• 

  Foreign Policy

  [News Focus] Korea-Japan rift likely to be protracted

  • Senior trade official to represent Korea at WTO over dispute with Japan
  • Boycott of Japanese goods, services spreads rapidly
  • Samsung rumored to expand US chip plants amid Japan’s trade curbs
  • Japan travel bookings by S. Koreans halve on trade row

• Social affairs
  

  [Feature] Boycott of Japanese goods, services spreads rapidly

  The campaign to boycott Japanese products and services here is gaining steam as bilateral relations continue to be tense following Japan’s export curbs on key hi-tech materials crucial for South Korean tech firms.Japanese condiments and beer brands have been removed from store shelves, even as a substantial number of travel reservations to Japan are being canceled and inquiries for Japanese passenger vehicles have halved.As more Koreans quietly join the boycott, a website called NoNo Japan

• Economy
  

  S. Korea gears up for financial market contingency plan amid Japan factor

  In response to the escalating economic conflict between South Korea and Japan, financial authorities here are establishing a contingency plan in case Tokyo expands its trade restrictions to the financial sector, officials said Monday.The preemptive gesture came out of concern about the apparent dependency of local financial companies on Japanese lenders, which have been offering a low interest rate for years. The total amount of Japanese money circulating in Korea’s financial market was es

• Industry
  

  Senior trade official to represent Korea at WTO over dispute with Japan

  Amid escalating trade tension between South Korea and Japan, the Trade Ministry here said Monday its senior official would participate in the World Trade Organization’s General Council on Tuesday to better respond at the scene due to the gravity of the issue. Kim Seung-ho, deputy minister for multilateral and legal affairs, will participate in the general council, the highest decision-making body, in Geneva. The council is slated to discuss the two nations’ trade dispute at its meeti

• Social affairs
  

  4 dead, 12 injured in overturned van in Gangwon Province

  Four people died and 12 were injured when a van overturned Monday morning in Gangwon Province.A Hyundai van flipped over at 7:33 a.m. Monday on a road in the northeastern coastal area of Gagok-myeon in Samcheok, according to Gangwon Fire Headquarters.Fire authorities and police said the Hyundai Grace van carrying 16 passengers crashed into a guardrail and tipped over. Of the 16 passengers, seven are believed to be foreign nationals, including a Thai man, 44, according to a fire department offici

• Arts&Design
  

  [Herald interview] 10-year-old Jeju Museum of Art prepares for next decade under new director

  With the Jeju Museum of Art celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Director Choi Jeong-ju, who was appointed in October, is looking to ensure transparency in the museum’s management and to offer quality programs. “The Jeju Museum of Art, which took off as a cultural platform for local artists and citizens, has taken firm roots here over the last 10 years. I think now is the time to prepare for the next 10 years,” Choi said in an email interview with The Korea Herald. 

NEWSMAKER

• Social affairs

  

  Govt to approve extended work hours amid Japan trade feud

  SEJONG -- Extended work hours will be approved for businesses that need hi-tech materials to replace those regulated by Tokyo, as part of efforts to cope with Japan’s stricter trade export control, the government said Monday.The Ministry of Employment and Labor mapped out a plan to allow work hours longer than the 52 hours a week stipulated by the law to facilitate the process of import substitution of three materials -- fluorinated polyimide, resist and etching gas -- imported from Japan.

LATEST NEWS

• Today

  

  More sports

  Swimmers 'don't trust' Sun as doping row boils over

   GWANGJU, South Korea (AFP) - World championship swimmers slammed China's Sun Yang over lurid doping allegations and said competitors were firmly behind Australia's Mack Horton, who snubbed the Olympic star on the podium.    America's Matt Grevers claimed many competitors "don't trust" Sun, while world record-holder Lilly King revealed athletes "erupted in applause" after Horton refused to join his rival on the podium for photos after the 400 metres f

• Today

  

  More sports

  Malfunctioning equipment forces solo re-races in preliminary

  Malfunctions with the starting equipment forced two swimmers to race alone in the heats of the men's 100m backstroke at the world championships on Monday.    Simone Sabbioni of Italy and Dylan Carter of Trinidad and Tobago both had their initial races disrupted when the wedge, which allows backstroke swimmers to gain leverage off the wall, gave way.     Sabbioni had to race alone twice, as the wedge failed again in his second attempt. On his third race, Sabbion

