[Graphic News] North Korea world’s 2nd most censored country

　North Korea is the world’s second-most censored country, an international press freedom group said in a recent report, calling Pyongyang’s media a state “mouthpiece.”　Access to the internet is restricted to the political elite, with some schools and state institutions having access to a tightly controlled intranet, according to the report. The African country of Eritrea topped the list. 　The evaluation was based on a number of benchmarks, including the absence of private

World NewsSept. 17, 2019

SK Innovation raided over allegations of trade secret theft

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on Tuesday raided SK Innovation’s headquarters in central Seoul over LG Chem’s accusation that the SK unit stole trade secrets related to developing electric vehicle batteries. LG Chem had made the accusation in May after filing a complaint in April with the US International Trade Commission and the District Court of Delaware over misappropriation of trade secrets through the hiring of former LG Chem employees. Police sent officers to SK Innovatio

TechnologySept. 17, 2019

S. Korea, Japan explore possibility of talks between their top diplomats: sources

South Korea and Japan are exploring the possibility of their top diplomats holding talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York next week, though nothing has been decided yet, multiple sources here said Tuesday.Should they meet, it will mark the first face-to-face talks between Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her new Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi since Tokyo's top diplomat was appointed in last week's Cabinet reshuffle. Their talks would come amid high tensions caus

Foreign AffairsSept. 17, 2019

S. Korea’s oil stocks fluctuate after Saudi strikes

Shares of South Korean oil-related businesses posted mixed performances Tuesday, in the wake of Saudi Arabia’s decision to shut down nearly half of its oil production after a series of drone strikes on key installations. Shares of petroleum product distributor Joongang Enervis closed nearly 21 percent higher from the previous session, at 10,250 won ($8.61).  Hunggu Oil, which is engaged in the wholesale and retail sale of petroleum products, extended gains for the second day, and clos

MarketSept. 17, 2019

US flew spy plane over S. Korean capital area

A US reconnaissance plane flew over areas around Seoul earlier this week, an aviation tracker has said, on an apparent mission to collect intelligence regarding North Korea.The plane, believed to be an RC-135W Rivet Joint, was detected in the skies above areas of Gyeonggi Province, including Namyangju, just north of Seoul, and the western port city of Incheon on Monday, Aircraft Spots posted on Twitter.The operation took place on a day when North Korea called on the US to remove all "threat

DefenseSept. 17, 2019

Holliger, Saariaho win Isang Yun International Composition Award

Heinz Holliger and Kaija Saariaho have won the 2019 Isang Yun International Composition Award, the Isang Yun Peace Foundation announced Tuesday, which marked the anniversary of Yun’s birth. The foundation launched the annual award in 2007 to support and recognize composers, continuing Yun’s musical legacy. However, the event was halted in 2014 due to difficulties faced by the foundation’s management. After a six-year hiatus, the award resumed this year.  Heinz Holliger is

PerformanceSept. 17, 2019

‘Thousands of Mirrors’ festival to reflect world literature

The 2019 Seoul International Writers’ Festival is to take place at Dongdaemun Design Plaza from Oct. 5-13.  Launched in 2006, the previously biennial event goes annual from this year. Along with the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, which has run the event from the beginning, the Seoul Design Foundation and Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture are co-hosting the event.“I personally think that this is the new first year for the festival,” said Kim Sa-in, head of L

CultureSept. 17, 2019

[Herald Review] ‘Man of Men’ is a film that shouldn’t work but does, through power of character

Director Yong Soo’s first feature film, “Man of Men,” is a film that by all accounts shouldn’t work: It is far too familiar, far too obvious and far too sappy for a movie that came out in 2019.Yet surprisingly, the buddy flick starring Sol Kyung-gu and Cho Jin-woong turns out to be pretty fun, buoyed by a mix of drama and comedy -- albeit pretty much by the book -- from the accomplished actors.The film kicks off with gangster Yeong-gi, who embezzles his boss’s money

FilmSept. 17, 2019

[Video] Politics of ‘head shaving performance’

The leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party had his head shaved Monday in front of Cheong Wa Dae, calling for the resignation of the justice minister, whose family has been implicated in corruption allegations.Liberty Korea Party Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn followed suit after his party’s Rep. Park In-sook and independent lawmaker Rep. Lee Un-ju shaved their heads to protest President Moon Jae-in’s appointment of Justice Minister Cho Kuk. Korean politicians sometimes have t

