S. Korea to control supply of masks, hand sanitizers

Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said on Friday that the ministry will implement measures to control the supply and distribution of masks and hand sanitizers next week, warning that the government would impose harsh penalties on those hoarding the products. “The government will take stricter measures to prevent illegal activities that could risk the public health and stoke concerns among the people,” said the finance minister, who chaired a meeting with officials at the ministry on t

MarketFeb. 7, 2020

1,100 soldiers quarantined, outdoor drills modified over new coronavirus: defense ministry

About 1,100 soldiers are quarantined and outdoor military training has been adjusted as part of efforts to contain the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Friday. The quarantined soldiers, including 400 conscripts, have either visited China, Hong Kong or Macao in the past 14 days or had contact with people who traveled to those places, according to the ministry. The figure has risen over the past couple of days, as more service personnel were found to have visited places where patien

DefenseFeb. 7, 2020

UN panel approves sanctions exemptions to aid programs in NK

A UN Security Council panel has approved sanctions exemptions to three aid agencies allowing humanitarian assistance to North Korea, its website showed Friday. The North Korea sanctions committee approved a World Health Organization's request for exemptions on diagnostic equipment, including stethoscopes, microscopes, digital electrocardiograms and portable abdominal ultrasonography machines. The committee also allowed the World Food Programme on Jan. 20 to deliver assistance worth $110,000,

North KoreaFeb. 7, 2020

SK Telecom's profit plunges in 2019 on equity losses, costs

SK Telecom Co., South Korea's top mobile phone operator, said Friday its net income plunged 72.5 percent last year from a year earlier due to reduced equity gains from its chip-making affiliate. In a regulatory filing, SK Telecom reported a net income of 861.9 billion won ($725.9 million) last year, down from 3.1 trillion won in 2018, on a consolidated basis. The company said that operating profit for the year fell 7.6 percent on-year to 1.11 trillion won, although its annual revenue increase

IndustryFeb. 7, 2020

'Parasite' has collected 55 awards at 57 film fests

Bong Joon-ho's sensational black comedy "Parasite," nominated in six categories, including best picture, at the upcoming Oscars, has been invited to 57 film festivals and award events across the world, and collected 55 trophies, its production company CJ ENM said Friday. In May last year, the film about class division through two extreme families embraced the highest prize of Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, becoming a massive hit in 2019 and starting its awards-winning streak

FilmFeb. 7, 2020

Cliffhangers, slam dunks and dark horses at Sunday's Oscars

  (Reuters) - Hollywood's awards season reaches its climax at Sunday's Oscars, with a cliffhanger over the top prize after a season marked by dark horses, renewed anguish over diversity, and a South Korean underdog that could snatch victory from the biggest names in show business. While dark comic book movie "Joker" goes into the ceremony with a leading 11 nominations, it's the immersive World War One movie "1917" that has emerged as the film to beat in the best picture

FilmFeb. 7, 2020

China virus death toll hits 636, more than 30,000 infections

BEIJING (AFP) -- The official Chinese death toll from the coronavirus outbreak rose on Friday to 636, with the government saying total infections had climbed past 30,000. The toll was raised by 73 new deaths from the epidemic, the National Health Commission said in its daily update. Another 3,143 new cases of infection were confirmed, bringing total infections in the country thus far to 31,161, it said. The central province of Hubei where the virus originated continued to be hardest-hit, acc

World NewsFeb. 7, 2020

Another evacuee confirmed to be infected, total now at 24

South Korea on Friday confirmed another case of novel coronavirus infection, bringing the total here to 24, and the latest one is a South Korean airlifted from the Chinese city of Wuhan last week. After arriving here on a chartered plane last Friday, the 28-year-old South Korean man had been in quarantine at a state-run facility in Asan in central South Korea and started to suffer from a sore throat, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The agency said the

Social AffairsFeb. 7, 2020

Moon to meet Chinese, Japanese ambassadors for their credentials

President Moon Jae-in will greet the new Chinese and Japanese ambassadors to South Korea at Cheong Wa Dae on Friday, an opportunity to discuss the issues of the ongoing novel coronavirus epidemic and Seoul-Tokyo relations dampened by a drawn-out trade fight. After receiving their credentials, Moon plans to have a group conversation session with the envoys -- Xing Haiming of China and Koji Tomita of Japan. A major topic will be the global response to the viral outbreak that originated in the C

Foreign AffairsFeb. 7, 2020

[Digital Simplicity] Surging appetite for analog experience on digital devices

Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs famously said at the iPhone launch event in 2007, “Who wants a stylus?” As of February, most iPads come with a stylus called the Apple Pencil. So, my quick answer to Jobs’ rhetorical question is, “At least millions of Apple device users across the world.” And millions more, if I may add Samsung’s stylus-enabled Galaxy Note smartphones. The point is not that Jobs failed to see a new digital culture blossoming about a decade later.