• Today

  

  Defense

  Embattled defense minister visits Army command, calls for tighter discipline

  Defense Minister Jeong Kyeog-doo visited an Army command near Seoul on Monday in the wake of a series of incidents that highlighted lax discipline in the military and prompted opposition parties to demand his resignation.    The Ground Operations Command, located in Yongin, southeast of Seoul, was the first destination of his tours to key armed services headquarters this week, which will also take him to the Navy, the Air Force and the Marine Corps operations commands. &

• Today

  

  Defense

  Indonesia seeks reduction in share of expenses in joint fighter jet project

  Indonesia is seeking a reduction of its share of expenses in the fighter jet development project with South Korea, as it is running about 300 billion won ($254 million) in arrears. According to Indonesian news reports, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Politics and Security Wiranto reiterated the need to renegotiate the deal for the Korean Fighter Experimental, citing the government’s lack of budget.Korea and Indonesia have been working together to develop a new fighter jet for t

• Today

  

  National

  Face value of damaged currency rises in H1

  　The face value of damaged banknotes and coins in South Korea rose in the first half of the year, data from the central bank showed. 　A total of 2.27 trillion won ($1.92 billion) worth of damaged bills and coins were discarded by the Bank of Korea in the first half, up 42.5 billion won from six months ago. 　The central bank spent 48.3 billion won replacing the damaged banknotes over the six-month period. (Yonhap)

More Stories

SPOTLIGHT

• People

  

  Song Hye-kyo, Song Joong-ki’s divorce final: court

  Song Hye-kyo and Song Joong-ki’s divorce was finalized at a Seoul court Monday.The two settled their divorce at a closed-door hearing held at 10 a.m. Monday at Seoul Family Court. The hearing lasted for about 20 minutes, a court official said. Their divorce was granted 26 days after the petition was filed June 26. Both cited irreconcilable differences as the reason. Korean law allows a marriage to be dissolved without a trial on the condition of mutual consent.The divorce settlement did no

• 

  Social affairs

  37 malatang restaurants violate food sanitation law

  Thirty-seven restaurants specializing in malatang, a type of Chinese street food, failed health inspections in June, the Food and Drug Safety Ministry said Monday.The ministry conducted health inspections at 63 malatang restaurants from June 3 to July 5 and found 37 to be in violation of the food sanitation law. Of the inspected food-service establishments, six were not registered as businesses, 13 used ingredients of unidentified origins and 10 failed to meet food hygiene standards. Other viola

• 

  Music

  Violinist Sarah Chang to hold solo recital tour in winter

  Violinist Sarah Chang will embark on a six-city tour across Korea in December, marking her first solo recitals here in seven years. The 39-year-old Korean American musician, also known as Chang Young-joo, will perform in Daegu on Dec. 17, followed by Ulsan; Anyang, Gyeonggi Province; Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province; Donghae, Gangwon Province; and Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. The tour will wrap up with a recital at the Seoul Arts Center on Dec. 29. Chang performed at a concert at the Seoul

• 

  Technology

  S. Koreans use social media more for entertainment than communication: survey

  More South Koreans are utilizing social media for sources of entertainment contents than as a means of communications with friends, according to a report released by DMC Media on Monday.According to the survey conducted on 1,000 people here aged between 20 and 60 over the last month, “viewing casually entertaining contents,” selected by 64 percent of the respondents, was the most popular reason for using social media. Other popular reasons for visiting social media platforms included

GRAPHIC NEWS

• 

EDITORIAL

• Prudence matters

  Diplomacy, not emotional reactions, should take center stage in Korea-Japan feud

• Dangerous spillover

  Seoul-Tokyo discord should not damage security cooperation

VIEWPOINTS

THE INVESTOR

• Economy

  

  From beer to package tours, figures show spreading boycott of Japanese products

  The boycott of Japanese products and services seems to be gaining ground here as a bilateral trade war with South Korea entered the third week.According to convenience store chain CU, the sales of Japanese beer brands during the first 18 days of the month fell by 40 percent from the same period last year. GS25 also saw a 24 percent drop during the same period. E-mart, a hypermarket chain of Shinsege Group, said the sales of Japanese beer brands between July 1 and 18 dropped by 30.1 percent from

