Samsung Heavy Industries Co., a major South Korean shipyard, said Friday it has secured a 420 billion-won ($380 million) deal to build two LNG carriers, marking the first contract in almost one year.The deal with a European customer came as local shipyards are suffering from a sharp decline in new orders amid a protracted industrywide slump.Samsung Heavy is also set to win more deals valued at a combined 3 trillion won, including from a contract to build offshore facilities.Samsung Heavy is targ

North Korea's exports of coal to China reached a record high on a monthly basis last month despite sanctions imposed following a series of nuclear and missile tests, as the reclusive nation cut prices to boost its shipment to its strongest ally, a report showed on Friday.According to the Korea International Trade Association, the North's exports of coal to China amounted to 2.46 million tons last month, the biggest since 1998 when related data began to be compiled.The August figure marks a 35 pe

Some 670,000 households were unable to pay their electricity bill this year as of July, a report from the state energy supplier showed Friday, a tally that may increase after record summer heat is estimated to have jacked up the bill from using air conditioning.The report, submitted by the Korea Electric Power Corp. to the National Assembly energy committee, said 670,000 households owed 83.1 billion won ($75.8 million) in unpaid power bills during the first seven months of this year. The number

A South Korean opposition lawmaker said Friday most cases of abuse against senior citizens are committed by their sons, urging the government to come up with protective measures amid the country's aging population.According to the data compiled by Rep. In Jae-keun of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea, sons were responsible for around40 percent of reported elderly abuses over the 2011-2015 period, trailed by spouses with 13.9 percent and daughters with 12.3 percent.There were 50,579 cases

할리우드 스타 킴 카다시안 (35)은 파격적인 노출 의상으로 유명하다.　　킴은 지난 29일 랩퍼 남편 칸예 웨스트와 함께한 파리 패션 위크에서 또다시 충격적인 의상을 선보여 미국 연예 매체를 달궜다.　 (사진=킴 카다시안 인스타그램)　그는 하루에 세 번 의상을 갈아 입고 카메라 앞에 서는 기행을 보였다. 맨 몸에 망사만 걸친 듯 아슬아슬한 드레스와 속옷을 입지 않은 채 걸친 얇은 튜브 탑 등 과감하고 논란성 있는 의상으로 시선을 모았다. 　(사진=킴 카다시안 인스타그램)　올 해 파리 패션 위크는 이달 27일부터 30일까지 진행된다.　　킴과 칸예에겐 세살배기 딸 노쓰 웨스트 (North West)와 돌을 넘긴 아들 세인트 웨스트 (Saint West)가 있다.　　과거 킴은 힐튼가 상속녀 패리스 힐튼의 패션 스타일리스트로 일한 바 있다.　(사진=킴 카다시안 인스타그램)(사진=킴 카다시안 인스타그램)(사진=킴 카다시안 인스타그램)(사진=킴 카다시안 인스타그램)　(khnews@heraldc

Top leaders of Samsung Electronics Co. and Japanese telecommunications giant SoftBank Corp. met in Seoul Thursday to discuss cooperation in areas including Internet of Things technology, sources said.Lee Jae-yong, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, met with SoftBank Chairman Masayoshi Son at the Samsung office in Seocho Ward earlier in the day for talks about the semiconductor industry and IoT technology, which connects objects to the Internet and allows them to send and receive data, accordi

A rush hour commuter train crashed through a barrier at the busy Hoboken station and lurched across the waiting area Thursday morning, killing one person and injuring more than 100 others in a grisly wreck that renewed questions about whether long-delayed automated safety technology could have prevented tragedy.People pulled chunks of concrete off pinned and bleeding victims, passengers kicked out windows and crawled to safety and cries and screams could be heard in the wreckage as emergency wor

North Korea's gross domestic product per capita surpassed $1,000 for the first time last year despite heavy sanctions imposed following a series of nuclear and missile tests, a Seoul-based think tank said Thursday. Hyundai Research Institute estimated North Korea's nominal GDP per capita at $1,013 in 2015, up from $930 from the previous year, based on its own income analysis model. The reclusive state's nominal GDP reached $986 in 1987, but has since declined to around $650 in the early 2000s. 

Unionized workers of South Korea's subway service ended their three-day strike Thursday after reaching a compromise with management on the implementation of a performance-based pay system.Seoul's subway labor unions will end their walkout as of 6 p.m., three days after they launched the first joint strike with the railway union in 22 years, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said.Thursday's deal calls for the managements and unions under the city government to seek an agreement on the adoption of

　The Security and Public Administration Committee revealed Thursday the locations in Seoul were traffic accidents occurred most last year.  　　The Yeongdeungpo intersection in eastern Seoul witnessed 44 accidents which injured 61 people, followed by Kyobo Tower intersection in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu with 43 accidents injuring 56 people, and Sillim intersection with 42 accidents which resulted in one death and injured 62 people. 　　However, the numbers tallied slightly differently when the time

South Korea's leading drugmaker Hanmi Pharmaceutical Co. said Thursday that it has signed a $910 million deal with Zentec Pharmaceuticals to export the technology for its self-developed anti-cancer substance.The deal calls for Hanmi to provide Zenetec with its technology for producing and commercializing "HM95573," an inhibitor that targets cancer cells, the South Korean drugmaker said.Sales rights throughout the world, excluding South Korea, are also to be transferred to the Canadian company sh

