[From the Scene] SsangYong’s Changwon plant responsible for gasoline engines of SUV powerhouse

CHANGWON, South Gyeongsang Province -- An engine is often dubbed the “heart of a car” as it converts gasoline energy for motion. When it comes to sport utility vehicles, the performance of an engine is even more important because it decides their power. SsangYong Motor, with 30-year-history, has been churning out gasoline engines at its Changwon plant in South Gyeongsang Province.The plant, comprised of two units, spans over 111,500 square meters. The first factory is respo

MobilitySept. 22, 2019

[Herald Review] ‘Lifetime companions’ grace stage with complete Brahms sonatas

INCHEON -- Violinist Chung Kyung-wha and pianist Kevin Kenner, who call each other “lifetime companion,” presented the complete Brahms violin sonatas on Thursday at Art Center Incheon. The duo performed the German composer-pianist’s Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1 in G major, “Regen,” Op. 78; Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 2 in A major, “Thun,” Op. 100; and Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108. The first sonata, often referred to

PerformanceSept. 22, 2019

National Assembly speaker inspects Samsung SDI plant in Hungary

National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang took time on Saturday (local time) to inspect the Samsung SDI factory located near Budapest, the company said Sunday.In a meeting with executives and employees of the battery maker, Moon remarked that Samsung represents South Korea in the global market, praising it for its tireless efforts to elevate the global status of both the conglomerate and country. Moon also talked of how proud he was when he heard that foreign countries were purchasing technologies

IndustrySept. 22, 2019

Eximbank runs soup kitchen during holiday season

The Export-Import Bank of Korea has been consistently engaging in community welfare, such as through the Hope Seed volunteer program involving a soup kitchen earlier this month near Seoul Station, according to the bank Sunday.The soup kitchen provided some 300 homeless people with hearty meals ahead of Chuseok. “It was a meaningful time to share some love and bond with those who are excluded during the thanksgiving holiday,” said Eximbank Deputy President Kang Seung-joong.  Acco

IndustrySept. 22, 2019

Coupang publishes ‘Mini business impact report’

“Mini” businesses selling products on Coupang have seen their businesses grow by 81 percent on average, with combined sales exceeding 2.65 trillion won ($2.22 billion) in 2018 alone, a report released by Coupang showed.These and other findings were included in the “2019 Coupang Mini Business Impact Report -- Small Giants Working With Coupang,” highlighting the socioeconomic correlation between Coupang, its business partners and local communities. It is the first such in-d

EconomySept. 22, 2019

Korea’s Oscar-tipped ‘Parasite’ sets French box office record

PARIS (AFP) - The South Korean satire “Parasite” has become the most successful Cannes-winning film at the French box office in 15 years, new figures show.Director Bong Joon-ho became the first Korean to lift the Palme d’Or in May for his brilliant class war black comedy, and is an early favorite to lift the best foreign language movie Oscar. More than 1.6 million people have paid to see the film in France so far, according to the site CBO box office, a feat not achieved by a C

FilmSept. 22, 2019

[Newsmaker] Fire at Dongdaemun fashion market injures 2, fumes continue for hours

A fire that started around midnight Sunday at a fashion wholesale market in central Seoul continued to burn Sunday afternoon, with two people injured.Fire authorities have been fighting the blaze for more than 14 hours as of 3:30 p.m. Sunday at a six-story building located in Jeil Pyunghwa Clothing Market in Sindang-dong.While the fire was mostly contained, the surrounding area was thick with black fumes still rising from the building on Sunday afternoon.Two women who were inside the building wh

Social AffairsSept. 22, 2019

Samsung slips 26 notches in global corporate reputation ranking

South Korea's top tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. fell sharply in a global corporate social responsibility ranking to a record low of 90th this year, a US market survey showed Sunday.In the 2019 Global RepTrak report released by the Reputation Institute, the world's biggest memory chip giant moved down a whopping 26 steps in terms of its global reputation. The rankings are based on a company's governance structure, social contribution and working conditions for workers.  It marked the lo

IndustrySept. 22, 2019

Typhoon Tapah approaching S. Korea with strong winds, heavy rains

Typhoon Tapah was moving north toward the southern island of Jeju on Sunday, the weather agency said, with heavy rains and strong winds already battering the island and other southern regions and causing cancellations of hundreds of flights.The powerful typhoon, packing wind gusts of 126 kph with an atmospheric pressure of 970 hectopascals at its center, was about 250 kilometers southwest of Jeju traveling at a speed of 28 kph as of 9 a.m., according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.

