Seoul closely monitoring N. Korea's expected meeting of diplomats

South Korea is keeping a close watch on North Korea over a possible meeting of its overseas diplomatic mission chiefs, a unification ministry official said Thursday, amid speculation Pyongyang could discuss its nuclear strategy during the session.Last week, top North Korean envoy to China Ji Jae-ryong and Ambassador to the UN Kim Song returned home. The North Korean ambassadors to Angola and Singapore were also seen at the Beijing airport on the same day, indicating a possible meeting scheduled

North KoreaJan. 23, 2020

Travel alert issued for Wuhan on coronavirus outbreak

Seoul on Thursday issued a travel alert for Wuhan, the epicenter of an outbreak of a new coronavirus in China, in an effort to stop the rapid spread of the deadly respiratory disease. 　Airports, ports, train stations and hospitals were put on high alert ahead of the four-day Lunar New Year holidays, a season for travel. 　South Korea’s Foreign Ministry assigned Wuhan, in China’s Hubei province, a warning level of “restraint,” the third-highest in the country’s four-t

Social AffairsJan. 23, 2020

[Newsmaker] Union protest over Moon-appointed IBK chief set to intensify

Protests outside the state-run Industrial Bank of Korea are expected to intensify, with the union’s fight against the top-down appointment of CEO Yoon Jong-won gaining support from powerful national labor associations in recent weeks. The Federation of Korean Trade Unions, one of the two largest umbrella labor organizations here, announced Wednesday that it was joining the IBK unionists in protesting what they see as excessive government meddling in the organization’s personnel affai

MarketJan. 23, 2020

Hyundai Motor heir gets rid of Elliott risk

The road to Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Euisun reigning over the nation’s largest automobile giant is predicted to be less bumpy as activist hedge fund Elliott, which had put the brakes on his succession plans, recently sold all its stakes in Hyundai Motor companies. According to the industry, Elliott sold its stakes of 2.9 percent of Hyundai Motor, 2.1 percent of Kia Motors and 2.6 percent of Hyundai Mobis as of Wednesday. Elliott’s departure is expected to giv

MobilityJan. 23, 2020

Firms scurry to scout outside directors with new regulation

Following a recent change in regulations limiting tenures of outside directors, South Korea companies are scurrying to scout new members ahead of their general shareholders meetings in March.Citing a need to reinforce shareholders’ rights and institutional investors, the Cabinet approved on Tuesday revisions to the enforcement decrees of the Commercial Act, Capital Market Act and National Pension Act.To secure independency of outside board directors, the revised rule limits people who have

IndustryJan. 23, 2020

Eximbank employees volunteer at soup kitchen

The Export-Import Bank of Korea said Thursday that its employees volunteered at a soup kitchen near Seoul Station earlier this week, as part of its efforts to consistently engage in community welfare. Twenty Eximbank’s employees, who were part of the lender’s Hope Seed Volunteer program served hearty meals to the homeless on Tuesday, ahead of this year’s Jan. 24-27 Lunar New Year holidays, the bank said. Eximbank has been funding Warm Hearted Food Supply Center near Seoul Stati

MarketJan. 23, 2020

Year of the White Mouse heralds abundance, opportunities

Though we are well into the new year, the Year of the White Mouse truly begins with the Lunar New Year’s holiday.With Lunar New Year’s Day falling Saturday, South Korea slips into a holiday mood from Friday through Monday. According to the Chinese zodiac, there are 10 characters that symbolize the energy of the sky and 12 animals responsible for guarding the land. This year, the seventh character, Gyeong, meets the mouse guardian. Gyeong symbolizes the color white, making 2020 the Ye

CultureJan. 23, 2020

[News Focus] What will happen at Hanjin KAL’s March shareholders meeting?

Signs of a sibling feud have been hard to ignore recently at Hanjin KAL, the Hanjin Group holding company that owns the country’s flagship carrier Korean Air, ahead of a Hanjin KAL shareholders meeting slated for March.With tension brewing over the holding firm’s leadership, the March meeting is an important one for Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Won-tae, who assumed the top post in April last year after his father died of chronic lung disease. Shareholders will vote on whether to reappoi

MobilityJan. 23, 2020

LS Group scion steps down to ‘hone more biz skills’

Yesco Holdings CEO Koo Bon-hyuk, 42, voluntarily stepped down from his role 10 days after his appointment, citing a lack of experience, the company announced Wednesday.Koo is the third-generation scion of the Koo-family who founded and own LS Group, the overarching business above Yesco Holdings, the holding entity of city gas retailers.His promotion from the executive vice president of LS-Nikko Copper to the CEO position at Yesco Holdings had made headlines last year as what many perceived as a

IndustryJan. 23, 2020

Senior prosecutors leading major probes replaced in reshuffle

The justice ministry announced a reshuffle Thursday, replacing senior prosecutors who have led probes into high-profile cases involving former and current presidential officials.The move affected senior prosecutors who have been investigating suspicions that some Cheong Wa Dae officials intervened in the 2018 provincial elections and attempted to cover up bribery allegations of a former Busan vice mayor.Also among those affected was a senior prosecutor who was leading an investigation into alleg

