Walking down the stairs from exit No. 2 of Sangdo Station in southwestern Seoul, its not easy to miss a white and green signboard that reads “METRO Farm.” A method of what‘s known as “smart farming,” Metro Farms can create nature-friendly environments while being located inside urban subway stations, using AI and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. Sangdo Station’s exit No. 2 was originally left unattended, merely serving its purpose as a meet-up plaza. S

Culture Jan. 4, 2021

Licensed private detectives can do business in South Korea beginning Wednesday, following the recent revision of the Credit Information Use and Protection Act. The National Police Agency announced Monday that it had inspected the country’s private detective agencies over the past year and provided on-site guidance so they can operate as part of a regulated system. Previously, the police said, 12 companies were issuing 14 different private certificates. The police had ordered corrective

Social Affairs Jan. 4, 2021

Encountering the word “designer,” one generally imagines a creative person with artistic talent -- someone who shows artworks at a gallery, or who takes the commercial route and sells stylish, sleek items they have created. But an “interaction designer” is something else. Silicon Valley-based Han Seung-heon, who holds this position at Google, works for the Google Assistant team. He and his colleagues recently launched a service called Family Notes, which can be used wi

People Jan. 3, 2021

What would happen if you saw your significant other disappear into an unidentified beam of light? Once again screenwriter Jin Han-sae, best known for the Netflix original series “Extracurricular,” has paired up with Yoon Shin-ae, CEO of the film production company Studio 329, to produce a new Netflix series titled “Glitch.” Studio 329 captivated the public and critics with “Extracurricular,” a 10-episode thriller drama that aired in April, when Jin was still

Television Jan. 2, 2021

Living in a crowded urban city, one can realize in the daily routine that the proportion of “going digital” has drastically increased over the year -- waking up to use smartphones for running bank errands, standing in front of digital kiosks for takeout orders during lunchtime and ordering groceries online after sunset. The unforeseen COVID-19 pandemic has pushed us further to a society where non-face-to-face interactions are strongly recommended across different tasks to halt furt

Technology Jan. 1, 2021

Police nabbed a 37-year-old man for drunk driving an e-scooter in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province. The man cursed at police and refused to submit to a breathalyzer test. Cheong Moon-sik, senior judge at the Chuncheon District Court, said Thursday that the man was sentenced to a fine of 5 million won ($4,200) under the Road Traffic Act. The case was first put to trial on July 15 on charges of failing to respond to an alcohol measurement test by a police officer who witnessed that the man’s

Social Affairs Jan. 1, 2021

Park Su-min, who works for a production company in Seoul, starts his day late in the afternoon, grabbing a packaged meal, or “dosirak” in Korean, at a convenience store on his way to work. One reason is to avoid public transportation when it’s most crowded, and the other is to keep up with the toughened social distancing guidelines. “Before the level hit 2.5 in Seoul, I used to hang out with colleagues during lunchtime, often waiting in lines to try out popular restaura

Social Affairs Dec. 29, 2020

South Korean students were significantly less confident and interested in math and science despite their excelling academic performances in the subjects, compared to students from other countries, a recent global survey showed. According to the results of 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study by the US based National Center for Education Statistics, Korean students came in third for their performance in math and second in science, but their interest and confidence in the s

Social Affairs Dec. 17, 2020

The Statue of Peace, which symbolizes the victims of Japanese military sexual slavery during World War II, stands in a central district in Berlin known as Mitte. It was the first of three such statues to be installed in a public place in Germany. But in October, it was on the verge of being removed due to strong opposition from the Japanese government. Many activists and nongovernmental organizations in Germany gathered around the statue and raised their voices about the importance of keeping i

People Dec. 14, 2020

“Welcome to our bank that’s always running out of money!” said Hong Se-hwa. Despite its precarious situation, the 74-year-old head of Jean Valjean Bank seemed cheerful. Hong, who runs the bank as a microcredit program for people in need, greeted visitors with a humble smile, documents held tightly in one arm and a large coffee mug in his other hand. As the name suggests, Jean Valjean Bank helps petty offenders avoid going to jail just because they can’t afford to pay

People Dec. 1, 2020

In the heart of Gwangju’s bustling downtown district, the historic building that witnessed the May 18 Democratic Movement became the inspiration for the creation of the Asian Culture Center. Opened in 2015, the ACC’s overarching concept, “The Forest of Light” was planned by architect Woo Kyu-sung. The protest song “March for the Beloved” plays every afternoon at the May 18 Clock Tower, which is located at the entrance of the square. In the spring of 1980,

Culture Oct. 23, 2020

The prolonged battle against the COVID-19 outbreak is changing life patterns, including how we read and digest books. Public libraries have shut down with some offering delivery-only services, or activating “e-bookshelf” sections online as an alternative way out during and after the crisis. Efforts for new reading experiences seem to have gained overall success so far. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in 2019, the rate of e-book readers hit 16.5 percent for

Books Oct. 3, 2020

The ASEAN-Korea Centre is set to launch a new series titled “ASEAN Issue,” a set of videos and articles focused on the region, Thursday. The series will feature in-depth analysis, diverse perspectives and personal experiences of professionals including CEOs, K-pop idols, YouTubers and professors. The ASEAN Issue is presented in two formats: video interviews and articles. A total of five video interviews will be presented, touching upon the topics of ASEAN-Korea startup cooperati

Social Affairs Sept. 16, 2020

A dispute is brewing over a name-and-shame website called “Digital Prison,” which discloses detailed personal information of those it accuses of being sex offenders and child abusers. A 20-year-old student from Korea University died in a suspected suicide on Sept. 3 after his personal information was published on the Digital Prison site in July. The student had claimed his innocence and expressed frustration, posting a letter on his school community website saying, “None of t

Social Affairs Sept. 9, 2020

JeongSeon Forum 2020, hosted by the Gangwon Provincial Government and Gangwon Convention & Visitors Bureau, successfully finished its three-day session last week. On the second day of the forum, former Justice Minister Kang Kum-sil held an interview with The Korea Herald. Freshly appointed as chair for Gangwon Art and Culture Foundation this spring, she openly discussed her vison to make a better environment for artists and citizens living in the province. “I have two goals for now

People Aug. 29, 2020