• 

  Social affairs

  Ultrafine dust chokes Korea, cold spell expected late Wednesday

  South Korea was blanketed by a high level of particulate pollution Tuesday, prompting emergency dust reduction measures for the first time this winter and an ultrafine dust advisory issued in the afternoon. The implementation of emergency measures was extended into Wednesday with the high level of PM 2.5 -- ultrafine particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter -- expected to continue across the country due to the stagnant air over the peninsula and the inflow of particles from abroad.Se

• Industry
  

  Daewoo Group founder Kim Woo-choong dies at 82

  Once admired tycoon Kim Woo-choong disgraced in later years after fraud verdict

• Social affairs
  

  ‘Unchecked prosecution a threat to democracy’

  A prosecution with only the power to indict is what we see in developed countries, Hwang Un-hah, the commissioner of the Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency, said Monday.“Besides indicting, our prosecutors go on investigating numerous cases they either shouldn’t or needn’t,” Hwang said at an event marking the release of his book, which explores the much-debated matter of prosecutorial reform.Hwang stressed that checks and balances guarantee transparency and accountability,

• North Korea
  

  North Korea to declare end of dialogue with US: expert

  North Korea is expected to declare a suspension of its nuclear talks with the US as the regime has already decided to beef up its military capability and accelerate self-development of the economy next year, experts said on Tuesday.During a press conference hosted by Institute for Far Eastern Studies, experts offered a pessimistic outlook on North Korea’s relations with the US and South Korea due to the packed domestic politics in 2020 in each country, such as the presidential election in

• Technology
  

  SK Telecom launches 5G autonomous platform for vessels

  SK Telecom announced Tuesday the mobile carrier has established an autonomous sailing platform for vessels based on its 5G network in collaboration with Samsung Heavy Industries, expanding the concept of autonomous operation to ships. The telecom company worked with Samsung’s shipbuilding unit at its shipyard in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province. Using the SKT 5G network established at the shipyard, the mobile carrier tested its autonomous and remote control platform connected to 3.3-meter-

• Social affairs
  

  Korea to bolster protection for foreigners on ‘entertainment visas’

  South Korea will introduce measures to protect foreign workers in the entertainment industry starting next year, the Ministry of Justice said Tuesday. The ministry said the new measures will apply to foreigners holding the E-6 visa, a long-term work visa for the culture and entertainment sectors, effective from Jan. 1, 2020. Proxy applications will no longer be allowed for stay permit evaluations, the duration of visits will be shortened from a year to six months, and confirmation of health insu

NEWSMAKER

• Music

  

  Big Hit denies rumored disputes with BTS

  Big Hit Entertainment has denied a recent report that the agency and BTS have been in dispute over profit distribution and the renewal of a contract. On Monday, broadcast station JTBC’s “News Room” aired a report that said the band and its members’ parents have been looking into taking legal action against the agency. A few hours after the news was broadcast, the agency released a statement saying, “The report is groundless.” “BTS and the members&rs

LATEST NEWS

• Today

  

  Politics

  National Assembly passes 512.3 tln-won budget bill

  The National Assembly on Tuesday passed next year's budget bill, worth 512.3 trillion won (US$ 429.9 billion), after fierce partisan strife.The government had proposed a 2020 budget worth 513.5 trillion won, but the ruling Democratic Party put forward the revision bill after consultations with four minor opposition parties.  The national budget for 2020 would increase 9.1 percent from this year.The main opposition Liberty Korea Party presented its own revision bill worth 499.2 trillion won

• Today

  

  Soccer

  S. Korea draw 0-0 with China in Bell's coaching debut at East Asian women's football tourney

  South Korea played China to a scoreless draw to open an East Asian women's football tournament at home on Tuesday, unable to deliver a win in Englishman Colin Bell's coaching debut with the Taeguk Ladies.The two Asian sides had few serious chances to kick off with a win at the women's competition of the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Football Championship at Busan Gudeok Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. South Korea, world No. 20, now have four wins, six draws and 2

• Today

  

