Most Popular
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AI textbook bubble could burst, expert warns
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Food tycoon Paik Jong-won's Theborn Korea pushes toward IPO
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Samsung tightens its belt amid crisis winds
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Ex-presidential official’s leaked phone call rattles conservative bloc
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North Korean trash balloons cross border day after Seoul military parade
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Pay debate plagues foreign nanny pilot
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Prosecution closes 'Dior bag' case amid opposition uproar
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Man escapes DUI charges by downing bottle of soju while pulled over
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K-pop star lip-syncing controversy flares up again
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35% of S. Koreans view unification 'unnecessary'
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NPAD demands dismissal of FBC chief
Korea’s main opposition party on Wednesday demanded the resignation of the chief of an organization that oversees broadcaster MBC amid controversy over his ideologically driven remarks against party leader Rep. Moon Jae-in, former President Roh Moo-hyun and the progressives. Taking aim at the chairman of Foundation for Broadcast Culture Ko Young-joo’s repeated description of Moon as a “communist,” the New Politics Alliance for Democracy lawmakers urged him to step down as he had lost the politi
PoliticsOct. 7, 2015
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Trio wins Nobel Chemistry Prize for DNA repair work
Sweden's Tomas Lindahl, Paul Modrich of the US and Aziz Sancar, a Turkish-American, won the 2015 Nobel Chemistry Prize on Wednesday for work on how cells repair damaged DNA.The three opened a dazzling frontier in medicine by unveiling how the body repairs DNA mutations that can cause sickness and contribute to ageing, the Nobel jury said."Their systematic work has made a decisive contribution to the understanding of how the living cell functions, as well as providing knowledge about the molecula
World NewsOct. 7, 2015
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HBC Fest celebrates 10 years of rock
More than 120 music acts will converge on Itaewon next week, as HBC Fest marks the 10th anniversary of its fall festival.The festival, which started with a few venues along the main street of Haebangchon, just north of Noksapyeong Station, has grown to 18 venues in the area and in adjacent Gyeongnidan.But aside from growing in size, organizer Lance Reegan-Diehl said the festival still had the atmosphere it started with. The LRD Band, led by HBC Fest organizer Lance Reegan-Diehl (right), will be
Expat LivingOct. 7, 2015
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Talk to explore Buddhism in Joseon era
Korean studies professor Boudewijn Walraven will give a talk on Buddhism in the Joseon era next week, hosted by the Royal Asiatic Society, Korea Branch.Walraven will argue that it is oversimplistic to take the common view that when the Joseon rulers took over in 1392 Buddhism was so oppressed that it was forced to look for support among the less educated and less Confucian-influenced parts of society. He will describe how this view obscures shifts in the balance between Buddhism, Confucianism an
Expat LivingOct. 7, 2015
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(b)racket returns with group exhibition
Daegu Art magazine (b)racket opened its annual group exhibition on Saturday, with the participation of 30 artists from six countries.The (b)racket International Exhibition includes work by artists from Korea as well as South Africa, Canada, the U.S., U.K. and Honduras, in a variety of genres from sculpture and painting to photography.“The Archaeologist” by Amy Smith and Tony Clavelli“This exhibition, like the magazine, was started for the purpose of giving artists a platform to display their wor
Expat LivingOct. 7, 2015
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Seoul Shakespeare troupe to host Autumn Party
Seoul Shakespeare Company will be holding its Autumn Party on Saturday to help raise money for its next production.The party will feature bands including the Jeni Wai Band, the Raging Semis, and the Kimchi Cowboys.The money will help pay for the troupe’s production of “Much Ado about Nothing” next spring.SSC is also planning a series of actor’s workshops on scenes and monologues to start Nov. 1 and a “Shakespeariments” one-off workshop on Nov. 8.Short performances of Shakespeare scenes will be p
Expat LivingOct. 7, 2015
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Korean-American to take witness stand in Itaewon murder trial
A Seoul court will call in Korean-American Edward Lee, who was cleared of murdering a South Korean college student 18 years ago, to take the witness stand in the fresh trial of new murder suspect Arthur John Patterson. Lee, 36, who recently returned to Korea, will accept the prosecution’s request to testify as a witness in the trial set to begin Thursday, his father said in an interview with a local news outlet. The father said Lee is willing to take the stand to get “the wrong path” set straig
Social AffairsOct. 7, 2015
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Decision on history textbooks due next week
The Education Ministry said Wednesday it would announce next week its decision on the possible reinstatement of state-published history textbooks for secondary education, a move that is expected to put an end to the yearlong speculation but start a fresh round of standoffs between rival groups. The ministry has mulled whether or not to bestow itself with exclusive rights to publish history textbooks, which has caused rifts in the National Assembly and in education circles. Korea currently allows
Social AffairsOct. 7, 2015
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[Reporter’s column] Youth employment fund just for show?
