[Kim Seong-kon] True meanings of progressivism and conservatism

People say that today’s South Korea has become a battlefield between progressive and the conservative. The press, too, divides the people into these two categories. When there is an anti-government demonstration, newspapers and TV news programs report, “Conservatives gathered at Gwanghwamun Square to protest.” The headline implies that those who support the current South Korean government are progressives and those who do not are conservatives. However, such a bipolar dichotomy

ViewpointsJan. 14, 2020

Conservatives reel from blistering encounters

A day after suffering two painful setbacks, the main opposition Liberty Korea Party ratcheted up its rhetoric toward the liberal ruling camp, condemning almost every bit of President Moon Jae-in’s New Year’s press conference. Calling the Moon administration “a tyranny,” the party’s spokesperson Jun Hee-kyung said, “How dare the government praise itself when it entered the path of judicial control, public welfare debacle and security breakdown?” The heigh

PoliticsJan. 14, 2020

Moon says denuclearization talks still open, too early for pessimism

President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday that hope remains for the denuclearization of North Korea and resolving the current Seoul-Tokyo discord. Speaking at a New Year’s press conference, Moon said that both North Korea and the US have shown they are open to dialogue. He expressed hopes for renewed momentum, saying prolonging the current deadlock would be detrimental to the process. “The North-US dialogue is not active, but the trust between President Trump and Chairman Kim, and the

PoliticsJan. 14, 2020

Woongjin Coway seeks lead in air purifier market with filter variables

Following rising demand for air purifiers, household appliance company Woongjin Coway is seeking to continue its lead in the market with its special filters, the company said Tuesday.According to research institute Growth From Knowledge, annual sales of air purifiers in South Korea have more than doubled recently, from about 700,000 in 2016 to 1.8 million in 2018, amid the rising threat of worsening fine and ultrafine dust levels. Korea’s No. 1 rental company of air purifiers by sales, Cow

ConsumerJan. 14, 2020

Kia’s Telluride chosen as 2020 North American SUV of the Year

Kia’s Telluride has been named the 2020 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year, the carmaker said Tuesday, marking the first time it has been chosen as a finalist. According to Kia Motors, the Telluride beat out prominent rivals, the Hyundai Palisades and Lincoln Aviator, in the North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year (NACTOY) awards. “The Telluride’s interior layout and design would meet luxury SUV standards, while its refined drivetrain, confident driving dynami

MobilityJan. 14, 2020

S. Korea to draw up private sector infrastructure projects worth W17tr

South Korea will draw up private sector infrastructure projects worth 17 trillion won ($14.7 billion) this year in a bid to spur an economic recovery through investments, the finance ministry said Tuesday.Vice Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol made the remarks at a meeting with relevant officials on infrastructure projects earlier in the day.Among the new infrastructure projects under review are 13.5 trillion won worth of major roads and railways and 3.5 trillion won worth of environment-related bu

EconomyJan. 14, 2020

Criminal investigation system faces major makeover

The police said Tuesday they will begin follow-up work to execute the bills expanding their investigative jurisdiction, in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice and other relevant agencies.The National Police Agency said its existing task force team for reforming the criminal investigation system will lead the preparations for at least six months. The parliament on Monday passed revisions to the criminal procedure laws, widely branded as the “prosecution reform bills,” which entai

Social AffairsJan. 14, 2020

[Newsmaker] Another class-action suit filed against Japanese firms over forced labor

Victims of wartime forced labor and their descendants based in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province filed a class-action lawsuit against Japanese firms on Tuesday, seeking financial restitution amid soured Seoul-Tokyo relations over the colonial-era issue. Two surviving victims forced to work at Japanese steel mills during Japan’s 1910-45 colonization of Korea and 31 bereaved family members of late victims participated in the suit against six Japanese firms -- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Mit

Social AffairsJan. 14, 2020

Moon appointed IBK CEO vows corporate innovation amid stiff union resistance

The state-run Industrial Bank of Korea’s new CEO Yoon Jong-won on Tuesday chaired his first official board meeting, gesturing to carry through his leadership despite the labor union’s resistance.Meanwhile, unionists continued their stage-in protest, vowing to deter what they saw as excessive government meddling in the organization’s personnel affairs. Yoon, a former senior presidential secretary for economic affairs, ordered the launch of a new task force focused on corporate i

MarketJan. 14, 2020

[Brief] Over 1 in 10 young single parents homeless at some point: survey

One out of 10 parents aged 24 or younger has had to bring up a child without a permanent home at least at one point since becoming a parent, due to financial difficulties, according to a report released Tuesday on housing insecurity faced by young parents.  According to a survey conducted by the Korean Unwed Mothers Support Network involving 315 young parents, both single mothers and single fathers, 12 percent of the respondents had raised their children in places such as motels and public