  Sports

  S. Korean football champions to face Japanese, Australian league winners at AFC Champions League

  Reigning South Korean professional football champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors will face league winners from Japan and Australia at a continental club tournament next year.The draw for the 2020 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League took place in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, the 2019 K League 1 champions, were placed in Group H with Yokohama F. Marinos and Sydney FC. The one remaining spot in the group will be filled by a playoff winner. Yokohama won their four

• Today

  

  Technology

  Samsung's foundry biz to grow 19 pct on-year in Q4: report

  Samsung Electronics is expected to see 19 percent on-year growth in its foundry business in the fourth quarter of the year, a market report showed Tuesday, though the performance will not be enough to narrow the market share gap with industry leader Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).  Samsung's foundry business was projected to log US$3.4 billion in revenue in the October-December period, up 19.3 percent from a year earlier, according to market tracker TrendForce. 

• Today

  

  Social affairs

  [News Brief] Assault case involving S. Korean and Chinese students ends without prosecution

  The South Korean and Chinese students booked for hitting each other were released without prosecution, the Seodaemun Police Station said Tuesday. Neither student sought punishment of the other.The police said they closed the assault case last month.On Nov. 19, the two Myeongji University students were reported to the police for getting into a physical fight over putting up posters concerning pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. The Korean student had tried to stop the Chinese student from coveri

More Stories

SPOTLIGHT

• K-pop

  

  ‘Virtual Play’: Genie Music VR service lets you see Mamamoo up-close

  Streaming service Genie Music launched a new virtual reality-powered video service on Tuesday with girl group Mamamoo’s ultra-high resolution performances as the platform’s first project.The Korean streaming giant’s new platform, dubbed “Virtual Play,” uses all the latest VR technology to present a 360-degree, 3D, 8K ultrahigh resolution experience.  Speaking at a press conference in Seoul, Cho Hoon, CEO of Genie Music, explained the name was inspired by the co

• 

  Culture

  Exhibition reveals imperial life of Qing Dynasty

  The National Palace Museum of Korea is holding the exhibition “Treasures from the Shenyang Palace Museum,” featuring national treasures and relics from the Chinese museum in Shenyang. The Shenyang Imperial Palace was the official residence of Nurhaci and Hong Taiji, the founder of the Later Jin Dynasty and Nurhaci’s son, who built the Qing Dynasty (1644 to 1911). After the capital was relocated from Shenyang to Beijing, the Shenyang Imperial Palace remained a secondary capital.

• 

  Film

  With Golden Globe nominations under its belt, ‘Parasite’ eyeing more

  It was recently announced that Bong Joon-ho’s Palme d’Or-winning “Parasite” was nominated for the upcoming 77th Golden Globe Awards, vying for best motion picture screenplay, best foreign-language motion picture and best director of a motion picture. As this is the first time a South Korean film has been nominated for one of the most prestigious film awards in the US, local fans are wondering how deep a mark the satirical black comedy will make in cinematic history, and i

• 

  Music

  U2’s 1st outing in Seoul a gift after long wait

  As incredible as it sounds, U2 -- one of biggest names in rock history -- has never had a huge following in Korea. The disparity between the band’s international fame and popularity in Korea, among other things, has prevented U2 fans in the country from enjoying the group’s music live. That was until the Seoul leg of the Joshua Tree Tour 2019 in Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Sunday, held in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of one of their best-received albums, “The Joshua T

GRAPHIC NEWS

• 

EDITORIAL

• Task ahead

  Chief economic policymaker should carry forward crucial reform to reinvigorate the economy

• Keep innovation alive

  Ride-sharing service doomed; Alternative way must be found to foster competition

VIEWPOINTS

THE INVESTOR

• Mobile & Internet

  

  Korean investors turn to real estate, less interested in stock market

  Korean investors have been turning their attention toward the real estate market, reflected in an increase in mortgage lending, while cash flows in the equity market have been overall stagnant, recent data showed. According to data released by the Bank of Korea last month, the outstanding balance of mortgage loans held by banks and other financial institutions here came to a combined 830.3 trillion won ($700.5 billion) as of September. The latest data is a noteworthy jump from the corresponding

