Israel, Hezbollah exchange fire after week of tensions

KIRYAT SHMONA (AFP) - Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire along the Lebanese border on Sunday after a week of rising tensions, sparking fears of an escalation and prompting concern from world powers.Israel said it responded with around 100 artillery shells after Hezbollah fired two or three anti-tank missiles at a battalion headquarters and military ambulance, hitting both. Israeli officials refuted claims by the Iranian-backed movement that it had killed and wounded those inside the military ve

World NewsSept. 2, 2019

Texas shooting toll rises to seven

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- The death toll in a chaotic mass shooting in Texas has risen to seven, the local police chief confirmed Sunday, adding that it might have been far worse had the shooter not been stopped before entering a crowded movie theater.On Sunday, police identified the shooter as a local man named Seth Aaron Ator, age 36. Police had said Saturday that five people died in the frantic shootout spread out over several miles on roads between the cities of Midland and Odessa in the west of t

World NewsSept. 2, 2019

Moon in Thailand on three-nation tour

BANGKOK -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in flew into Bangkok Sunday at the start of a weeklong trip that will also take him to Myanmar and Laos as part of efforts to deepen Seoul's partnerships with the region.Moon became the first South Korean president to visit Thailand in seven years. He plans to hold summit talks with Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on Monday, with bilateral cooperation on innovative growth high on the agenda.Traditionally, South Korea and Thailand have maintained close

PoliticsSept. 1, 2019

Hong Kong protesters target airport as city mops up

HONG KONG -- Thousands of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists blocked some routes to the city's airport Sunday as the financial hub cleaned up after another night of violent protests marked by fires, tear gas and police beatings. Operators of the Airport Express train said it suspended services on Sunday afternoon, while black-clad protesters -- hiding from CCTV cameras under umbrellas -- built barricades at the airport bus station and attempted to stop traffic on the main road leading to terminal

World NewsSept. 1, 2019

N. Korea criticizes UN report on its cyberattacks as 'fabrication'

North Korea on Sunday castigated a UN report on its cyberattacks aimed at creating funds for its weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs, calling the report a "fabrication," its state media reported.A spokesperson of the North's panel on prevention of money laundering and terror financing made the remarks, calling the UN report a "downright lie" and a "pretext" for sanctions pressure against the regime, according to the North's official Korean Central News A

North KoreaSept. 1, 2019

Half-Year Economic Outlook 2019 highlights trends affecting Korean-German trade

The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry held its Half-Year Economic Outlook 2019 in Seoul in cooperation with the Incheon Free Economic Zone, the chamber of commerce said. The first part of the event, held to look at trends affecting trade between the two countries, was led by two distinguished speakers. Peter Winkler, deputy head of mission and the head of the economic department at the German Embassy, highlighted the transitions affecting the two countries’ energy sectors as w

IndustrySept. 1, 2019

President Moon requests review of college admissions system

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has called for a review of the country’s college entrance system amid controversy over alleged admission irregularities involving Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk’s daughter, the presidential office said Sunday.“(President Moon) asked for a reexamination of the overall college admissions system, beyond controversy surrounding nominee Cho and his family,” said Yoon Do-han, senior Cheong Wa Dae secretary for public communication.The presid

PoliticsSept. 1, 2019

LDP's 'Triple Bill' blends different contemporary dance choreographers

Laboratory Dance Project, a South Korean contemporary dance company that marks its 20th anniversary next year, is collaborating with guest choreographers in a project that might just lead to a stylistic breakthrough. 　The dance company has invited two well-known Korean choreographers, Jung Young-doo and Kim Seol-jin, in “Triple Bill,” its latest production that will run Sept. 26-29 at LG Arts Center in Seoul.“There is no reason not to be open to collaboration,” LDP&r

PerformanceSept. 1, 2019

[Graphic News] Market for ready-to-eat meals grew in 2018

　The South Korean market for ready-to-eat products increased 14 percent in 2018 on the back of rising demand from single-member households, seniors and others who seek convenience, data showed.　Sales of ready-to-eat meals reached 3 trillion won ($2.47 billion) in 2018, up from 2.6 trillion won posted a year earlier, according to the annual report released by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, as more customers sought hassle-free food items. (Yonhap)

BusinessSept. 1, 2019

[News focus] Blame game between US, N. Korea adds to nuke talks uncertainty

The US and North Korea still hope to take steps toward resuming their stalled denuclearization talks but their critical rhetoric reveals distrust and difficulties in arranging a working-level meeting. On Saturday, North Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, one of Pyongyang’s top officials leading the denuclearization negotiations with the US, said that Pyongyang’s hopes for nuclear talks with Washington are fading. She pointed to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s