PoliticsSept. 17, 2019

[Kim Seong-kon] Anti-virus software can be a virus, too

Many people enjoy the “Terminator” film series because the action-packed futuristic science fiction films are fun to watch, thanks to breathtaking action, time travel and enthralling cutting-edge technologies. But there is much more to the series than such visual pleasures. “The Terminator” and its sequels also provide valuable lessons and “post-humanist” hindsight in this era of nuclear weapons that can annihilate human civilization in a flash. The movie espe

ViewpointsSept. 17, 2019

[David Ignatius] Dunford was a steady hand during Trump-era turmoil

Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who will retire this month, is that rare senior official in Donald Trumps Washington whose career and reputation don’t seem to have been tarnished by his dealings with the president. The explanation is simple: The low-key, Boston-Irish Marine maintained the distance and discipline of a professional military officer. He did not try to be Trump’s friend or confidant, and he stayed away from palace intrigue. The White House

ViewpointsSept. 17, 2019

S. Korea considers releasing oil reserves in case of supply problem

The latest drone strikes on Saudi Arabia’s crude processing facilities will have limited impact on South Korea the government has said, but it will consider releasing its oil reserves in case of supply disruption, a senior official said Tuesday.“The strikes on Saudi Arabia’s key oil facilities over the weekend have heightened the risks in the Middle East region,” said Kim Yong-beom, first vice minister of finance.“But considering the supply contracts and current (oi

EconomySept. 17, 2019

South Korea rushes to stem spread of African swine fever

SEJONG -- South Korean authorities Tuesday quarantined employees of hog-raising farms until Thursday morning in the aftermath of an outbreak of African swine fever.The deadly ASF virus was detected at a farm in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, which is located between Seoul and Kaesong, North Korea, early in the day, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.ASF is a highly contagious hemorrhagic fever in pigs and can be spread via fomites and uncooked pig products. The disease ha

Social AffairsSept. 17, 2019

Robo-advisers outperform in bear market: data

Robo-advisers, or digital algorithm-based wealth management services provided by investment firms, outpaced major indexes here last month, reflecting their ability to build a strong portfolio amid a bear market, data provided by a state-backed IT firm showed Tuesday.According to the data compiled by Koscom, return rates for risk-seeking, risk-neutral and risk-averse investments made via robo advisors in August came in at 0.1 percent, minus 0.51 percent and minus 1.18 percent, respectively. The d

MarketSept. 17, 2019

Former President Park's shoulder surgery successful: hospital

Former President Park Geun-hye underwent shoulder surgery at a hospital in Seoul on Tuesday, and the operation was successful, the hospital and the Ministry of Justice said.The surgery began at 8:30 a.m. at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital in southern Seoul and lasted about two hours, they said."The surgery was successfully carried out, and Park is now recovering," the hospital said, adding orthopedic surgeon Kim Yang-soo performed the operation.The 67-year-old Park, who has been in the Seoul

Social AffairsSept. 17, 2019

[News focus] One year on, inter-Korean military pact remains unfulfilled promise

The inter-Korean military agreement that was hailed as a “nonaggression pact” when it was signed just a year ago has become a “merely nominal” agreement as its first anniversary approaches Thursday.The defense chiefs of the two Koreas signed the Comprehensive Military Agreement on Sept. 19, 2018, in Pyongyang on the sidelines of the third summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.  It was not the first bilateral military ag

North KoreaSept. 17, 2019

Cho Kuk’s daughter questioned, wife faces trial in college admission scandal

Prosecutors questioned Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s daughter Monday as part of an investigation into a college admissions scandal involving her mother, Chung Kyung-shim. The first hearing for Chung, indicted on charges of forging a document that is believed to have influenced her daughter’s admission to a medical school, will be held Oct. 18, the Seoul Central District Court said.Cho Min, 28, was subpoenaed by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office and questioned on suspi

Social AffairsSept. 17, 2019

Seoul to become ‘super-aged’ city in 2026

Seoul is likely to become a “super-aged” city in 2026, according to data released by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.Seoul became an “aged” city last year against the backdrop of a low birthrate and longer life expectancy, with more than 14 percent of its population being 65 or older. South Korea’s capital is expected to become a super-aged city in 2026 at this rate, where more than 1 in 5 of the population is 65 years old or above. The number of those who ar

Social AffairsSept. 17, 2019

[News Focus] 57% of Koreans support prosecution reform despite Cho Kuk scandal: poll

SEJONG -- An interest among the people under the Moon Jae-in administration is whether an independent investigative agency, which holds the authority to indict crime-suspected prosecutors or other public officials, will be launched.The agency, which is being pushed in the 20th National Assembly, has been dubbed the Senior Civil Servant Crime Investigation unit.Previous administrations and legislatures had also tried and failed to create such a body, such as the Roh Moo-hyun administration’

PoliticsSept. 17, 2019