[Newsmaker] K-pop producer-songwriter to lead S. Korean art troupe to NK

　K-pop music will form the core of a South Korean art troupe’s repertoire when it performs in Pyongyang in April, with a prominent K-pop producer and songwriter to take the helm.　The Ministry of Unification on Sunday named Lee Yun-sang -- a singer-songwriter and producer professionally known as Yun Sang -- as the musical director for the South’s art troupe to Pyongyang. His North Korean counterpart is Hyon Song-wol, the leader of the all-female Moranbong Band. 　Yun Sang will lead the South Korea

CultureMarch 19, 2018

[Newsmaker] Kakao Taxi’s new option: added convenience or effective fare hike?

Kakao Taxi, South Korea’s most widely used taxi-hailing mobile app, recently announced the introduction of a “paid option” that would allow users to call up taxis faster or immediately by paying an extra fee on top of the ride fare.　The new feature, set to be rolled out by as early as late March, has been drawing mixed reactions from local users, despite Kakao’s reassurance that it will retain the current taxi-hailing service option offered free of charge.　Extra fees for faster pickup　Kakao Mobi

TechnologyMarch 18, 2018

[Newsmaker] SKT mulls ADT Caps takeover to empower artificial intelligence, internet of things

South Korea’s top mobile carrier SK Telecom is preparing for another significant acquisition, buying security firm ADT Caps from private equity firm Carlyle Group as part of its strategy to strengthen its internet of things business. According to industry sources Friday, SKT is taking serious moves to acquire a 100 percent stake in ADT Caps at an as of yet undecided price in partnership with Australia’s Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets. (Yonhap)Washington-based Carlyle Group has reported

TechnologyMarch 16, 2018

[Newsmaker] Korean Chung Hyeon suffers hard-fought loss to Federer in ATP Tour quarterfinals

South Korean tennis player Chung Hyeon has suffered a hard-fought loss to world No. 1 Roger Federer in their latest meeting.Federer defeated the 26th-ranked Chung in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1, in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California, on Thursday (local time). Chung gave Federer all he could handle in the opening set before running out of steam in the second set.Federer has only lost three sets this year and has matched his previous bes

More SportsMarch 16, 2018

[Newsmaker] Ex-USFK commanders emerge as candidate for next ambassador in Seoul 　

　Former US Forces Korea commanders being linked to the post of US ambassador to Seoul is fueling speculations Washington could resume a hard-line stance on North Korea, should the planned summit fail to bring results. 　According to sources in Washington and Seoul, former USFK Commander James Thurman and his predecessor Walter Sharp have been considered as candidates to fill the ambassadorship that has been vacant for more than a year. 　In light of US President Donald Trump’s preference for milit

North KoreaMarch 15, 2018

[Newsmaker] Theatrical director Lee accused of sexual assault summoned for questioning: police

Lee Youn-taek, a famed theatrical writer and director, has been asked to appear for questioning later this week over a slew of sexual assault allegations involving several female junior members of his drama troupe, police said Thursday.The Korea National Police Agency subpoenaed Lee to come to its headquarters early Saturday, the agency said.The 66-year-old is accused of sexually molesting and raping numerous female junior colleagues over the past two decades. The allegations were first raised b

Social AffairsMarch 15, 2018

[Newsmaker] Stephen Hawking: a brief history of genius

Stephen Hawking, who has died aged 76, was Britain's most famous modern day scientist, a genius who dedicated his life to unlocking the secrets of the Universe.Born on January 8, 1942 -- 300 years to the day after the death of the father of modern science, Galileo Galilei -- he believed science was his destiny.But fate also dealt Hawking a cruel hand.Most of his life was spent in a wheelchair crippled by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a form of motor neurone disease that attacks the nerves

PeopleMarch 14, 2018

[Newsmaker] Trump’s choice of Pompeo positive for NK-US talks: expert

US President Donald Trump’s decision to tap a hard-liner as his new secretary of state ahead of a historic US-North Korea summit hints at serious intentions for the talks, and his determination to tighten his grip over North Korea policy, experts say.　The decision to pick Mike Pompeo, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, who has been loyal to Trump, could boost US-North Korea talks, they say. But concerns also persist that there is now no one left in Washington to challenge Trump’s decis

North KoreaMarch 14, 2018

[Newsmaker] Engle in tug-of-war over fate of GM Korea

A week after General Motors announced that it would be shutting down one of its plants in South Korea, an executive in charge of the US carmaker’s overseas operations made yet another rare move. On Feb. 20, Barry Engle, the president of GM International, visited the parliament to meet lawmakers apparently uneasy over the carmaker’s restructuring plan. While shaking hands with lawmakers suspicious of the fate of GM’s remaining operations here, he said that the carmaker wants to stay and continue

MobilityMarch 13, 2018

[Newsmaker] Prosecutors get ready to grill ex-President Lee Myung-bak

Prosecutors are questioning people close to former President Lee Myung-bak as they prepare for his interrogation Wednesday over a string of corruption allegations that include bribery, abuse of authority, embezzlement and dereliction of duty.The prosecution on Sunday questioned Lee’s son-in-law Lee Sang-joo, former Vice Minister of Knowledge Economy Park Young-joon and the chief of Lee’s Cheonggye Foundation Song Jung-ho as suspects over their alleged involvement in receiving illicit funds on be

