• 

  Defense

  Pyongyang’s silence sheds doubt on inter-Korean military talks

  • Speculation grows over NK’s next move
  • NK official heads to Vladivostok after Moscow visit

• World News
  

  Trump declares 'complete exoneration' after Mueller report finds no collusion

  WASHINGTON, March  24, 2019 (AFP) - US President Donald Trump declared Sunday that he had been completely exonerated after his campaign was cleared of colluding with Russia in the 2016 election, in a major boost for his re-election hopes.The long-awaited final report of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Moscow's election meddling concluded that no member or associate of the campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia in its plot to boost Trump in the vote more than two years ago. (AF

• North Korea
  

  Dozens of S. Korean officials head to joint liaison office after N. Korea's abrupt pullout

  Dozens of South Korean officials headed to an inter-Korean liaison office in North Korea on Monday, the unification ministry said, despite Pyongyang's abrupt pullout of its staff from the office last week.Around 40 South Korean officials crossed the western land border on their way to the liaison office in the North's border town of Kaesong, according to the ministry. Together with about two dozen people already there, about 60-70 South Korean officials are expected to staff the office this week

• Social affairs
  

  Court to rule on warrant for ex-minister over blacklist

  Former Minister of Environment Kim Eun-kyung is to be questioned by the court in an arrest warrant hearing Monday. Kim faces allegations of pressuring heads of public organizations under the Ministry of Environment to step down to make room for individuals with ties to the Moon Jae-in administration. A file photo shows former Minister of Environment Kim Eun-kyung at a Cabinet meeting in July 2018. YonhapThe request for the warrant was filed by the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office on Fr

• Economy
  

  S. Korea sees sharper drop in exports than OECD peers

  South Korea has seen its exports decline at a steeper rate than other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member states, reflecting the contraction in outbound shipments of semiconductors, ships and petrochemical products, data showed Sunday.According to data from the OECD, Asia’s fourth-largest economy saw its exports volume dip 5.9 percent from a year earlier in January, standing 26th out of 32 member states that were subject to the latest survey.The country’s on-year export

• Politics
  

  [News Focus] Policies for Busan draw attention one-year ahead of election

  SEJONG -- South Korea’s political parties are likely to enter election mode as early as in the second quarter of the year, which is expected to be a great showdown between ruling and opposition parties under the Moon Jae-in government.For the coming 21st National Assembly, the general election is scheduled for April 15, 2020.According to polls from Gallup Korea, the support-rating gap between the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and main opposition Liberty Korea Party posted 16 percentage points

NEWSMAKER

• Politics

  

  Bareunmirae Party’s deepening conflict to hold back fast-tracking of key bills

  Eyes on whether former party leader Ahn Cheol-soo will return to Korea in summerIntensifying dispute between members of the minor conservative Bareunmirae Party due to differing views on the independent investigative agency has sparked the possibility of former party leader Ahn Cheol-soo’s return to politics. In the midst of Bareunmirae Party members showing no signs of reaching an agreement, some party officials have hinted at the possibility co-party founder Ahn could return home from his stay

LATEST NEWS

• Today

  

  North Korea

  S. Korean liaison officials will be at work as usual in N.Korea: ministry

  Dozens of South Korean officials will head to the joint inter-Korean liaison office in North Korea for work this week despite Pyongyang's abrupt pullout of its staff there, a related ministry said Sunday.The Ministry of Unification said it has completed consultations with the North's relevant authorities on the entry of the South Korean officials into the compound as usual on Monday."They will leave for work normally tomorrow," a ministry official told reporters.The ministry, which handles daily

• Today

  

  Economy

  Presidential office not seeking to exploit property market as means for stimulating economy

  South Korea's Moon Jae-in administration won't artificially boost the property market in a bid to stimulate the economy, a senior presidential official said Sunday.The local housing market, mainly apartment transactions, has been notably sluggish since the government's tough regulations on it became effective on Sept  13, 2018.The move was aimed at curbing apartment prices that had been skyrocketing at that time. (Yonhap)Many agree that the market overheated as a result of a set of deregulations

• Today

  

  Soccer

  Hellas Verona attacker enjoys competing for nat'l football team starting spot

  Hellas Verona attacker Lee Seung-woo said Sunday competition for national football team starting spots is making him a better player as he eyes more international action for South Korea.Lee earned his 10th cap for South Korea when he played against Bolivia in a friendly match on Friday. He will try to make his 11th international appearance when South Korea take on Colombia in Seoul on Tuesday.Lee, an FC Barcelona youth product, has been struggling to get playing time since head coach Paulo Bento

