Most Popular
-
1
Yoon warns North Korea against nuclear attack attempt
-
2
81-year-old model awarded ‘best dressed’ in Miss Universe Korea
-
3
Seoul mayor suggests shift in immigration policy
-
4
'Smart pill'? ADHD treatment prescriptions spike this year
-
5
NewJeans fans corner Hybe amid PR backlash, looming National Assembly audit
-
6
[KH Explains] Korea pursues ‘fire-free’ batteries amid EV fears
-
7
Man calls 119, found dead 1 week later because officials went to wrong place
-
8
Court rules Itaewon tragedy was 'foreseeable'
-
9
[Herald Review] One of Netflix's most expensive Korean originals returns, but at what cost?
-
10
Wellness Seoul 2024 to highlight healthier, balanced living
-
BIFF denies illegal commission charges
Protesters in front of the Busan Metropolitan City Hall hold up a banner urging the city government to drop charges of illegal commission fees against the Busan International Film Festival’s executive committee on Wednesday. (Yonhap) The Busan International Film Festival disputed allegations that it paid commissions illegally, saying in a statement released Tuesday that it is responsible for only minor administrative omissions. The festival organizers claimed the complaints filed against them a
FilmDec. 16, 2015
-
City seeks probe into Gangnam’s smear campaign
Seoul City said Wednesday that it has requested prosecutors to investigate Gangnam district’s alleged online smear campaign against the city government. Last week, Seoul Metropolitan Government said it caught signs that Gangnam-gu Office had systematically posted slanderous online comments against Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon. The two parties have been in discord over various infrastructure projects since 2012. “The majority of suspicious comments are currently being deleted and there are concerns
Social AffairsDec. 16, 2015
-
Regulation-free zones planned
The government Wednesday disclosed its 2016 economic policy directions aimed at revitalizing the economy by boosting domestic demand and strengthening support for exporters.It expects Korea’s gross domestic product to grow by 3.1 percent in real terms next year, a modest improvement from this year’s growth, which is estimated to reach 2.7 percent.Under the policy directions finalized at a meeting of economy-related ministers presided over by President Park Geun-hye, drastic deregulation will be
Dec. 16, 2015
-
Seoul to sell names of 10 subway stations
Seoul City will put the names of subway stations up for sale from next month to help subway operators raise profits, city officials said.Seoul Metropolitan Government said it would sell the names of 10 stations on Subway line Nos. 1-8 on a trial basis. The new names will be used together with the original subway names at subway entrances, platforms, metro maps and in announcements. Companies within 500 meters of the stations will get priority in being able to apply for the name change. The quali
Social AffairsDec. 16, 2015
-
[Kim Ji-hyun] ‘As it is,’ it’s a man’s world
One of the first Japanese words I learned was “sonomama.” What it means is, “just as it is.” For instance, to ask a cab driver to go straight “as you are” for a while, you could say “sonomama matsugu kudasai.” But I actually learned sonomama the hard way. A couple months ago in my Tokyo neighborhood, I was trying to buy some fish to fry. When the sales clerk asked me if I would take it “sonomama,” I just nodded. Turns out, fish a la sonomama means taking it as it is, innards and all. From my poi
ViewpointsDec. 16, 2015
-
SK Innovation, SK Corp. CEOs named vice chairmen
SK Group, the nation’s third-largest conglomerate, said Wednesday that SK Innovation CEO Chung Chul-khil and SK Corp. CEO Kim Young-tae have been promoted to vice chairman positions. The promotion was conducted in the group’s annual personnel reshuffle of top management of its affiliates. Group officials said the CEO of SK Innovation, the holding company of the group’s energy businesses, got a promotion based on his performance to make the firm profitable within a year. Under his leadership, the
IndustryDec. 16, 2015
-
Ikea to add more outlets in Korea
Swedish home furnishing giant Ikea on Wednesday announced that the company will open five more stores in Korea by 2020, by investing 1.2 trillion won ($1 billion).The company started its official operations in Korea in December 2014 by opening the Gwangmyeong store in Gyeonggi Province. The expansion will start with the second store opening in Goyang of northern Gyeonggi Province in late 2017, followed by two more inside Seoul, and one each in Daejeon and Busan. “We have come to relook the marke
IndustryDec. 16, 2015
-
[Editorial] Beating around bush
President Park Geun-hye has been repeatedly urging the National Assembly, particularly the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, to pass pending bills to vitalize the economy and reform the labor market as soon as possible. The delay in passage of these bills is not due to strong criticism by the NPAD. It is seemingly because they are not the primary concern of the main opposition’s key leaders at the present stage. If the NPAD assesses the bills as a factor frustrating its supporters, the public
EditorialDec. 16, 2015
-
Organica-day acquires juice plant from CJ
Organica-day, the juice-making arm of Herald Corp., on Wednesday said it has acquired a high-pressure processing beverage manufacturing facility in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, from CJ CheilJedang.Dubbed the Anseong Just Juice Production Center, the plant will become the epicenter of the burgeoning cleanse juice business for the company, which has recently secured prestigious clients such as Starbucks, Artise bakery, Hyundai, Shinsegae and The Galleria department stores. “The acquisition has enab
IndustryDec. 16, 2015
-
Samsung convenes regional heads for strategy meeting
