Hong Kong: nearly four months of rallies, clashes

HONG KONG, Oct  1, 2019 (AFP) - Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests erupted into violence in June, plunging the former British colony into its most severe crisis since it reverted to Chinese rule in 1997.After more intense protests on Tuesday, the 70th anniversary of communist China's founding, here is a recap.- First clashes -In the semi-autonomous territory's biggest demonstration since 1997, more than a million people, according to organisers, march on June 9 to protest a draft government

World NewsOct. 2, 2019

N. Korean projectile may have breached Japan's EEZ: Tokyo

TOKYO (AFP) -- One of the projectiles fired by North Korea early Wednesday appears to have fallen into Japan's exclusive economic zone, the top government spokesman said."At around 7:10 am (1010 GMT), two projectiles were launched from the eastern coast of North Korea," Yoshihide Suga told reporters. "One of them appears to have fallen into waters... inside Japan's exclusive economic zone," the chief cabinet secretary said.The comments came after South Korea's military said t

North KoreaOct. 2, 2019

Pentagon: OPCON transfer plans show strength of S. Korea-US alliance

 The planned transfer of wartime operational control from the United States to South Korea is a testament to the strength of the bilateral alliance, a senior Pentagon official said Tuesday.Randall Schriver, assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, made the remark at a forum in Washington as he sought to dispel concerns about a rift in the alliance caused in part by South Korea's decision to end a military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan.The General Security of

Foreign AffairsOct. 2, 2019

N. Korea presumed to have fired 1 SLBM-type missile: JCS

North Korea fired what was believed to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile from waters off its east coast on Wednesday, South Korea's military said, demonstrating its nuclear delivery capabilities just days before resuming denuclearization talks with the United States.  The missile, believed to be a type of Pukguksong, a North Korean SLBM, was fired from off the east coast near Wonsan in an easterly direction at 7:11 a.m., and flew around 450 kilometers at a maximum altitude of a

North KoreaOct. 2, 2019

S. Korea reports another suspected case of African swine fever

Another suspected case of African swine fever was reported Tuesday in the border town of Paju, where South Korea's first outbreak of the deadly animal disease had been confirmed, the agricultural ministry said.The suspected case was reported from a pig farm in the city located just south of the inter-Korean border. If confirmed, it will mark the 10th African swine fever case in the country. The first-ever outbreak of the viral disease in South Korea was confirmed at a farm in Paju on Sept. 17, p

Social AffairsOct. 1, 2019

Suspect in Hwaseong serial murder case confesses to killings: police

The suspect in decades-old serial murders committed south of Seoul has admitted to killing the victims, police said Tuesday. The 56-year-old man, who has been in prison for raping and killing his sister-in-law in 1994, was identified in mid-September as the suspect in the murders of nine women in Hwaseong, 60 kilometers south of Seoul, between 1986-91.Police said he admitted to responsibility for the cases and three more crimes in the city at that time and two others before the murder of his sis

Social AffairsOct. 1, 2019

S&P cuts S. Korea's growth outlook to 1.8% this year

Global rating agency Standard & Poor's said Tuesday that it slashed its growth forecast for South Korea's economy this year to 1.8 percent amid the global economic slowdown.The latest estimate represented a downward revision from its previous 2 percent forecast in July.  S&P said that the South Korean economy could grow 2.1 percent in 2020, also down from its previous forecast of 2.6 percent. The rating agency said eroding confidence in the outlook is intensifying the investment-led

EconomyOct. 1, 2019

S. Korea strongly protests Japan's claim over Dokdo, vows stern response

South Korea's defense ministry on Tuesday rejected Japan's renewed territorial claim to the South's easternmost islets of Dokdo and vowed to respond sternly to any attempts to infringe on its rights.Earlier in the day, Japan called in a South Korean military attache stationed in the country and lodged a complaint over South Korean F-15K fighter jet's patrol flight over Dokdo as part of the ceremony to mark the 71st Armed Forces Day. "As Dokdo is our inherent territory historically, geograph

DefenseOct. 1, 2019

Prosecution to abolish special investigation divisions

The prosecution said Tuesday that it will abolish special investigation divisions under prosecutors’ offices across the country and improve investigation practices in line with the Moon Jae-in administration’s drive to reform the country’s powerful law enforcement body.  Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl ordered the abolition of special investigation divisions -- elite squads of experienced prosecutors charged with investigating high-profile corruption cases -- around the

Social AffairsOct. 1, 2019

North Korea, US to hold working-level talks on Saturday

North Korea on Tuesday issued a statement in Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui’s name, announcing plans to resume working-level negotiations with the US. The US and North Korea agreed to get together for a preparatory meeting Oct. 4, ahead of working-level talks the following day, according to the statement.“Our representatives are ready to engage in North Korea-US working level talks,” Choe said in the statement.“I hope that improvements in North Korea-US relations will

