Most Popular
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Yoon sorry for shortcomings but insists policies were right
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1 in 3 Koreans live alone, family types becoming diverse
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S. Korea ‘strongly’ protests Japan’s claim over Dokdo in diplomatic bluebook
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Korea, Japan finance chiefs vow to tame rampant FX market volatility
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US 'incredibly concerned' about suspected NK-Iran military ties
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Korean won weakens amid heightened uncertainty
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Seoul says will cut power to porn festival planned on Han River
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Sewol victims commemorated on tragedy's 10th anniversary
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K-pop group's manager dismissed for setting up spycam in theater dressing room
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Chanel, Louis Vuitton see muted growth in Korea
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[Herald Interview] Procurement sector should expand abroad: PPS administrator
Considering the limited size and full saturation of the local market, outstanding procurement companies are being encouraged to create opportunities in overseas markets. And it is the government’s role to guide them to success, according to the chief of South Korea’s procurement office.“Our mission is not only to procure and manage material resources for the public sector, but also to sort out capable procurement providers from the private sector and help them expand into the g
EconomyApril 25, 2018
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[Herald Interview] ‘Korea wise to embrace ASEAN’s unity-in-diversity mentality’
Korea should develop a holistic relationship with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and move beyond its mercantilist instincts toward a long-term, trust-based partnership, according to the new chief of the ASEAN-Korea Center. Lee Hyuk, formerly the South Korean ambassador to Vietnam and the Philippines, took helm of the intergovernmental organization entrusted with invigorating bilateral commerce, tourism and cultural exchanges in April. In an exclusive interview with The Korea Herald,
Diplomatic CircuitApril 23, 2018
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[Herald interview] Artists duo fascinated by nomadism of island
The Korea Herald interviewed Jane and Louise Wilson by e-mail. Following is an excerpt of the exchanges.The Korea Herald: What kind of project are you currently working on? Jane and Louise Wilson: We‘re here on Gapado Island to research a new photographic, film and sculpture project that will lead us to create a new installation and at the moment we have a working title “Undoings.” The work will inevitably represent an extension of our working practice already but we hope to eventually show the
CultureApril 16, 2018
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[Herald Interview] Kayak targets Korea’s travel market with one-stop solution
Finding the cheapest flights for a trip overseas can be a painstaking process. Many have experienced the agony of seeing the price of an airline ticket fall after purchasing it. Browsing online for the best travel deals can also be exhausting.With Koreans traveling more frequently than before, demand has risen for the most efficient way to land the cheapest tickets at the right time. Government statistics showed that at least 26 million people here traveled abroad in 2017, meaning that 50 percen
IndustryApril 16, 2018
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[Herald Interview] Woogie sets new trend by going off-trend
Just like top K-pop producers Park Jin-young and Brave Brothers who credit their songs with their own signature sounds -- “JYP” and “Brave Sound,” respectively -- Woogie is a versatile producer who uses his signature line “Woogie on and on” that is heard in many hip-hop tracks. As a producer signed under hip-hop label H1ghr Music, Woogie rose to fame by creating hits such as Loco’s “Still,” Jay Park’s “Stay With Me” and Sik-K’s “Ring Ring,” all of which are characterized by a laid-back sensitivi
PerformanceApril 15, 2018
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[Herald Interview] A transformation from model to shaman
Pang Eun-mi has chosen a very dramatic career change: from model to shaman. She is “mudang,” a modern-day shaman practicing Korea’s oldest folk religion.Skepticism lingers over the role and authenticity of Korean shamans who are known to harness their powers from nature. They allegedly interact with the dead, communicate with the spirit world and allocate the mysterious energies into the human world. Korean mudang also perform a ritual dance called “gut” to dispel evil spirits. Embattled individ
CultureApril 13, 2018
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[Herald Interview] Banksalad relieves financial information overload
The Korea Herald is publishing a series of interviews on promising startups in the financial technology industry. This is the 13th installment. - Ed.Despite having easy access to thousands of financial products in South Korea, as one of the world’s most wired countries, consumers often find most of them irrelevant and largely fail to figure out which offers the biggest financial advantage. In a bid to simplify the myriad of choices, former owner of a street food vender Kim Tae-hoon co-foun
MarketApril 12, 2018
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[Herald Interview] ‘Public diplomacy critical for peace in perilous times’
As the United States and North Korea gear up for a historic summit in May, exchanging views vigorously through public diplomacy is paramount in order to rationalize debates and reduce policy excesses, according to Korea Foundation President Lee Si-hyung. “Ahead of the Pyongyang-Seoul summit on April 27 and Pyongyang-Washington summit in May, only airtight cooperation between the US and Korea can strengthen their negotiating leverage and bring about the North’s substantive changes,” Lee told The
Diplomatic CircuitApril 9, 2018
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[Herald Interview] ‘Despite challenges, steel key for sustainable future’
After years of prosperity, the steel industry is facing slower demand due to market saturation and the increasing reuse of steel amid rising concerns over its impact on the environment. Director general of World Steel Association Edwin Basson (World Steel Association)Steelmakers around the world, however, should face these challenges and join efforts to convince customers that the metal product still remains the foundation of a sustainable future, said the head of World Steel, an organization re
IndustryApril 8, 2018
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[Herald Interview] Discovering new ways to farm and sell produce from rural Hwacheon