Social AffairsJan. 14, 2020

Berlin concertmaster to grace Seoul stage as soloist

Violinist Lee Ji-yoon may be only 28 years old, but she is a musician trained in the legacy of a 450-year-old orchestra. In 2020, she will be sharing the legacy with Korean audiences at Kumho Art Hall Yonsei. The prodigy-turned-virtuoso of the Staatskapelle Berlin was selected as Kumho Art Hall’s artist-in-residence for 2020. Each year the art hall run by the Kumho Art Cultural Foundation selects an under-30 classical musician for its program. Lee took the classical music scene by storm in

PerformanceJan. 14, 2020

Samsung Electronics to acquire US network service provider

Samsung announced Tuesday that it will acquire TeleWorld Solutions, a Virginia-based network service provider. TWS specializes in providing network designs, installations, testing and optimized solutions to mobile service and cable operators as well as original equipment manufacturers. With the latest deal with TWS, Samsung Electronics is expected to increase its presence in the network infrastructure market as an end-to-end service provider.The South Korean company has been supplying netwo

IndustryJan. 14, 2020

KT, Samsung take first step in smart hospital evolution with 5G

KT and the Samsung Medical Center announced on Tuesday that they have started an official test-run of 5G-powered medical solutions designed to enhance health care. During a press conference held Monday at the Samsung Medical Center in southern Seoul, the two companies introduced several applications that make use of the 5G network throughout the hospital complex.The RAN-based 5G network at the tertiary hospital makes certain procedures possible at lower cost, when compared with the cost of

TechnologyJan. 14, 2020

Stray Kids, Ateez to kick off world tours over the next month

Two emerging K-pop boy bands, Stray Kids and Ateez, will kick off globe-trotting concert tours over the next month in a bid to expand their presence outside of their home country. Stray Kids, an eight-member boy band managed by JYP Entertainment, is scheduled to go on the overseas legs of its latest concert series, "District 9: Unlock," whose inaugural Seoul edition took place in November last year. The concert series' first overseas destination is New York on Jan. 29 and will be follo

PerformanceJan. 14, 2020

New GS chairman asserts ‘innovation’ for 2020

GS Group Chairman Huh Tae-soo presented “innovation” as his first management keyword since taking office last month, with the aim of expanding an open innovation culture in the conglomerate, officials said Tuesday. He took the baton to lead the group from his brother Huh Chang-soo last month. “We can increase the sustainability of our business and society by building partnerships with various other enterprises, including startups, and exchange healthy influences,” Hu

IndustryJan. 14, 2020

Kia Motors vows W29tr to transform into EV maker

Kia Motors on Tuesday unveiled its strategy to transform into a mobility solutions provider and ramp up its lineup with 11 new models to achieve global electric vehicle market share of 6.6 percent by 2025. Under its mid- and long-term business plan called “Plan S,” the sister company of Hyundai Motor said it will focus on EVs by injecting 29 trillion won ($25.1 billion), as well as increase profitability by offering customized mobility solutions.The vision was unveiled during it

MobilityJan. 14, 2020

Mercedes-Benz vows to maintain top spot in Korea with 15 new releases

Mercedes-Benz Korea said Tuesday it will release nine new models and six face-lifted vehicles this year to maintain its top position in the imported car market here.The automaker also touted its product lineup that “fits Korean tastes” as the reason for topping industry sales for four years in a row, during the automaker’s New Year’s press conference.According to the company, it has sold a record-high of 78,133 vehicles last year, up by 10.4 percent from the previous year

MobilityJan. 14, 2020

NK propaganda outlet urges 'life-or-death battle' against 'murderous' sanctions

A North Korean propaganda outlet called Tuesday for a "life-or-death" battle against what it called "unprecedentedly murderous" sanctions, saying the US campaign to stifle the communist nation has gone beyond its limit.North Korea's media outlets have emphasized the importance of "self-reliance" in various areas apparently to brace for a protracted struggle against pressure led by the United States amid a lack of progress in denuclearization talks. "The frontal

North KoreaJan. 14, 2020

Companies joining ‘W1tr club’ double in 2 decades

The number of South Korean companies with revenue of more than 1 trillion won ($867 million) has doubled over the last two decades, although the growth has slowed in recent years, latest data showed Tuesday. The findings were disclosed in a study by Sustainable Growth Institute which surveyed large domestic companies between 1998 and 2018 to gauge the health of Korea’s economy. According to the report, the number of firms with sales of more than 1 trillion won increased from 83 to 197

IndustryJan. 14, 2020