N. Korean newspaper reports on spike in new coronavirus infections, death toll in China

North Korea's official newspaper on Friday reported about a recent spike in new coronavirus infections and the death toll in China as Pyongyang is making an all-out effort to prevent the flow of the highly contagious virus from its neighboring country. The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North's ruling party, carried a series of articles providing details on latest developments on the spread of the COVID-19 that originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. "China confirm

North KoreaFeb. 14, 2020

US offers to help virus efforts in N.Korea

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States on Thursday promised to support aid work in North Korea to combat the new coronavirus, voicing alarm at the ill-equipped state's susceptibility. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said the United States was "deeply concerned" about the vulnerability of the North Korean people to COVID-19, which originated in neighboring China where it has killed more than 1,300 people. Ortagus said the United States supported efforts of aid groups to con

North KoreaFeb. 14, 2020

S. Korea remains vigilant against coronavirus, no new cases for 3rd straight day

No new cases of the novel coronavirus were reported in South Korea for the third consecutive day, but health authorities remain vigilant to monitor how the outbreak is unfolding in two neighboring Asian countries. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said the number of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus remains unchanged at 28, with seven of them having been released from hospitals after making full recoveries. Another 21 patients currently being treated for the viru

Social AffairsFeb. 14, 2020

[Eye Plus] Hop aboard ‘Hotel Express 284’

The former Seoul Station building -- now Culture Station Seoul 284 -- has been transformed into a hotel complex for an exhibition. With the building symbolic of Korea’s shift to modernity, the exhibition “Hotel Express 284,” organized by the Korea Craft & Design Foundation, highlights the venue as a place where voyages start.  Foreigners flooded into Seoul after the opening of ports in thelate 19th century. Their need for accommodation marked the beginning of hot

Arts & DesignFeb. 14, 2020

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Little Women (US) Opened Feb. 12 Drama, romance Directed by Greta Gerwig In the years following the Civil War, burgeoning author Jo March (Saoirse Ronan) lives in New York, while her sister Amy (Florence Pugh) studies painting in Paris. Their oldest sister, Meg (Emma Watson), is married to a schoolteacher, while Beth (Eliza Scanlen) develops a devastating illness that brings the family back together. Jo looks back on the four siblings’ Massachusetts childhoods and the events that helped

FilmFeb. 14, 2020

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

Strawberry desserts at Mayfield Hotel With spring just around the corner, Mayfield Hotel’s Royal Mile presents the Strawberry Afternoon Tea set until April 30. The set features eight berry-themed desserts, such as tiramisu, tarte, macarons, sandwiches and scones. Guests will also be offered two different varieties of Tavalon tea. Priced at 53,000 won, the set will be available daily from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. For more information or reservations, call Royal Mile at (02) 2660-9050. Swe

FoodFeb. 14, 2020

[Travel Bits] Festivals and sights across Korea

Jindo Miracle Sea Road Festival The Jindo Miracle Sea Road Festival will be held April 8-11. The island in South Jeolla Province is known for its indigenous Jindo dogs. The Jindo Miracle Sea Road is a 40-meter-wide, 2.8-kilometer-long path connecting two separate islands. It only appears for approximately an hour during extremely low tides. Open to visitors of all ages, the festival draws over 500,000 visitors every year. Admission is free. For more information in Korean, English, Japan

TravelFeb. 14, 2020

[Herald Interview] Web-serial writer Lee Nak-joon juggles three jobs

Lee Nak-joon, 35, balances three jobs -- web-serial writer, YouTuber and ear, nose and throat specialist. “At first I did not have much problems. I write fast. It usually takes around an hour and a half for me to write one episode (for my daily update). For YouTube, I only spent around 15 minutes shooting a video that is around 10 minutes,” Lee said in an interview with The Korea Herald. It became tougher to manage last year after his web serial “Trauma Center: Golden Hour&

PeopleFeb. 14, 2020

China virus death toll nears 1,500 but new cases fall

BEIJING (AFP) - The death toll from China's coronavirus epidemic rose to 1,483 on Friday but the number of new infections in hard-hit Hubei province fell after a change in case definitions caused a massive increase the previous day. The central province's health commission reported 116 more deaths and 4,823 new cases, the majority involving "clinically diagnosed" patients. The province, the epicentre of the outbreak, had 242 more deaths and over 14,800 new cases on Thursday. More t

World NewsFeb. 14, 2020

BTS to premiere new album's main track on Jimmy Fallon show

K-pop superband BTS will stage the debut performance of its upcoming album's main track on late night US TV show, "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," this month, the show has announced. Appearing on a special episode of the show by broadcaster NBC on Feb. 24 (US time), the septet will premiere the lead track of "Map of the Soul: 7," slated for official release on Feb. 21, according to an SNS announcement by the TV show. The special show will feature BTS' interview w

