Netflix unveils "Made in Korea" collection

Netflix Inc., the global internet entertainment service provider, showcased a new collection entirely devoted to South Korean content on Wednesday."Made In Korea" allows viewers to select original South Korean content ranging from drama series to variety shows within a single collection, Netflix said.The new collection underscores Netflix' recent push to expand its engagement with South Korean film and TV content that can appeal to the global audience. Netflix said that South Kore

TelevisionNov. 27, 2019

[News Focus] Of 36 OECD countries, Korea stands at No. 28 in employment

SEJONG -- For South Koreans who say they do not support the incumbent administration, jobs are one of the main reasons cited in polls. President Moon Jae-in’s detractors say the government’s labor policies consist largely of pouring taxpayers’ money into the creation of temporary jobs in the public sector.Critics point to figures showing improved employment rates for senior citizens, who gained temporary jobs at public institutions, but bleaker outcomes for those in their 40s i

EconomyNov. 27, 2019

[Feature] Lai Dai Han people still seeking apology, roots in Korea

Nearly 45 years after the end of the Vietnam War, some Vietnamese still live in the shadow of the war. 　Among them are the Lai Dai Han people -- a term meaning mixed blood in Vietnamese and referring to those born mostly to Vietnamese women and South Korean men during the war. 　As the Korean government remains lukewarm about recognizing the negative aspects of Korea’s involvement in the war -- from massacres of civilians allegedly committed by Korean troops to half-Korean children left beh

Social AffairsNov. 27, 2019

SK Chemicals wins FDA approval for patch-type Alzheimer's medicationBy Kim Han-joo

SK Chemicals Co., a pharmaceutical affiliate of South Korean conglomerate SK Group, said Wednesday it has won approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to sell its patch-type Alzheimer's drug in the United States.SID710, the generic drug referencing Novartis AG's Exelon Patch to treat dementia symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease, received the green light from the FDA, the company said.The approval marked the first time a South Korean company has applied for FDA approval for an A

IndustryNov. 27, 2019

BMW vows to expand R&D center, partnerships with Korean firms

YEONGJONGDO, Incheon -- BMW Group Korea said Tuesday it will expand its research and development center in South Korea and increase its partnerships with local firms.BMW Finance board member Nicolas Peter told reporters that the German carmaker plans to strengthen its R&D center here by relocating and hiring 13 additional employees to have 29 staff in total.But the company did not clarify the exact scale or funding for the expansion.“We will invest in a new location for our R&D Cen

MobilityNov. 27, 2019

Asiana holds graduation ceremony for Beautiful Classroom in Vietnam

Asiana Airlines said Wednesday that it held a graduation ceremony for its education support program called Beautiful Classroom earlier this week in Vietnam. The ceremony -- conducted by Asiana crew members -- took place in Hanoi, inviting some 72 graduating students who took courses in job-related curriculum such as Korean, English and accounting, as well as classes like image making and business etiquette. Beautiful Classroom is one of the airliner’s CSR programs. It supports th

IndustryNov. 27, 2019

Shake Shack to start delivery services in Korea

SPC Group, the operator of the Shake Shack burger chain in South Korea, said Wednesday that it will offer delivery services starting with its Gangnam and Cheongdam outlets in southern Seoul.The delivery services are available via the Happy Order app operated by the company and delivery app Baemin. There is a minimum order limit of 15,000 won. The group said it will expand the services to other parts of the country. (khnews@heraldcorp.com)

IndustryNov. 27, 2019

[Photo News] Emart to sell 'Frozen 2' Smiggle items

Stationery products featuring characters from Disney animation “Frozen 2” are displayed at E-mart’s Yongsan Station branch, Wednesday. The South Korean retail giant said it would sell 10 types of stationery and accessories made by Australian brand Smiggle featuring characters from the hit movie at 50 of its stores nationwide.Since opening six days ago, “Frozen 2” has dominated box offices here, attracting 319,499 moviegoers as of Tuesday. (khnews@heraldcor

EconomyNov. 27, 2019

Biz sentiment worsens for Dec.: poll

South Korean business sentiment remains weak for December amid Sino-American trade tensions and the slowing global economy, a think tank said Wednesday.The business survey index of the country's top 600 companies by sales came to 90 for next month, down from 92.7 for November, according to the Korea Economic Research Institute affiliated with the Federation of Korean Industries, the top business lobby.A reading below 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists, while a figure above the benchmark me

EconomyNov. 27, 2019

US forces in Korea not mercenaries: US think tank

The chief of a US think tank said South Korea currently pays an adequate amount -- $1 billion -- for the upkeep of US Forces Korea, Voice of America reported Wednesday. John Hamre, president and CEO of the Washington, DC-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said in an interview with the US broadcaster that the US was stationing troops in South Korea for its own interests and that there is no minimum amount that Seoul should pay.Defense cost-sharing talks between Seoul and Washin

