YouTube to allow users to block channel recommendations

YouTube on Thursday announced two big changes to its browsing features, giving users more control over video recommendations.Users will soon have a “Don’t recommend channel” button, for content that is not relevant to their interests. Videos from rejected content creators will still be discoverable on the platform, but they will not come up on the recommended list or on the YouTube homepage. There will also be a new feature that sorts recommended videos into different topics, s

TechnologyJune 28, 2019

Former President Lee Myung-bak to leave hospital after overnight stay

Former President Lee Myung-bak, who was admitted to Seoul National University Hospital on Thursday, will be discharged Friday afternoon.According to his aide, he is expected to leave the hospital after a review of his test results.Lee was hospitalized at around 1:30 p.m. Thursday for symptoms that included a high fever, the hospital told The Korea Herald. The hospital added that Lee’s condition was not serious.The hospital said Lee was admitted to the Cancer Hospital because there were no

Social AffairsJune 28, 2019

S. Korea, ASEAN to launch science center for cooperation

South Korea and ASEAN have agreed to establish a center for science and technology partnership to promote exchanges and policy sharing programs, the Ministry of Science and ICT said Friday.  The agreement was made at the fourth meeting of the Korea-ASEAN Joint Science and Technology Committee in Indonesia. Around 30 officials in charge of S&T policies from the 10-member ASEAN nations attended the biennial event.Alongside establishing a new S&T center, they also agreed to launch an e

EconomyJune 28, 2019

Celltrion adopts new clinical trial management software

The South Korean biotechnology firm Celltrion has adopted Veeva Vault eTMF software to increase efficiency in managing its clinical trials, Veeva Systems announced Friday. The California-based software company’s program modernizes the clinical trial process and enhances cross-team collaboration, the company said.With the new software, Celltrion can now manage its master files in real time and can maintain all paperwork in a single cloud-based platform, Veeva Systems said. Celltrion sa

IndustryJune 28, 2019

S. Korea, Iraq initial double taxation avoidance pact

South Korea and Iraq have initialed a double taxation avoidance pact, South Korea's finance ministry said Friday, in a move that could boost bilateral economic cooperation.The agreement is set to take effect after a formal signing and parliamentary ratifications in both countries, according to the ministry.The move comes as South Korean construction companies are participating in major infrastructure projects in the war-torn country. Hanwha Engineering & Construction Corp. is set to build 10

IndustryJune 28, 2019

State pension fund logs 6.81% return rate through April

South Korea's state pension fund posted a return rate of 6.81 percent in the first four months of2019 on the back of solid performances in domestic and foreign stock markets, the fund's operator said Friday.The state pension logged a 9.97 percent investment return from the local stock market and a 20.34 percent yield from investments in overseas stocks, according to the National Pension Service. The NPS' return rates from investments in domestic and foreign bonds reached 1.42 percent and 6.

EconomyJune 28, 2019

Bank lending rates drop in May

The average lending rate for fresh loans extended by banks dropped in May from a month earlier on a large dip in the rates for businesses that more than offset a slight increase in rates for households, central bank data showed Friday.The average interest rate on all new bank loans came to 3.62 percent last month, down 0.03 percentage point from the previous month, according to the data from the Bank of Korea.The drop comes amid growing market expectation that the central bank may be poised to s

EconomyJune 28, 2019

S. Korea's industrial output down 0.5% on-month in May

South Korea's industrial output edged down 0.5 percent in May from a month earlier due in part to decreased oil refining, government data showed Friday.The data compiled by Statistics Korea showed oil refining fell14 percent in May from a month earlier, while production in the service sector increased 0.1 percent on-month.From a year earlier, industrial output rose 1 percent. Kim Bo-kyoung, director of Statistics Korea's industry statistics division, said decreased oil refining can be blamed on

IndustryJune 28, 2019

S. Korea wants more investment from US: trade minister

South Korea is ready to provide an array of benefits to US companies seeking to invest in Asia's fourth-largest economy, the country's trade minister said Friday."Cooperation between South Korea and US investors has become even more important than ever amid increased investment in high-end technologies, emerging industries and startups," Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee said during a meeting with members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea. The remark came as US firms have been ex

BusinessJune 28, 2019

Moon greeted by Abe in G-20 opening ceremony

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the host of this week's G-20 summit, greeted South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the official welcoming ceremony Friday amid no announcement yet of any schedule on their formal talks.Having entered the summit venue of INTEX Osaka, Moon walked toward Abe and shook hands with him.They then posed for photos, briefly smiling.It was their first meeting since the UN General Assembly session in New York last September.Abe was welcoming the guests at the two-day G20