Critics of President Park Geun-hye’s youth employment fund have been bashing the project as being strictly for demonstration purposes, simply intended to show that the government cares about the young, rather than as an effective way to tackle their job issues.Since the government rolled out the details of the plan Wednesday ― which Park initiated Aug. 15 ― it has become more difficult to argue otherwise.Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, Labor Minister Lee Ki-kwon and Policy Coordinating Minister Ch
Social AffairsOct. 7, 2015
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SK, SABIC complete new polyethylene plant
ULSAN -- SK Global Chemical, the petrochemicals manufacturing unit of Korea’s SK Group, and the state-run Saudi Basic Industries, SABIC, celebrated Wednesday the completion of their new polyethylene plant in Ulsan. The plant, which began operations in January 2014, is owned and run by SABIC SK Nexlene Co., a 50:50 joint venture established in July this year. Built exclusively with SK’s own technology, the plant produces around 230,000 tons of Nexlene -- high-performance polyethylene developed b
IndustryOct. 7, 2015
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Manjaedo Island welcomes back 'Three Meals a Day' for season 2
Actors Cha Seung-won, Yoo Hae-jin and Son Ho-jun are back at Manjaedo Island in the far waters off the southwest corner of Korea for the second season of “Three Meals a Day -- Fishing Village.”The first season of “Fishing Village,“ which aired in January, was a spin-off of the original “Three Meals a Day,” starring actor Lee Seo-jin and singer-actor Ock Taecyeon. On the show, stars try to maintain a self-sufficient life in the countryside by preparing their meals from scratch. Official poster f
TelevisionOct. 7, 2015
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South Korea's Gender Ministry blasted for denying LGBTI rights
A group of South Korean LGBTI and human rights activists on Wednesday protested against the Gender Ministry’s recent order directing the Daejeon Metropolitan City to scrap articles that guarantee LGBTI rights in the city’s newly revised charter of gender equality, demanding an official apology and recognition of LGBTI rights as part of women’s rights. The activists said they are bringing the particular issue to the U.N. Women, during a scheduled meeting with the organization’s policy director D
Social AffairsOct. 7, 2015
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[Newsmaker]] Korean to lead U.N. climate change panel
A South Korean environment policy professor was elected to lead a U.N. panel on climate change, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday, touting the election as an opportunity to enhance the nation's influence in the global efforts to tackle environmental challenges. Lee Hoe-sung, professor at Korea University’s Graduate School of Energy and Environment Policy and Technology, will succeed Rajendra Pachauri from India as the sixth chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Lee Ho
Foreign AffairsOct. 7, 2015
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KHNP CEO to head global nuclear body
Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power president and CEO Cho Suk assumed charge Tuesday as the president of the World Association of Nuclear Operators in Toronto, Canada. Cho will lead the organization with the goal “to maximize the safety and reliability of nuclear power plants worldwide by working together to assess, benchmark and improve performance through mutual support, exchange of information and emulation of best practice” for the next two years. KHNP CEO Cho Suk speaks at the World Association of
IndustryOct. 7, 2015
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Korea to establish ‘regulation-free’ zones
The government is taking its deregulatory mode to a new level by considering the establishment of “regulation-free” business zones to boost the economy. The National Economic Advisory Council, a consultative body for President Park Geun-hye, on Wednesday submitted the so-called “regulation free-zone” project with the President to revitalize regional economies. “We need to select two or three focus industries in each of the 17 administrative regions and set up regulation-free zones to proliferate
IndustryOct. 7, 2015
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Suwon gets new city museum
A new museum is set to open Thursday in Suwon near the historic site of the Hwaseong Haenggung Palace. Suwon Ipark Museum of Art is the first city-run museum in Suwon, the largest city in Gyeonggi Province with 1.1 million people. Suwon Ipark Museum of Art (SIMA)“The museum realizes a long-held wish to create a space to bring art and art education to Suwon citizens,” said Jeong Seung-bo, exhibition director of the museum. The museum building, designed, constructed and donated by Hyundai Develop
PerformanceOct. 7, 2015
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Oscars chief: Film world is ‘just beginning’
BUSAN -- According to Cheryl Boone Isaacs, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, “in some ways” the world of film “is just beginning,” with many changes to the industry on the horizon. Cheryl Boone Isaacs (Yonhap)Speaking to press at the Busan International Film Festival on Tuesday ahead of a keynote speech at the film festival’s conference, Isaacs touched upon several developments in the film world that the Academy faces today.First was the issue of diversity, which the
FilmOct. 7, 2015
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Hyundai Glovis signs Qatari shipping deal
Hyundai Glovis signed a contract of affreightment with the government-run firm Qatar Primary Materials Co. to ship 50 million tons of aggregates to Qatar for the next five years, company officials said Monday.The signing ceremony took place at the Hyundai Glovis headquarters in Seoul.The contract stipulates that starting from January 2016, Hyundai Glovis will ship 10 million tons of aggregates per year to the ports and logistics areas of QPMC in Qatar for the next five years, which will be used
IndustryOct. 7, 2015
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Samsung posts W3.2tr surprise earnings boost
Shares of Samsung Electronics surged to a two-year high after the Korean tech giant posted third-quarter earnings guidance that beat analysts’ estimates. Customers try out Samsung devices at a store near the company`s headquarters in Seocho-dong, southern Seoul, on Wednesday. YonhapThe company estimated its third-quarter profit rose almost 80 percent on-year to 7.3 trillion won ($6.3 billion) from 4.06 trillion won, its first quarterly profit gain in two years and the biggest since the first qua
TechnologyOct. 7, 2015
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LG, Freescale team up for self-driving cars
LG Electronics said Wednesday it has teamed up with U.S. chipmaker Freescale to jointly develop Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, or ADAS, a key technology for self-driving cars. ADAS uses cameras to alert drivers of risks, increasing car safety and more generally road safety. The technology is expected to play a bigger role in the era of driverless cars. Under the fresh partnership, LG will offer its world-leading camera technology secured through mobile and home appliance businesses, while F
TechnologyOct. 7, 2015