Social AffairsMarch 12, 2018

[Newsmaker] Police raided theatrical director Lee's properties in sex assault probe: official

Police have raided the residence of famed theatrical director Lee Youn-taek as part of a probe into allegations of multiple sexual assaults involving his junior colleagues, officials said Monday.Officials from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency searched the premises of his residence in central Seoul and the main office of his drama troupe in Miryang, about 380 kilometers south of the capital, on Sunday and confiscated evidence, the agency said. They also raided two other studios run by Lee. Th

Social AffairsMarch 12, 2018

[Newsmaker] Ex-presidential spokesperson denies allegations on power abuse, affair

Park Soo-hyun, the former presidential spokesman and the ruling party’s contender for South Chungcheong governor, denied all allegations of adultery and abuse of power against him on Sunday, saying they are political maneuverings.In a press briefing at the National Assembly, Park said the claim raised by his former aide Oh Young-hwan is fabricated, as part of Oh and his former wife’s revenge against him for not complying with their requests. Oh had first raised the allegations on Tuesday that Pa

PoliticsMarch 11, 2018

[Newsmaker] Scandal-ridden actor Jo Min-ki found dead

Actor Jo Min-ki, who was being investigated for the alleged sexual assault of his students, was found dead Friday in what police suspect is a suicide.According to officials, Jo was found by his wife around 4:04 p.m. at a storage room in the parking lot of a residential building, where he was registered to reside. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but was declared dead on arrival.  Jo Min-ki (Yonhap)Police have yet to find any indications of a homicide and reportedly believe that the actor took

Social AffairsMarch 9, 2018

[Newsmaker] Who will be NK’s key player in US-NK negotiations?

Among a crop of skillful North Korean negotiators Choe Son-hui, the country’s former Director General of Foreign Ministry’s North America Affairs is forecast to stand at the frontline of a new diplomatic tug-of-war with the United States. The then-head of the North Korean Foreign Ministry’s North American bureau, Choe Son-hui, speaks at the 2017 Moscow Nonproliferation Conference on Oct. 20, 2017. (Yonhap)Earlier this week, North Korea offered to talk with the US on denuclearization, according t

North KoreaMarch 8, 2018

[Newsmaker] Will NK deliver promise for denuclearization?

With North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un expressing willingness to denuclearize during his meeting with the South Korea‘s special envoys, focus is now on whether this time around the North will deliver its promise that has never been fulfilled in the past negotiations.　Following its two-day visit to the North, the South Korean delegation announced Tuesday that North Korea had expressed a willingness to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and vowed to suspend all nuclear and missile tests while such t

North KoreaMarch 7, 2018

[Newsmaker] From presidential hopeful to accused rapist: An Hee-jung

Former South Chungcheong Province Gov. An Hee-jung, was a prominent liberal politician, often cited as the ruling Democratic Party’s next presidential candidate.But everything changed Monday night after his former secretary accused him of raping her in an interview with a television news program. The 52-year-old has stepped down from his post as governor and faces expulsion from his party. An is now an accused rapist facing an investigation.　On Monday, Kim Ji-eun, the alleged victim, claimed in

PoliticsMarch 6, 2018

[Newsmaker] Prosecution summons former President Lee for questioning

Former President Lee Myung-bak has been asked to appear for questioning next week over a string of allegations of bribery and other irregularities, officials said Tuesday.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office subpoenaed Lee to come to the office for questioning as a suspect at 9:30 a.m. on March 14, officials said."It is essential to investigate Lee in order to uncover the truth in a transparent and efficient way," a prosecution official said. "We're not considering calling him in for q

Social AffairsMarch 6, 2018

[Newsmaker] Poet Choi Young-mi reaffirms sexual harassment allegations denied by Ko Un

Poet Choi Young-mi, who revealed her experience of being groped by an unnamed senior poet through her poem, on Monday reaffirmed sexual harassment allegations made against renowned poet Ko Un, who recently denied the allegations.In a statement uploaded on Facebook on Sunday, Choi said, “The statements related to the poem ‘Monster’ are facts. I will reveal the details further, when there is an official body dedicated to investigating claims of sexual wrongdoings in the arts circle here.”  Poet Ko

BooksMarch 5, 2018

[Newsmaker] Prosecutors likely to summon Lee Myung-bak soon

Prosecutors looking into sweeping allegations of financial fraud involving former President Lee Myung-bak are set to complete their investigation as early as this week and likely to summon Lee for questioning soon. Former President Lee Myung-bak. YonhapIf Lee is summoned by the prosecution, he would be the fourth president of South Korea to be questioned by investigators following detained ex-leader Park Geun-hye. Although no charges have been filed yet, Lee faces allegations that he ran a 12 bi

Social AffairsMarch 4, 2018

[Newsmaker] Moon Jae-in retains central bank head

President Moon Jae-in retained on Friday Lee Ju-yeol, the incumbent Bank of Korea Gov. and the head of Monetary Policy Committee, to serve another four-years for the nation‘s central bank, sending the market a sign that it will not pursue a drastic change in its monetary policy.Cheong Wa Dae said the decision to reinstate Lee as the BOK chief signifies Moon’s willingness to “ensure neutrality and independence” of the central bank.The reappointment came amid the South Kore

MarketMarch 2, 2018