[Newsmaker] Prosecutors raid police headquarters in probe related to officer's nightclub scandal

Prosecutors on Friday raided the National Police Agency headquarters in western Seoul, widening their probe into allegations that a ranking NPA officer was involved in attempts to cover up irregularities at southern Seoul nightclubs.Prosecutors and investigators from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office searched the office of a senior superintendent, identified only by his surname, Yoon, at the NPA headquarters, beginning at 9 a.m., before reportedly securing his computer hard drive and

PoliticsSept. 27, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Battle of Jangsari(Korea)Opened Sept. 25Drama, WarDirected by Kwak Kyung-Taek, Kim Tae-Hoon During the height of the Korean War, Capt. Lee Myeong-jun (Kim Myung-min) and his 772 student soldiers take the North Korea-occupied Jangsari beach to provide a diversion for UN forces ahead of the Battle of Incheon. But their ship runs aground, forcing them to hold back a massive wave of North Korean retaliation with no means to escape.Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood(US)Opened Sept. 25Comedy, Drama Dir

FilmSept. 27, 2019

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Fiery seafood at JW Marriott DongdaemunJW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul’s all-day dining restaurant Tavolo 24 presents the Taste of Sea promotion featuring Sichuan-style seafood favorites. The menu includes cold dishes made with fan mussels, sea squirts, abalone, white sea snails, clams, squid and conch, flown in fresh from China. There are also hot dishes including steamed scallops, snow crab and blue crab, Sichuan specialty mala crawfish, crispy deep-fried sea cucumber and eel, and Hu

FoodSept. 27, 2019

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

1. Everland ‘Blood City’ Halloween festival Everland theme park is holding the latest edition of its zombie-themed Halloween festival “Blood City” until Nov. 17.Parts of the park feature a horror theme, with around 100 staff dressed as zombies, clowns and monsters. Performances and photo spots are available, including at the recently unveiled Raptor Ranger attraction. Some of the most popular attractions, including T-Express, have a horror theme as well.For more informati

TravelSept. 27, 2019

[Eye plus] Traces of ancient kingdom in Seoul

The soul and spirit of an ancient kingdom reside in the center of Seoul’s Songpa-gu. The ancient tombs in Seokchon-dong -- a set of stone mound tombs believed to have been built during the early Baekje Kingdom (18 BC-AD 660) -- sit among modern buildings, in a reminder that Seoul was the kingdom’s capital city. The tomb site is among several archeological sites in Seoul that offer hints about the Baekje Kingdom, its customs and culture, its golden period during the fourth c

CultureSept. 27, 2019

S. Korea's overseas direct investment hits all-time high in Q2

S. Korea's overseas direct investment reached a record high in the second quarter, thanks to a rise in spending on chip-making facilities in China, government data showed Friday.Investments made by South Korean companies came to $15 billion in the April-June period, up 13.3 percent from a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.The quarterly figure is the highest since 1981, when the government began to release data on overseas investments made by Sout

MarketSept. 27, 2019

Meet the members of K-pop supergroup SuperM

It’s been weeks since S.M. Entertainment unveiled plans to launch new supergroup SuperM in the US at Capitol Congress 2019. Since then more information has been revealed, including multiple teasers and images.With their much-anticipated debut album slated for release on Oct. 4, we have profiled the bandmates and recap their history.Taemin from SHINeeAge: 26 / Debut year: 2008 Taemin stepped into the limelight first as a member of SHINee, which debuted in 2008 with first single “Repla

K-popSept. 27, 2019

Not so lonely September in Jeju

Come fall, Jeju Island is a wonder to behold.  Skies clear up to reveal a horizon that stretches as far as the eye can see, as the cool breeze of September chases away the heat of summer. This is indeed a good time to visit the island historically known for its abundance of wind, rocks and women widowed by the sea. The first two are remnants of the volcanic island’s environment, which has made it such a unique travel destination.Hwasun GotjawalHundreds of thousands years ago, Hal

TravelSept. 27, 2019

[Weekender] N. Korean rice cakes and candies anyone?

INCHEON -- Hong Eun-hye carries on the tradition of her late mother and grandmother, crafting rice cakes, snacks and candies the North Korean way. Born in Hamhung, the reclusive state’s second-largest city, she grew up watching them prepare “finger sticks” -- stick-shaped donuts coated in sugar -- and bean candies -- tiny bean curd balls stir-fried and glazed in sugar -- to sell at local markets. “My mom and grandma used to make these to support my family,” Hong sai

FoodSept. 27, 2019

[Weekender] Three restaurants for contemporary North Korean cuisine

Restaurant Bukhyang (Songdo, Incheon) Bukhyung is a bright, inviting restaurant with a vintage vibe that sits among trendy eateries and cafes in Songdo’s multiplex shopping center Triple Street. However, its specialty -- North Korean home-style meals -- does not conform to South Korea’s fast-changing food trends. A joint venture between traditional liquor bar Wolhyang and spicy sausage stew franchise Nolboo, Bukhyang is the first real attempt here to market North Korean cuisine

