Ku Hye-sun says she will stop writing about Ahn Jae-hyun

Ku Hye-sun said Friday she would stop writing posts about Ahn Jae-hyun on social media amid a monthslong online feud between the high-profile couple, who are in the middle of a divorce. Ku has been revealing their marital problems on social media, highlighting Ahn's faults. “It is really strange. He was not committed to our marriage, there were situations that made me doubt his fidelity, and he became violent when drunk ... yet people still think I am the one who made him go

PeopleOct. 11, 2019

[Photo News] Fortress festival kicks off

Children pose for pictures with a contraption used for punishment in the Joseon era during the Haemieupseong Fortress Festival in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, on Friday.  The “juri” punishment, often featured in period dramas set in the era, involves breaking a person’s legs by tightening two pieces of wood.  Running through Sunday, the festival introduces folk culture and the history of the fortress through performances and hands-on activities.The old Army pos

CultureOct. 11, 2019

Seoul, Tokyo begin consultations over WTO dispute

South Korea and Japan launched their bilateral talks on Friday in Switzerland to discuss the ongoing trade row between the two Asian neighbors, the first step toward resolving the dispute at the World Trade Organization (WTO).    The meeting, held in Geneva, came after Japan implemented regulations on the export to South Korea of three industrial materials vital for the production of chips and displays.     Last month, South Korea formally filed a complain

EconomyOct. 11, 2019

FM Kang stresses co-prosperity in preparations for Nov. summit with ASEAN

    Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Friday reiterated co-prosperity as a key element in South Korea's preparations for its summit with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) slated for November.    The minister presided over the fourth session of an inter-agency government committee tasked with preparing for the special summit scheduled to take place in the southeastern port city of Busan on Nov. 25 and 26.      The gathe

Foreign AffairsOct. 11, 2019

Busan film fest runs smoothly but makes less-than-expected buzz

Leaving buzzing and hectic days behind, the 24th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) is wrapping up its 10-day run Saturday.    The festival, one of the largest in Asia, opened Oct. 3 in the southern port city of Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, featuring 303 films from 85 countries. Among the invitations, 120 films, including 97 feature-length movies, were world premieres.    Although its pre-opening event was canceled due to a typhoon, the curtain ro

FilmOct. 11, 2019

S. Korea to tighten measures to prevent spread of African swine fever

South Korea's agricultural ministry said Friday it plans to purchase all pigs from a town bordering North Korea that suffered two outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF), in line with efforts to contain further spread of the virus.    Under the decision, the ministry will purchase all pigs in Yeoncheon, where the country's 14th confirmed ASF was reported on Wednesday.     The pigs will be slaughtered and released in the market for consumption after being in

Social AffairsOct. 11, 2019

Riyadh abuzz with excitement ahead of BTS concert

    RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Major landmarks in the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, were lit up in purple late Thursday as the city welcomed global K-pop act BTS and its upcoming concert here.     The septet arrived in Riyadh early Thursday for their historic "Love Yourself: Speak Yourself" concert in the Middle Eastern city's King Fahd International Stadium, set for Friday evening.     One day before the first-ever stadium concert by non

PerformanceOct. 11, 2019

SK Telecom's esports JV with Comcast Spectator sets sail

SK Telecom Co., South Korea's leading mobile carrier, said Friday that its esports joint venture with U.S. sports and entertainment company Comcast Spectator has been officially launched as it looks to expand its presence in the fast-growing gaming market.     SK telecom CS T1 Co.'s global headquarters office will be in Seoul, according to the South Korean telecommunications giant. SK Telecom is the largest shareholder of the joint venture with a 55 percent stake.   

BusinessOct. 11, 2019

[KH Biz Forum] Corporate officials gather at forum in need of solutions to crises

Around 200 participants, comprising corporate officials, consultants and economic and legal experts, gathered for The Korea Herald’s Biz Forum on Friday to discuss responding to crises in the face of political and economic uncertainties. From the global economy to climate change, companies around the world are undergoing many kinds of crisis that pose threats to their profitability, public image and future strategies. “Today’s forum was timely planned to provide a place fo

IndustryOct. 11, 2019

[KH Biz Forum] Watch your instincts to defend yourself: Kim Hoh

　The worst path a company can go down in times of business crisis is to deny responsibility, attack victims, defend itself and delay a public apology, said Kim Hoh, founder and CEO of The LAB h, at The Korea Herald Biz Forum on Friday at the Shilla Seoul. 　The problem is that may just be what our brains are designed to do. 　Kim, citing socio-psychological research, illustrated that under stress, the brain’s emotional control system dominates over its reasonable decision-making capability,