North KoreaOct. 1, 2019

YouTube targeted for circulating ‘fake news’

　The Democratic Party said Tuesday it is moving to curb “misinformation” on online streaming websites, including YouTube, the most popular content-sharing platform here.　The ruling party’s special committee announced its plans to stem the spread of fake news and other misinformation on online platforms during a press conference at the National Assembly. 　According to its proposal, online platforms can be fined up to 10 percent of their revenue if they fail to remove “fake

TechnologyOct. 1, 2019

[Graphic News] Six out of 10 Koreans in favor of later retirement age: poll

　Six in 10 South Koreans support a proposal to delay the legal retirement age to 65 from the current 60, a poll showed.　The poll of 1,539 adults aged 19 to 64 conducted by the Korea Institute of Public Administration from Sept. 2-11 found that 61.1 percent were in favor of delaying the retirement age. Only 19.6 percent opposed the proposal, while another 19.3 percent said they had no opinion.　Of those who favored a later retirement age, 61.2 percent said 65 was the most appropriate age, followed

Social AffairsOct. 1, 2019

Capitol’s creative director says SuperM’s debut performance will be ‘historic’

With just days to go before SuperM’s debut on Friday, a creative director at Capitol Music Group, S.M. Entertainment’s US partner, says the K-pop supergroup’s first performance will be special and historic."At the launch, we have a very special and historic debut performance on Saturday at the Capitol Records Building in Los Angeles. And we are building on an incredible stage and (it) will be livestreamed around the world,” Nicole Frantz, Capitol’s creative chi

K-popOct. 1, 2019

Celltrion to offer HIV treatment Temixys in US at lowest market rate

Celltrion will launch its human immunodeficiency virus treatment Temixys in the US at a significantly lower price, the company announced Tuesday. Temixys was approved in November 2018 by the US Food and Drug Administration. Celltrion said it expects the drug’s commercialization to start soon. The tablet is taken once daily and combines the two original chemical drugs Epivir and Viread. As original drugs, the cost for Epivir oral solution (10 mg/mL) is around $125 for a supply of 240 millil

IndustryOct. 1, 2019

EXO's Chen drops 2nd solo EP with retro music

Chen, the main vocalist of popular K-pop boy band EXO, unveiled Tuesday his second solo EP, a six-track record led by the retro pop number "Shall We?"The new EP, "Dear My Dear," follows his first solo EP, "April, and a flower" released in April."Shall We?" targets the autumn music scene, which captures the sentiment of a man having to bid goodnight to his lover through Chen's trendy vocal quality.  Including the lead track, the new album carries "

PerformanceOct. 1, 2019

[Kim Seong-kon] What should a wise man do in a commotion?

Pyrrho of Ellis, the first Greek skeptic philosopher, argued that wise men should be skeptical and thus remain calm under all circumstances. According to the Greek thinker, we should raise questions before believing something too hastily. Yet on the contrary, we are liable to become convinced of something so easily that we seldom doubt its validity. Indeed, we often do not consider the possibility that we might be manipulated by a hidden mastermind pulling the strings from behind. For this reaso

ViewpointsOct. 1, 2019

[Daniel Moss] One dirty word is driving economic change in Japan

Workers born outside Japan are playing an increasingly important role in the world’s third-largest economy. Just don’t call it immigration.The country is often said to pride itself on homogeneity and an aversion to outsiders. But as Japan’s population declines and ages, employers are becoming aware of their constraints. The number of employees from overseas has more than doubled since 2012 to about 1.5 million, says Bank of America Merrill Lynch.In recent conversations with loc

ViewpointsOct. 1, 2019

New Seoul Fashion Week director hopes to promote K-style to world

Fashion designer Jung Ku-ho has stepped down as executive director of Seoul Fashion Week after four years at the helm of the country’s largest fashion event.Taking his place is Jeon Mi-kyeong, a former editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar Korea with more than 25 years of experience in the fashion magazine industry. She will head Seoul Fashion Week with the Seoul Design Foundation for two years. The 2020 spring-summer Seoul Fashion Week -- the first edition led by Jeon -- is slated to t

Arts & DesignOct. 1, 2019

Police search multiple agencies over audition show's alleged vote rigging

Police on Tuesday raided multiple K-pop agencies as part of an investigation into allegations that the entertainment firm CJ ENM's cable music channel rigged the results of its fan-voted idol competition show, "Produce 101," police said.Cyber investigators from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency stormed several agencies that represent members of new boy band X1 in Seoul to secure related documents and information. The 11 members rose from obscurity to stardom in the Mnet audition sho

PerformanceOct. 1, 2019