Trump touts 'very good' Xi phone call

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump touted a "very good talk" Friday with Xi Jinping on a deal to resolve their trade war, while Chinese media said Xi had complained about US interference in Hong Kong and elsewhere.Trump tweeted that China "already started large scale" increases in purchases of US farm goods, in line with the deal.However, he did not give a date for when the so-called "phase one" agreement will actually be signed. "Formal signing being arrange

World NewsDec. 21, 2019

Trump signs defense bill with provision against troop drawdown in S. Korea

US President Donald Trump on Friday signed a defense policy bill containing provisions restricting the drawdown of American troops in South Korea.The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, which authorizes funding for the Department of Defense, passed the Senate on Tuesday and was sent to Trump to be enacted into law.The US president signed the bill during a ceremony held at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, before departing for Florida for the Christmas holidays.The new legislatio

DefenseDec. 21, 2019

Japan lifts chip material export curbs against S. Korea ahead of trilateral summit

Japan on Friday partially lifted curbs on exports to South Korea of a chip material, one of three products subject to recent restrictions, in an apparent goodwill gesture ahead of a trilateral summit with Seoul and Beijing next week. But Seoul said that while it represents partial progress, it falls short of being a fundamental solution to the neighboring country's export curbs. Under the move, Japan will ease regulations on exports of photoresist to South Korea with limited regulations, Japan's

IndustryDec. 20, 2019

S. Korea, Sweden vow continued efforts to deepen security, defense ties

South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven discussed the regional security situation on Friday and vowed to further boost their defense industry cooperation, Jeong's office said. During their meeting at a Seoul hotel, Jeong thanked Sweden for its contribution to building peace on the Korean Peninsula, and the Swedish leader promised his country's continued backing for a peaceful resolution to peninsula issues, according to Seoul's defense ministry.&nb

DefenseDec. 20, 2019

North Korea has 3rd-highest air pollution-related deaths

North Korea ranked No. 3 in the rate of deaths related to air pollution, according to a new report Friday.Radio Free Asia said North Korea recorded 202 pollution-related deaths per 100,000 population, in a report “Pollution and Health Metrics” released on Wednesday by Global Alliance on Health and Pollution. The communist country was ranked behind Chad and Central African Republic, which stood at 287 and 251 deaths per 100,000, respectively. In North Korea, 51,391 died due to polluti

North KoreaDec. 20, 2019

NK leader may announce suspension of nuclear talks in New Year's address: expert

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may announce the suspension of nuclear talks with the United States when he delivers his New Year's Day address or holds a key meeting of the ruling Workers' Party later this month, an expert said Friday.Sung Ki-young, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Strategy made the remarks during a North Korea forum organized for foreign diplomats amid heightened concerns Kim could put his threat to take a "new way" into action.The North's l

North KoreaDec. 20, 2019

LG Uplus to sell payment gateway biz for W365b

LG Uplus Corp., a major telecommunications company in South Korea, said Friday it has signed a deal to sell its payment gateway business to local fintech firm Viva Republica Ltd.Under the agreement, LG Uplus will first spin off its payment gateway business and sell its entire stake in the unit to Viva Republica by the first half of 2020. The company didn't disclose the value of the deal, but the deal is said to be worth some 365 billion won ($314 million).A payment gateway is an online payment s

IndustryDec. 20, 2019

Dongdaemun Design Plaza brightens Seoul

With the Seoul Light Festival underway at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, the Seoul Design Foundation hosted a forum Friday, discussing how art should evolve in the era of artificial intelligence. The state-funded design foundation is hosting the festival from Friday to Jan. 3, turning the outer walls of the DDP into a gigantic media facade. The projected media art is themed “Seoul Haemong,” inspired by the past, present and future of Seoul City and South Korea. “The DDP has

Arts & DesignDec. 20, 2019

[팟캐스트] (331) 트와이스 경찰에 신분보호요청/케이팝스타 병역면제 공청회

 진행자: 임현수, Kevin Lee Selzer1. Stalked by fans, Twice gets police protection아이튠즈(아이폰): https://itunes.apple.com/kr/podcast/koliaheleoldeu-paskaeseuteu/id686406253?mt=2팟빵 (안드로이드): http://www.podbbang.com/ch/6638기사요약: JYP가 스토커 문제로 경찰에 트와이스 신분보호 요청[1] JYP Entertainment on Monday said it has requested police protection for the K-pop girl group Twice over concerns of stalkers.* over: ~ 때문에[2] The music label released an official announcement on its website, stating the protective measures have al

PodcastDec. 20, 2019

Remains of 40 people discovered at former prison site in Gwangju

The remains of about 40 people have been discovered at the site of a former prison in the southwestern city of Gwangju, the government said Friday, with some claiming that they may belong to victims of crackdowns during the pro-democracy movement in the 1980s.The remains were uncovered Thursday when the government undertook work to move a graveyard where deceased prisoners with no family ties were buried, according to the Ministry of Justice.Their identities are not known."We will cooperate