When the sun rises at 5 a.m., Song Ju-hee begins her day. After applying a lot of sunscreen on her face and wearing the most comfortable outfit she has, Song drives to her family’s farm in Hwacheon, Gangwon Province. She spends nearly 10 hours on the farm, where she grows corn, perilla, chili pepper and watermelon.The 29-year-old farmer also runs a company named Neorean, which makes about 100 million won ($94,000) in annual sales by producing bottles of perilla and sesame oils. Song is regarded
PeopleApril 6, 2018
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[Herald Interview] Winner says it has never stopped growing
A K-pop idol act’s full-length album means more than just setting out another promotional cycle, especially if it is packed with 12 self-created tracks. Four members of Winner, a prominent K-pop boy band under YG Entertainment, was confident in that the act’s second full-length album “EVERYD4Y” was a result of its continuous efforts to reinvent and hone themselves.“For the last few years since our debut, there was no single time we have stopped to become better Winner. I can confidently say that
PerformanceApril 5, 2018
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[Herald Interview] ‘Strong foundation of mother tongue important in learning English’
Korean parents’ emphasis on education, in particular their keen interest in early English language education, are well-known. Teaching children a foreign language while they are still learning their first language may raise concerns. However, Stacy Molnar, the head of the elementary school at St. Johnsbury Academy on Jeju Island, said it is crucial to build a foundation for children’s mother tongue in order for them to more effectively learn another language.St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju Elementary
Social AffairsApril 2, 2018
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[Herald Interview] ‘Career at ICRC immensely rewarding, gratifying’
Boris Michel, a Swiss citizen working as regional director for the Asia-Pacific region at the International Committee of the Red Cross, believes he grew up in a “privileged environment where the culture of neutrality, consensus and altruism” piqued his interest in humanitarian work.“A lawyer by training, I have learned quickly that a society without rules and principles can lead to abuse and suffering,” he told The Korea Herald last week, adding he has worked in conflict zones in Africa, Central
Diplomatic CircuitApril 2, 2018
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[Herald Interview] ‘Small is beautiful’
It was over a meal with a foreign friend that Yeol Chairwoman Kim Young-M’Young’s interest in conserving Korean culture was sparked. Today, what originated from three friends brainstorming has grown into a non-profit organization with the mission of conserving, developing and promoting Korean cultural heritage with some 620 members. Yeol Chairwoman Kim Young-M’Young poses at the organization‘s headquarters in Bukchon, Seoul, on March 22. (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)“We wanted to start small,
CultureMarch 30, 2018
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[Herald Interview] ‘There will be no hiccups in two-way commerce after Brexit’
Before starting his tenure here in early March, British Ambassador Simon Smith spent six months last year learning the Korean language in Seoul. “I’ve had a lot of experience learning different languages over the last 33 years as a diplomat, and Korean was the most difficult,” he told journalists at the British Embassy in Seoul last week, adding he aims to improve his Korean to deepen his understanding of the country. “I also want to be able to read major works of Korean literature and travel an
Diplomatic CircuitMarch 27, 2018
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[Herald Interview] Facing regulatory bar at home, QARASoft robo adviser heads overseas
The Korea Herald is publishing a series of interviews on promising startups in the financial technology industry. This is the 12th installment. - Ed.Regulatory hurdles were high for local financial technology venture firm QARASoft, as its investment platform, the first of its kind in South Korea, was suspended shortly after its launch last year.QARASoft’s now-defunct platform, called “QARA,” connected individual asset managers with funds pooled -- or borrowed -- from peer-to-pe
MarketMarch 25, 2018
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[Herald Interview] Rookie director Lee Chang-hee shows potential in toying with human psychology
Despite the disadvantage of not being distributed by powerhouses like CJ E&M, crime thriller “The Vanished” managed to stay afloat in the Korean box officer for nearly three weeks. This is thanks to a strong story and good acting, along with solid directing by Lee Chang-hee. The first feature-length film of the young director knows how to depict the tumultuous state of men pushed to the edge, and use a plot twist effectively. Lee Chang-hee is seen during a press conference after the premiere of
FilmMarch 23, 2018
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[Herald Interview] Breaking stigma against 2-year vocational college
South Korea is well-known for its society’s great fervor toward education, but activists say that the country must break away from its relentless focus on credentials. More than 98 percent of the teenage population graduates from high school, and in 2017, 68.9 percent of those in the 18 to 21 age group advanced to college, according to the Education Ministry. The figures are among the highest in the OECD. Lee Ki-woo (Korean Council for University College Education)However, this fervor for educa
Social AffairsMarch 22, 2018
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[Herald Interview] ‘Korea should apologize, launch probe into Vietnam War massacres’
In South Korea, soldiers who fought alongside the US against communist forces during the 1960-1975 Vietnam War are widely hailed as patriots whose dedication and sacrifice contributed to the nation’s rapid economic rise. Some Vietnamese, however, testify that they still have vivid memories of Korean troops killing their families, friends and neighbors and burning their homes in the US-led conflict five decades ago. “Beyond admitting that South Korea has a debt of heart to Vietnam, the country sh
Foreign AffairsMarch 21, 2018
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[Herald Interview] ‘Turkey, Korea can reap economic fruits from historic ties’
Since successfully completing several joint infrastructure construction projects in Turkey -- including the Eurasian Tunnel, an underground tunnel bridging Europe and Asia beneath the Bosporus Strait, and Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, one that carries rail and motor vehicles above the strait -- Turkish and Korean companies have gone beyond Turkey to win bids in third markets. One of them is a consortium consisting of Korea Highway Corp., SK Engineering and Construction and Turkish companies Alarko
Diplomatic CircuitMarch 19, 2018