[ASEAN-Korea summit] Exhibition showcases public service innovations in Korea, ASEAN nations

BUSAN -- An exhibition in Busan on the sidelines of the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit demonstrates how the governments of South Korea and the ASEAN member states are sharing their know-how in the area of public service.The “ASEAN-ROK Exhibition on Public Service Innovation” opened Monday at Bexco Exhibition Center 2 and continues through Wednesday. The event comprises a Korean pavilion, which demonstrates Korea’s innovative tech-based public service systems; and an ASEAN pavil

Foreign AffairsNov. 26, 2019

Blackpink’s eight most defining tracks

Blackpink, a four-piece girl group consisting of Rose, Jennie, Lisa and Jisoo, each with her own charm, is undisputedly one of the biggest girl groups in the world -- if not the biggest.It is the highest-charting female K-pop act in the US, with its self-titled single and EP having peaked at No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at No. 24 on the Billboard 200.With a huge international following, the group’s music videos are also some of the most watched to date, with four of them among the a

K-popNov. 26, 2019

IBK seals partnership with Myanmar’s SME policy headquarters

The Industrial Bank of Korea has clinched a partnership with Myanmar’s SME policy headquarters as part of its blueprint to expand business in the Southeast Asian region, officials said Tuesday.The South Korean state-run bank and the Myanmar MSME Development Working Committee signed a memorandum of understanding at Lotte Hotel Busan on Monday.Under the latest agreement, the two organizations vowed to cooperate to nurture small and medium-sized enterprises in both countries and develop joint

MarketNov. 26, 2019

[ASEAN-Korea summit] Co-chair’s statement of the 2019 ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit

“Partnership for Peace, Prosperity for People”1. The ASEAN-Republic of Korea (ROK) Commemorative Summit was held on 26 November 2019 in Busan, the ROK. The Meeting was co-chaired by H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-cha (Ret.), Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, and H.E. Moon Jae-in, President of the ROK, and attended by Heads of State/Government of ASEAN Member States. The Secretary-General of ASEAN was also in attendance.2. We welcomed the significant progress of ASEAN-ROK relatio

Foreign AffairsNov. 26, 2019

[ASEAN-Korea Summit] Korea, ASEAN adopt vision for ‘peace, prosperity and partnership’

BUSAN -- South Korea and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Tuesday adopted a vision statement stipulating that they will cooperate to build a “people-centered community of peace and prosperity.”The statement, titled “ASEAN-Republic of Korea Joint Vision Statement for Peace, Prosperity and Partnership,” was adopted at the first session of the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit in Busan. According to Cheong Wa Dae, the statement contains “the v

Foreign AffairsNov. 26, 2019

[ASEAN-Korea summit] ASEAN-Republic of Korea Joint Vision Statement for Peace, Prosperity and Partnership

We, the Heads of State/Government of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Republic of Korea (ROK), gathered on 26 November 2019 in Busan, the ROK, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-ROK Dialogue Relations;Expressing satisfaction with the positive development of ASEAN-ROK relations over the past 30 years since the establishment of Dialogue Relations in 1989; Acknowledging the ROK’s New Southern Policy which aims to further strengthen and

Foreign AffairsNov. 26, 2019

S. Korea's trade terms continue to worsen in Oct.

South Korea's trade terms continued to worsen for the 23rd consecutive month in October with its export prices slipping at a faster rate than those of imports, central bank data showed Tuesday.The terms of trade index for products came to 90.84 last month, down 3.4 percent from the same month last year, according to preliminary data from the Bank of Korea. The trade terms index measures the amount of imports a country can purchase for each unit of exports. A reading below 100 means import prices

EconomyNov. 26, 2019

Govt. to spend W100b more on traffic safety in school zones

The ruling Democratic Party and the government agreed on Tuesday to increase the budget for traffic safety facilities near schools, such as speed cameras and signals, by some 100 billion won ($85 million) next year.They will also swiftly handle traffic safety bills named after children killed in car accidents inside school zones, party policy committee chief Cho Jung-sik said in a press briefing following a meeting of the relevant government and party officials.“Next year’s budget wi

Social AffairsNov. 26, 2019

S. Korea, China, Japan to hold fresh round of FTA talks in Seoul

Senior trade officials from South Korea, China and Japan will hold a fresh round of talks this week on forging a free trade deal among the three Asian neighbors, Seoul's trade ministry said Tuesday. Since launching the talks in 2012, the three nations have made little headway toward a deal that, if successful, would create one of the world's largest economic blocs.  This week's talks, the 16th round of negotiations, will be held starting Wednesday for three days in Seoul, according to the M

EconomyNov. 26, 2019

[ASEAN-Korea summit] Korea, ASEAN must work together to face new challenges: Moon

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday called for stronger cooperation among South Korea and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, saying the 21st century is the “era of Asia.”Addressing the leaders of ASEAN attending the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit in Busan, Moon urged closer cooperation and solidarity among the 11 nations in facing global issues.  “We face new challenges such as protectionism and cross-border crime, (as well as the) fourth industrial revolu

Foreign AffairsNov. 26, 2019

Arko show highlights midcareer artists

Arko Art Center is holding its 2019 Mid-Career Artist Exhibition, which comprises two separate solo exhibitions dedicated to Bae Jong-heon and Heo Ku-young. The annual art show started in 2000 as a way to offer South Korea’s midcareer artists financial support and an exhibition venue.Bae, 50, and Heo, 53, are showing works that feature everyday scenes and everyday objects. Bae works with discarded materials, structures and urban landscapes, often connecting his works to social issues.

