DUIs in Seoul drop 23% under toughened rules

Drunk driving cases dropped 23 percent in Seoul in the month following the introduction of toughened regulations.The revised traffic law, the Second Yoon Chang-ho Act, lowered the legal limit of drivers’ blood alcohol level and imposes stronger punishments for driving under the influence.Yoon, an Army conscript and college student, was hit by a drunk driver in Busan in September last year. He suffered severe head injuries and died in November. Yoon’s death led the National Assembly t

Social AffairsJuly 26, 2019

Heavy rain warnings issued in central regions, downpour in store for weekend

The season’s first heavy rain warning was issued in Seoul on Friday morning, with nationwide downpours in store over the weekend. The Korea Meteorological Administration adjusted a heavy rain watch to heavy rain warnings across Seoul, Incheon and parts of Gyeonggi Province that saw heavy rains Friday morning, while heavy rain alerts remained in effect in parts of the central region.Heavy rain warnings are issued when more than 90 millimeters of rain in three hours or over 180 millimeters o

Social AffairsJuly 26, 2019

[Eye Plus] Centennial memory preserved in city center

It is just five minutes’ walk from Seodaemun Subway Station in central Seoul to get out of the glittering city and travel back in time to the early 20th century. The Donuimun Museum Village resurrects an old Seoul neighborhood of the 1960s-1980s with a barbershop, movie theater, arcade, comic book store and more. About 30 historic houses were repurposed and given a new life at the brink of demolition for the public park. Opened in October 2017, the area is the result of the city

CultureJuly 26, 2019

Samsung narrows gap with Xiaomi in India's smartphone market in Q2

Samsung Electronics Co. remained the second-largest smartphone vendor in India behind Xiaomi in the second quarter, but the Korean tech giant closed the gap with its Chinese rival with a reinforced budget lineup, industry data showed Friday. Xiaomi shipped 10.2 million smartphones in India in the April-June period for a 28.7 percent market share, according to market research firm Strategy Analytics. Samsung Electronics shipped 9.4 million units, 26.3 percent of the total, in the period, putting

IndustryJuly 26, 2019

N. Korea's 'new' ballistic missiles similar to Russia's Iskander: Seoul

The short-range missiles that North Korea test-fired this week were a new type of ballistic weapon similar to Russia's Iskander, the military authorities here said Friday, citing the projectiles' unique flight pattern.North Korea on Thursday fired two short-range missiles into the East Sea from near the eastern coastal town of Wonsan, and both flew around 600 kilometers at an altitude of around 50 km, according to an officer at the Joint Chiefs of Staff."Differing from a general parabolic t

North KoreaJuly 26, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

The King’s Letters(Korea)Opened July 24Drama, HistoryDirected by Jo Cheon-hyeonDuring the last eight years of Sejong the Great’s rule, the power to read or write was still monopolized by noblemen, as Korea did not have its own writing system, making it difficult for commoners to become literate. Sejong (Song Kang-ho) meets with Buddhist monk Sinmi (Park Hae-il) to create a writing system for the people. Lion King(US)Opened July 17Animation, Adventure, Drama　Directed by Jon Favre

FilmJuly 26, 2019

Locally-sourced, wet-aged tonkatsu at new Seoul hotspot

Still in its pre-opening stage, newly minted tonkatsu restaurant Hoshi Katsu, which soft-opened in early June in Seoul’s Cheongdam-dong, has diners lining up for a taste of its fried pork cutlet. Even if one doesn’t know chef Im Yong-jae only uses Jeju black pork that has been wet-aged for 15 days and uses crumbs made from custom-made bread, one might take notice of these fried-to-order cutlets with their shaggy, golden crusts and incredibly juicy interior. “It has to be f

FoodJuly 26, 2019

Trump says N. Korea hasn't tested missiles other than 'smaller ones'

US President Donald Trump said Thursday that North Korea hasn't tested missiles other than "smaller ones," in an apparent attempt to keep dialogue with the North alive despite its recent test-firing of short-range ballistic missiles.Trump made the remark in an interview with Fox News a day after the North fired two short-range ballistic missiles, insisting that he gets along "very well" with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un."They haven't done nuclear testing. They really

North KoreaJuly 26, 2019

[Around the Hotels] Packages and promotions

Caribbean summer at Novotel Dongdaemun Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotel & Residence’s rooftop bar Gourmet Bar presents the Summer in Caribbean promotion featuring rum-based cocktails. Three cocktails are being offered at 23,000 won each: mojito, pina colada and Cuba libre. They can be paired with Cuban snacks, from sandwich Cubano to beef quesadilla to a Cuban platter, priced between 25,000 to 38,000 won.For more information or reservations, call Gourmet Bar at (02) 3425-8102.