K-popFeb. 14, 2020

Seoul's export prices sink in Jan

South Korea's export prices fell slightly in January from a month earlier, central bank data showed Friday, largely due to the strengthening of the local currency against the US dollar. The export prices index, in terms of Korean won, came to 96.59 in the month, according to preliminary data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). The reading marks a 0.8 percent drop from a month earlier and a 2.8 percent drop from the same month last year. The BOK attributed the drop to the Korean won's appreciation

EconomyFeb. 14, 2020

The elite S. Korean businesswoman behind Oscar-winning Parasite

The woman who stepped up to make the final acceptance speech when Bong Joon-ho's satire Parasite -- about the gap between rich and poor -- won the Oscar for Best Picture is herself a member of South Korea's wealthiest family. Miky Lee, an heiress turned media mogul, is the executive producer of the first non-English-language film to secure the Academy Awards' top prize in their 92-year history. The film has been praised at home and abroad for its critique of inequality, but Lee is the granddau

IndustryFeb. 13, 2020

N. Korea replaces domestic security chief: Seoul

North Korea has appointed Kim Jong-ho as new minister of people's security, a South Korean government publication indicated Thursday. North Korea's leadership chart, released by South Korea's unification ministry, showed that Kim replaced Choe Pu-il, who was promoted to department director handling military affairs at the ruling Workers' Party Central Committee, in December. The Ministry of People's Security is roughly equivalent to South Korea's National Police Agency. No details of the new

North KoreaFeb. 13, 2020

Moon to meet Bong Joon-ho at Cheong Wa Dae next week

President Moon Jae-in has invited Bong Joon-ho, director of the film "Parasite," to Cheong Wa Dae next week in celebration and recognition of his Oscar honors, an aide to Moon said Thursday. The president plans to hold a luncheon meeting with Bong on Feb. 20 with related details yet to be fixed, including whether the cast of the dark comedy and thriller movie about social problems from the gap between rich and poor will attend as well, according to the official who requested anonymity

FilmFeb. 13, 2020

NSC discusses S. Korea's peace plan for Munich security forum

South Korea's top security officials agreed Thursday to use the upcoming security forum in Germany to drum up international support for the Korea peace process, Cheong Wa Dae said. In the weekly standing committee meeting of the National Security Council, they discussed a strategy related to participation in the three-day conference to open in Munich on Friday. South Korea will be represented by Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha. She is expected to hold talks with US Secretary of State Mike Pompe

TechnologyFeb. 13, 2020

Hyundai Merchant's 2019 net losses narrow on increased sales

Hyundai Merchant Marine, South Korea's biggest shipping company by sales, said Thursday that its net losses narrowed in 2019 from a year earlier due to a rise in sales. Net losses narrowed to 592 billion won ($501 million) in 2019 from 790 billion won a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing. Operating losses also narrowed to 304 billion won in 2019 from 558.6 billion won a year ago. Sales rose 5.6 percent on-year to 5.51 trillion won in 2019, the company said. Hyundai Merchant

IndustryFeb. 13, 2020

Korea Aerospace 2019 net more than doubles on KF-X project

Korea Aerospace Industries said Thursday its net income more than doubled in 2019 from a year earlier, helped by a local project that replaces aging fighter jets in the Air Force. KAI, the country's sole aircraft manufacturer, reported a net profit of 130 billion won ($109 million) last year, compared with a profit of 55.5 billion won a year ago, the company said in a statement. "On top of the KF-X project, the company delivered eight T-50 TH advanced trainer jets to Thailand in July la

IndustryFeb. 13, 2020

Supreme Court approves not-guilty verdict for 111 conscientious objectors

South Korea's top court on Thursday acquitted more than 110 believers of a non-mainstream Christian sect who were indicted for rejecting mandatory military service for religious reasons. The Supreme Court upheld lower courts' not-guilty verdicts for 111 Jehovah's Witnesses who were charged with refusing to serve in the military in violation of the Military Service Act, saying their conscientious objection was justifiable. It is the first time the Supreme Court has confirmed a not-guilty verdic

DefenseFeb. 13, 2020

[Graphic News] Trending ‘Parasite’ filming locations after Oscar wins

　Locations that appeared in director Bong Joon-ho’s masterpiece “Parasite” are trending, with fans visiting the venues in celebration of the film’s historic Oscar wins. - Where “Parasite” begins Doijissal Supermarket Address: 32, Songijeong-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul Hours of Operation: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 a.m. daily Directions: Subway Line Nos. 2 & 5, Exit No. 6 of Chungjeongno Station, walk 10 minutes - Stairs connecting to President Park’s house Stair

CultureFeb. 13, 2020

KCGI-heiress coalition ups ante to dethrone Hanjin successor

A coalition of Korean Air heiress and a local activist fund Korea Corporate Governance Improvement on Thursday proposed former SK Group Vice Chairman Kim Shin-bae as an inside board director of Hanjin Group in a bid to oust the current chairman at the March shareholders meeting. Other candidates include former Samsung Electronics Vice President and head of China Bae Kyung-tae and ex-Korean Air executive Kim Chi-hoon. Hahm Chul-ho, a former Korean Air senior vice president and T’way Air CE

MarketFeb. 13, 2020