Arts & DesignNov. 26, 2019

Old diesel cars to be banned in central Seoul

Old diesel cars will be banned from the area within Seoul’s four main gates starting December, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday, as part of efforts to tackle air pollution.Diesel cars classified as grade 5 in terms of emission levels -- some 2.18 million vehicles nationwide and 720,000 in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province -- will be excluded from the city center from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. starting Dec. 1. After that, a driver caught driving an old diesel vehicle in the city center withou

Social AffairsNov. 26, 2019

Trump presents Conan the dog, 'incredible' hero of Baghdadi raid

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- "So this is Conan -- right now, probably the world's most famous dog."In a stream of superlatives, Donald Trump on Monday introduced to the world the military dog involved in the raid that led to the death of Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi."Conan did a fantastic job," the US president told the White House press corps, assembled for a brief, unannounced ceremony with the Belgian Malinois and its handler."So brilliant, so smart," s

World NewsNov. 26, 2019

Pompeii's grand baths unveiled, with hidden tragedy

POMPEII (AFP) -- Magnificent thermal baths designed to be the jewel of Pompeii but destroyed by a volcanic eruption before they could be completed opened to visitors for the first time on Monday after a painstaking excavation.Marble pillars and blocks lie where they were abandoned when the city was submerged by a pyroclastic flow from Mount Vesuvius in the 79 AD disaster.But excavators also found a victim of the disaster, the skeleton of a child who had sought shelter there in vain.The architect

Arts & DesignNov. 26, 2019

Ambassador hopes GSOMIA decision helps strengthen S. Korea-US ties

WASHINGTON -- South Korea's ambassador to the United States voiced hope Monday that Seoul's decision to tentatively extend a military information-sharing pact with Japan will bolster its ties with Washington.Ambassador Lee Soo-hyuck was referring to Seoul's decision last week to postpone the termination of the General Security of Military Information Agreement following Tokyo's willingness to hold working-level talks on each country's export control measures.Washington had pressed both of its al

Foreign AffairsNov. 26, 2019

US senators remind Moon, Abe of importance of trilateral cooperation

WASHINGTON -- A group of 40 US senators sent a letter to South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last week, underscoring the importance of trilateral cooperation in the face of rising challenges posed by North Korea and China.The letter, dated Thursday, was sent before a military intelligence-sharing pact between Seoul and Japan was set to expire at midnight Friday.South Korea later postponed the termination of the General Security of Military Information Agreem

Foreign AffairsNov. 26, 2019

[ASEAN-Korea summit] SKT envisions Thai version of “Dae Jang Geum”

BUSAN -- SK Telecom CEO Park Jung-ho said Monday he envisioned a Thai version of “Dae Jang Geum,” also known as “Jewel in the Palace,” a hit Korean drama that drew fans across Asia, as one idea for cultural content investment in Southeast Asia. When asked whether SKT planned to expand investment in Southeast Asia at a gala dinner hosted by President Moon Jae-in for ASEAN leaders on Monday evening, CEO Park said, “I think it would be entertaining to make new bus

IndustryNov. 25, 2019

Prosecutors file for arrest warrant for Busan's ex-vice mayor on bribery charges

State prosecutors filed for a warrant to arrest Yoo Jae-soo, former vice mayor of Busan, on Monday on charges of bribery.The prosecution requested a Seoul court issue the warrant for the 55-year-old Yoo over allegations he took kickbacks when he served as director-general of the financial regulator Financial Services Commission in 2017.Prosecutors have widened their probe into allegations surrounding Yoo since late last month, raiding the FSC as well as financial companies. Yoo was questioned fo

Social AffairsNov. 25, 2019

Funeral to be held for defector mother, son despite opposition from defector groups

A state-run foundation supporting North Korean defectors said Monday it will press ahead with a funeral for a defector and her six-year-old son this week, about four months after they were found dead, apparently from starvation.The 42-year-old Han Sung-ok and her son, surnamed Kim, were found dead at their home in southern Seoul in late July, sparking widespread suspicion they starved to death two months earlier. Defectors groups launched strong protests, accusing the government of not taking pr

North KoreaNov. 25, 2019

Seoul completes checkups for cracks on 151 B737-NGs

South Korea's transport ministry said Monday it has completed checkups on the country's 151 B737-NG planes for structural cracks, while aiming to finish the repair and replacement work on 13 faulty planes by January.The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport discovered structural cracks on 13 B737-NG planes and immediately grounded them. A team of Boeing engineers flew to Seoul on Oct. 31 to help fix the problems.The 13 planes include five from Korean Air Lines Co., three from Jin Air Co

IndustryNov. 25, 2019