• Today

  

  Soccer

  S. Korean striker vows to show finisher’s instinct vs. Colombia

  South Korean striker Hwang Ui-jo said Sunday he is ready to show a finisher’s instinct when his side take on Colombia in an upcoming friendly match. South Korea will host Colombia at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul on Tuesday. The two sides are meeting for the first time since November 2017.The Taeguk Warriors are coming off a 1-0 win over Bolivia on Friday. Hwang didn’t score a goal, but he contributed to the national football team’s first home win of 2019 by playing about 30 minutes as a seco

• Today

  

  Technology

  Most LG businesses to fully adopt cloud services in 5 years: LG CNS

  　The structures of more than 90 percent of LG businesses will be transformed in environments powered by cloud computing systems by 2023, the conglomerate’s information and technology solution provider said. 　During a press conference held in Seoul on Friday, LG CNS said it will assume a “central role” in introducing cloud services across all LG business units. The company said it would provide a cloud services platform applicable to every LG unit by the first half of this year.　Stressing it was

More Stories

SPOTLIGHT

• Music

  

  BLACKPINK to drop new album, "Kill This Love," next month

  K-pop girl band BLACKPINK will put out a new album, "Kill This Love," next month, its management agency said Monday. YG Entertainment released a teaser image on its official website for the upcoming EP, announcing its release set for April 5.The image shows the band's Thai member, Lisa, against a red backdrop imprinted with the album title and the release date in black text. (Yonhap)YG said the title of the album's lead track is also "Kill This Love," "a very intense song that surpasses 'Ddu-du

• 

  Golf

  Ko Jin-young rallies for 3rd career LPGA victory

  South Korean Ko Jin-young has pulled off an impressive comeback for her third career LPGA victory.Ko rallied from a four-shot deficit to take the Bank of Hope Founders Cup at Wildfire Golf Club at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix on Sunday (local time). Ko carded a bogey-free final round of seven-under 65 to finish at 22-under 266, beating Liu Yu of China and three others by one stroke.Ko is the third straight South Korean to win on the tour in 2019 and fourth in six tour

• 

  Social affairs

  Seungri saga grows amid police corruption, supposed link with the mob

  Recently retired K-pop singer Seungri on Saturday denied that he was involved in the operation of the Burning Sun nightclub or that he brokered prostitution for his investors. But new revelations by local media are increasing the pressure on the singer, alleging connection between the disgraced celebrity, local law enforcement, and a Taiwanese mogul believed to be related to a Chinese Triad gang. In an interview with Korean daily the Chosun Ilbo, Seungri reiterated his previous claim that he was

• 

  Travel

  Seoul hosts tours at royal palaces

  Royal palaces of the Joseon era (1392-1910) will hold limited tours, with Deoksugung inviting guests to see inside its buildings and Changdeokgung holding its annual nighttime tour.From Wednesday to Sunday, and on April 2, tours of Deoksugung’s five main buildings will be held twice a day from 10 a.m. to 11:20 a.m., and 4 p.m. to 5:20 p.m., according to the Cultural Heritage Administration.Deoksugung was originally built as a home for the royal family, but became a palace after a Japanese invasi

GRAPHIC NEWS

• 

EDITORIAL

• Confusing signals

  Seoul’s mediating role dimmed by latest steps taken by Washington and Pyongyang

• Outmoded nationalism

  Local governments should stop inciting anti-Japanese sentiment

VIEWPOINTS

THE INVESTOR

• Automobiles

  

  Overcoming Elliott hurdle, Hyundai heir tightens grip over W220tr empire

  In a crushing victory over US hedge fund, Chung cements his leadership -- but is a bigger battle ahead?Tension ran high early Friday morning, just before Hyundai Motor’s annual general shareholders meeting at the carmaker’s headquarters in Yangjae, southern Seoul, and it showed on the faces of the executives.Highlighted in the media weeks earlier, the second battle between the South Korean auto giant and the US hedge fund Elliott was a must-win for Hyundai Motor, which had already suffered big a