FoodSept. 27, 2019

Gyeongju certified as a key Silk Road city

ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- The heads of a group of universities located on the Silk Road have certified that the Korean city of Gyeongju which was the capital of the Silla Kingdom was part of the ancient trade routes that connected the East and West. The certification was authorized by university presidents, rectors and chancellors and their deputies who participated in the fifth General Assembly of the Silk Road Universities Network held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Sept. 18-21.  The certificate of r

CultureSept. 27, 2019

BTS' J-Hope releases collaboration with Becky G

J-Hope, a member of K-pop boy band BTS, will release Friday a hip hop single featuring American musician Becky G, his management agency said. The song, "Chicken Noodle Soup," set for release Friday evening through BTS' official social media channels, is a recreation of the namesake song released by American musician, DJ Webstar and rapper Young B.  The new song will also come with a music video featuring J-Hope and Becky G, according to Big Hit Entertainment. J-Hope wrote Kor

PerformanceSept. 27, 2019

[Weekender] Taste of the North

North Korea is a forbidden land for South Koreans. But there is a way to experience the contemporary culture of the reclusive communist state without actually crossing the border: Visiting restaurants here that specialize in North Korean cuisine. With over 32,000 North Korean refugees calling South Korea home now, such eateries, either targeting fellow homesick defectors or curious South Korean diners, are easy to find with a quick search on the internet. “Having been separated for nearly

FoodSept. 27, 2019

Seoul stocks open lower on US political uncertainties

South Korean stocks opened lower on Friday, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street following a potential impeachment probe into US President Donald Trump.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index slid 10.95 points, or 0.53 percent, to 2,063.57 in the first 15 minutes of trading. On the Seoul bourse, top market cap Samsung Electronics plunged 1.52 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix nosedived 2.76 percent. LG Display shed 0.75 percent. Financials also got off to a weak start. Shinhan Fi

MarketSept. 27, 2019

S. Korea, US hold 2nd day of biannual defense talks on N. Korea, alliance

South Korea and the United States held the second and final day of biannual defense talks in Seoul on Friday on regional security and other alliance issues, the defense ministry said.The 16th Korea-US Integrated Defense Dialogue, which began on Thursday, took place at a time when the allies are facing tricky issues such as Seoul's termination of a military information-sharing deal with Japan and security challenges posed by North Korea."The two sides are to discuss the overall security issu

Foreign AffairsSept. 27, 2019

Pompeo says US-NK talks not yet arranged

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday that working-level denuclearization negotiations with North Korea that were expected this month have not been arranged.Pompeo made the remark at a press conference on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, saying the US stands ready to resume negotiations with the North."We've not been able to make those happen. And we don't have a date yet when we'll be able to get together," he said. "The North Koreans kn

North KoreaSept. 27, 2019

Ninth case of African swine fever confirmed in Ganghwa

Another case of African swine fever has been found in the Ganghwa district of Incheon, pushing up the total number of confirmed cases to nine.The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Friday that the ninth case of the disease had been detected at a pig farm on Ganghwa Island, about 60 kilometers west of Seoul. Two other suspected farms in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, tested negative. The farm where the most recent case was detected has some 2,000 pigs.The first outbreak of the deadl

Social AffairsSept. 27, 2019

Foreign ministers of S. Korea, Japan meet amid trade, history row

The foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan held talks in New York Thursday but produced no breakthrough in a row over trade and wartime history.South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha met with her new Japanese counterpart, Toshimitsu Motegi, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, their first meeting since Motegi took office earlier this month. Kang said the two sides reiterated their respective positions on the bilateral dispute, which has seen Tokyo impose export cont

Foreign AffairsSept. 27, 2019

Nutrilite to launch “Korean-customized” dietary supplement

US vitamin and dietary supplement brand Nutrilite said Thursday that it is launching the upgraded all-in-one dietary supplement Double X in Korea next month, calling it a product tailored to local eating habits.“Double X has been upgraded to tailor to the Korean market, which we developed by determining habits and cultures over the past 10 years,” said Sam Rehnborg, head of the Nutrilite Health Institute and son of the Nutrilite founder, in an interview with The Korea Herald. Rehnbor

IndustrySept. 27, 2019

N. Korea says Trump is unlike former US leaders, hopes for progress

A former chief North Korean nuclear envoy said Friday he believes US President Donald Trump is different from his predecessors, and looks forward to him making a "bold decision" in nuclear talks despite calls in Washington for Pyongyang to denuclearize first.Kim Kye-gwan, currently an adviser to the North Korean foreign ministry, made the remarks in a statement carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency, amid expectations that the US and the North could hold working-lev

North KoreaSept. 27, 2019