FoodJuly 26, 2019

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

1. Everland Summer Water Fun Held annually since 2005, Everland’s summer festival is back with a variety of programs, such as water shows, light shows and other fun activities. It is open to visitors of all ages.For more information in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese, visit www.everland.com.2. Hangang Summer Festival The Hangang Summer Festival, also called the Hangang Mongttang Festival, is a large-scale riverside cultural event.It consists of about 80 programs, including water leis

TravelJuly 26, 2019

Imported commercial car sales plunge 31% in June

Sales of imported commercial vehicles in South Korea plunged 31 percent last month from a year earlier as demand fell further amid an economic slowdown, a trade association said Friday.The number of newly registered imported commercial vehicles fell to 277 units in June from 399 the previous year, according to the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association.In the January-June period, imported commercial car sales declined 14 percent to 2,024 autos from 2,364 in the same period of 20

IndustryJuly 26, 2019

NK's new type of short-range missiles won't affect allies' defense posture: CFC

The new type of short-range missiles North Korea recently tested were not a threat aimed at South Korea or the United States, and they do not affect their joint defense posture, the Combined Forces Command said Friday.On Thursday, North Korea fired two short-range missiles into the East Sea from near the eastern coastal town of Wonsan, according to Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff. It later said they were believed to be "a new kind of short-range ballistic missile," which showed a similar

North KoreaJuly 26, 2019

[Weekender] Summer on ice

In South Korea, summer isn’t summer without ice. On sizzling hot days, Koreans cool down with refreshing drinks filled with ice cubes. And ice -- finely shaved until it becomes satiny -- takes center stage in the season’s most beloved dessert: bingsu.  It wasn’t always like this in Korea. According to food columnist Yoon Deok-no, the country has a long history of harvesting and storing ice for cooling purposes. But there appears to be hardly any record of people in the pas

FoodJuly 26, 2019

Consumer sentiment dips to 8-month low in July

South Korea's consumer sentiment reached the lowest level in eight months in July, central bank data showed Friday, amid growing concerns that Asia's fourth-largest economy could lose more growth momentum amid protracted trade tensions.The composite consumer sentiment index came to 95.9 this month, down 1.6 from a month earlier, according to the data from the Bank of Korea.The reading marks the lowest since November when the index stood at 95.7. A reading below the benchmark 100 means pessimists

EconomyJuly 26, 2019

No. of cybercrimes increases 22% in H1, phishing scams rampant

Cases of cybercrimes confirmed by police across South Korea have increased over 20 percent, with phishing scams raging, in the first half of this year, data from the National Police Agency showed Friday.During the January-June period, the number of cybercrimes stood at 85,953, up 22.4 percent from a year ago, which means a cybercrime takes place every three minutes and an average 465 instances of cybercrimes per day hit the country.Among the cybercrimes, the highest number of 42,028 concerned in

Social AffairsJuly 26, 2019

US seeks to keep diplomacy with NK alive despite missile launches

The United States on Thursday insisted to continue its diplomacy with North Korea despite the communist state's new missile launches, apparently keeping hopes alive that the latest provocation would not derail efforts to resume nuclear talks between the two countries. The test of two short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday (Seoul time) marked a new turn in the on-again, off-again negotiations to dismantle the North's nuclear weapons program.It raised questions about whether working-level talk

North KoreaJuly 26, 2019

DMZ hiking trail to open in Paju next month

South Korea said Friday it will open the third and last hiking trail along the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas next month.The western section of the DMZ trail in Paju, some 30 kilometers northwest of Seoul, will be available to the public under the DMZ Peace Trail program starting Aug. 10, according to the government.The DMZ, which is about 250 km long and 4 km wide, is one of the world's most heavily fortified borders, with the rival Koreas technically in a state of war as the 1950

Social AffairsJuly 26, 2019

[Herald Interview] Thriving as a freelancer in era of social media

Do you find it difficult to feel a sense of achievement and self-fulfillment at work? Are you considering a career switch to freelance work? If so, you might get some useful information from Seo Eu-ra, who has transformed herself from an office worker into a freelance translator, author and YouTuber. Seo, also known as Seo Merry on social media and YouTube, is gaining in recognition for her tips and guidance to Korean workers interested in exploring new opportunities beyond their current jobs.&n

PeopleJuly 26, 2019

[Weekender] Decadent, minimalist, galactic - Bingsu is anything but boring

Bingsu -- finely shaved ice mixed with red bean, sweet milky sauce and various garnishes -- is an iconic summer dessert for South Koreans. Every year, experimental chefs come up with creative new renditions, and at the vanguard of the traditional treat’s evolution are luxury hotels. Seoul’s Hotel Shilla’s signature apple mango bingsu, introduced in 2011 and now costing 54,000 won ($46), still has fans lining up. Other establishments are trying to duplicate this success, taking

FoodJuly 26, 2019

Kang Daniel's 1st solo album finally unveiled to make a splash in summer music scene

Breaking out of a long legal battle with his former management agency, Kang Daniel, a pivotal member of the now-defunct boy band Wanna One, hit the summer music scene Thursday with his first solo album "Color On Me."Kang wrote the lyrics for the four out of the total five tracks in the new EP, including the main track, "What Are You Up To," with which he officially returned to the K-pop scene following a six-month hiatus.His choice of music for the much-anticipated first albu

PerformanceJuly 26, 2019