• 

  Mobile & Internet

  Payco becomes first S. Korean mobile payment available on YouTube

  NHN Payco said on July 22 that its Payco Point payment solution will be available on video streaming service YouTube, marking the first partnership between a South Korean mobile payment solution firm and the US streaming giant.NHN Payco’s solution was introduced in app store Google Play as a payment option in November 2017, and garnered popularity among mobile users here since then for its convenience in buying apps and media contents. YouTube users can pay for a range of subscription

• 

  Samsung

  Samsung rumored to expand US chip plants amid Japan’s trade curbs

  Tech giant Samsung Electronics has reportedly been considering beefing up chip production lines in the US, in the wake of the trade feud between South Korea and Japan.Austin, Texas, where Samsung runs a foundry business, is one of the candidate regions, according to the reports.“Samsung seems to consider constructing additional chip plants in the US to respond to Japan’s tightened regulations on chemical products for chips,” an industry official was quoted by local news outlet

• 

  Startups & Investors

  Finda bags W4.5b series A funding to enhance paperless loan platform

  South Korea’s fintech startup Finda has received a combined 4.5 billion won ($3.8 million) series A funding from multiple investors to enhance its newest paperless loan platform powered by big data, the startup said on July 22. Joining the round include venture capital houses Intervest, Mega Investment and Strong Ventures, as well as commercial lender Woori Bank and business information provider Coocon.“Finda’s new service is expected to give practical advantage to end-users,&r

K-POP HERALD

• 

  Kang Daniel ready to step back into spotlight

• 

  Meet songwriting duo behind Red Velvet’s ‘Zimzalabim’

• 

  We hope to become a band that sings every moment’: DAY6

• 

  What does BTS’ Saudi Arabia concert mean?

HERALD INTERVIEW

• Industry

  

  Royal Salute goes younger with modern twist to lineup

  It is no easy decision for a brand to abandon its original concept and transform a product lineup, especially when it comes to a luxury whisky.Royal Salute, whose distillery dates back to 1801, is best known for being the only scotch whisky in the world with a lineup that begins from 21 years of maturity. The Royal Salute 21 Year Old was launched in 1953 to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, named after the traditional 21-gun salute.Making a twist to its rich heritage, the br

• 

  Arts&Design

  10-year-old Jeju Museum of Art prepares for next decade under new director

  With the Jeju Museum of Art celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Director Choi Jeong-ju, who was appointed in October, is looking to ensure transparency in the museum’s management and to offer quality programs. “The Jeju Museum of Art, which took off as a cultural platform for local artists and citizens, has taken firm roots here over the last 10 years. I think now is the time to prepare for the next 10 years,” Choi said in an email interview with The Korea Herald. 

• 

  Foreign Policy

  Yuji Hosaka on why Korea, Japan still spar over bygones

  Ambiguity over shared bitter history hit an inevitable wall, says Japanese-born Korean scholar

• 

  Technology

  How Facebook addresses beautification

  Facebook art producer Gulaya Pizarro says company takes great care to stop biased beauty standards from infecting new camera technologies

PHOTO NEWS

• Social affairs

  

  Where startup dreams come true

  With an aim to nurture startups and create an environment where startups can thrive, Seoul Metropolitan Government established Seoul Startup Hub in 2017. It’s designed as a place where investors, conglomerates, startups and consumers can interact and build networks. Seoul Startup Hub has since become a platform to help Koreans make their dreams of launching startups come true -- from planning to implementing their ideas -- as it provides professional consulting, lectures and prog

VIDEO

• Foreign Policy

  

  Views of South Koreans on boycotting Japanese products

  People in Korea have shown mixed reactions to deepening boycotts of Japanese products prompted by Tokyo’s sudden export controls of high-tech materials to South Korea. In a Realmeter survey of 506 respondents, 54.6 percent were in support of the boycott campaign. On Thursday, “NoNo Japan,” an online community displaying consumer brands and products originating from Japan, was temporarily inaccessible due to heavy traffic.“I’m aware that many are boycotting Japanese

• 

  Food

  Behind South Korea’s ‘fatcaron’ sensation

  Supersized with less sugar, Koreanized macarons may be far from authentic, but are ‘reasonable’ guilty pleasure