Foreign AffairsJune 28, 2019

G20 summit officially opens in Japan's Osaka

Leaders of the Group of 20 opened a high-stakes summit in Japan's Osaka Friday that is expected to be one of the most fractious in years.Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe opened the meeting, which will be dominated by contentious discussions on trade, geopolitical tensions, and climate change. But the mood appeared friendly in the opening minutes, with smiles on the faces of the arriving leaders as they posed for the traditional "family photograph".US President Donald Trump and China's

InternationalJune 28, 2019

[Newsmaker] Korean woman, in Barcelona on official trip, dies after robbery attempt

A South Korean woman who was part of a government delegation to Spain died Thursday at a Barcelona hospital after being treated for head injuries she suffered during an attempted robbery there, according to news reports. The deceased woman, who served on a government advisory committee, was injured Sunday night while trying to avoid a motorcyclist who attempted to steal her purse. “As a result of the robbery, the victim suffered serious injuries and was taken to a hospital where she d

Social AffairsJune 28, 2019

[Weekender] Places for power nap in and around Seoul

Seoul is often described as a city that never sleeps. But for those who wish to sleep, the city has some amazing, extraordinary places for a restful retreat in the middle of the day. In the busy financial district of Yeouido, multiplex cinema chain CGV offers its sofas to dozy office workers during the lunch hour, a win-win for both the cinema and office workers nearby.    The “Siesta Program,” available only in Yeouido, runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through T

Life&CultureJune 28, 2019

Opposition lawmakers visit defense minister's office in protest of security failure

A group of opposition lawmakers made a protest visit to the defense minister on Friday over a recent border security failure that led to the undetected arrival of a North Korean boat at an eastern sea port. Six lawmakers from the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) met with Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and lodged a protest against the military's dubious handling of the June 15 arrival of the boat at the eastern port of Samcheok. Criticism has mounted following revelations that the mil

PoliticsJune 28, 2019

[Herald Interview] Woman’s devotion revives art of silver threads

Hong Jung-sil, master of metal inlay arts, hopes for a renaissance of centuries-old craft Inside a building in southern Seoul dedicated to the government-designated national intangible cultural assets, Hong Jung-sil, 72, works, studies and teaches as one of 12 resident artisans. Her area of expertise is “ipsa,” the art of inlaying thin threads of silver, gold and other precious metals onto harder surfaces such as iron, creating exquisite decorative patterns. The craft, which dat

CultureJune 28, 2019

[Weekender] The price of a good night’s sleep

It is well-known that South Koreans work too much and don’t get enough sleep. But as more Koreans become aware of the impact of sleep deprivation on health, memory, work productivity and other aspects of life, they are more willing to invest in a good night’s sleep. Among them is Kang Hyo-jung, an office worker in Bucheon, west of Seoul. Sleeping around six to seven hours daily on weekdays, she struggles to get up in the morning, though she needs to head out by 7:30 a.m. for a one-ho

Life&CultureJune 28, 2019

[Weekender] From tech to tonics, sleep aids are all around

Sleepless in South Korea? Tech could be just the ticket. A range of sleep aids are now available to help you rest, from mobile applications and home electronics to more conventional options like food and supplements.  For Lee Ji-woo, a sleep-deprived mother with an 18-month son, a good night’s rest has become the most precious thing in her life. Having slept for more than nine hours a day for most of her life, she has suffered from a chronic sleep deficit since the baby was born. 

Life&CultureJune 28, 2019

US nuke envoy Biegun to hold talks with S. Korean officials ahead of Trump's visit

Top US nuclear envoy Stephen Biegun held talks with his South Korean counterpart in Seoul on Friday, a day before President Donald Trump's trip to the Asian ally aimed at boosting efforts to bring North Korea back to the negotiation table.US Special Representative for North Korea Biegun met Lee Do-hoon, Seoul's special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, to discuss joint efforts to resume the stalemated nuclear negotiations with Pyongyang and move the Korean Peace pro

Foreign AffairsJune 28, 2019

Last body found confirmed as S. Korean missing in Danube boat sinking

A body found in Hungary's Danube River last week has been confirmed to be a South Korean woman missing from a deadly tour boat sinking, the foreign ministry in Seoul said Friday. That brought the number of South Koreans still unaccounted for in the May 29 sinking to two, with 24 other Koreans and two Hungarian crew members confirmed dead.A DNA test identified the body as a female in her 60s, one of the 33 South Korean passengers aboard the sightseeing boat, when it capsized and sank after being

Social AffairsJune 28, 2019

Far-right party ignores Seoul mayor’s ultimatum, may stall feud during Trump’s visit

A far-right conservative party ignored Seoul Metropolitan Government’s ultimatum ordering all of its protest facilities be cleared out from a downtown square by 6 p.m. Thursday. Seoul City said it has yet to decide when it will execute another forced removal.Meanwhile, Our Republican Party Chairman Rep. Cho Won-jin told The Korea Herald Thursday afternoon that the party will decide whether to vacate the square during US President Donald Trump’s visit to South Korea through a meeting.

Social AffairsJune 28, 2019