• 

  Automobiles

  Jaguar Land Rover Korea introduces upgraded Velar

  Automobile lovers in South Korea are about to be presented a feast for the eyes with a luxury crossover SUV built with a V8 supercharged engine and diamond-quilted leather interior.Jaguar Land Rover Korea will launch the Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition at the Seoul Motor Show, set to begin on March 29 at Kintex.  Range Rover Velar SVA-DThe new Range Rover Velar SVA-D has been dubbed the top Velar model produced by Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations team. It is an optimized

• 

  Economy

  Korea widens tax evasion crackdown on ‘Seungri scandal’

  South Korea’s tax authorities have launched an industrywide tax evasion probe into local entertainment and nightclub businesses, fueled by scores of allegations surrounding K-pop star Seungri’s sex bribery scandal. The National Tax Service said on March 22 it had launched a crackdown on 21 nightlife businesses suspected of evading taxes. The NTS is to cooperate with prosecutors on obtaining warrants for search and confiscation, it added. Though the NTS has yet to confirm, industry watchers say t

• 

  LG

  Most LG businesses to fully adopt cloud services in 5 years: LG CNS

  More than 90 percent of LG businesses structure will be transformed into the environment powered by cloud computing system within the year of 2023, the conglomerate’s information and technology solution provider said. During a press conference held in Seoul on March 22, LG CNS said it will assume a “central role” in introducing clouding service all across LG business units. The company said it would provide a clouding service platform applicable to every LG unit by the first half of this year.St

K-POP HERALD

• 

  ‘I have no regrets’: Holland on world tour, BTS’s UN speech, and coming out to family

• 

  YG CEO survives no-confidence vote

• 

  Twitter CEO: ‘Authentic’ K-pop stars more successful

• 

  SBS explains K-pop sex video scandal

HERALD INTERVIEW

• Social affairs

  

  Early English education a necessity: Daejeon education chief

  As countries become ever more interconnected and globalized, English proficiency becomes a necessity if a nation and its people are to succeed on the global stage. Therefore early English education is a must, according to the chief of the Daejeon Metropolitan Office of Education.“The merit of our country, which has a small territory and is short of resources, is Koreans’ diligence and education fervor. Early English education will be a means to solidify Koreans’ standing in the global market,” D

• 

  Television

  Meet mastermind behind the original ‘Masked Singer’

  Fashion designer Hwang Jae-keun talks making masks, US version, fashion advice

• 

  Social affairs

  Blaming China doesn’t help combat fine dust: GGGI director

  It has become a habit for many South Koreans to point to China as a thick haze of ultrafine dust descends and chokes the country, as well as to lash out at the Korean government for failing to settle the issue with its giant neighbor. Blaming China for worsening air pollution does not help the country’s fight against ultrafine dust, however, as a large amount of toxic particles are produced at home, according to Frank Rijsberman, director-general of the Global Green Growth Institute.“Blaming Chi

• 

  Finance

  Yulchon M&A lawyer predicts ‘new wave’ in Indonesia

  For decades, lawyer Yoon Hee-woong has built his career providing legal advice for corporations. Since joining the South Korean law firm Yulchon in 2000, he has been paving the way for large business groups to take over financial companies, especially in the wake of the global financial crisis in 2007-2008.A big deal he helped close in 2007 was retail giant Lotte’s purchase of Daehan Fire & Marine Insurance. A year later, Yoon was involved in Hyundai Motor’s takeover of Shinheung Securities and

PHOTO NEWS

• Culture

  

  The history beneath our feet

  History is closer to people’s lives than in the musty pages of old books. In the ultra-modern metropolis of Seoul, there is a place where a step into the lower ground of a high-rise office building can pull one into the city’s past, dating back to the 16th century. It is Gongpyeong Historic Site Museum, a 3,817-square-meter space in the underground floor of Centropolis office building in Gongpyeong-dong, central Seoul -- the biggest historic site unearthed in Seoul to date.  (Park Hyun-koo/The K

VIDEO

• Industry

  

  Booyoung’s real estate dilemma on acquiring Samsung assets

  The Korea Herald is publishing a series of articles and videos about some of the most expensive and fascinating landmark office buildings in Seoul. -- Ed. Defining the symbolic cityscape of Seoul is Sejong Main Street, a 10-lane road that runs across the downtown area, stretching from Seoul Station to Gwanghwamun Square. Halfway along this main road, just north of Sungnyemun, the southern gate of Seoul, is the “Taepyeong-ro zone,” location of landmark buildings such as the palace Deoksugun

