Most Popular
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Ex-presidential official’s leaked phone call rattles conservative bloc
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Man escapes DUI charges by downing bottle of soju while pulled over
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Pay debate plagues foreign nanny pilot
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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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Slew of top K-pop stars ready to return from military
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S. Korea, US clinch 2026-30 defense cost-sharing deal in pre-election push
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[Reporter’s Notebook] Was Netflix film opening BIFF really a bad thing?
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N. Korean leader's sister derides Seoul's Hyunmoo-5 missile as 'useless'
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Controversial cult leader’s sentence reduced to 17 years
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[Herald Interview] Korea needs killer content beyond hallyu
Korean content, ranging from films and music to TV drama and fashion, is attracting more attention now globally than ever before, with Hollywood star Emma Stone saying she is “obsessed” with K-pop.But Song Sung-gak, president and CEO of the Korea Creative Content Agency, said the domestic content industry has reached an inflection point, as the popularity of Korean content, referred to as the Korean Wave or hallyu, is showing signs of waning abroad, especially in its biggest market, Japan.He sai
CultureAug. 13, 2015
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Obesity emerges as major health threat in South Korea
Kim Ji-hun, a 32-year-old former journalist, gained 12 kilograms in six months after starting to work for a local magazine in 2013. During his years as a reporter, he would drink more than five days a week with his sources and skip his breakfasts almost every day. He was overweight and sleep-deprived. “You are out drinking until 2 or 3 a.m., every day,” he said. “You are too tired the next morning and don’t have the time to have breakfast however hungry you are. And I’d always eat too much dur
Social AffairsAug. 13, 2015
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Park to visit U.S. in Oct.
By Shin Hyon-heeSouth Korea and the U.S. will hold a summit on Oct. 16 to discuss their response to North Korea’s land mine provocation, its ongoing nuclear weapons development and other regional and global issues, the two countries said Friday. The announcement came after President Park Geun-hye shelved her planned five-day trip in June to address the Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak at home. “(The two leaders) will chart the expansion of our cooperation into new areas that will increa
Foreign AffairsAug. 13, 2015
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Even with apology, Abe’s sincerity will be doubted
Chinese state media has expressed skepticism over the possibility of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe apologizing for the country’s wartime actions, citing conflicting reports over the contents of his speech marking Japan’s World War II surrender. Also, accusing Abe of being a historical revisionist fond of downplaying Japan’s wartime record, state media questioned his sincerity even if he does include key words such as “apology,” “deep remorse,” “aggression” and “colonial rule” when he speaks
ViewpointsAug. 13, 2015
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Parliament passes arrest motion of opposition lawmaker
The National Assembly Thursday passed a motion to arrest an opposition lawmaker over suspicions that he took bribes from a businessman. Rep. Park Ki-choon of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy is suspected of receiving illegal political funds worth 350 million won ($299,000) and valuables such as luxury watches and bags from the head of a distribution agency, only known by his surname Kim. His arrest was subject to parliamentary consent as lawmakers in South Korea are immune from detention
PoliticsAug. 13, 2015
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Exhibit shows history, culture of Gyeonggi
Celebrating the 2015 Gyeonggi Folk Culture Year, a special exhibition sheds light on the history and culture of Gyeonggi Province. The province surrounding Seoul constitutes 10 percent of the Korean Peninsula and its population tops among other provinces at 12 million, 24 percent of the nation’s total. Historically, most of the areas that we now know as belonging to Seoul were part of Gyeonggi Province. Only the districts located within the four gates such as Jongno, Euljiro and Gwanghwamun were
CultureAug. 13, 2015
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[June H.L. Wong] When words don’t mean a thing in a competitive world
Ah Ho, 81, has never read a book in her life. Or a magazine or newspaper or a letter; not even a postcard. It’s not because she’s indifferent to the written word, she simply can’t. She is, by official definition, illiterate. UNESCO defines a literate person as “One who has reading ability or can read,” or “One who has formal education and at least some form of informal education.” The World Bank’s definition is one “who can, with understanding, read and write a short, simple statement on their e
ViewpointsAug. 13, 2015
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[David Ignatius] Quest for the perfect wave
Escapism has a special lure this summer, if you’re saturated with Islamic State atrocities, the Iran nuclear deal and Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. As relief from such weighty matters, I can recommend a magnificently escapist book about surfing called “Barbarian Days.” Subtitled “A Surfing Life,” the book is a memoir by New Yorker writer William Finnegan about his pursuit of big, beautiful waves since he was 10. Finnegan is a fine reporter and writer, as New Yorker readers have long k
ViewpointsAug. 13, 2015
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[Editorial] Liberation Day speech
Speechwriters for President Park Geun-hye are said to be preparing two versions of the address she will give Saturday to mark the 70th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japan’s colonial rule. They are watching for how far Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will go in acknowledging and apologizing for Japan’s past wrongdoings in his statement to be issued a day before Park delivers her speech. She expressed hope this week that the statement timed to commemorate the end of World War II would
