UN rights investigator on Myanmar lambasts Suu Kyi

Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi has washed her hands of the Rohingya crisis, a UN rights investigator said Tuesday ahead of a meeting between South Korea's President Moon Jae-in and the tarnished democracy icon.Yanghee Lee, a university professor in Seoul who is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights to Myanmar, said Suu Kyi was "terribly misguided and misinformed" about the abuses against the stateless Muslim minority in her country.The Nobel laureate was und

World NewsSept. 3, 2019

Nuke envoys of S. Korea, Russia hold talks on North Korea's denuclearization

The top nuclear envoys of South Korea and Russia held talks in Russia on Tuesday on North Korea's denuclearization and other peninsula issues, Seoul's foreign ministry said.Lee Do-hoon, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, met with his Russian counterpart, Igor Morgulov, in Russia's Far Eastern city of Vladivostok, the ministry said in a release.They discussed the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, including North Korea's latest series of missile launch

North KoreaSept. 3, 2019

S. Korean diplomat holds working-level talks with US on NK issues

South Korea and the United States held working-level talks in Washington last week about the North Korean nuclear standoff and inter-Korean issues, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.Rhee Dong-yeol, director-general of the Korean Peninsula Peace Regime Bureau at the ministry, had broad discussions over the matters with his US counterparts last Thursday, according to the ministry. His visit follows the latest meeting between top nuclear envoys of the two allies, Lee Do-hoon and Stephen Biegun, tha

North KoreaSept. 3, 2019

[Graphic News] What is a Category 5 storm?

What is a Category 5 storm?　Hurricane Dorian has slammed into the northern Bahamas, one of the strongest storms to make landfall in history. It’s also the fifth Category 5 storm to form in the Atlantic in the past four years. 　Here are some facts about what makes a Category 5 storm and what to expect as climate change supercharges our weather.What is a Category 5 storm? 　Scientists rank hurricanes from one to five on what is called the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Categor

WorldSept. 3, 2019

Heads of Grab Ventures, Startup Genome to share tips at Start-Up Seoul 2019

Startup experts, including head of Grab Ventures Chris Yeo and Startup Genome founder Jean-Francois Gauthier, will share their real-life startup success tips at “Start-Up Seoul: Tech-Rise 2019,” which will be held here from Wednesday to Friday.　“As Seoul is becoming a global startup incubating city, we set up this opportunity to share global startup expert’s insights about the industry trend,” a Start-Up Seoul 2019 official said in a statement. “We hope to pro

TechnologySept. 3, 2019

[Kim Seong-kon] S. Korea should choose Affluent Boulevard, not Poverty Lane

There are many funny street names in the Unisted States. Some reflect positive nuance and idiosyncrasy, while others sound negative and weird. Google provides a host of funny street or road names in America. Some funny names include Frying Pan Road in Virginia, Roast Meat Street in Connecticut, Chicken Dinner Road in Idaho and North Sandwich Street in New Hampshire. Other amusing names are Anyhow Road in New York, Pillow Talk Court in Las Vegas and Billy Goat Strut Alley in Kentucky. There are s

ViewpointsSept. 3, 2019

[James Stavridis] Burning Brazil threatens America’s security

When I headed the US Southern Command a decade ago, I took a trip to the Brazilian military’s jungle training site near Manaus in the Amazon River basin. I spent time both in the jungle with Brazilian troops and on the river, meeting with some of the 300 indigenous groups that populate the region, which spans nine South American nations. I came to understand that Brazilian pride in controlling much of the rain forest is palpable and well-deserved. Now, of course, that pride is being challe

ViewpointsSept. 3, 2019

Galaxy Fold highly likely to be released in Korea this Friday

Samsung Electronics is making last-minute efforts to release the world’s first foldable display smartphone this week, according to industry sources Tuesday. It is highly likely that the South Korean tech giant will roll out an initial volume of between 20,000 and 30,000 units of the Galaxy Fold in the Korean market this Friday. The timing seems to be in line with the company’s plan to publicly exhibit hands-on versions of the foldable gadget for the first time at IFA 2019, the larges

TechnologySept. 3, 2019

Global data center providers make foray into Korea

 With South Korea’s public and private sectors both looking to adopt cloud computing technologies more widely, an increasing number of global data management firms are making inroads here. US-based global data management service provider Equinix said last week that it had opened its first data center in Korea in the Digital Media City area of western Seoul. Dubbed the SL1 Seoul International Business Exchange, the facility will enable its customers to connect with local suppliers and