IndustryOct. 11, 2019

[KH Biz Forum] Companies need to focus more on masses in hyperdemocracy: Levick

In the age of social media, where information spreads fast, companies need to rethink their risk management strategies by focusing more on the masses, said an American crisis management expert during a forum held by The Korea Herald on Friday. “We are living in a revolutionary period. We always talk about hardware and software, but this is not a technology revolution. This is an information revolution,” said Richard Levick of the Washington-based crisis management firm LEVICK during

IndustryOct. 11, 2019

[KH Biz Forum] Jipyong chief highlights social responsibility in corporate risk management

Mapping out a plan that incorporates social responsibility will allow firms to manage risks sustainably, compared with a purely legal approach, a legal expert said Friday. “It is popular among law firms today to launch a risk management team,” Lim Sung-taek, managing partner of Jipyong LLC, said during The Korea Herald’s Biz Forum “Korea in crisis: How to survive in an era of trade wars and industrial risks” at the Hotel Shilla in Seoul. “Risk management is re

IndustryOct. 11, 2019

Kim Jong-un visits mausoleum on party anniversary

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un paid tribute to his late grandfather and father on Thursday to mark the anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party, Pyongyang state media reported Friday.Kim visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun with members of the political bureau of the Workers’ Party central committee on Oct. 10, the 74th founding anniversary of the party, the Korean Central News Agency said.The bodies of Kim’s grandfather and the country’s founding leader Kim Il-sung an

North KoreaOct. 11, 2019

US warns Pyongyang to stop provocations, resume talks

The US Department of State warned North Korea to end provocations and resume denuclearization talks, Radio Free Asia reported Friday. According to RFA, the US State Department urged the North to “refrain from provocations and to uphold their responsibilities according to the UN Security Council resolutions.”  The State Department was also quoted as urging North Korea to play a “practical role” in achieving denuclearization and stability on the Korean Peninsula. Accor

North KoreaOct. 11, 2019

Liberal heavyweight voices doubt over report linking chief prosecutor to sex scandal

Veteran lawmaker Rep. Park Jie-won on Friday claimed that Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl does not appear nor is mentioned in any of the video or audio files he has related to the sex scandal revolving around former Deputy Justice Minister Kim Hak-eui.  Park is a four-term lawmaker with close ties to the liberal icon and late President Kim Dae-jung. Hankyoreh 21, a local weekly publication, on Friday reported that Yoon may be connected to the scandal, and that the prosecution had buried r

PoliticsOct. 11, 2019

Chief prosecutor news report riles main opposition

The conservative bloc on Friday accused those supporting Minister of Justice Cho Kuk of attempting to cloud the issue through the report on Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl. “The watering down (of issues) must be stopped and all matters should be put to an independent counsel investigation,” said Rep. Na Kyung-won, floor leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party. A number of members of Cho’s family and acquaintances are under investigation on a range of suspicions

Social AffairsOct. 11, 2019

Ruling party says allegations against chief prosecutor must be looked into

The floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party on Friday said that allegations raised against Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl must be looked into. While declining to comment directly on the allegations raised in a report by Hankyoreh 21, Floor Leader Rep. Lee In-young said the matter should be dealt with. “It cannot be left uninspected,” Lee said, when asked whether the party has plans to look into the matter Friday. Lee, however, declined to comment on the issues raised in t

PoliticsOct. 11, 2019

[KH Biz Forum] International trade standards can strengthen Korea’s business competitiveness: Psillakis

A strong and multilateral trade system supported by international standards can help South Korea to build a conducive business environment, encourage foreign capital and strengthen the competitiveness of Korean industries, according to the chairperson of a European business advocacy organization here. “Aligning domestic regulations with global standards is imperative, as otherwise they will have (a) difficult time adapting to the international standards when the time for export comes,

IndustryOct. 11, 2019

Ingredient-focused, fresh suppers at Sanok

When Sanok chef Kim Jeong-ho decided to strike out on his own, he zoomed in on the ingredients, turning to the bare bones of cuisine for inspiration. Kim explained how he, as a father cooking for his child, found himself increasingly interested in the provenance and cultivation of ingredients that made their way to his table. This newfound focus influenced his role as chef of the newly-minted bistro, Sanok, which, Kim explained, means “four types of greens” in Korean. “It signi

FoodOct. 11, 2019

[Eye Plus] Racecourse Park in Gwacheon

Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, is South Korea’s horse-racing capital. At the Racecourse Park Subway Station, the compound of the Korea Racing Authority, the country’s sole race administrator, boasts the nation’s largest thoroughbred flat tracks with a 450-meter home stretch and two grandstands accommodating over 70,000 people. Originally built for the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, it covers more than 1.1 million square meters, with two artificial sandy tracks, sable areas for

CultureOct. 11, 2019