EditorialAug. 13, 2015
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[Editorial] An ultimate task
South Korea’s ties with North Korea and Japan remain as tense and frayed as ever 70 years since the peninsula’s liberation from Japan’s colonial rule and subsequent division into two parts along the 38th parallel. Tension is escalating along the heavily guarded inter-Korean border in the wake of explosions on Aug. 4 of land mines planted by the North on the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone, which severely injured two South Korean soldiers. Seoul is also watching with unease for a statemen
EditorialAug. 13, 2015
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New ‘K-beauty brands’ find niche overseas
Riding the wave of “K-beauty,” South Korean cosmetics are currently emerging as one of the hottest trends in the world. The global phenomenon has made it possible for some of latecomers to find a niche in overseas markets from the beginning, avoiding tough competition in the domestic cosmetics market, analysts said.Their overseas success also provided them the leverage to expand in both Korea and abroad.Cosmetic brand Elisha Koy, first launched in 2007, is one of such brands to go abroad from th
BusinessAug. 13, 2015
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Lotte chairman heads for Tokyo ahead of vote showdown
Lotte chairman Shin Dong-bin on Thursday left for Tokyo, four days ahead of the Lotte Holdings shareholders meeting -- slated for Monday -- that is expected to discern the future leader of the 90 trillion won-business empire that encompasses Asia and the U.S.He is expected to lock horns with his archrival and elder brother Shin Dong-joo, who is reportedly determined to dethrone him in order to “set the record straight” for their father and Lotte general chairman Shin Kyuk-ho.Dong-bin showed up a
BusinessAug. 13, 2015
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Lee Seung-gi, Yoona split up: agency
Iconic Hallyu couple, Lee Seung-gi and Yoona of Girls’ Generation, split up recently, largely due to their busy schedules, agencies said Thursday. “The couple recently ended their relationship though they decided to remain good friends,” said SM Entertainment, Yoona’s management agency. Lee Seung-gi (left) and Yoona (Yonhap) Early this year, the two confirmed that they had been dating since Oct
Aug. 13, 2015
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[Photo News] Samsung supports engineers
SAMSUNG SUPPORTS ENGINEERS -- Tech giant Samsung Electronics serves as a major sponsor for the 43rd WorldSkills Competition, which is held from Tuesday through Sunday in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The biannual event is aimed at recognizing skilled technicians and engineers around the world. (Samsung) SAMSUNG SUPPORTS ENGINEERS -- Tech giant Samsung Electronics serves as a major sponsor for the 43rd WorldSkills Competition, which is held from Tuesday through Sunday in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The biannual even
TechnologyAug. 13, 2015
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[Photo News] U.S. big data firm names new exec
U.S. BIG DATA FIRM NAMES NEW EXEC -- U.S. cloud-based big data solution developer Treasure Data said Thursday that it has named Stephen Lee, a Korean-American who used to work for Samsung Electronics and Microsoft, as a vice president of the firm’s business development division. (Treasure Data)
TechnologyAug. 13, 2015
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[Graphic News] Perception of public safety falls after MERS
The percentage of people who say they feel safe living in Korea has fallen again after the outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome in June, government data showed Wednesday.According to the survey conducted and released by the Ministry of Public Safety and Security, about 22 percent of respondents said they felt secure between April and June this year, a 2.4 percentage-point decrease from the previous three months. The MERS crisis appears to have inflicted a decline in Koreans’ perceptions
Social AffairsAug. 13, 2015
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SAP Korea showcases IT solutions for health care, sports
Leading IT solutions developer SAP Korea said Thursday it would step up efforts to develop systems that can bring positive changes to sports and health care industries. Holding the “Hyper Connected Healthcare Conference in Seoul,” the company offered visions to deploy big data and cloud technologies in the two sectors. “The advancement in Internet of Things technologies has brought innovations in multiple industries and fields,” said Hyoung Won-joon, managing director of the Korean office of SA
TechnologyAug. 13, 2015
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Businesses welcome pardon of SK chairman
President Park Geun-hye granted special pardons Thursday to 14 convicted businessmen including SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won and some 6,500 people to mark the 70th anniversary of Korea’s Liberation Day on Aug. 15. The Liberation Day pardons for the high-profile business tycoons are aimed at propping up the sagging economy, hit hard by the outbreak of the Middle East respiratory syndrome, and a protracted slump in exports. “I have decided to grant special pardons in order to help forge national
IndustryAug. 13, 2015
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U.S. stand-up Sean Patton to perform in Korea
U.S. comedian Sean Patton will be performing this weekend at expat comedy shows in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, and Busan.Patton, who has made various TV appearances in the U.S. and released his first comedy album, “Standard Operating Procedure,” in 2012, combines observational humor and storytelling with a touch of the absurd.Patton came to Korea after sharing a bill with former Stand Up Seoul performer Adam Palmeter.“I’ve heard so many great things about South Korea that when the opportunity
Expat LivingAug. 13, 2015
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BOK freezes key rate for 2nd month
South Korea's central bank froze its key interest rate at a record low of 1.5 percent Thursday as it apparently kept its wait-and-see stance to digest the effect of a looser monetary policy and stimulus measures amid rising market volatility. The widely expected move by the Bank of Korea marked the second consecutive rate freeze following a quarter-point cut in June. The BOK has conducted four rate cuts in the past 12 months, trimming a full percentage point off the base rate. (Yonhap)"(The
Aug. 13, 2015