Social AffairsSept. 22, 2019

S. Korea's pork exports to remain intact despite ASF: ministry

South Korea's exports of pork are expected to remain steady despite two confirmed cases of African swine fever in the country as the disease has been reported only in a limited area, officials said Sunday, The first-ever confirmed ASF case in South Korea was reported Tuesday in Paju, located near the heavily fortified border with North Korea. The second confirmed ASF case was reported in the neighboring Yeoncheon the next day.The confirmed cases sparked concerns over the local pork industry, inc

EconomySept. 22, 2019

[From the scene] Koreans join global climate protest

Thousands of people took to the streets in central Seoul on Saturday to call for immediate action to tackle climate change, joining millions of protesters around the world in the global movement.　An estimated 4,000 people gathered in Daehakro in central Seoul to criticize the government for its lukewarm response to climate change and to call for more drastic change in energy policies -- such as shutting down coal-fired power plants, shifting to renewable energy and cutting other emissions.　&ldqu

Social AffairsSept. 21, 2019

NK website unveils revised constitution aimed at strengthening Kim's status

A North Korean propaganda website on Saturday unveiled the full text of the country's revised constitution, which is apparently aimed at bolstering leader Kim Jong-un's legal status.The website, called Naenara, made public the constitution that the 14th Supreme People's Assembly, the country's rubber-stamp legislature, amended during its second session late last month.In the latest revision, Article 104 stipulated new responsibilities for the chairman of the State Affairs Commission, the North's

North KoreaSept. 21, 2019

Book of late S. Korean poet Cho's poems published in English

A book of more than 80 poems of late renowned South Korean poet Cho Ji-hoon was published in English in New York more than half a century after his death, his family said Friday. A ceremony celebrating the publication took place in New York on the day with the attendance of South Korea's Ambassador to the United Nations Cho Tae-yul, the third son of the poet, and his other family members.The publishing company, Cross-Cultural Communications, published the book, entitled "Shedding of the Pet

BooksSept. 21, 2019

Weather agency says 3.5 magnitude quake occurs in Pyonggang, North Korea

South Korea's state weather agency said Saturday that a 3.5 magnitude earthquake occurred in Pyonggang, North Korea's Kangwon Province.The Korea Meteorological Administration said there may not be any damage from the "natural" quake that took place 31 kilometers northwest of Pyonggang's county office at 3:11 p.m (Yonhap) 

North KoreaSept. 21, 2019

Sorenstam, Park win foursome competition at exhibition golf event

The team of Annika Sorenstam and Park Sung-hyun won the foursome competition at an exhibition match featuring LPGA stars from the past and present.Sorenstam-Park combined to shoot 2-over 74 at the Seolhaeone·Cell Return Legends Match golf event Saturday at Seolhaeone Resort's Salmon and Seaview Courses in Yangyang, 215 kilometers east of Seoul in Gangwon Province. Sorenstam, a 72-time LPGA champion from Sweden, was part of the "LPGA Legends" team, which included fellow World Gol

GolfSept. 21, 2019

Previously unidentified underground facilities identified at Yongbyon complex: 38 North

Two previously unidentified underground complexes have been identified at North Korea's mainstay nuclear compound in Yongbyon, north of Pyongyang, a US website monitoring the communist state has said.In an expert analysis of satellite imagery by Frank V. Pabian, 38 North on Thursday revealed the underground complexes, located east and southeast of Yongbyon across the Kuryong River, saying their purposes remain unknown. The findings are based on the presence of tunnel entrances and visible spoil

North KoreaSept. 21, 2019

Typhoon Tapah dumps heavy rain, causing flight cancellations

Typhoon Tapah pounded South Korea's southern island of Jeju with heavy downpours and strong winds on Saturday, forcing the cancellation of 29 domestic and international flights at the airport.Parts of the island received 215 millimeters of rain as the typhoon was bearing down on South Korea.The Korea Meteorological Administration said that Typhoon Tapah could dump more than 600 millimeters of rain in some mountainous areas in Jeju between Saturday and Monday. Typhoon Tapah was moving northward

Social AffairsSept. 21, 2019

Retail giants eye luxury segment to bolster online biz

South Korea's retail giants are increasingly turning their eyes to the luxury segment for their e-commerce business in an apparent move to differentiate themselves from online competitors.  Lotte Shopping, the operator of South Korea's biggest department store and a leading discount store, opened its first online shopping mall that only sells luxury brands on Thursday.The website, dubbed Lotte Premium Mall, sells over 24,000 products from 234 high-end brands ranging from Bottega Veneta to E

IndustrySept. 21, 2019

Current LPGA stars thank legends for inspiration

When Park Sung-hyun was a young girl aspiring to become a professional golfer, she got an autograph from South Korean golf icon Pak Se-ri. Park laminated that sheet of paper and posted it on her bedroom wall, hoping to one day make it to the LPGA Tour like Pak did. And this weekend, Park will get to walk on the same fairways as Park at an exhibition match play event, along with other LPGA legends that she grew up idolizing.Park is a member of the "Next Generation" team at the Seolhaeon

GolfSept. 21, 2019

Agriculture minister calls for staying vigilant to contain African swine fever

Agriculture Minister Kim Hyeon-soo on Saturday called on quarantine officials to continue to stay vigilant to contain African swine fever, after recently reported cases at two pig farms in the border city of Paju tested negative. "For the next three weeks, we should not loosen up," Kim said during a meeting to check the ongoing quarantine and disinfection efforts at the government complex in Sejong, an administrative hub located 130 kilometers southeast of Seoul.On Tuesday, the South K

Social AffairsSept. 21, 2019