• 

  Startups & Investors

  Techstars Korea to accept applications for 1st batch through March 2020

  Global startup accelerator Techstars said it would accept applications for its first South Korea-focused accelerator program through March 1, 2020 to tap into the tech-savvy nation’s large pool of talents in a landscape firmly supported by the government. The first phase of the accelerator program, co-hosted by Techstars and Hillstone Partners, will select 10 startups mainly dedicated to three categories -- enterprise technology, human-device interaction and lifestyle tech -- said Lee Eun-

• 

  Bio & Medicine

  Celltrion presents Truxima’s results of phase 3 clinical trials in US forum

  Celltrion announced on Dec. 9 that it has disclosed its biosimilar Truxima’s results of phase 3 clinical trial at the 2019 annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology last week.“The clinical trials were conducted among patients in European countries including Germany, Spain and Russia as well as Asian countries like Japan for 40 months,” a Celltrion official said in a statement. More than 17,000 experts of blood diseases from over 100 countries attended the meetin

• 

  LG

  LG Chem, GM deal ups ante in EV battery competition

  The recent announcement for a joint venture between South Korean battery maker LG Chem and US carmaker General Motors has upped the ante in the global competition to secure lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, according to industry sources on Dec.8. The 2.7 trillion won ($2.3 billion) joint venture for an EV battery factory with production capacity of over 30 gigawatt hours per year in Lordstown, Ohio, was clinched amid GM’s ongoing transition from combustion engine cars to electri

K-POP

• 

  Big Hit denies report it is in profit dispute with BTS

• 

  ‘Virtual Play’: Genie Music VR service lets you see Mamamoo up-close

• 

  BTS performs at 2019 Jingle Ball

• 

  BTS' Suga releases collaboration with Halsey

HERALD INTERVIEW

• People

  

  ‘Koreans are like the Latin people of Asia’

  Fitness guru says people can celebrate life through Zumba

• 

  Industry

  Electricity market competition, price hike needed for green energy expansion

  South Korea’s efforts to tackle environmental issues related to power generation using conventional technologies are no longer sustainable, and the only way forward -- apart from expanding renewable energy -- is to allow private operators in the sector which is now controlled by state firms, according to Korea Energy Economics Institute President Cho Yong-sung.“Korea should now ponder whether its energy market needs to embrace a free market mechanism in a new era driven by renewable

• 

  People

  Women’s colleges relevant in world where men enjoy privileges

  What is the relevance of a women’s college today? “The world is still a place where males have tremendous privileges. Smith is an intervention,” said Kathleen McCartney, president of Smith College, a private women’s liberal arts college in Massachusetts, in an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul on Nov. 22.“What I hear from alumnae is that they found their voice at Smith,” said McCartney, who was in Seoul as part of an Asian tour, meeting with alumnae and

• 

  Industry

  China’s No. 1 aesthetic laser firm sees Korea as bridge to Asian markets

  Israeli company Alma Lasers, a leading player in China’s skin rejuvenation market, is undertaking an aggressive expansion into South Korea, viewing the country as a strategic market for its brand image. “Korea is a very important market. Being here is not only for revenue -- this is a market that we believe is a bridge to other markets in Asia,” said Lior Dayan, CEO of Sisram Medical, Alma’s parent company, in a conference call interview with The Korea Herald. “When

PHOTO NEWS

• Travel

  

  Once a ghetto, now tourist hot spot

  Gamcheon Culture Village, a hilltop village in Busan’s Saha district, is a tourist hot spot, drawing an increasing number of visitors.Camera-toting tourists from Korea and elsewhere explore terraced rows of small houses, painted in pastel colors, and labyrinth-like alleys, with some so narrow only one person can pass at a time. The town has hidden gems as well -- murals, sculptures, installation art, galleries and eateries.Among its recent visitors was Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who

VIDEO

• People

  

  ‘Koreans are like the Latin people of Asia’