Social AffairsDec. 20, 2019

Foreign ministry welcomes Senate confirmation of Biegun as deputy secretary

South Korea's foreign ministry on Friday welcomed the Senate confirmation of the top US envoy for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, as deputy secretary of state, voicing hope for his role in solidifying the alliance with Seoul and peace efforts with Pyongyang.On Thursday, the Senate confirmed Biegun in a 90-3 vote. He is expected to remain the top negotiator in nuclear talks with Pyongyang even if officially appointed as the State Department's No. 2 official. "We expect that Special Representati

Foreign AffairsDec. 20, 2019

Monsta X releases Latin music in collaboration with Sebastian Yatra

K-pop boy band Monsta X on Friday released a Latin music-inspired single in collaboration with Colombian singer-songwriter Sebastian Yatra.The digital single, "Magnetic," combines Yatra's Spanish-language singing with the K-pop band's Korean lines in a new love song.  The collaboration was arranged during Monsta X's meeting with the Colombian musician in the United States, according to the band's agency, Starship Entertainment. The Korean band performed at the 2019 iHeartRadio Jin

PerformanceDec. 20, 2019

Moon asks lawmakers to hold confirmation hearing on prime minister nominee

President Moon Jae-in on Firday sent a motion to the National Assembly requesting a confirmation hearing for prime minister nominee Chung Sye-kyun, according to Cheong Wa Dae.Moon submitted the motion at around 3 p.m., it said, citing legislation calling for lawmakers to complete a confirmation hearing on a Cabinet member nominee within 20 days of the delivery of such a document. Accordingly, political parties need to set a schedule for a confirmation hearing for Chung, who served as National As

PoliticsDec. 20, 2019

KAI delivers two Surion helicopters to Coast Guard

Korea Aerospace Industries has delivered two KUH-1 helicopters developed based on the Surion to the Korea Coast Guard, the company said Friday. The police helicopters will be deployed to the East Sea and the Korea Coast Guard at Jeju Island on Tuesday and will enter into service early next year. The new helicopters have added a variety of advanced mission equipment to maintain maritime security to crack down on illegal fishing, search and rescue and prevent marine accidents, KAI said. For t

IndustryDec. 20, 2019

[Newsmaker] Young parents sentenced for murder over death of infant

A teenage mother and a father in his 20s were sentenced to prison for the neglect of their newborn baby for five days and leaving it to starve to death. Incheon District Court on Thursday ordered 20 years of imprisonment to the 21-year-old father on charges of murder, abandonment of a body and negligence of a child. The 18-year-old mother faces a minimum of seven years to a maximum of 15 years of prison on the same charges. In Korea, where the age of adulthood is 19, juvenile law states tha

Social AffairsDec. 20, 2019

Huawei has no plan to do business in N. Korea: exec

Huawei Technologies Co. has no plan to do business in North Korea, a company executive said Friday, emphasizing that the Chinese tech firm is fully committed to complying with international laws and regulations. Karl Song Kai, Huawei's vice president who leads its corporate communications department, said the company has no business ties with North Korea and doesn't plan to start doing business there. "We are not considering doing business in North Korea," Song said at a media event in

IndustryDec. 20, 2019

Boy band WINNER's Mino becomes latest entertainer to debut as painter

Mino, a member of roaring boy band WINNER, officially debuted as a painter this week, the latest in a growing number of TV celebrities expanding their talent into the fine arts.An art exhibition including paintings by Mino, whose legal name is Song Min-ho began its run on Tuesday at the Seongnam Arts Center south of Seoul.The 26-year-old K-pop star submitted one oil and two acrylic paintings to the fine art show, "Special Exhibition for Emerging Artists 2019," which will run till next

PerformanceDec. 20, 2019

[Newsmaker] Detained PDs of scandal-ridden audition show admit charges

A lawyer for two producers of a high-profile K-pop audition show admitted most of their charges involving vote-rigging during a preparatory hearing on Friday. Ahn Joon-young, a director of Mnet cable TV's "Produce X 101," and the program's chief producer, Kim Yong-beom, were detained early last month after they were accused of having tampered with mobile text message-based voting results of the high-profile show in favor of certain contenders.In July, a vote-rigging scandal hit hard th

Social AffairsDec. 20, 2019

Suspended jail terms upheld for Korean Air family in smuggling case

An appellate court on Friday upheld suspended prison terms for the widow and eldest daughter of late Korean Air Chairman Cho Yang-ho for smuggling luxury items.The appellate division of the Incheon District Court sentenced Cho Hyun-ah, the eldest daughter of the late chairman and a former vice president of Korean Air, to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered her to conduct 80 hours of community service.The same court also sentenced the late chairman's wife, Lee Myung-hee,

Social AffairsDec. 20, 2019

Prosecutors probe Aekyung scion over propofol abuse allegation

Chae Seung-seok, son of the Aekyung Group founder and himself formerly CEO of Aekyung Development, is being investigated by prosecutors over alleged abuse of propofol, a highly addictive and short-acting anesthesia.According to legal sources on Friday, Chae, the third son of the group’s Chairwoman Chang Young-shin, was recently interrogated by the prosecution over nonmedical use of propofol. The powerful sedative, a general anesthetic commonly used for surgery, has been the source of contr

Social AffairsDec. 20, 2019