North KoreaSept. 1, 2019

Combined Forces Command to move to Pyeongtaek by 2021

South Korea and the US seek to relocate their Combined Forces Command headquarters by the end of 2021 from Seoul to Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, ahead of the envisioned transfer of wartime operational control from Washington to Seoul, according to Defense Ministry officials Sunday.The tentative timeline was set by the allies following a meeting between Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and then acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan in Seoul in June when they agreed to move the CFC headq

DefenseSept. 1, 2019

[Chon Shi-yong] Kim and Trump: A dangerous bromance

When they hurled insults at each other such as “little rocket man” and “dotard,” and traded threats of nuclear annihilation, few could imagine that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump would develop such a lasting bromance in so little time. Like any other close relationship, there must have been some sort of chemistry between the 36-year old North Korean leader and the septuagenarian US president. Think not only about their age g  ap and geo

ViewpointsSept. 1, 2019

[David Ignatius] Why Macron’s Iran gamble didn’t pay off

What really happened in Biarritz last weekend, with the mysterious visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif? US officials saw it as a bit of diplomatic freelancing by French President Emmanuel Macron that sought to foster negotiations but highlighted the obstacles that are in the way.The intrigue surrounding the summit was described by knowledgeable sources who requested anonymity to describe the sensitive diplomacy. “It felt like a gamble,” said one source, a bet by Ma

ViewpointsSept. 1, 2019

[News Focus] Concerns grow over prospects for economy

SEJONG -- Nearly half of South Koreans responded that their economic situation had worsened since President Moon Jae-in took office in May 2017, a poll showed.According to the survey by the Opinion Research Justice, which was released on Aug. 29, only 17 percent of the 1,000 sampled respondents said their economic situation had improved under the Moon administration, compared to the previous government.In contrast, 48.8 percent of them responded that their economic situation has worsened over th

EconomySept. 1, 2019

Growth forecasts for chip sales lowered again

World Semiconductor Trade Statistics has again lowered its global sales forecasts for 2019 and 2020, indicating a longer-than-expected downturn in the chipmaking market, according to the industry on Sunday. In its latest report, WSTS predicted that the global semiconductor industry would post annual sales of $406.5 billion this year, down 13.3 percent from last year. Compared with the previous WSTS report, released in June, the estimates are also lower.  Memory sales are forecast to plunge

TechnologySept. 1, 2019

[Newsmaker] Ruling party seeks last-minute agreement on justice minister nominee hearing

Ruling Democratic Party Floor Leader Lee In-young said Sunday that the party would “wait until the last moment” for the main opposition party to agree to Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk’s confirmation hearing, initially scheduled for Sept. 2-3.“If the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee approves the hearing tomorrow (Monday) morning, a confirmation hearing can be held right away starting tomorrow (as scheduled),” Lee said during a press co

PoliticsSept. 1, 2019

Global standards set for 8K TV

Samsung Electronics along with 15 other partners have specified global standards to define the key performance attributes of 8K televisions with an aim to expand the ecosystem, the South Korean tech giant said Sunday. The 8K Association, a global nonprofit organization of TV and panel manufacturers, system-on chipmakers and content businesses, has announced the standards and performance specifications. The association has 16 member companies, including Samsung Electronics, AUO, Panasonic, Hisens

TechnologySept. 1, 2019

Equity fund related to Korea-Japan trade spat raises W40b

A local equity fund, in which South Korean President Moon Jae-in invested last week to show his confidence in domestic firms likely to benefit from Japan’s export curbs, has amassed more than 40 billion won ($33 million) as of Friday, fund operator NH-Amundi Asset Management said Sunday. The fund dubbed the “NH-Amundi Victorious Korea Equity Fund,” was launched on Aug. 14 with about 30 billion won initial capital. It invests in local companies that manufacture industrial equipm

MarketSept. 1, 2019

Copyright infringement of Korean content on YouTube rife

About 9,000 YouTube contents distributed in South Korea have been accused of copyright infringement since January this year, a lawmaker said Sunday, amid growing calls for the government’s enhanced oversight over the global video-sharing service. Citing data from the Korea Copyright Protection Agency, Rep. Noh Woong-rae of Democratic Party said there were 8,833 copyright infringement cases in YouTube as of last month. It was similar to the number of violation cases last year when 8,880 con

TechnologySept. 1, 2019