The Korea Herald

Physicists say they have found a Higgs boson

It helps solve one of the most fundamental riddles of the universe: how the Big Bang created something out of nothing 13.7 billion years ago.In what could go down as one of the great Eureka! moments in physics _ and win somebody the Nobel Prize _ scientists said Thursday that after a half-century quest, they are confident they have found a Higgs boson, the elusive subatomic speck sometimes called the “God particle.”The existence of the particle was theorized in 1964 by the British physicist Pete

TechnologyMarch 15, 2013

Seoul shares open higher on U.S. gains

South Korean stocks opened higher Friday following an overnight Wall Street rally fueled by heightening anticipations of economic recovery, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) advanced 4.34 points, or 0.22 percent to 2,006.47 in the first 15 minutes of trading.Shares gained ground across the board, with No. 1 carmaker Hyundai Motor rising 2.12 percent and top chipmaker SK hynix adding0.52 percent. Leading builder Hyundai Engineering & Construction increased 1.25

BusinessMarch 15, 2013

Samsung refreshes iPhone-challenging Galaxy line

Samsung Electronics is kicking up its competition with Apple with its new Galaxy S4 smartphone, which has a larger, sharper screen than its predecessor, the best-selling S III.Samsung trumpeted the much-anticipated phone's arrival Thursday at an event accompanied by a live orchestra while an audience of thousands watched the onstage theatrics. The Galaxy S4, which crams a 5-inch (12.7-centimeter) screen into body slightly smaller than the S III's, will go sale globally in the April to June perio

TechnologyMarch 15, 2013

Samsung refreshes iPhone-challenging Galaxy line

[Graphic News] Korea trails OECD in number of 100-year-olds

About 1 in 500 Koreans lived to age 100, a lower proportion than in most of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, according to recent research.The study showed that 1,826 among 908,490 Korean people in the 50-54 age bracket in 1961 became centenarians in 2011.In terms of the centenarian rate, Korea ranked 26th of 32 countries in the OECD, according to the report released by Kim Jong-in, a professor of health and welfare at Wonkwang University. Japan topped the list, proving

March 14, 2013

[Graphic News] Korea trails OECD in number of 100-year-olds

[Newsmaker] IT expert named to Park’s key ministry

President Park Geun-hye chose a top communications technology expert as the new science minister nominee to fill the seat left by a controversial self-claimed patriot.Professor Choi Mun-kee of top science university KAIST was named on Thursday to head the ministry of Future Planning and Science, which will be newly established under Park’s government reorganization plan.By naming Choi, Park completed the nomination of 17 ministers. Presidential spokesman Yoon Chang-jung said Choi’s expertise was

IndustryMarch 14, 2013

[Newsmaker] IT expert named to Park’s key ministry

Profiles of new government appointees

Han Man-soo, Fair Trade CommissionHan, 55, the newly appointed head of the Fair Trade Commission, is a former lawyer who worked for more than two decades at a top law firm, Kim & Chang, here in Korea. Han is said to have gained extensive experience in tax and finance law while at Kim & Chang. Han also previously had some experience in government when he served as an adviser for the Finance Ministry between 1998-1999, and at a number of other tax service-related posts within the ministry. Since 2

IndustryMarch 14, 2013

Taking care of your lungs

I feel that more people are becoming worried about lung cancer these days. I have had students in their 20s come in with chest pain, who were found to have normal lungs, but insisted on a full check up because their uncle died of lung cancer. Of course, lung cancer can cause chest pain. This does not mean that all chest pain is caused by lung cancer. Many patients, on the other hand, can be diagnosed with lung cancer even without any symptoms.Get tested if you see blood in your phlegmThere are s

TechnologyMarch 14, 2013

Korean scientists verify link between stress, drug addiction

South Korean scientists have identified a substance that causes a drug addict to become more strongly addicted under stress, the science ministry said Wednesday, suggesting a way to lower the chance of repeat addiction.It was confirmed that people with previous records of drug addiction are more prone to become addicted again when placed under significant amounts of stress, but how exactly stress works to increase the chance of repeat addiction has not been verified, according to the Ministry of

TechnologyMarch 14, 2013

Dental microscopes boost quality of treatment

High-performance microscopes are powerful tools in dental treatment, but only a handful of university hospitals and professional clinics possess such equipment.These microscopes magnify the treatment area by 10 to 26 times, which allows dentists to detect miniscule cracks and nerve damage in the teeth that are invisible to the naked eye. In the past, it was difficult to detect the precise location of infection, and thus dentists frequently removed healthy teeth surrounding the infection point as

TechnologyMarch 14, 2013

Dental microscopes boost quality of treatment

Most lottery ticket buyers above breadline

The majority of households that frequently purchase lottery tickets do not belong to the low-income bracket, the Finance Ministry said Thursday.Citing a survey, the ministry claimed that 72.6 percent of steady lottery buyers were from households whose average monthly income surpassed 3 million won ($2,750).It also said the households with an average monthly income of more than 4 million won took up 35.3 percent of the total buyers.“The poll result counters the social bias that mostly destitute p

