Euljiro has emerged as one of the most popular districts in Seoul thanks to a host of unique pubs, cafes and shops. A distinctive vibe resonates through its narrow alleys, best known for their old print shops. The Korea Herald’s interns visited Manseon Hof, a popular spot in Euljiro that is going strong on social media. Thanks to its surging popularity, thirsty hordes usually begin to appear early in the evening. The pub’s signature dish is “nogari,” or dried pollack, whi

FoodOct. 21, 2019

Foreign currency deposits held by banks in South Korea continued to rise for a second straight month in September, with deposits held both by individuals and companies growing, central bank data showed Monday.The overall amount of foreign currency savings here came to $72.64 billion as of end-September, up $1.67 billion from a month earlier, according to the data from the Bank of Korea. The reading marks an acceleration from August, when foreign currency deposits gained $1.13 billion, marking a

EconomyOct. 21, 2019

With stories of intergalactic warfare, robots gone rogue and distant alien civilizations, science fiction remains one of the world’s most popular literary genres, gripping readers with its ability to integrate technological change and innovation into fantastical stories. It is curious then that South Korea, heralded as one of the most technologically innovative countries in the 21st century, has yet to find its foundation in the genre. While neighboring countries China and Japan have seen

CultureOct. 21, 2019

A pedestrian walking in the middle of a major road died in Incheon after being hit by three vehicles early Sunday morning.Incheon Michuhol Police Station said Monday that three drivers have been booked for the death of the 44-year-old man.At 2:26 a.m., the victim, who was walking in the third lane of an eight-lane road in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, was initially knocked over by a motorcycle driven by a 16-year-old. A taxi then struck the man, who had tumbled into the second lane, followed by another

Social AffairsOct. 21, 2019

South Korea's quarantine authorities on Monday confirmed the 11th outbreak of African swine fever from wild boars near the border with North Korea, sparking concerns over the further spread of the deadly animal disease in the area.The latest confirmed case was reported within a civilian control line near the border, according to the Ministry of Environment.A total of eight ASF cases have been reported within the civilian control line this month, while two cases came from outside of the line. One

Social AffairsOct. 21, 2019

Prosecutors on Monday filed an arrest warrant hearing for former Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s wife, Chung Kyung-shim, on charges of forging a document used to support a university application for their daughter. She also faces charges of obstructing official business, insider trading, embezzlement and withholding evidence. Two months ago, prosecutors raided multiple organizations connected with the family’s alleged malfeasance. Chung submitted what appeared to be a medical

PoliticsOct. 21, 2019

North Korea's official newspaper accused the United States on Monday of using sanctions in order to bring disobedient countries to their knees, stressing the country should stand up to such attempts without giving in to pressure. North Korea has intensified its criticism of the US since the breakdown of their Stockholm working-level denuclearization talks earlier this month. It has increased calls for strengthening "self-reliance" in the face of US-led sanctions."Western powers, i

North KoreaOct. 21, 2019

President Moon Jae-in's approval rating has bounced back to 45 percent after Cho Kuk's resignation as justice minister, a weekly poll showed Monday.According to Realmeter, the rating gained 3.6 percentage points on-week to 45 percent. It conducted the phone survey of 2,505 people nationwide, aged 19 or older, for the five business days last week. The margin of error is plus or minus 2 percentage points. It marked Realmeter's first weekly poll of Moon's approval rating since Cho stepped down last

PoliticsOct. 21, 2019

Seoul and its adjacent metropolitan areas kicked off preliminary measures to reduce fine dust air pollution on Monday, the first such steps taken this autumn.A set of preliminary measures are being taken in the public sector to cut fine dust in a proactive manner when there is a high possibility that authorities could launch steps to cut the air pollution two days later.Seoul, the western city of Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds the capital, are subject to the measures. The program

Social AffairsOct. 21, 2019

ANTWERP (AFP) -- Andy Murray won his first ATP title since March 2017 on Sunday with a battling 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over fellow three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka in the Antwerp final.Former world number one Murray, rebuilding his game after career-saving hip surgery earlier this year, fought back from a set and 3-1 down against Wawrinka to claim his 46th career title."It means a lot. The last few years have been extremely difficult," Murray, who broke down in tears at the

More SportsOct. 21, 2019

The ruling Democratic Party proposed Sunday that political parties prioritize negotiation of a bill to set up an independent unit to probe allegations of corruption by ranking public officials.The bill is part of judiciary reform proposals that include a bill to give more investigative power to police. Both were placed on the fast-track in late April, along with an election reform bill.With regard to a drive to reform the prosecution, the ball is now passed to the National Assembly following the

PoliticsOct. 20, 2019

South Korea confirmed the 10th case of a wild boar found dead with African swine fever Sunday, spawning concerns about possible spread of the deadly animal disease.A wild boar was found dead some 3 kilometers south of the civilian control line in the border town of Yeoncheon on Friday and later tested positive, according to the National Institute of Environmental Research, which is affiliated with the environment ministry.It raised the number of wild boars found to be infected with the deadly vi

Social AffairsOct. 20, 2019

　People aged 65 or older made up about 15 percent of South Korea’s population this year, a report showed, highlighting concerns that the fast demographic transition could have negative effects on the country’s economy.　According to the report from Statistics Korea, the number of people aged 65 or older stood at 7.68 million this year, accounting for 14.9 percent of the nation’s population. 　The Korean population is projected to peak in 2028, then go on a downward curve, the rep

Social AffairsOct. 20, 2019

Two Chinese dragnet trawlers were caught illegally fishing in the West Sea under South Korean jurisdiction on Saturday and are being brought to the country for legal action, the Korean Coast Guard said Sunday.  The Taean Maritime Police Station of the Korea Coast Guard said that it had seized two 40-ton Chinese fishing boats that illegally caught a total of 400 kilograms of cod, squid and Korean cero while guarding the exclusive economic zone in the West Sea.The crew members violently resis

Social AffairsOct. 20, 2019

Japanese clothing brand Uniqlo stopped airing a controversial advertisement that has been criticized here for mocking victims coerced into Japan’s wartime sexual enslavement and labor, the company said Sunday, amid growing outrage among Korean customers. The 15-second advertisement features 97-year-old style icon Iris Apfel and 13-year-old fashion designer Kheris Rogers in conversation. In the ad, Rogers asks Apfel how she dressed when she was her age. Apfel responds, “I can&rsq

Social AffairsOct. 20, 2019

SEJONG -- Over the past year or more, South Koreans who told pollsters they did not support President Moon Jae-in most often pointed to the economy as the main reason. A large portion of those dissatisfied with the incumbent administration have said it is incapable of dealing with economic issues and improving ordinary people’s livelihoods.To some extent, their disappointment is backed up by sagging indices in areas such as employment, GDP growth, exports, labor costs, the value of the cur

PoliticsOct. 20, 2019

Opponents of globalization constantly point to the uneven impact of open trade. Although trade liberalization can make the overall economic pie bigger, not everyone gets a larger slice, and many may receive a much smaller piece than before because of competition from foreign-made products. Such concerns help to explain why many blue-collar American workers voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 US presidential election, and why French farmers and workers often take part in anti-globalization demonst

ViewpointsOct. 20, 2019

An orb with a set of ears, blinky eyes and the voice and speech manners of a chatty child is making advances in dementia therapy at a hospital in Seoul. Named Bomy, the robot assists cognitive training for patients in the early stages, or at the risk of developing dementia.Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital’s Robot-assisted Cognitive Training Center opened its doors in April, and is headed by Dr. Kim Geon-ha, a neurologist who has been researching related technologies since 2009. The

TechnologyOct. 20, 2019