'Avengers' of Korean fencing team up to win ultimate prize

They walked into the arena to the theme music of "Star Wars" blaring through the speakers. And the South Korean fencers collectively called "The Avengers" used their swords to conquer the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday.

Economy, fairness to be key issues in presidential election

About seven months remain before the country selects its new leader, and although it has yet to enter full-on election mode, dozens of contenders from both the ruling and opposition blocs have already announced their presidential bids. While the 2017 presidential election was all about replacing former President Park Geun-hye after she had been ousted by a major corruption scandal, and which brought about a power shift to the liberal bloc after 10 years of conservative rule, the 2022 election will be about the economy and fairness, according to political watchers. This means a contest on who can appeal more to the public in their promises to revive the coronavirus-hit economy in a fair manner.

'Hotline restoration between two Koreas shouldn't be overplayed'

The restoration of communication hotlines between South and North Korea, Tuesday, has led Seoul and ...

Google urged to pay news copyright fees

With countries increasing their efforts to strengthen antitrust regulations on digital platforms, Google is under pressure to pay copyright fees to news organizations for using their content on its platform. Officials in the news industry here said Wednesday that this wave of change is also approaching within Korea, as voices are increasing that there needs to be a measure to impose a fair levy on overseas IT behemoths.

Students from 26 countries encouraged to stay home until Korea's vaccination drive picks up

International students from countries where coronavirus variants are prevalent will be recommended to not ...

Radioactive chemical found in Fukushima honey: Japanese media

Caesium, a radioactive chemical, has been found in honey collected near Fukushima in an amount larger than Japan's national health standard, raising concerns about food safety in and around the city.

Rights watchdog recommends revision to policy for undocumented children

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) asked the Ministry of Justice to improve a policy that gives temporary stay permits to undocumented children, Wednesday, saying that the policy benefits only a small number of children due to its limitations on the scope and duration. On April 19, the ministry announced the policy, under which children not registered as residents in Korea can apply for temporary residency rights, after the NHRCK asked it, in March of last year, to stop indiscriminately deporting such children and to draw up a policy to protect their basic rights.

North Korea's trade down 73.4 percent in 2020: KOTRA

North Korea's annual trade plunged a whopping 73.4 percent in 2020 from a year earlier, as the country shut down its border amid the COVID-19 pandemic, data showed Thursday.

Chinese city offers subsidies to encourage families to have more children

A city in Sichuan province has become the first in China to offer subsidies to help families raise more children, as the country tries to boost the birth rate.

Daily virus cases dip as authorities mull stronger virus curbs

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell slightly Thursday after reaching a record high the previous day as health authorities weigh implementing more virus restrictions to slow down the spread of the delta variant and growing infections outside the greater Seoul area.

Samsung delivers robust Q2 earnings on chip biz recovery, one-off gain

Samsung Electronics on Thursday reported robust second-quarter earnings on the back of its semiconductor business and a one-off gain from its display panel business.

Chinese parents fret after government bans for-profit tutoring firms

Anxious Chinese parents were rushing to hire private tutors to help their children navigate a fiercely competitive education system after the government moved last week to rein in companies in the massive tutoring services industry.

North Korean leader says 'kindred ties' with China will last for generations

In this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits the Friendship Tower in Pyongyang, July 28. YonhapNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un stressed that "kindred ties" with China will carry on generation after generation as he visited a monument symbolizing friendly relations between the two countries, state media said Thursday.On Wednesday, Kim visited the Friendship Tower in Pyongyang, which was erected to commemorate China's participation in the 1950-53 Korean War, and sent a wreath to mark the 68th anniversary of the armistice that ended the war, the Korean Central News Agency said."The noble soul and exploits of the Chinese people who aided the sacred historic struggle of the Korean people at the cost of their blood when the DPRK was undergoing the harshest and most difficult trials will remain immortal," Kim was quoted as saying."The DPRK-China friendship forged as kindred ties will be firmly carried forward generation after generation on the road for the common cause," he said, referring to the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.Top officials accompanied Kim, including Jo Yong-won, secretary for Organizational Affairs of the party's Central Committee, and Ri Pyong-chol, vice chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party who is believed to have been dismissed as a member of the Workers' Party of Korea's Presidium in a recent reshuffle.North Korea and China have emphasized their close and friendly relations amid stalemated nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington, and an escalating Sino-U.S. rivalry.Earlier this month, Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged messages to mark the 60th anniversary of signing their friendship treaty and stressed their commitment to further strengthen relations between the two countries. (Yonhap)

KOCCA holds screening event in US to promote K-content

The Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) has kicked off its screening event, “2021 K-format Virtual Screenings in the US,” to introduce Korean content formats in the U.S market, Monday (local time).