  Fitness guru says people can celebrate life through Zumba

• 

  Diplomatic Circuit

  Paris looks to Korea’s technology, startups for cooperation: French ambassador

  Video shot and edited by Kim So-meeIn South Korea, France is known predominantly for its rich history, sophisticated culture and luxury brands. But take a deeper look into the history between the two countries, and traces of France can be found across South Korea’s core industries.In the digital era, Paris is seeking to bolster cooperation with Seoul in the field of technology and startups, the top French diplomat in Seoul said. “In France, I think we have missed the beginning of thi

• 

  Film

  Ryan Reynolds says ‘6 Undergrounds’ shows how times are changing

  For decades, big-budget Hollywood blockbusters have been linked to the silver screen.But the upcoming release of Michael Bay’s “6 Underground” by global streaming giant Netflix is a reminder that the movie distribution industry is changing fast. “I’ve been lucky enough to work in this business for 25 years now, and I don’t think I’ve worked on a movie of this scale and scope. Just the fact that they’re bringing this to Netflix is a real sign of the

• 

  Travel

  While in Busan, don’t miss 2 things: Excitement and adventure

  The Korea Herald’s intern reporters visited Busan -- the host city of the 2019 ASEAN-ROK summit -- as it was getting boisterous and busy for the international event. Busan has, among other things, stunning mountains and narrow back alleys. It has lustrous coastlines with seagulls and sand. The city is also famous for scorching hot springs and heavenly seafood. Busan is, without doubt, a rollicking port metropolis offering many wonderful things to visitors.From casual cart bars to voguish d

MOST POPULAR

• Foreign worker in Pocheon found dead, stabbed in neck
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• ‘Koreans are like the Latin people of Asia’
• Koreans consider W3.9b in assets as threshold to be wealthy
• S. Korea’s workforce to see steepest decline among key economies: WTO
• US, North Korea on collision course as New Year deadline looms
• Number of Seoulites residing alone up 300,000 in 10 years
• Ultrafine dust chokes Korea, cold spell expected late Wednesday
• N. Korea blasts Trump's warning, says it has nothing more to lose
• Secret love story between Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin takes place in North Korea

FEATURES

• People

  

  Frank penguin becomes new star of year, breaks stereotype of EBS characters

  A 210-centimeter-tall penguin walks into a room for an audition at Educational Broadcasting System, insisting he wants to be a star creator. The penguin, who has a strand of seaweed and a seashell on its head, explains that he swam all the way from the South Pole. The 10-year-old’s ultimate goal is to become as popular as BTS.Speaking in a cute -- sometimes husky -- voice, Pengsoo raps, breakdances and even yodels -- a skill he picked up in Switzerland on his way to Korea. When the judges

• 

  Social affairs

  Number of Seoulites residing alone up 300,000 in 10 years

  SEJONG -- The number of residents in Seoul stood at 9.73 million as of November 2019, according to the Ministry of Interior and Safety. This is estimated to be the lowest figure in more than 30 years.Given unofficial statistics showing that Seoul was home to 9.2 million in 1983 and 10.28 million in 1988, the current population level is assumed to be similar to that seen in the years between 1984 and 1987.Compared to the figure of 10.21 million in November 2009, the population of the capital of S

• 

  Technology

  LG Chem, GM deal ups ante in EV battery competition

  The Friday announcement for a joint venture between South Korean battery maker LG Chem and US carmaker General Motors has upped the ante in the global competition to secure lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, according to industry sources on Sunday. The 2.7 trillion won ($2.3 billion) joint venture for an EV battery factory with production capacity of over 30 gigawatt hours per year in Lordstown, Ohio, was clinched amid GM’s ongoing transition from combustion engine cars to electr

• 

  Finance

  Unlisted stock market gains momentum with attention to startups

  Interest in unlisted stocks is projected to further grow as there are no other alternatives to Kosdaq and Konex

WEEKENDER

• Music

  

  Hot to trot

  Oldest style of Korean pop undergoing resurgence

• 

  Culture

  Kimchi season

  Health benefits of Korea’s beloved fermented side dish range from anti-cancer to weight control to hair growth

• 

  Food&Beverage

  A culinary journey to Asian neighbors

  Southeast Asian cuisines come marching into the Korean food scene