The results of last week’s US presidential election shocked much of the world. Ahead of the vote, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris appeared tied, but Trump ended up winning by a comfortable margin, both in the popular vote and the Electoral College. Anger over inflation and a desire for change were too much for Harris to overcome in her short campaign. Republicans also took the majority in the Senate and narrowly held their majority in the House of Representat

With former US President Donald Trump having prevailed in his bid for a second nonconsecutive term, a host of effects are hitting countries across the globe, and South Korea is no exception. In particular, Seoul’s financial markets are fluctuating amid growing concerns about future shocks linked to Trump’s trade policies. The main bourse Kospi tumbled below the 2,500 level to close at 2,482.57 on Tuesday, down 1.94 percent from the previous day. Investors also worried about the weake

Samsung Electronics and its largest labor union reached a preliminary agreement on a 5.1 percent pay increase Thursday, officials said, paving the way for ending stalled wage negotiations that have involved a weekslong strike. The tech giant and the National Samsung Electronics Union -- which represents 31,000 workers, or about 24 percent of the company's workforce -- have held multiple rounds of talks since January over the wage increase rate, vacation systems and bonuses without avail. Th

A regional court on Thursday fined the wife of opposition leader Lee Jae-myung 1.5 million won ($1,070) for providing free meals during her husband's run in the party primary to select the candidate for the 2022 presidential election. Kim Hye-kyung, wife of Democratic Party of Korea Chair Lee, was indicted after providing meals worth 104,000 won to the wives of three former and current party lawmakers and three of her aides at a restaurant in Seoul in August 2021, shortly after Lee declar

South Korea's consul general in New York has offered to step down amid growing criticism from the opposition party in Seoul over his personal ties to first lady Kim Keon Hee. In a statement released to media on Wednesday (New York time), Kim Euy-whan said he had already submitted his resignation to the foreign ministry on Oct. 26, following the parliamentary audit where he came under intense scrutiny from opposition party lawmakers. Kim denied that his connection to the first lady was the r

Delivery platforms and their partnered restaurants reached an agreement Thursday on reducing controversial commission fees to 2 to 7.8 percent from the current 9.8 percent starting next year, officials said. The decision came in the 12th round of a meeting held by a government consultative body overseeing the discussions, attended by representatives from Baedal Minjok, or Baemin, as well as smaller competitors Coupang Eats and Yogiyo, along with small business owners registered with these platfo

South Koreans who suffered damage from trash-filled balloons launched by North Korea will now be eligible for compensation. The National Assembly on Thursday passed changes to the laws on civil defense to allow the victims of damage caused by North Korea's trash balloons to seek compensation from the government. Under the revised laws, the government can provide partial or full compensation for those who suffered harm to their health or property as a result of the North Korean balloons. Nor

South Korea's National Assembly on Thursday passed a revision to permit undercover investigations of digital sex crimes targeting adults, in a move to curb the spread of deepfake sexual images rampant online. At a plenary session of the 300-member National Assembly, the bill to revise the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes earned 272 votes in favor out of 273 lawmakers present. The bill expands the range of undercover police investigations from those targeting childr

A gallery dedicated to the Joseon-era (1392-1910) book of rites compiling royal ceremonies and protocols, called “Uigwe,” opened at the state-run National Museum of Korea on Thursday. The Oegyujanggak Uigwe Gallery, named after a royal library built on Ganghwa Island off the west coast in 1782 by King Jeongjo, represents NMK’s shift in focus from history to art, according to Director General Kim Jae-hong. “Uigwe shows how our culture achieves balance through calligraphy a

A bill to appoint a special counsel to investigate President Yoon Suk Yeol’s wife Kim Keon Hee passed the National Assembly on Thursday. All 191 lawmakers present voted to pass the bill, which was tabled by the opposition Democratic Party of Korea. The entire ruling People Power Party abstained from casting a ballot. This was the third time a bill for a special counsel to investigate the first lady has been put to vote at the Assembly. The last two times the bill passed, the president veto