North KoreaNov. 27, 2019

[Herald interview] Star ballerina Seo Hee talks on loving yourself and others

She may be the principal dancer of the American Ballet Theatre, but Seo Hee didn’t always have such lofty ambitions. As a student at Sunhwa Arts Middle School, she simply wanted to be part of a group of friends who would go out to eat tteokbokki (stir-fried spicy rice cake) after class. Having started ballet at a relatively late age of 13, she was shy and timid, thinking she fell behind her classmates. However, things began to change when it turned out she took the third place at a school

PeopleNov. 27, 2019

Exhibition highlighting biological resources of Mekong region opens

BUSAN -- A special exhibition highlighting the rich ecology surrounding the Mekong region and various uses of the biological resources, such as in skin care and cosmetic products, commemorating the 1st Mekong-ROK Summit in Busan that opened Wednesday for a monthlong run. “Life on the Mekong; Connecting People, Creating a New Future,” held by the National Institute of Biological Resources, under the Ministry of Environment, kicked off Wednesday at Nurimaru APEC House in Busan on the s

TechnologyNov. 27, 2019

[ASEAN-Korea summit] Korea, Mekong nations seek closer ties

BUSAN -- South Korea and the five Mekong nations adopted the Mekong-Han River Declaration on Wednesday, pledging to increase cooperation. The Mekong-Han River Declaration for Establishing Partnership for People, Prosperity and Peace was adopted at the first Mekong-Korea Summit in Busan on Wednesday, following on the heels of the two-day ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit, which wrapped up Tuesday in Busan. The declaration outlines cooperation plans in seven areas -- culture and tourism, human resour

Foreign AffairsNov. 27, 2019

Manufacturing, mining sector shipments up 3.4 % in 2018: report

Shipments in South Korea's manufacturing and mining industry rose 3.4 percent in 2018 from a year earlier due mainly to growth in refined petroleum and petrochemical and chemical sectors, data showed Wednesday.  Combined shipments by manufacturers and mining companies with more than 10 employees reached 1,567 trillion won ($1.3 trillion), up 52.1 trillion won from 2017, according to the data from Statistics Korea.  The hike is attributable to a 22.8 percent gain in shipments from

EconomyNov. 27, 2019

[Diplomatic circuit] Argentine Embassy holds wine tasting event

The Argentine Embassy in South Korea hosted the 9th Wines of Argentina last week with an aim to promote its wine to Korean consumers, the embassy said. “Through the event we are making efforts to introduce outstanding Argentine wine in the Korean market and continue the positive trend of Korea-bound exports,” Argentine Ambassador to South Korea Alfredo Carlos Bascou said at the event.  “Argentina’s wine industry is receiving attention as an attractive option for tour

Diplomatic CircuitNov. 27, 2019

[Diplomatic circuit] Brazil Embassy holds photo exhibition to celebrate 60th anniversary of Korea-Brazil relations

The Brazilian Embassy in Seoul is holding a photo exhibition in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Brazil. The exhibition “Brazil and Korea Through My Eyes” displays 40 photographs of Brazil and South Korea taken by Brazilian photographer Joao Paulo Barbosa over the past 15 years. “This exhibition is a strong symbol of the bonds that fortunately unite our two cultures and peoples. It is very interesting to observe that in

Diplomatic CircuitNov. 27, 2019

NCSoft launches Lineage2M

South Korea’s NCSoft launched Lineage2M, mobile version of the massively multiplayer online role-playing PC game Lineage 2, at midnight Tuesday. The MMORPG is the game company’s first new title in two years that is hoped to boost its annual revenue past the 2 trillion won ($1.7 billion) mark to join its competitors Nexon and Netmarble.Prior to the launch, Lineage2M topped the popularity list on both Google Play and App Store. Advance sign-ups for the game notched 7.38 million, a reco

IndustryNov. 27, 2019

Speaker Moon pushes for bill to resolve Japanese wartime forced labor issue

National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang has unveiled a new idea for resolving the issue of Japanese wartime forced labor as he pushes for a bill to create a foundation funded by companies, governments and citizens of South Korea and Japan.The move came amid expectations that Seoul and Tokyo will ramp up efforts to resolve the issue after the South decided last week to "conditionally" suspend the termination of its military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan.Parliamentary officials de

Foreign AffairsNov. 27, 2019

Court to decide whether to arrest Busan's ex-vice mayor in bribery case

A Seoul court on Wednesday began a hearing to decide whether to issue an arrest warrant sought against a former vice mayor of the southeastern port city of Busan on alleged bribery charges.Yoo Jae-soo is alleged to have taken kickbacks when he served as director-general of the state financial regulator Finance Services Commission in 2017.State prosecutors have been probing allegations surrounding Yoo since October, raiding the FSC, as well as financial companies.They requested an arrest warrant

Social AffairsNov. 27, 2019

Prices of safe assets turn weak on revived risk-on

Prices of safe assets, such as gold and bonds, in South Korea are turning bearish, market data showed Wednesday, as investor risk appetite has been revived on hopes of a Sino-US trade deal and other positives.The yellow metal, one of the most common safe assets, finished at 55,140 won ($46.9) per gram on the country's gold exchange Tuesday, according to the data from the Korea Exchange.Tuesday's close was 10 percent lower than the 61,300 won recorded Aug. 13, the highest level since the gold exc

EconomyNov. 27, 2019