TechnologySept. 3, 2019

[News Focus] No-strike, wage deal clears hurdle for Hyundai Motor in H2

Unionized workers and the management at Hyundai Motor reached an agreement early Tuesday on this year’s wages, after the union voted not to stage sit-in protests amid intensifying uncertainties over the business environment and the local auto industry. In a vote held Monday, 56 percent of Hyundai Motor workers approved a revised wage and collective bargaining deal, according to the union. The union formally approved the management’s proposal without a strike for the first time in eig

MobilitySept. 3, 2019

LG Chem says SK’s ‘unfair’ scouting practices at core of lawsuit

LG Chem on Tuesday released its second statement in response to SK Innovation’s announcement to file a countersuit against the company and its affiliate LG Electronics, emphasizing again the nature of the legal dispute lies with “unfair practices.”“The essence of the lawsuit against SK lies in the company’s unfair scouting practices,” LG Chem said. “It’s neither about the national interest nor negative publicity.” In a statement released in r

TechnologySept. 3, 2019

US tests THAAD interception of missiles amid N. Korea’s launches

The United States successfully tested the capability of its anti-missile system, called Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, to intercept medium-range ballistic missiles in an apparent move to keep North Korea in check. The test was carried out from the US Army Garrison Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands on Friday, according to the US Missile Defense Agency. “Preliminary indications are that planned flight test objectives were achieved and the target was successfully i

DefenseSept. 3, 2019

[News Focus] Support-rating gap between rival parties narrows

SEJONG -- The 2020 general election for South Korea’s next National Assembly is coming in about 200 days.A core issue is whether the ruling Democratic Party of Korea will continue to secure its dominance in support ratings over the main opposition Liberty Korea Party.The Democratic Party has yet to yield its leading position in approval ratings among the people since President Moon-Jae-in took office in May 2017.But symptoms of situation change have emerged over the past few months amid sa

PoliticsSept. 3, 2019

Policymakers deny deflation despite negative consumer price growth

Inflation in South Korea hit a record low of zero percent in August, with prices remaining unchanged from a year earlier, government data showed Tuesday.According to Statistics Korea, inflation in August recorded precisely minus 0.038 percent growth from a year earlier, dipping below zero for the first time since the government started to tally such data in 1966.While the reading was mostly attributed to on-year price falls for agricultural and petroleum products, fiscal and monetary policymaker

EconomySept. 3, 2019

President Moon to request Cho Kuk’s Assembly hearing report amid conflict

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has asked the National Assembly to resend its hearing report for embattled Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk by the end of this week, a top presidential aide said Tuesday.The request comes in the face of the opposition bloc’s vehement objection to Cho, which has only deepened since his unprecedented press conference Monday.“President Moon Jae-in has requested the National Assembly to resend the confirmation hearing reports on six nominees including J

PoliticsSept. 3, 2019

Moon asks for parliamentary confirmation hearing report on justice minister nominee

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday asked the National Assembly to send a confirmation hearing report on a justice minister nominee facing corruption allegations involving his family, moving a step closer to appointing him.While on overseas trips, the president requested parliament to send the hearing report on the nominee, Cho Kuk, to the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae by Friday, according to Yoon Do-han, senior presidential secretary for public communication.Moon is expected to press ahead wit

PoliticsSept. 3, 2019

Korean VC firms expand investments in pet technology startups

Eyeing the fast-growing pet industry, Korean venture capital firms have been expanding their investments in developers and manufacturers of products related to pet technology this year. Pet technology refers to technologies or products designed to help owners care for their pets through apps, e-commerce and online services.  Accelerator New Paradigm Investment, a subsidiary of venture capital firm TS Investment, invested in blockchain-based pet identification app BlockPet last month, accord

MarketSept. 3, 2019

China, North Korea vow close consultation on Korean Peninsula issues

The foreign ministers of North Korea and China agreed to consult closely on Korean Peninsula issues during a bilateral meeting in Pyongyang, amid stalled denuclearization talks with the US. Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi met with North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho following his arrival in Pyongyang on Monday for a three-day visit. Marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and North Korea, Wang and Ri said t

North KoreaSept. 3, 2019

Beleaguered Cho Kuk gets support from unlikely source -- former presidential rivals

Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk, mired in corruption allegations, is drawing support from liberal heavyweights who could be rival presidential contenders.Cho, a close aide of president Moon Jae-in and once considered a likely presidential candidate, faces allegations that range from his daughter’s illicit college admission to shady investment records involving a private equity fund, whose only investors are his family members. The allegations have prompted Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-you

PoliticsSept. 3, 2019