• 

  Industry

  Seoul Square, witness to Seoul’s economic history

  The Korea Herald is publishing a series of articles and videos about some of the most expensive and fascinating landmark office buildings in Seoul. -- Ed.Opposite Seoul Station, a central hub for the nation’s railway, stands a massive 23-story building the color of red brick.Befitting its grand presence and central location, the edifice is called Seoul Square. With a gross area of 132,806 square meters, the building not only brings in hefty rents but also represents a chapter in South Korea’s dy

• 

  North Korea

  Hanoi welcomes US, N. Korean leaders

  North Korean waitresses smile when asked a bout Kim’s visit; kindergarteners prepare performance for 'supreme leader'

• 

  Social affairs

  Violence erupts at Liberty Korea Party national convention as union stages surprise protest

  GOYANG, Gyeonggi Province-- Members of Korea’s hard-line Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and civic groups staged a surprise protest at the main opposition Liberty Korea Party’s national convention being held at Kintex in Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province, on Wednesday afternoon. (Yonhap)The protesters called on the party to disband over offensive remarks by some of its lawmakers about the Gwangju Democratic Uprising and for questioning the legitimacy of the impeachment of former President Park

MOST POPULAR

• Seungri saga grows amid police corruption, supposed link with the mob
• BLACKPINK to drop new album, "Kill This Love," next month
• Pyongyang’s silence sheds doubt on inter-Korean military talks
• Seoul ranks as 7th most expensive city in the world: survey
• Seoul hosts tours at royal palaces
• S. Korea sees sharper drop in exports than OECD peers
• Early English education a necessity: Daejeon education chief
• Court to rule on warrant for ex-minister over blacklist
• N. Korean media keeps silence on pullout from liaison office for 3rd day
• Speculation grows over NK’s next move

FEATURES

• North Korea

  

  Speculation grows over NK’s next move

  North Korea may be trying a new tack in diplomatic relations, raising questions for the future of inter-Korean relations and denuclearization. On Friday, North Korean officials at the inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong withdrew from the facility, stating only that they were following orders from higher up. The North also stated that it will not concern itself with South Korean officials remaining at the facility, and that practical matters will be dealt with at a later date. The move came am

• 

  Social affairs

  Workers more likely to call out abuse in wake of 2016 candlelight vigils

  7 in 10 workers say they experienced workplace harassment in 2017: survey

• 

  Industry

  Korea’s peeping Tom dilemma: Are censors getting too much power?

  Controversy erupts over government's method of blocking ‘illegal’ websites

• 

  Industry

  Booyoung’s real estate dilemma on acquiring Samsung assets

  The Korea Herald is publishing a series of articles and videos about some of the most expensive and fascinating landmark office buildings in Seoul. -- Ed. Defining the symbolic cityscape of Seoul is Sejong Main Street, a 10-lane road that runs across the downtown area, stretching from Seoul Station to Gwanghwamun Square. Halfway along this main road, just north of Sungnyemun, the southern gate of Seoul, is the “Taepyeong-ro zone,” location of landmark buildings such as the palace Deoksugun

WEEKENDER

• Culture

  

  Snapshot of English book scene in Korea

  When it comes to English books, there are three types of readers in South Korea: expats, Korean elites and language learners. For retailers and distributors, the first is the most difficult consumer group to target as their tastes in books are just as diverse as their backgrounds. The most lucrative and competitive market, on the other hand, is that for young English learners, as Korean moms -- always willing to reach into their pocketbooks for their children’s education -- wake up to the power

• 

  Travel

  Itaewon: Present and future

  Will expat-friendly neighborhood retain charm in wave of gentrification?

• 

  Economy

  Coworking space on the offensive

  Upon entering the 30th floor of the 123-story Lotte Tower, the tallest building in Korea, visitors encounter a spacious and sleek office with people working on laptops on sofas, at desks or in glass-walled private rooms.Boasting a stunning panoramic view of Seoul, the venue has an atmosphere that is both relaxing and business-like -- unlike traditional offices. It is called Workflex, a premium coworking space launched in February by construction firm Lotte E&C with the aim of providing a snug ne

• 

  Social affairs

  ‘I married Korea’s independence’

  Recent light shed on female independence activists whose stories have been overlooked or never told