PoliticsJan. 23, 2020

Poll: 51.9% of S. Koreans back troop dispatch to Strait of Hormuz

A majority of South Koreans support the government's decision to dispatch troops to the Strait of Hormuz for a maritime security operation, a poll showed Thursday.Earlier this week, the Ministry of National Defense announced that the country's anti-piracy Cheonghae Unit, operating in the Gulf of Aden, would expand its mission to the strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.The move represents Seoul's efforts to play a bigger role in global issues and keep its alliance with Washington

Foreign AffairsJan. 23, 2020

Samsung's new foldable phone may be priced under 2m won: sources

Samsung Electronics Co.'s new foldable smartphone to be unveiled next month may be priced under 2 million won ($1,710), industry sources said Thursday, as the South Korean tech giant eyes attracting more consumers over its global rivals.Samsung's clamshell-type foldable phone, supposedly known as the Galaxy Z Flip, is set to be introduced at the company's "Unpacked" event in San Francisco on Feb. 11, along with a new version of its flagship smartphone that is likely to be named the Gal

TechnologyJan. 23, 2020

TWICE music video 'TT' hits 500m YouTube views

"TT," a 2016 music video by K-pop girl band TWICE, hit the milestone of 500 million YouTube views Thursday, the band's management agency said.The video achieved the feat Thursday morning, becoming the band's first to hit the 500 million mark, according to JYP Entertainment. It was released in October 2016 on TWICE's third EP, "TWICEcoaster: LANE1."The video initially surpassed the threshold of 300 million YouTube views in December 2017, the first K-pop song by female artists

PerformanceJan. 23, 2020

US to continue 'patient' diplomacy with N. Korea: official

WASHINGTON -- The United States will continue "patient" diplomacy with North Korea to make clear that the regime needs to return to denuclearization talks, a senior State Department official said Wednesday.The official spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss last week's meetings involving the top diplomats of South Korea, the US and Japan. His remark suggests Washington is not willing to offer concessions to get Pyongyang back to the negotiation table."On North Kor

North KoreaJan. 23, 2020

S. Korea fines Google over YouTube Premium service

South Korea's telecommunications regulator said Wednesday it has imposed a fine of 867 million won ($740,000) on Google Limited Liability Corp. for violating local telecom laws in the operation of its YouTube Premium service.In a two-year investigation through December 2018, the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) found Google didn't properly notify the YouTube Premium service users of the fact that the streaming service converts to a charged service after a one-month free trial service. "

EconomyJan. 23, 2020

China in close communication with S. Korea, other countries on new virus: embassy

WASHINGTON -- The Chinese Embassy in Washington said Wednesday that Chinese authorities are in close communication with South Korea, the United States and other nations to help fight the spread of a deadly new virus.The embassy wrote on Twitter that China's National Health Commission is "maintaining close communication with counterparts in Thailand, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United States and other countries as well as their embassies in China, sharing the latest information while h

Foreign AffairsJan. 23, 2020

'Sealed off': China isolates city of virus outbreak

BEIJING (AFP) -- The Chinese city at the heart of a deadly virus outbreak is under effective quarantine, with outward flights and trains suspended, subways halted and large public events cancelled as doctors in full-body protective suits treat patients.The coronavirus has spread across China and beyond, with 17 people killed and more than 500 infected in an outbreak that started in Wuhan -- a central city of 11 million people described by state media as "the main battlefield" against t

World NewsJan. 23, 2020

On cloud nine: S. Korea advance to 9th straight Olympic men's football tournament

 RANGSIT -- South Korea reached cloud nine on Wednesday, as they made it to their ninth consecutive Olympic men's football tournament.The young Taeguk Warriors shut down Australia 2-0 in the semifinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Championship in Thailand. This AFC event doubles as the regional qualifying tournament for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and the top three teams from here will be competing in Japn this summer. With Wednesday's win, South Korea assured themselves a sp

SoccerJan. 23, 2020

Son rises again: Tottenham's Son Heung-min ends 7-match scoring drought in win

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min has ended his seven-match goalless drought, while scoring for the first time in 2020 in the process.Son headed in the 79th-minute winner in the Spurs' 2-1 victory over Norwich City in the Premier League contest at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Tuesday (local time). It was Son's first score since the jaw-dropping wonder goal against Burnley in the Premier League on Dec. 7. He had gone scoreless in his past four Premier League matches, one UEFA Champions

SoccerJan. 23, 2020

US lifts preliminary designation of S. Korea as illegal fishing country

The United States has cancelled its preliminary designation of South Korea as a country that engages in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, lifting concerns of possible sanctions, the oceans ministry said Wednesday.     In September, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) made the preliminary decision as it identified South Korea as "failing to apply sufficient sanctions to deter its vessels from engaging in fishing activities that

InternationalJan. 22, 2020