Samsung Electronics on Wednesday started its annual global strategy meeting, with some 600 executives and heads of regional operations around the world in attendance. Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Jae-yong is also scheduled to join the meeting --the first this year. The one planned in the first half of this year was canceled due to the outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome. The mobile and home appliance divisions are holding a three-day meeting through Friday at the Suwon campus
TechnologyDec. 16, 2015
-
Absolut releases new mobile membership app
Pernod Ricard Korea’s premium vodka brand Absolut recently released its mobile membership application “Absolut Me,” company officials said Wednesday.Absolut Me provides the latest news on Absolut and a variety of information such as Absolut signature cocktail recipes, Absolut parties and cocktail classes and locations of bars that offer Absolut vodka.The app, available for Android and iOS, has reached over 1,000 total downloads since its launch on Dec. 2. Absolut’s mobile membership app “Absolut
IndustryDec. 16, 2015
-
Kumho classical stars dominate competitions
Following this year’s Kumho Art Hall Rising Star series participant Christel Lee’s victory at the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition earlier this month, the series’ musicians are continuing to snag international accolades. Supported by the Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation, the “Kumho musicians” dominated this year’s 9th International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians in Novosibirsk, Russia, Tuesday, taking home first place for both violin and piano. Violinist Kim Dong-hyun
PerformanceDec. 16, 2015
-
[Bernard-Henri Levy] The French rally to the republic after far-right scare
Before the second round of France’s regional elections on Sunday, most predictions suggested that five, perhaps six, of the country’s regional governments would fall into the hands of the National Front (FN). But the French people pulled themselves together and turned out to vote in much greater numbers than anyone expected. The result is that a xenophobic, racist party, one hostile to everything essential to the spirit and greatness of France, was defeated in all of the contests that it was sup
ViewpointsDec. 16, 2015
-
[Editorial] Jejudo and Sydney
Land and apartment prices on Jejudo Island have shot up in the wake of active Chinese investments in the nation’s smallest province over the past few years. The island, with an area of about 1,850 square kilometers, is similar in size to Hongcheon-gun — one of the 11 major districts in Gangwon Province. It is less than 10 percent of the size North Gyeongsang Province. As a result, it is natural to see a spike in property prices in the wake of aggressive purchases by investors from China, along w
EditorialDec. 16, 2015
-
Stiglitz’s sticky prices give lessons on unemployment
For a long time, the assumption underlying much of mainstream economics was that the invisible hand worked its magic seamlessly. Prices moved smoothly up as demand outpaced supply and rushed back down when the tables were turned, keeping markets in equilibrium. To be sure, many observers realized the truth was actually quite different — that prices, and wages and interest rates in particular, were often sticky, and that this sometimes prevented markets from clearing. In labor markets, this meant
ViewpointsDec. 16, 2015
-
Cruz taps into disaffected conservatives’ anger
All year long, smart Republicans have been whispering: Keep a close eye on Ted Cruz. He’s got a message that appeals to the party’s most conservative voters. He’s running a good campaign, well organized and well funded. He’s going to be a finalist — and he might just win the nomination. Well, what do you know: Right on schedule, as voters in Iowa settle on their favorites, Cruz’s fortunes are looking up. A Monmouth University poll released last week found Cruz in first place among Iowans who are
ViewpointsDec. 16, 2015
-
In Myanmar, malaria brings political changes
Myanmar is emerging from 50 years of isolation and military rule slowly. Even after the victory of the pro-democracy party in November elections, the country is fragile and fragmented. The military still holds much political power. The country is struggling with entrenched poverty. Decades of ethnic and regional warfare have left Myanmar with more armed groups than there are candidates in the U.S. Republican presidential primary. What could improve this situation? Maybe malaria. Last summer in W
ViewpointsDec. 16, 2015
-
China hands over swindler's right-hand man to Korea
Prosecutors said Wednesday that they have received the right-hand man to the mastermind behind South Korea's largest pyramid scheme from Chinese authorities. Prosecutors said they plan to take Kang Tae-yong to their office in the southeastern city of Daegu for questioning after he arrives from the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing. The extradition came two months after South Korea asked China to arrest Kang who faces nearly 30 charges, including embezzlement and fraud. Kang is accused of swindl
Social AffairsDec. 16, 2015
-
IKEA to open five more stores in S. Korea by 2020
Swedish furniture giant IKEA said Wednesday it will invest 1.2 trillion won ($1.01 billion) to build five more stores in South Korea by 2020, buoyed by the success in its inaugural store in suburban Seoul. IKEA opened its largest store in the world in Gwangmyeong, just southwest of Seoul, posting 308 billion in sale since its launch a year ago. About 6.7 million visitors have passed through the doors at the store, located less than an hour's drive or 14 minutes by bullet train from central S
IndustryDec. 16, 2015
-
Opposition party chief offers apology over ex-chief's departure
The leader of the main opposition party offered an apology Wednesday for the departure of former co-chairman Ahn Cheol-soo as he vowed to reform the embattled party. "I feel sorry as the leader of the main opposition party," Moon Jae-in said during a meeting of senior party members. The comments came three days after Ahn, who co-led the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy last year, announced his departure following internal strife with Moon. Ahn had called for the resignation
PoliticsDec. 16, 2015