Most Popular
-
1
Seoul, Tokyo reboot joint maritime resource talks after 40-year freeze
-
2
Host of Miss Korea apologizes for 'inappropriate question' about deepfake
-
3
Korea to face another massive shortfall in tax revenue
-
4
Who's lying? Hybe vs. Min conflict continues to intensify
-
5
[Contribution] Turkmenistan celebrates the 33rd anniversary of its Independence
-
6
[Photo news] Faker Mercedes
-
7
SK hynix outpaces Samsung, Micron with more powerful AI chips
-
8
Power of nostalgia brings K-pop legends back together
-
9
North Korea unveiling uranium enrichment site a US election-conscious move: NIS
-
10
'Shaman says president will die,' caller warns
-
Ban booze in Indonesia? Beware quick fixes
The Indonesian government is moving ahead to pass a bill to ban liquor, arguing that alcohol has triggered rampant gang rape cases recently.In the wake of horrifying reports about rapes and gang rapes, lawmakers in Indonesia have a lot of support to pass a bill to regulate or ban liquor. Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo has denied earlier reports that he would revoke regional bylaws restricting or banning alcohol. “The ministry thinks that it is important to have bylaws banning alcohol,” Tjahjo was q
ViewpointsMay 26, 2016
-
[Irfan Husain] Fear and loathing of Trump
No matter who wins in the U.S. presidential elections, Pakistan will be hard pressed on a number of security-related issues.Watching Donald Trump the other night as he spoke to members of the National Rifle Association, America’s powerful gun lobby, I was struck by the number of outright lies he fits into a short speech. For instance, he cited Barack Obama’s neglect of the armed forces. The example he gave to prove this outlandish assertion was that U.S. fighter pilots had to scrounge for spare
ViewpointsMay 26, 2016
-
[Robert B. Reich] Why Donald Trump might win
A Washington Post/ABC News poll released Sunday finds Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in a virtual tie, with Trump leading Clinton 46 percent to 44 percent among registered voters. That’s an 11 percent swing against Clinton since March.A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, also released Sunday, shows Clinton at 46 percent to Trump’s 43 percent. In April, Clinton had led 50 percent to 39 percent.Polls taken this far ahead of an election don’t tell us much. But in this case, they do raise a se
ViewpointsMay 26, 2016
-
[Doyle McManus] Obama’s pivot to Asia is working
When President Obama declared in 2011 that he wanted U.S. foreign policy to pivot to Asia, some derided the move as a clumsy attempt to flee the messy conflicts of the Middle East.But the pivot has actually worked pretty well — as will be evident during Obama’s trip to Asia this week. Almost every country in the region is clamoring for a closer relationship with the United States.The most striking case is Vietnam, most of whose leaders are old enough to have fought in their country’s war with th
ViewpointsMay 26, 2016
-
Immediate North Korea denuclearization is unrealistic goal: expert
With the South Korean government retaining its approach of “denuclearization before talks” against North Korea, nuclear expert John Carlson said that expecting the North to immediately give up nuclear arms would be “totally unrealistic.”“I think it’s unrealistic to expect denuclearization at the beginning. They just won’t do it, so there’s no point in pushing for it,” Carlson said, while participating in the 11th annual Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity held on Jejudo Island.John Carlson, advi
North KoreaMay 26, 2016
-
OECD urges Korea to raise goal for emissions reduction
South Korea is backpedaling on its green growth pledge as the current administration’s emissions reduction goal is lower than that set by the former administration, the deputy secretary-general of the OECD said Wednesday.“We can say (Korea’s current emissions target) is less ambitious than the previous one,” OECD Deputy Secretary-General Rintaro Tamaki told The Korea Herald in an interview after speaking at the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity on Jejudo Island.OECD Deputy Secretary-General Ri
Social AffairsMay 26, 2016
-
Gov't to apply stricter lending rules in nonbanking sector
South Korea's financial authorities on Thursday said they will apply stricter lending rules in the nonbanking sector starting in the second half of the year to keep rising household debts in check. The Financial Services Commission will have insurance companies apply strengthened rules when extending loans to customers starting in July, the FSC said in a statement. Local banks began to adopt similar lending rules in February. Lending section of a commercial bank branch in Seoul (Yonhap)"We will
May 26, 2016
-
Talk of Chungcheong region taking center stage in politics emerges
Talk of South Korea's central Chungcheong Province taking center stage in the country's politics is surfacing as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a native of the region, is emerging as a potential presidential contender, observers said Thursday.The relatively politically neutral region has traditionally been perched on the political periphery while the conservative southeastern Yeongnam region and progressive southwestern Honam region have held stronger sway over South Korean politics in the
PoliticsMay 26, 2016
-
Leaders warn against nationalism
JEJUDO ISLAND -- With bilateral, territorial and historical tensions threatening to overshadow the broader and indispensable need for regional collaboration, world leaders Thursday at the Jeju Forum warned against brewing nationalism.While raising the need to concede to and apologize for past wrongdoings, they highlighted the significance of reconciliation efforts and a joint response to common challenges such as terrorism, climate change and refugee crises. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, S
Foreign AffairsMay 26, 2016
-
Korea pulls in 300,000 foreign patients in 2015
