Korean drug safety authority reviewing metformin

The Korean drug safety authority said Monday that it is directly reviewing products containing metformin, the Type 2 diabetes treatment whose commercialized variants in Singapore have been tested to contain an unacceptable level of a cancer-causing impurity. This impurity, called N-nitrosodimethylamine, or NDMA, was found in three out of 46 metformin finished products sold in Singapore. Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority recalled the products. Metformin is widely used to treat Type 2 di

IndustryDec. 16, 2019

'Prosecution suggested absence of ex-president at trial'

 The prosecution suggested former President Chun Doo-hwan, on trial on libel charges in connection with his role in the crackdown of the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising, be absent from the court, his lawyer said Monday. The 88-year-old former Army general, who seized power in a military coup on Dec. 12, 1979, and served as president from 1980 to 1988, was absent from a hearing held Monday at the Gwangju District Court. He has not attended court proceedings, citing frail health.The mov

Social AffairsDec. 16, 2019

CICI announces Korea Image Awards winners

The Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) announced on Monday this year’s Korea Image Awards winners -- SK Telecom, K-pop columnist Jeff Benjamin and jazz vocalist Nah Youn-sun. SK Telecom was awarded the Korea Image Stepping Stone Award for its efforts to commercialize 5G technology worldwide as the nation’s top mobile carrier. SKT CEO Park Jung-ho will be given the award on behalf of the company, according to CICI. The award ceremony will be held Jan. 14 at InterContinent

PeopleDec. 16, 2019

FOC assessment for OPCON transfer is most important task next year: defense minister

Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo called Monday for the military to thoroughly prepare for next year’s assessment for the transfer of wartime operational control from Washington. Presiding over the second meeting to assess the military’s preparedness for the envisioned OPCON transfer, Jeong highlighted the military should be aware that the most important task next year is to successfully complete the Full Operational Capability assessment. Seoul and Washington have been working

DefenseDec. 16, 2019

Trial for Cho Kuk relative begins

Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s relative Cho Beom-dong on Monday denied embezzlement charges raised against him during the first hearing of his trial in connection with the corruption allegations that led to the former minister’s resignation.  Cho Beom-dong, 36, was indicted in October on a number of charges, including embezzlement, over his role in ethically questionable investments in a private equity fund in which the ex-minister’s wife and other family members had in

Social AffairsDec. 16, 2019

LTI Korea awards recognize excellence in literary translation

The Literature Translation Institute of Korea announced on Monday the winners of its translation awards this year, recognizing their contributions to the promotion of Korean literature worldwide. The 17th LTI Korea Translation Awards went to Yoon Sun-me, who translated Han Kang’s novel “Human Acts” into Spanish as “Actos Humanos”; Sora Kim-Russel, who translated Kim Un-su’s novel “The Plotters” into English; and Li San-lun and Kim Hwan, who transla

PeopleDec. 16, 2019

[Newsmaker] Cho Kuk appears for questioning

Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk appeared at the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office for questioning Monday. Cho is accused of wrongly suspending an internal investigation of former Busan Vice Mayor Yoo Jae-soo in 2017, then a senior official at the Financial Services Commission. Yoo, who is detained, was indicted Friday. Yoon Do-han, senior secretary to the president for public communication, denied that the Blue House stopped the inspection. He said Cho’s office ran the ins

PoliticsDec. 16, 2019

Korea's trade volume exceeds $1tr mark for 3rd year

South Korea's annual trade volume exceeded the $1 trillion mark for a third consecutive year on Monday despite growing protectionism around the globe, the trade ministry said.Accordingly, South Korea is anticipated to remain as the ninth-largest player in terms of trade for the seventh consecutive year, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The annual trade volume first hovered above the mark in 2011, but the country failed to attain the threshold in 2015 and 2016 amid global

EconomyDec. 16, 2019

[Zev Chafets] Israel will not be third time lucky

Against all expectations, political logic and basic commonsense, Israel’s major parties have refused to form a unity government, and are dragging an irate public back for a third national election in less than a year.The contest, scheduled for March 3, will likely reprise the two previous stalemates. Early polls show that the underlying electoral arithmetic hasn’t changed. Israel suffers from the same sort of polarization that currently afflicts many other democracies. It is a recipe

ViewpointsDec. 16, 2019

[Lionel Laurent] EU prepares for next Brexit punch-up

After a year of gridlock in Westminster that has frustrated the UK’s attempts to leave the European Union on amicable terms, British voters have handed Prime Minister Boris Johnson a thumping majority to do just that. They might also be handing Brussels a tough new competitor on Europe’s doorstep.This is sobering for the EU, which is on course to lose an important economic and defense partner worth 14 percent of the bloc’s gross domestic product. It could have been much worse,

ViewpointsDec. 16, 2019

[News Focus] Who should pay for cleanup of former US military bases?

