Public appearance of North Korean leader’s sister dispels punishment rumors

Kim Yo-jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s younger sister, has appeared in public for the first time in nearly two months, dispelling speculation that she had been under probation over the breakdown of the second US-North Korea summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, in February. According to the Korean Central News Agency, Workers’ Party of Korea First Vice Director Kim Yo-jong and Kim Jong-un attended a mass gymnastics and artist performance called “The Land of the People” at the

North KoreaJune 4, 2019

[Kim Seong-kon] Captain Ahab and the white whale

In my class in the English Department at the University of California, Irvine, I had my American students discuss Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick” with reference to multicultural issues. Some students read the novel as a story about Ishmael’s initiation from adolescent innocence into adulthood experience. Indeed, through his encounter with Queequeg, Captain Ahab and Moby Dick, Ishmael learns the importance of embracing others -- such as different races, religions and culture

ViewpointsJune 4, 2019

[Robert J. Fouser] Trump’s chances for re-election dim

During a short visit to Kyoto, Japan, on my way to Korea, a taxi driver told me that US President Donald Trump made him nervous because he is so unpredictable. I reassured him that many, if not most, Americans feel the same way. We concluded the short conversation by agreeing Trump is not fit to be president.The problem, of course, is that in a democracy, the people have the final say on the fitness of leaders. The problem for Trump is that he won the presidency in 2016 with a solid Electoral Co

ViewpointsJune 4, 2019

[Photo News] Startup Branch

Korea International Trade Association Chairman Kim Young-ju (left) and Industry Minister Sung Yun-mo attend the opening ceremony of Startup Branch on Tuesday at Coex in southern Seoul.  The space, divided into four areas -- offices, a pitching center, a consultation area and a cafeteria -- is designed to run programs that help local startups advance overseas. 

IndustryJune 4, 2019

Two more victims of Hungary tourist boat disaster found

BUDAPEST (AFP) -- Hungarian police confirmed Monday the discovery of two more victims of a sightseeing boat's collision with a river cruise ship in Budapest last week raising the toll to nine tourists killed.Only seven of the 35 people on board have survived so far, leaving 19 still missing with the prospect of finding any more passengers alive seen as very slim.The Mermaid boat carrying mainly South Korean tourists overturned and sank last Wednesday seconds after colliding with the Viking Sigyn

Social AffairsJune 4, 2019

Park Chan-wook’s ‘The Little Drummer Girl’ to screen in Busan

A 2018 BBC and AMC TV miniseries directed by renowned Korean auteur Park Chan-wook will be screened at the Busan Cinema Center this month.According to the center’s officials, the director’s cut of “The Little Drummer Girl” will be screened at its 212-seat Cinema II from Wednesday to Saturday. Two episodes per day will be screened in order from Wednesday to Friday, and the entire six-episode series will be screened on the last day, followed by a conversation between the au

FilmJune 4, 2019

[News Focus] No pension at 65? Will payouts be delayed as Korea’s population ages?

SEJONG -- It has been 31 years since South Korea introduced the national pension, and 20 years since it became a universal program in April 1999.The number of policyholders for government-administered annuity products offered by the National Pension Service now comes to more than 22 million. Among those policyholders, subscribers paying into the state pension via their workplaces in the form of mandatory deductions accounted for the dominant proportion, or 62.3 percent. Their numbers totale

Social AffairsJune 4, 2019

[News Focus] New liquor tax proposal faces mixed response

A South Korean think tank’s recommendation to switch liquor taxes from price-based to volume-based system beginning with beer and makgeolli -- off-white rice wine -- has got a mixed market response.According to the Korea Institute of Public Finance, the first liquor tax change in 50 years would involve three possible scenarios: apply the new volume-based tax on beer first; on both beer and makgeolli; or all liquor products -- but give a grace period for other alcoholic beverages except bee