Almost 300,000 foreign nationals visited South Korea last year for medical treatment, an 11 percent increase from the year before, the nation’s Health Ministry announced Thursday. The patients spent a total of 669.4 billion won ($566.7 million) last year, an increase of 20.2 percent from the year before. Among them, a total of 271 patients spent more than 100 million won on their treatments while staying here. In 2014, 210 patients from overseas did so.Among the patients, the largest number were
Social AffairsMay 26, 2016
-
Prosecutors seek arrest warrant for Oxy's lab head
The prosecution said Thursday it has sought an arrest warrant for Oxy Reckitt Benckiser’s lab head surnamed Cho on charges of false advertising of toxic humidifier disinfectants. Cho, who has worked as the lab’s chief researcher since 2005, is suspected of deceptive advertising of Oxy Ssak Ssak by using phrases such as “harmless to health” or “safe for babies,” without conducting required safety tests. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office also sought accidental manslaughter charges aga
Social AffairsMay 26, 2016
-
Englishman protests against Oxy
While on a month-long holiday in South Korea with his wife, Englishman Andrew Jenson, 54, participated in protests against the government here over the toxic humidifier disinfectant tragedy. Earlier this month, Jenson and his wife Debbie Kim had met Kim Deok-jong, whose 5-year-old son died in 2009 after battling a respiratory disease, in London. Kim was there to protest in front of Reckitt Benckiser headquarters in Slough, England. The couple helped Kim arrange meetings with authorities. “I was
Social AffairsMay 26, 2016
-
Gay couple appeal marriage ruling
Following a South Korean court’s rejection to recognize same-sex marriage, the country’s most outspoken gay couple and civic groups lodged a protest, calling for equal rights at a press conference Thursday.Filmmakers Kim Jho Gwang-soo, 51, and his partner Kim Sung-hwan, 32, the first gay couple to openly tie the knot in Korea in 2013, expressed their disappointment with the court decision that they denounced as abandoning the responsibility to uphold justice. Gay Korean couple Kim Jho Gwang-soo,
Social AffairsMay 26, 2016
-
Constitutional Court rejects Saenuri challenge to Assembly Quorom
The Constitutional Court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by ruling party lawmakers arguing the constitutionality of a revised parliamentary act that reinforced the quorum required to pass contested bills.The ruling party, while expressing its respect for the court decision, urged the incoming parliament to revise the law nontheless so as to promote the parliament’s efficiency.“This petition is not within the jurisdiction of the Constitutional Court as the given clauses have no possibility
PoliticsMay 26, 2016
-
Parties obsess over Ban's plans
After visiting U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon indicated potentially joining next year’s presidential race, frenzied debate was sparked in political circles on its implications for the current political landscape and whether he stands a chance.The 71-year-old diplomat said Wednesday evening that he would “contemplate” what he would do as a South Korean citizen when his term ends in December 2016 in response to widespread speculation of him becoming a presidential candidate for the ruling Saen
PoliticsMay 26, 2016
-
Seoul seeks to cap ratio of national debt to GDP
The South Korean government said it will seek to cap the proportion of national debt to gross domestic product as part of efforts to preemptively enhance fiscal stability in the long term.In a meeting presided over by Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho in Seoul, the government discussed follow-up measures to drafts previously floated at the April fiscal strategy meeting that aimed at better managing tax revenue, budget and public pension funds.“The government plans to submit a bill on improving fiscal s
May 26, 2016
-
Tough road ahead for HI investment & securities sale
Debt-ridden Hyundai Heavy Industries is expected to put up stake in Hi Investment & Securities for sale but industry experts are skeptical about a successful M&A. Lack of specialization of the mid-sized Hi investment & securities may lead to failure in attracting a takeover bid from other peer brokerages.“Many people have taken a dim view on the deal as Hi investment & securities is not specialized in any business compared to other mid-sized securities companies,” an official at a local brokerag
May 26, 2016
-
Number of Koreans changing residences drops in April amid economic slowdown
The number of people changing their place of residence sank 13 percent in April from a year earlier, the state statistics agency said Thursday, amid a protracted economic slump and soaring housing prices.The number of people changing their residences came to some 564,000 last month, down 85,000 from the same month a year earlier, according to data provided by Statistics Korea.The population mobility rate -- the number of those changing their residence for every 100 people -- edged down 0.18 perc
May 26, 2016
-
Market festival draws from traditional, modern Korean cultures
A festival that allows tourists to experience both traditional and modern Korean cultures kicked off at a historic marketplace in downtown Seoul on Thursday.There are three "zones" at the 2016 Namdaemun Market Global Festival, with different themes. At the K-style zone, foreigners may try on "hanbok," traditional Korean attire, and purchase clothes and accessories made popular by local TV series at a discounted price.Over at the K-military zone, visitors are offered a chance to re-enact the life
Expat LivingMay 26, 2016
-
Court rejects defunct party's appeal to overturn disbandment ruling
South Korea's Constitutional Court on Thursday rejected a now-defunct minor opposition party's appeal to overturn an earlier ruling that ordered its disbandment.In the first ruling of its kind, the Constitutional Court ordered the dissolution of the Unified Progressive Party in 2014, saying it posed a threat to South Korean democracy.The party appealed the ruling in February 2016 after the country's top court acquitted one of its members of plotting a rebellion. Still, he was found guilty of enc
PoliticsMay 26, 2016