March 14, 2013

Korea logs trade surplus for 13 straight months

SEJONG (Yonhap News) ― South Korea logged a trade surplus for 13 straight months in February despite the prolonged sluggish export growth affected by the global economic slump, customs data showed Thursday.According to the customs-clearance trade figures provided by the Korea Customs Service, South Korea’s exports shrank 8.6 percent on-year to $42.3 billion last month. Imports also dropped 10.6 percent to $40.3 billion.The country’s trade surplus last month, however, came to $2 billion, larger t

TechnologyMarch 14, 2013

Asiana Airlines wins top fuel efficiency rating

Asiana Airlines Inc., South Korea’s No. 2 flag carrier, has been named the best airline in fuel efficiency in the country, the government said Thursday.The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs made the announcement, citing a test by the Korea Transportation Safety Authority on the amount of greenhouse gas emissions by Asiana Airlines and five other local carriers.Asiana Airlines and Korean Air Lines as well as four other budget carriers signed a voluntary agreement with the ministry

TechnologyMarch 14, 2013

Shares close flat on key rate freeze

South Korean stocks closed almost flat on Thursday following the central bank’s decision to freeze the key interest rates, analysts said. The local currency fell against the U.S. dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 2.40 points, or 0.12 percent, to 2,002.13. Trading volume was low at 320.7 million shares worth 4.01 trillion won ($3.64 billion), with gainers outnumbering decliners 489 to 324.“Local shares traded flat as investor sentiment was dented by the central bank’s de

March 14, 2013

Yongsan project unlikely to hurt financial firms

The brokerage industry has downplayed some market observers’ prediction that some major financial firms will be severely damaged from the possible collapse of the 31 trillion won ($28.4 billion) urban development project in Yongsan, Seoul.As the nation’s largest-ever project faced bankruptcy involving worries over capital erosion and liquidation of the state-controlled rail operator KORAIL, some critics commented on the feasibility that the financial services industry will go through heavy losse

March 14, 2013

Telecoms slapped with more fines for smartphone subsidies

The Korea Communications Commission imposed additional fines amounting up to 5.3 billion won ($4.77 million) on the country’s three telecoms for providing excessive and illegal smartphone subsidies despite its previous punishments.The state telecom regulator said that it will have SK Telecom pay up another 3.14 billion won and also granted fees of 1.61 billion won and 560 million won to KT and LG Uplus, respectively.“It’s a real shame that the market spiced up immediately after we impose strict

IndustryMarch 14, 2013

KORAIL seeks to downsize Yongsan project after default

After defaulting on its business loan interest payment, Dream Hub is struggling to resucitate the moribund Yongsan development project by mobilizing all possible means. Dream Hub, the project financing vehicle, plunged into loan default on Wednesday as it failed to pay back 5.2 billion won ($4.7 million) in interest on its asset-backed commercial paper.KORAIL, the state-run rail operator and greatest shareholder in Dream Hub, is gesturing to nevertheless carry forward the project by taking on ad

IndustryMarch 14, 2013

KORAIL seeks to downsize Yongsan project after default

ITC delays Samsung-Apple decision again

A U.S. trade agency has once again delayed its decision on the high-profile patent war between Apple and Samsung, this time based on considerations of how much consumers and the U.S. economy would be hurt should it ban imports of Apple’s iPhones and iPads over a patent held by Samsung Electronics. The U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington was scheduled to issue a final decision in Samsung’s patent infringement case yesterday. Instead, it asked for comments on how a ban would affect t

TechnologyMarch 14, 2013

KLM takes steps in sustainable flights

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines started weekly flights using sustainable biofuel last Friday, company officials said. The series of biofuel flights will be made every Thursday from John F. Kennedy Airport in the United States to Schiphol in the Netherlands. The sustainable fuel will be obtained from used cooking oil, according to the company. As cooperation and joint effort between related industries are crucial for the future of sustainable biofuel in the aviation industry, this initiative means a lot

IndustryMarch 14, 2013

Hyundai-Kia to hire 10,000 workers through suppliers

Hyundai Motor Group, which owns the Hyundai and Kia brands, said Thursday that it would hire an additional 10,000 workers indirectly through its suppliers and their subcontractors this year. As part of the efforts, the Korean auto giant kicked off a two-day job fair on Thursday in Seoul for its 430 smaller partner companies. About 20,000 job-seekers are expected to visit the exhibition floors of COEX in southern Seoul. The second annual event also will be held in Gwangju and Daegu in the coming

IndustryMarch 14, 2013

Hyundai-Kia to hire 10,000 workers through suppliers

Korea-U.S. FTA key to achieving economic goals of both nations

Following is the third and last in a series of articles featuring the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement which marks the first year after its effectuation on March 15, 2012. ― Ed.This year is a special year for the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea for two reasons. Established in 1953, we celebrate our 60th anniversary this year. Today also marks the first anniversary of the implementation of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. Over the years, AMCHAM has helped bring about some important chang

March 14, 2013

Korea-U.S. FTA key to achieving economic goals of both nations