Members of Girls' Generation to reunite on 'You Quiz on the Block'

All eight members of K-pop girl group Girls' Generation will reunite on tvN's variety show, “You Quiz on the Block,” about four years after their last time performing together on a Korean music show.

Ruling party's push for laws to make 'fake news' publishers pay draws concerns

The liberal ruling Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) push to revise the law to enable prosecution of media outlets or reporters for “fake news” is drawing concerns that it could violate freedom of the press. At a subcommittee meeting of the National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, Tuesday, DPK members and a liberal opposition party member passed the revision bill to the act on press arbitration, while members of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) did not take part in the vote in protest.

Greek TV commentator fired for 'racist' comment about Korean athlete

A sports commentator in Greece who made an on-air remark about a South Korean athlete at the Tokyo Olympics that the station called racist has been fired, the country's state-run broadcaster said Tuesday.

Shinhan forced to delay quarterly dividend policy

Shinhan Financial Group admitted that it may not be able to pay cash dividends for the third quarter of this year, citing the need to brace for the spread of Delta variant infections in the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea.

Blackrock, GIC eyeing Krafton IPO

Major foreign institutional investors turned out to have joined a stock allotment subscription for the Korea-headquartered global game company Krafton's IPO set for Aug. 10.

Korean indie rock band among 27 participants in YouTube's 'Foundry Program'

Video sharing platform YouTube will run its 2021 “Foundry Program,” featuring 27 emerging artists in 14 countries, to help them develop their careers.

[INTERVIEW] The garbage warrior

The wildest job for environmental activist Hong Da-gyeong currently is hunting for illegal waste dumping sites in Korea, as most of them are hidden. Spending hours searching for clues online and using tips from her friends that lead to their locations are just parts of the job. The task can be life-threatening, as she sometimes encounters dumpers who do not want their garbage to be found. Some of the sites are run by criminal syndicates. Nevertheless, she wants to continue on her quest to inform the public as much as possible about the seriousness of this environmental issue - as the country now faces a rapidly increasing, enormous accumulation of waste, while it has only limited space and time to deal with it.

Gov't desperate to cool overheating real estate market

The government said Wednesday that steep increase in housing prices over the past few years will experience a deeper-than-expected drop, seeking to deter continued purchase of houses in Seoul and Gyeonggi area. Yet little desired outcome is expected from the real estate market, since investors have learned that attempts to control what should be determined by supply-and-demand only fuels expectations of further price hikes.

[ANALYSIS] What matters most in Samsung's foundry business?

For Samsung Electronics, an obvious strategy in its ambitious high-stakes initiatives - to transform the company into a global top player in contract-based chip manufacturing - will clearly be a transformational pursuit, as the top memory chipmaker is asked to move into the profitable foundry business.

LG Display zeroing in on P-OLEDs

LG's display affiliate said Wednesday that it is reviewing expanding its plastic organic light-emitting diode (P-OLED) display panel production facilities, as it is increasingly focusing on its P-OLED business. "We are currently looking into expanding our P-OLED facilities," LG Display's Senior Vice President and CFO Suh Dong-hee said in a conference call that unveiled the company's second quarter earnings.

'My painting is like an ever-shifting cloud traveling across the sky'

Is it a raging fire devouring anything that stands in its way or a river of dancing waves? Is it a horse striding through the darkness toward freedom or ultimate doom? The brushstrokes that traverse artist Kim Gil-hu's paintings let viewers' imaginations run wild, allowing them to witness two conflicting elements simultaneously within the same pitch-black canvas: fire and water, life and death.

Pet owners call for easing of 'pet tax'

It's no exaggeration to say that a growing number of Koreans consider their pets to be an integral part of their family nowadays. In fact, increasingly, people view pets as being just as important to them as their own children.

Dongsuh hit for 'sexist' image in Starbucks coffee ad

Dongsuh Foods is under fire over accusations that it included a contentious hand gesture in an ad for a ready-to-drink (RTD) canned coffee drink it produces and sells. The instant coffee giant took down the image from its official Instagram account and posted a written apology on its website apologizing for causing social discomfort.