South Korea's antitrust watchdog said Thursday that it has imposed a fine of 7.17 billion won ($6.5 million) on CJ CGV, the country's largest cinema chain, for awarding a lucrative deal to its affiliate headed by the younger brother of CJ Group Chairman Lee Jay-hyun.The Fair Trade Commission also said it has referred CJ CGV to the prosecution for further investigation.CJ CGV is accused of terminating advertising deals with its existing business partner and awarding the lucrative deals to JS Comm

Cash-strapped Hanjin Shipping Co. said Thursday that it has secured a 60 billion won ($54.6 million) loan from its largest shareholder, Korean Air Lines Co., which will be used to resolve unpaid fees for chartered ships and help its stranded container vessels unload cargo.With the loan, Hanjin Shipping, which is currently under receivership, has raised a total of 110 billion won in cash, including 40 billion won from the personal account of Cho Yang-ho, chairman of the Hanjin Group, the parent c

일본 자동차 회사 닛산이 움직이는 식당 줄 대기석을 개발해 판매를 곧 시작할 예정이다.　　지난 27일 유튜브를 통해 공개된 내용에 따르면 이 자동화 대기석은 ‘프로파일럿’ 기술을 접목시킨 아이디어 상품으로, 본래는 자동차간 충돌을 막기 위해 자동으로 간격을 지켜주는 용도로 사용된다. 　(유튜브)　닛산은 식당에 자리가 생기길 기다리며 대기하는 고객의 편의를 위해 ‘프로파일럿’을 응용해 컨베이어 벨트와 같은 대기 좌석을 만든 것이다. 　　이 좌석은 센서로 앉은 이의 유무를 감지하고 자동으로 움직이며 재배열된다. 　　　　음식점들은 닛산의 사회공유망서비스(SNS)를 통해 좌석 도입을 신청할 수 있다.　　또한, 박물관에도 걸어 다닐 필요 없이 움직이는 의자에 앉은 채 모든 예술품을 관람할 수 있도록 할 수 있다.　　프로파일럿 의자는 닛산 요코하마 본부에 29일부터 나흘간 전시된다.　　(khnews@heraldcorp.com)　

운전 중이던 당뇨 환자가 혈당 저하로 의식을 잃어 죽을 위기에 처한 것을 용감히 구해낸 경찰이 표창장을 받았다. 　　영국 BBC는 28일 (현지시간) 레스터 지역 한 경찰이 비틀거리는 차량 속 정신을 잃은 운전자를 확인하고 자신의 자동차로 주행 경로를 막아 사고를 방지한 소식을 전했다. 　　사건은 지난 4월 11일 발생했다.　(유튜브)　BBC에 따르면 경찰 다니엘 패티슨 (Daniel Pattison) 은 순찰 중 심상치 않은 움직임을 보이는 차 속 여성 운전자가 고개를 뒤로 어 천장을 바라본 채 의식 불명인 것을 보았다.　　뒷좌석에는 18개월 아이가 함께 타고 있었다.　　패티슨은 자신의 과속 중인 차 앞을 용감히 가로막아 여성과 아이를 구했다.　　신원을 밝히지 않을 것을 요청한 여성은 의식을 찾고 경황을 전해 들은 후 “(패티슨이) 도와주지 않았더라면 나와 아이의 목숨이 위험했고 다른 인명 피해도 생길 수 있었을 것이다”며 고마움을 전했다.　　(khnews@heraldcorp.co

A North Korean soldier defected to South Korea on Thursday after crossing the border bisecting the two Koreas, Seoul's military said."He crossed the military demarcation line in the middle eastern sector at around 10 a.m. and defected to the South," Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. Questioning is under way to find out what caused him to flee to the South and how he made it over, it said. The military reportedly plans to hold follow-up questioning in collaboration with the Natio

Bank lending rates on new household loans slightly fell from a month earlier in August and interest paid by banks on new deposits also dropped, central bank data showed Thursday.The average interest rate on fresh household loans extended by local banks came to 2.95 percent last month, down 0.01 percentage point from the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea.The August reading marked the fifth consecutive month of drop.Lower rates could prompt households to borrow more money for investme

South Korea's Navy will build a speedier transport vessel in the next three years to counter growing threats from North Korea along the tense maritime border, a military official familiar with the matter said Thursday. "The plan is part of the government's efforts to beef up preparedness and combat capabilities against relentless provocations from the North along the tense sea border with North Korea," the official told Yonhap News Agency. Starting from 2020, the Navy aims to deploy the new high

South Korea's corporate hospitality culture is in a paradigm shift, just two days into the introduction of a draconian anti-corruption law.Local firms are bent on providing workers, especially those in charge of dealing with the government, the National Assembly and the press, with detailed legal information on the so-called Kim Young-ran Act, named after the former chief of the state anti-corruption body.They struggle to avoid the dishonor of becoming the first violators of the law either delib

South Korea kicked off a nationwide shopping event on Thursday with a variety of promotions, cultural and entertainment events to draw more shoppers at home and abroad and revive the sluggish domestic consumption.The massive shopping campaign called "Korea Sale Festa" runs until Oct. 9, involving major retailers, manufacturers and traditional markets, while cultural and entertainment programs for foreign travelers will be held throughout October. The shopping festival is jointly hosted by the Mi