• 

  Food

  Behind jewelry shops, pairing pork, kimchi and oysters in Jongno

  Note: This is the last installment of the Seoul Food Alley series. Over the last two months, The Korea Herald has explored back alleys of Seoul, introducing clusters of restaurants specializing in local delicacies, including stir-fried baby octopus, tteokbokki, sundae and grilled meat. - Ed. Tucked away behind the shiny jewelry district of Jongno 3-ga are decades-old restaurants serving bossam, boiled pork wrapped in kimchi. Though bossam is widely enjoyed in Korea, the restaurants here a

• 

  Food

  Tender, sweet spareribs at Seongsu-dong

  Seoul’s alleys are filled with eateries specializing in particular dishes. The Korea Herald takes you on a foodie trip to narrow alleys where decades-old establishments beckon diners with their secret recipes, often handed down through generations. -- Ed.Going out for grilled meat is always a treat, especially if you can sit outside in the nice early summer weather.Seongsu-dong Galbi Alley, situated near Seoul Forest in eastern Seoul, allows diners to grill meat outside. Tables and chairs

MOST POPULAR

• Song-Song couple divorces without division of property: Song Hye-kyo’s agency
• Boycott of Japanese goods, services spreads rapidly
• Song Hye-kyo, Song Joong-ki’s divorce final: court
• Korea to make all-out efforts to lift Japan’s export restrictions
• 37 malatang restaurants fail health inspections in June: ministry
• Former ambassador to Ethiopia convicted of rape
• Samsung seeks to diversify smartphone display, battery suppliers
• South Korea’s war on plastic gains momentum
• 4 dead, 12 injured in overturned van in Gangwon Province
• Views of South Koreans on boycotting Japanese products

FEATURES

• Music

  

  Offering classical music to more in Seoul

  With tickets to classical music concerts typically around 100,000 won ($85), and sometimes triple that for big-name performers, prices have been a major barrier to widening the audience for classical music.To lower that barrier, organizations hold concerts for free or at a relatively affordable price, sponsored by the government or companies. These outreach concerts often feature pieces with a wide appeal and recognition, even among people unfamiliar with classical musicConcerts move out of conc

• 

  Industry

  Calm, steady approach needed to tackle Japan’s export curbs: SK chief Chey

  KCCI chief urges political unity to support Moon on trade dispute 　

• 

  Economy

  ‘Sagging economy’ faces 2nd rebound in dollar, oil

  SEJONG -- Prices of the US dollar and gasoline directly affect a large proportion of South Korean businesses and households in terms of manufacturing costs and purchasing power.While monetary authorities sometimes have intervened in the foreign exchange market and hamper the cheap dollar in an attempt to promote exports, the greenback’s current strong position versus the Korean won suggests the local economy has been sagging.Simultaneously, a hike in international prices of crude oil, whic

• 

  Economy

  Portion of pessimists over economy hits record: poll

  SEJONG -- A large proportion of self-employed people have closed their businesses and joined the growing number of jobless people over the past two years. Simultaneously, the state payment of unemployment benefits has climbed to an all-time high.The Moon government started providing some young jobless people with 3 million won ($2,540) for six months per individual, while the number of people who lost jobs has been drastically increasing among those in their early 50s, 40s and late 30s. The

WEEKENDER

• Culture

  

  Better at night

  Guide on what to do on summer nights

• 

  More sports

  What to watch out for at FINA World Championships

  The 18th FINA World Aquatics Championships kick off a 17-day run in the southwestern city of Gwangju, Friday, a biennial meet of the world’s swimming and diving stars. Taking place at five different venues in Gwangju and nearby Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, through July 28, this year’s event is the largest ever, with 2,639 athletes from 194 countries participating. Here are some of the interesting storylines to follow.  A prelude to 2020 Tokyo Olympics With a year to go until th

• 

  Food

  The dessert craze

  Dessert shops proliferate in Seoul as young Koreans find solace in fancy delicacies

• 

  Life&Style

  The price of a good night’s sleep

  It is well-known that South Koreans work too much and don’t get enough sleep. But as more Koreans become aware of the impact of sleep deprivation on health, memory, work productivity and other aspects of life, they are more willing to invest in a good night’s sleep. Among them is Kang Hyo-jung, an office worker in Bucheon, west of Seoul. Sleeping around six to seven hours daily on weekdays, she struggles to get up in the morning, though she needs to head out by 7:30 a.m. for a one-ho