Under a joint plan in 2003 to relocate most of the US military bases in South Korea to a sprawling military complex south of Seoul, dozens of sites around the country are being vacated after being occupied by US troops for decades. But the transfer process has been drawn out as a result of disputes over who should shoulder the costs of cleaning up the contaminated soil and other environmental pollution the US military left behind. When the US returned four bases to Korea last week, the envi

DefenseDec. 16, 2019

From time-tested to new productions, diverse musicals on offer in 2020

‘Aida’ bids farewell, ‘Mamma Mia!’ returns and ‘Jamie’ gets Asian premiereWith the year winding to a close, local production companies and theaters have been announcing the musicals set for the stage next year, with lineups including licensed international hits and locally brewed shows alike.Last month, Seensee Company launched a local production of “Aida,” which will continue through Feb. 23 at Blue Square in Yongsan, central Seoul. What is slated

PerformanceDec. 16, 2019

Hyundai’s Sonata named best sedan in Saudi Arabia

The freshly revamped Sonata by Hyundai Motor was named the best sedan at a motor show held in Saudi Arabia last week, raising prospects for its sales performance in the Middle East.In a vote by a group of auto journalists in the country Sonata won high scores in overall categories that examined the sedan’s design, safety technology and entertainment features, the company said. The result came amid the carmaker expanding its presence in the region’s largest auto market of 400,000-500,

IndustryDec. 16, 2019

Shipbuilders, chipmakers tipped to turn around in 2020: analysts

South Korea's major exporters such as shipbuilders and chipmakers are likely to see their business performances improve next year as eased uncertainties over the Sino-American trade dispute help jack up demand overseas, analysts said on Monday.Last week, the United States and China announced a much-awaited phase-one deal for their protracted trade war, which has weighed heavily on the global economy since early 2018, although details have not yet been unveiled and there are still lingering uncer

IndustryDec. 16, 2019

Moon urges special measures to create jobs for those in 40s

President Moon Jae-in emphasized the urgency Monday of introducing "special measures" to create jobs, in particular, for South Koreans in their 40s, while striking an upbeat note on the overall economic situations here next year."(The government) has tried to support economic vitality and growth with expansionary fiscal policies, bringing hope that it will be better next year than this year," he said during his weekly meeting with senior Cheong Wa Dae aides. Moon's opening re

PoliticsDec. 16, 2019

Rigid mortgage loan regulations roil real estate market

In a surprise move on Monday, the South Korean government announced unprecedented real estate regulations to offset previous ones that have failed to curb rising housing prices.But as the newly introduced measures largely focus on loan restrictions, skepticism also mounted that the wealthy will continue their speculative buying in cash.The latest measures include a ban on mortgage loans for apartments priced 1.5 billion won ($1.28 million) or more, effective Wednesday. The real estate tax rate f

EconomyDec. 16, 2019

New forests minister pledges innovative policies

Park Chong-ho, the new minister for the state-run Korea Forest Service, vowed to drive “innovative and people-centered” forest policies in his inauguration last week, the organization said Monday. During the ceremony held Friday in Daejeon, Park emphasized the importance of all people benefiting from the full value of forests.After briefly introducing the nations’ forest policies, ranging from forest welfare to tackling fine dust pollution, over the last 10 years, Park emphasiz

EconomyDec. 16, 2019

[Monitor] Less men employed

Although the overall jobs market is showing signs of improvement, the number of men in their 30s, 40s and 50s who have jobs has been on a constant decline, data from Statistics Korea showed. The employment ratio that has reflected the drop in population is also on a decline, it said.The number of employed men in the age groups dropped for a 28th consecutive month in November, the longest duration of the decline since the agency began collecting relevant data.The jobs situation for men aged 30-59

EconomyDec. 16, 2019

Conservative ex-mayor summoned in ‘BH election-meddling’ scandal probe

Former conservative Ulsan Mayor Kim Gi-hyeon, who lost his reelection bid to liberal opponent Song Cheol-ho in 2018, faced questioning by the prosecution for the second consecutive day Monday over suspected election meddling by Cheong Wa Dae.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office summoned Kim at 10 a.m. Monday for a second round of questioning regarding suspicions Cheong Wa Dae was behind the police probe into Kim’s close associates ahead of the elections last year. Kim was q

PoliticsDec. 16, 2019