ViewpointsFeb. 7, 2020

Seoul stocks open lower on virus woes

Seoul stocks opened lower Friday following a three-session winning streak as investors continue to assess the economic impact of the new coronavirus. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 9.21 points, or 0.41 percent, to 2,218.73 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Some investors turn to offload stocks on profit-taking following the market's solid rebound in the past three sessions from a 5.7 percent decline last week. Positive factors include China's decision to cut

MarketFeb. 7, 2020

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

The Closet (Korea) Opened Feb. 5 Horror, Thriller Directed by Kim Kwang-bin After losing his wife in a tragic accident, Sang-won moves to the countryside with his daughter Ina. A busy architect, Sang-won (Ha Jung-woo) had not been too devoted to his family before the death of his wife and tries to get closer to Ina. One day, Ina, who had been behaving strangely since their arrival at their new home, disappears inside the house. Self-proclaimed exorcist Kyung-hoon (Kim Nam-gil) approaches Sang-

FilmFeb. 7, 2020

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

Ruby Valentine at Grand InterContinental Seoul The Lobby Lounge at Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas presents “Ruby Chocolate Special” promotion for the upcoming Valentine‘s Day. The promotion features desserts made with chocolate and offers diamond-shaped ruby chocolate as an addition to the three-course meal and strawberry dessert buffet at Strawberry Gourmet Boutique. On Valentine’s Day, the meal and buffet will be available twice at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. “

FoodFeb. 7, 2020

[Travel Bits] Festivals and sights across Korea

Taean Tulip Festival Taean Tulip Festival is a picturesque event for both local residents and tourists alike with beautiful and vibrant tulips in full bloom. The festival venue is divided into multiple sections, which are decorated in different themes, allowing visitors to enjoy the sight of colorful tulips against creative and fun backdrops. The festival runs from April 14 to May 11 at the Korea Flower Park in Taean-gun, South Chungcheong Province. The event is open to visitors of all ages.

TravelFeb. 7, 2020

Uljin’s winter delicacies

ULJIN, North Gyeongsang Province -- Though the east coast is a favorite summer destination for many, Uljin may not be foremost on the minds of holidaymakers. A three-hour drive from Seoul, Uljin is a quiet harbor community that too often stands in the shadow of the popular tourist towns Gangneung and Sokcho. Old shops and dockyards line the streets, giving Uljin a retro vibe. Though it may lack the sparkle of its better-known neighbors, Uljin -- with its hot springs and forests -- is a go-t

TravelFeb. 7, 2020

[Eye plus] Metro stations’ transformation

Subway lines crisscross Seoul, with stations dotting the roadsides. With a combined length of nearly 1,000 kilometers and over 340 stations, the subway is an inseparable part of Seoul’s underground. For years, the role of the stations has been focused on utility and commercial aspects. However, many stations have taken on new functions.  Jonggak Station in central Seoul is one such station, and it is now home to an underground garden whose plants bask in real sunlight. The garde

Social AffairsFeb. 7, 2020

Global panic deepens over China virus as whistleblower doctor dies

BEIJING (AFP) -- A Chinese doctor, among the first to raise the alert about China's new coronavirus, himself died from the pathogen on Friday,  emphasizing the depth of a worsening crisis that has killed at least 630 people. Global panic also spread, with thousands trapped on quarantined cruise ships. Ophthalmologist Li Wenliang died at 2:58 am, Wuhan Central Hospital said in a post on its verified account on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The 34-year-old sent out a message about

World NewsFeb. 7, 2020

Esper: 'Rogue states' like Iran, N. Korea demand constant vigilance

WASHINGTON -- US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Thursday that "rogue states" like Iran and North Korea demand the United States' constant vigilance. Esper made the comment as he discussed the Trump administration's National Defense Strategy, which was released in January 2018. He said the strategy is designed to help the US maintain a competitive advantage over adversaries such as China and Russia. "Both countries have violated the sovereignty of their neighbors and routine

North KoreaFeb. 7, 2020

Hyundai suspends all assembly lines over parts shortages

Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's biggest carmaker by sales, on Friday suspended all of its domestic car assembly plants due to a lack of parts from China amid the spreading coronavirus outbreak, with other local automakers set to halt production lines or considering doing so. Hyundai Motor plans to halt its assembly plants by Monday, while its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. is planning to bring all of its local assembly lines to a halt Monday.   Hyundai and Kia began to reduce output a

MobilityFeb. 7, 2020

[Newsmaker] Coronavirus infection closes GS Home Shopping headquarters, live show suspended

  GS Home Shopping said Thursday it has decided to close its headquarters until Saturday morning as one of its employees was infected with the new coronavirus. “As an employee was confirmed to be infected by the new coronavirus, the company has closed the headquarters building in Seoul in case of emergency,” the company said. During the period, the firm said it would thoroughly disinfect the entire building. All of its home shopping broadcasts will be replaced by rebroadcas

IndustryFeb. 6, 2020