Cho Byung-jae, former chancellor of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy for training diplomats, says many watchers of the US presidential election in Seoul were caught off guard by Donald Trump’s victory because of a failure to grasp shifts in US conservatism. He was speaking at the Security Forum 2024 co-hosted by The Korea Herald at the National Assembly in Seoul on Wednesday. “Most election forecasts got it wrong this time again, like how they got it wrong in 2016 and then in 20

NewJeans surpassed 200 million views on YouTube with the music video for “Hype Boy,” said agency Ador Thursday. The video reached the milestone Wednesday and is the third from the group to do so, after those for “OMG” and “Super Shy.” The video, shot in a long take to highlight the performance, was their first to hit the 100-million mark on the platform. “Hype Boy” is one of the main tracks from the group's eponymous debut album that took the

Viva Republica, the operator of mobile financial service Toss, posted record-high revenue in the July-September period, gaining traction for a potential US listing. According to the company on Thursday, its third-quarter revenue soared 47.5 percent to 502.1 billion won ($356 million) from a year ago, largely buoyed by its diverse business portfolio ranging from internet banking to digital brokerage. With the latest figure, the company's cumulative revenue this year stood at 1.41 trillion wo

A pastor who embezzled 367 million won ($261,063) in church funds, including offerings made by church members, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, according to a court ruling on Thursday. The Seoul Northern District Court said it handed down the prison term last Thursday on charges of embezzlement and breach of trust. The defendant, who served as head pastor at a church in Seoul, is accused of misappropriating church funds for personal expenses between 2010 and 2020. With the pocketed funds, t

NewJeans members reassured fans after issuing an ultimatum to Ador that they would terminate their exclusive contracts if certain demands, including former CEO Min Hee-jin’s reinstatement, were not met. “Just in case, do not worry about us. Everyone has an important stage in their lives and for us, it’s just now. Don’t worry about us when taking the test,” Hanni of NewJeans shared on the fan community app Phoning on Wednesday, a day ahead of Korea's college ent

A second Donald Trump administration is expected to bring a slew of uncertainties to the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, which calls for Seoul to bolster its alliance with Washington and find a key role in the US’ potential policy shifts, experts pointed out Wednesday. During a panel discussion at the Korea Herald Security Forum titled "Alliance After US Election 2024: A Seoul Perspective" held at the National Assembly in Seoul, four experts addressed looming concerns

As US President-elect Donald Trump’s second term augurs the resurgence of his "America First" policy, a consistent message resonated at a timely Korea Herald forum: Seoul must forge a strategic pivot, carefully balancing its role as a US ally with its own autonomy and core interests. At the “Alliance After the US Election 2024: A Seoul Perspective” security forum held Wednesday at the National Assembly Museum, a pressing question took center stage: How can South Korea

Reflecting growing interest in major foreign policy changes anticipated in the United States ahead of Donald Trump's return to the White House as well as the recent tension between the two Koreas, the Korea Herald Security Forum, held Wednesday in Seoul, brought together 21 ambassadors and diplomats from 35 embassies. The top envoys attending The Korea Herald’s Security Forum said efforts are needed to maintain strong ties among allies and partner countries for better security and s

United States President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House next year signals the possibility that parts of the South Korea-US alliance or regional security-related matters could be negotiated away. South Korea must brace for any attempt by Trump to do so, even when dealing with nuclear-armed North Korea and its leader, Kim Jong-un, said Chung Duck-koo, founder and chair of Seoul-based think tank North East Asia Research Foundation, on Wednesday. "The Korea-US alliance is ne

A quality musical production begins with great music. Often, the songs can feel similar across different shows. However, "Lizzie," "Zorro: Actor-Musician" and "Gwanghwamun Love Song" stand out for their distinctive musical styles, offering audiences a refreshing experience. 'Lizzie': Feel the rock vibe “Lizzie” is inspired by the true story of Lizzie Borden, accused of brutally murdering her father and stepmother with an ax in the late summ