S. Korea, China hold talks on climate change

Government officials of South Korea and China held talks in China this week to discuss joint efforts for cooperation in tackling climate change, the foreign ministry said Friday.Yoo Yeon-chul, ambassador for climate change at the foreign ministry met with Li Gao, director-general for climate change at China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment in the port city of Haikou in the southern island province of Hainan from Wednesday to Thursday, the ministry said in a release.Officials from the enviro

Foreign AffairsNov. 1, 2019

Justice Ministry admits failing to consult media on ‘false story ban’

The Ministry of Justice admitted Friday that it had not properly consulted media and other relevant bodies before announcing its recent directive restricting media access and imposing sanctions on journalists for “false reporting.”On Wednesday, the Justice Ministry issued a set of press guidelines that would expel reporters from the prosecution press corps if they are found to have reported “false stories.” The ministry also said it would bar reporters from speaking direc

PoliticsNov. 1, 2019

Govt. unveils tough anti-dust measures, as fine dust blankets much of Korea for 2nd day

All non-essential public vehicles will be banned from roads every other day in the capital area and in six metropolitan cities for four months beginning in December under the government's measures to limit fine dust pollution announced Friday.Under the measures unveiled after Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon presided over a meeting of a special policy committee on fine dust, grade 5 emission vehicles, mostly diesel cars built before 2005, will be barred from roads in the capital area from March next y

NationalNov. 1, 2019

South Korea confirms first cholera case by overseas traveler in 2019

South Korean health authorities said Friday that the first confirmed case of cholera was brought into the country by a traveler. A 54-year-old Korean woman who returned home on Tuesday from India showed symptoms of watery diarrhea, with tests confirming she was infected by the V. cholera 01 Ogawa bacteria, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.   Cholera is a highly infectious disease that affects the small intestine and in severe cases can lead to death. Typical sy

Social AffairsNov. 1, 2019

US House passes bill to step up efforts at enforcing sanctions

The US House of Representatives has passed a bill to offer up to $25 million in reward for reporting violations of its sanctions, including those imposed against North Korea, according to the Voice of America on Friday. The bill amends existing laws to expand the State Department’s reward program, which is limited to reporting on terror-related activities, to information on breach of sanctions by the US and the UN.  South Carolina Republican Joe Wilson and Florida Democrat Ted Deutch

North KoreaNov. 1, 2019

NK missile tests a threat to Pacific region: senior US official

A senior US official denounced North Korea’s test of what it claims was a super-large multiple rocket launcher on Thursday, saying it will have a negative impact on Pyongyang’s talks with Washington.Clarke Cooper, the US State Department’s assistant secretary for political-military affairs, said the North’s firing of two short-range projectiles toward the East Sea was a threat to the entire Pacific region. “Completely unfortunate, completely inappropriate and certai

North KoreaNov. 1, 2019

USFK: No objection to S. Korea's Saemangeum solar farm project

US Forces Korea (USFK) said Friday it does not oppose South Korea's project to build a floating solar power plant near the Saemangeum reclamation area on the west coast amid speculation that those facilities might affect fighter pilots.On Thursday, the local daily Chosun Ilbo reported that the USFK raised concern that light reflecting from solar panels might disrupt its flight operations, but the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. rejected such complaints."After careful consideration and e

IndustryNov. 1, 2019

South Korea's consumer inflation unchanged in October

South Korea's consumer inflation was unchanged in October compared with a year earlier as decreased prices of agricultural products offset increased utility prices, the statistics agency said Friday.The consumer price index was unchanged in October from a year earlier as consumer demand remains weak amid an economic slowdown, Statistics Korea said in a statement. The country's inflation has been extremely weak, staying far below the Bank of Korea's 2 percent target as companies and consumers tig

EconomyNov. 1, 2019

Prosecutors extend detention of ex-justice minister’s wife

On Thursday, prosecutors extended the detention of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s wife, Chung Kyung-shim, for another 10 days. Detained Oct. 23, she was to be in custody until Friday, but will not be released until after Nov. 11. Chung faces 11 charges, including fabricating a document to support her daughter’s university application, obstructing business, insider trading, embezzlement and withholding evidence. Prosecutors have questioned Chung three times since her arrest.

