time being, but hinted at a possible rate cut following the US Federal Reserve’s emergency action on mounting COVID-19 fears. The US central bank cut its base rates to a target range of 1 percent to 1.25 percent earlier in the day, in a move prompted by risks stemming from the novel coronavirus outbreak. This marks the first such emergency move since the 2008 financial crisis. “The

EconomyMarch 4, 2020

TIMF 2020 canceled over virus outbreak

This year’s Tongyeong International Music Festival, one of Korea’s biggest classical music events, has been canceled amid the rapid spread of COVID-19. This year, the annual music festival that takes place in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, was to be held from March 27 to April 5 under the theme of “Reality,” featuring 26 main performances and 363 artists from 23 countries.  Although the festival had set off to a robust start with five of its programs sold

PerformanceMarch 4, 2020

Imported car sales rise in Feb. despite virus

Even as the new coronavirus outbreak is dampening consumer sentiment, imported car sales bucked the trend in South Korea rising 5.3 percent in February on-year, latest data showed Wednesday. According to Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association, the number of newly registered imported cars in the country recorded 16,725 units in February. For the first two months of this year, sales increased by 0.8 percent from the same period in 2019 -- from 34,083 units to 34,365 units.

MobilityMarch 4, 2020

Stock market turns bullish on stimulus package, Fed rate cut

Seoul stocks extended their gains Wednesday, as investors welcomed a new stimulus package of the government to stem the economic fallout from the new coronavirus outbreak and the US Fed’s latest rate cut. The benchmark Kospi headed north throughout the day and closed at 2,059.33 -- up 45.18 points, or 2.24 percent from the previous session -- as foreign investors purchased local stocks. Offshore investors net purchased 152.7 billion won stocks. Individual and institutional investors, ho

MarketMarch 4, 2020

HiteJinro rehires singer-actor IU as Chamisul model

South Korean liquor maker HiteJinro said Wednesday that it had once again chosen singer-actor IU as its model for prominent soju brand Chamisul. IU previously modeled for Chamisul for four years, from 2014 to 2018. “IU is popular and has considerable stature as a singer and actor, and her unique ‘clean’ image (presented as a TV personality), goes along well with the brand,” HiteJinro said. The brand’s IU ads differed from the industry norm when she was first c

ConsumerMarch 4, 2020

Culture minister urges churches in Korea to halt gatherings amid coronavirus spread

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Tuesday urged Protestant churches in South Korea to halt gatherings as the novel coronavirus continues to spread. Culture Minister Park Yang-woo on Tuesday visited the central office of the United Christian Churches of Korea in Jongno, central Seoul, to ask the organization’s head, Kim Tae-young, for active cooperation. He emphasized that now was a crucial moment in the effort to stem the spread of COVID-19. Park also expressed gratitude

CultureMarch 4, 2020

516 more COVID-19 cases confirmed, total now at 5,328

The total number of coronavirus cases in South Korea has climbed to 5,328, with the southeastern city of Daegu continuing to account for the majority. The country had reported 516 more cases and four more deaths as of Wednesday at 12:01 a.m., according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of the new cases, 405 were confirmed in Daegu; 89 in North Gyeongsang Province; seven in Gyeonggi Province; three each in Busan and Ulsan; two each in Incheon and Gwangju; and one eac

Social AffairsMarch 4, 2020

Two-thirds of foreign firms expect weaker sales on virus: poll

Nearly two-thirds of foreign firms in South Korea expect their sales to drop due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, a poll showed Wednesday. The survey of 150 foreign-invested corporations showed 67.3 percent of the respondents anticipating a decline in their shipments due to the fast-spreading epidemic. The survey was conducted on foreign firms with a workforce of 100 or more between Feb. 17 and 21 by the Korea Economic Research Institute (KERI), the research arm of the Federation of Ko

IndustryMarch 4, 2020

92 countries, territories restricting entry from S. Korea over coronavirus concerns

A total of 92 countries and territories were imposing entry restrictions or stricter quarantine procedures on people from coronavirus-hit South Korea on Wednesday, with Qatar being the latest to slap an entry ban. As of 9 a.m., 38 countries and territories barred the entry of travelers who have visited Korea in at least the past two weeks, according to the foreign ministry website. Qatar began to enforce an entry ban starting Monday on foreigners with a record of visits to South Korea, China,

Foreign AffairsMarch 4, 2020

[Newsmaker] Plastic surgery clinics endure drop in Chinese customers over coronavirus

South Korea’s 5-trillion-won ($4.2 billion) plastic surgery industry is bleeding Chinese demand amidst the worsening coronavirus outbreak. The Korea Health Industry Development Institute said that Chinese patients are canceling plastic surgeries while the Ministry of Health and Welfare is recommending hospitals to delay their medical services to foreigners after February to curb the COVID-19 outbreak. “After monitoring whether major hospitals and plastic surgery clinics are foll

IndustryMarch 4, 2020

S. Korea drafts W11.7tr extra budget plan to fight coronavirus

South Korea’s government on Wednesday unveiled a supplementary budget bill amounting to 11.7 trillion won ($9.9 billion) to counter the prolonged economic fallout from the rapid spread of COVID-19. The bill, approved by the Cabinet on Wednesday, is set to be handed over to the National Assembly on Thursday for immediate effectuation. “The scale of the extra budget stands at 11.7 trillion won, of which revenue accounts for 3.2 trillion won and expenditure for 8.5 trillion won,&rdqu

EconomyMarch 4, 2020

3 additional coronavirus cases reported in military, total at 34

Three more service personnel tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the military to 34 on Wednesday, the defense ministry said. Two of the new COVID-19 cases were from the Army -- a rank-and-file soldier and an officer in Yongin, 50 kilometers south of Seoul -- and the other was an officer at a unit under the direct control of the ministry in the central city of Daejeon, it said. Of the total, 19 were in the Army, 11 in the Air Force, two in

DefenseMarch 4, 2020

S. Korea reports 516 new virus cases, total now at 5,328

South Korea reported 516 new cases of the coronavirus on Wednesday, bringing the nation's total number of infections to 5,328, with the outbreak in the southeastern city of Daegu, the hotspot here, showing little sign of a slowdown. So far, 32 people, mostly elderly patients with underlying illnesses, have died in South Korea from the respiratory virus that emerged in China late last year, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said. About 60 percent of confirmed cases ha

Social AffairsMarch 4, 2020

Three BTS songs hit Billboard Hot 100, while band reclaims Artist 100

Global super band BTS debuted three of its new songs on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for this week on Wednesday while topping a string of other Billboard charts with its new album, "Map of the Soul: 7." According to the weekly Billboard chart updates, "ON," the lead track of "7," ranked 4th on the Hot 100 chart dated March 7, as previously announced by the music magazine. It was BTS' first top 5 hit on the Hot 100. "My Time," a solo song by Jungk

K-popMarch 4, 2020