IndustryJune 4, 2019

Conservative, liberal pundits battle it out in YouTube debate

Rhyu Si-min and Hong Jun-pyo on Monday took to social media to debate social and political issues, confirming the deep divide in the views of the liberal and conservative blocs on most issues. A video of the debate, uploaded on Rhyu’s and Hong’s platforms late Monday, has been viewed nearly 1 million times.  Rhyu, who served as environment minister under the late President Roh Moo-hyun, is currently the chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation. Hong is a former presidential candi

Social AffairsJune 4, 2019

[Newsmaker] Tower crane workers stage all-out strike, halt construction nationwide

Tower crane workers affiliated with the Federation of Korean Trade Unions and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions took over some 2,500 tower cranes at construction sites nationwide in an all-out strike, calling for a ban on small tower cranes and a wage hike, the unions said Tuesday.Labor unions say small tower cranes are more vulnerable to accidents, whereas the Construction Association of Korea argues otherwise on the grounds that the driverless equipment can be controlled by a technician

Social AffairsJune 4, 2019

Kospi shows poor performance in May

South Korea’s benchmark Kospi shed 7.34 percent in May alone, according to the Korea Exchange on Tuesday, its largest monthly loss since October last year.The main bourse’s lackluster performance last month is fueling concerns among investors still recovering from the shock in October, when the stock market experienced the steepest monthly decline in a decade.  At that time it shed 13.37 percent, weighed down by the US’ decision to implement 10 percent tariffs on $200 bill

MarketJune 4, 2019

Moon vows more support for families of decorated patriots, veterans

President Moon Jae-in assured the South Korea's decorated patriots and veterans Tuesday that the government will never forget their service and sacrifice for the country.He delivered the message in a luncheon meeting with those who contributed to the defense of the nation and their families at Cheong Wa Dae ahead of Memorial Day, which falls on Thursday this year.Around 240 people attended the meeting, including two dozen bereaved family members of soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War, the

PoliticsJune 4, 2019

Disposable cup use at cafes and restaurants drops by 72% since July 2018: ministry

Disposable cups used for dine-in orders at cafes and fast-food restaurants dropped by 72 percent following the introduction of a government-led agreement to cut down on single-use products last year, the Ministry of Environment said Tuesday.According to the Ministry of Environment survey of 21 coffeehouse and fast-food brands, disposable cups discarded at stores declined from 206 tons in July last year to 58 tons in April this year.The surveyed franchise chains – including Starbucks, The C

Social AffairsJune 4, 2019

Moon picks new secretary for unification policy

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday appointed a senior official at the inter-Korean joint liaison office as his new secretary for unification policy.Kim Chang-soo, South Korea's deputy chief of the liaison office at Kaesong industrial complex just north of inter-Korean border, worked at the secretariat of Cheong Wa Dae's National Security Council and the Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation.He later served as policy advisor to unification minister.He majored in philosophy at Korea Univ

PoliticsJune 4, 2019

[Feature] Basic income experiments gain momentum

In May, Ahn Hyo-bin, a young professional living in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, received 250,000 won ($212) from the provincial government because he was 24 years old. Nothing else was required for him to claim the benefit. 　Ahn is one of the first recipients of the “Youth Basic Income” -- 1 million won given to every 24-year-old citizen of Gyeonggi Province over the course of a year. 　“It is not a lot of money, but it helps me feel more stable emotionally,” Ahn said, add

Social AffairsJune 4, 2019

Korea considers raising purchase limit at duty-free shops

The government is considering raising the purchase limit at departure duty-free shops from the current $3,600 and the tax exemption limit from the current $600, officials said Tuesday.“In consideration of increased national income and inflation, (the government) is reviewing the need and means to raise the limit of purchase and tax exemption at duty-free shops,” the Ministry of Economy and Finance said in a release.The decision will be confirmed later this month, when the ministry an

IndustryJune 4, 2019

South Korea's largest job fair for foreign firms kicks off

South Korea’s largest job fair for foreign companies began on Tuesday at Coex in Seoul, with 159 firms readying to recruit young job seekers. The two-day annual career expo with the largest number of participating companies this year is co-hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Seoul Metropolitan Government and co-organized by Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and Financial Supervisory Service. The companies include Hewlett Packard Korea, Tokyo Electron Kore

IndustryJune 4, 2019