PoliticsNov. 1, 2019

Roaring K-pop boom reverses fate of declining CDs and other tangible albums

The roaring K-pop boom in South Korea is reviving the fate of perishing CD music and other physical music record formats.Since the early 2000s, compact disc as a music distribution format has been increasingly replaced by other digital storage and distribution formats such as internet streaming. Reversing the decline, however, sales of physical albums -- mostly CDs but also tapes, LPs and Kihno -- have registered dramatic growth over the past few years since 2014 in South Korea.In 2017, the comb

PerformanceNov. 1, 2019

Kakao, SK added most affiliates in past 3 months: FTC data

IT giant Kakao and the nation’s third-largest conglomerate SK Group saw the biggest increase in their number of affiliates in the past three months among the country’s largest business groups, data showed Friday, reflecting their aggressive expansion plans. According to data released by the antitrust watchdog Fair Trade Commission, Kakao took 17 affiliates under its wing from August to the end of October, the highest number among other large businesses in the three-month period. SK G

IndustryNov. 1, 2019

Frank Gehry-designed Louis Vuitton flagship store opens in Seoul

Louis Vuitton on Thursday opened its new Frank Gehry-designed flagship store in Seoul, featuring interior design by Peter Marino.The new Louis Vuitton Maison Seoul, located in Cheongdam-dong in southern Seoul, is Gehry’s first work in Korea, according to the company.The new building features Korean heritage and culture, while maintaining its architectural ties with the Louis Vuitton Foundation’s iconic building in Paris, specifically, Gehry’s large glass-and-steel sails that en

Arts & DesignNov. 1, 2019

Seoul Lantern Festival to light up city center this week

An annual lantern festival will light up the Seoul city center this week with mulberry paper lanterns in the shape of widely loved fairy-tale characters, the city government said Thursday. The 2019 Seoul Lantern Festival will kick off on Friday for a 17-day run over the Cheonggye Stream that runs through the city center, according to the city.Twenty-three mulberry paper lanterns representing well-known Korean and world fairy-tale characters, including the Little Prince, Aladdin and Alice from &q

CultureNov. 1, 2019

LG Electronics makes Series A investment in US’ Washlava

LG Electronics said Friday it has made a Series A investment in laundry startup Washlava. Series A refers to the first stage of fundraising for a startup after its foundation, as it gears up for full-fledged business operations.  Established in 2017, Washlava is based in Tampa, Florida. It provides a mobile platform for reservations, services and payment for the use of washing machines and dryers at dormitories, hotels and laundromats. LG Electronics has participated in the Series A round o

IndustryNov. 1, 2019

Samsung vice chairman renews corporate vision for next 50 years

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Samsung Electronics on Friday, Vice Chairman  Lee Jae-yong vowed for another constructive 50 years in business to reach a full centennial milestone.“The past 50 years has been possible thanks to all your dedication. Let us now freely dream and imagine new possibilities over the next 50 years,” Lee said in recorded video remarks to some 400 employees gathered for an anniversary ceremony at Samsung Digital City in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.S

IndustryNov. 1, 2019

Europeans perceive Korea as land of games: Com2uS

A survey targeting some 1,500 Europeans revealed that the majority perceived computer and mobile games as the most representative cultural content of South Korea, mobile games firm Com2uS said Friday. Com2uS is the Korean developer behind the mobile game Summoners War, which was played at the inter-country esports friendly match during the Korea-Sweden summit in June in Stockholm, Sweden.  At the Summoners War World Arena Championship 2019 finals in Paris on Oct. 26, Com2uS conducted the su

IndustryNov. 1, 2019

Boeing opens technology center in South Korea

Boeing Co. said Friday it has opened an engineering and technology center in South Korea to promote partnerships with local companies. The Boeing Korea Engineering & Technology Center is Boeing's 7th overseas technology center, and the 40-person center will be fully under the control of the US aircraft manufacturer, the company said in a statement. Boeing has five technology centers in the United States. The company is planning to secure local talent in Korea and strengthen partnerships with

IndustryNov. 1, 2019

People with TB to be suspended from working in public facilities

 People infected with tuberculosis will be suspended from working at schools, hospitals and other public places as a precaution against the disease, the health ministry said Friday.Under the TB prevention act passed by parliament last month, people who have been diagnosed with the disease cannot stay in jobs that require them to come into close contact with large number of people on a daily basis.  "The rules will apply till the person has been treated and doctors have certified t

Social AffairsNov. 1, 2019

BOK chief urges banks to enhance productivity

South Korea’s central bank chief on Friday called for domestic banks to enhance productivity amid the country’s slowing growth. “The International Monetary Fund has recently stressed the need to increase growth potential while revising down the growth outlook for the global economy,” Bank of Korea Gov. Lee Ju-yeol said at a policy meeting with the heads of 10 major banks here.“In the end, productivity improvement through innovation is key to achieving this goal.&rdq

EconomyNov. 1, 2019

Fine dust blankets much of Korea for 2nd consecutive day

South Korea will be put under the influence of harmful fine dust on Friday for the second consecutive day, due mainly to a constant influx of yellow dust particles from abroad, weather forecasters said.The Korea Meteorological Administration and other government agencies said fine dust concentrations are expected to remain at high levels across much of the country, except parts of western and southern coastal areas. Jeju's provincial government issued an advisory for PM 10, or fine dust particle

Social AffairsNov. 1, 2019