Korea Exchange decides to delist SillaJen from Kosdaq

The Korea Exchange decided Tuesday to delist SillaJen from the secondary Kosdaq, citing a dim outlook of the troubled drugmaker's sustainable growth. SillaJen shares have been suspended from trading since May 2020 after its management was mired in an embezzlement scandal.

State pension fund cuts exposure to domestic shares in 2021

South Korea's state pension fund lowered its exposure to large cap and other domestic shares in 2021 in an apparent bid to boost returns and diversify its portfolio, a corporate tracker said Wednesday.

Lee, Yoon in neck-and-neck presidential race

With 50 days left before the March 9 presidential election, the race for the top job in government is still too close to call, as shown in polls that show mixed results. Some surveys found Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), is ahead of his main opposition rival Yoon Suk-yeol of the People Power Party (PPP), but others show opposite results. Lee has seen his approval ratings remain entrenched in the low 30 percent range, while Yoon's approval has widely fluctuated in accordance with issues linked to his family and election committee as well as himself.

Kyobo-Affinity feud deepening ahead of IPO

Kyobo Life Insurance is seeking to settle its years-long conflict with financial investors, as its initial public offering (IPO) is only months away, but the feud is instead escalating, posing uncertainties for the company's stock market debut.

Hong Kong to cull 2,000 hamsters, other small animals after coronavirus found in pets

Hong Kong will cull hundreds of hamsters after some tested positive for coronavirus, officials said Tuesday, as the city pushes to maintain its strict "zero-COVID" strategy.

Images reveal devastation in tsunami-hit Tonga

A volcano that exploded in the Pacific island nation of Tonga has almost disappeared from view, new images revealed Tuesday, with swathes of the country smothered in grey dust or damaged by a tsunami.

China 'not interested' in becoming world's No 1 economy: vice foreign minister

China should pay more attention to surpassing the United States in terms of improving people's lives and contributing positively to the world, rather than pursuing the goal of becoming the world's No 1 economy, said the country's vice foreign minister on Tuesday.

Daily cases bounce back to over 5,000 for 1st time in 20 days

South Korea's daily coronavirus cases jumped to over 5,000 for the first time in 20 days Wednesday amid growing concerns over the spread of the Omicron virus variant ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.

LG Chem advances into plastic waste recycling, eyes replacing fossil fuels

LG Chem is venturing into the chemical recycling of plastic waste as part of its efforts to join the global movement to reduce plastic waste and carbon emissions, the company said Tuesday.

Korean women's football team gunning for Asia, world

There may be a lot of attention at the end of the month on whether the men's national team can secure a place at the 2022 World Cup, but there is more going on. Before then, the women will be in action at the 2022 Asian Cup. This tournament starts in India next Thursday and features 12 teams from around the continent.

HDC Hyundai Development raided over Gwangju apartment building collapse

Investigators on Wednesday raided the headquarters of HDC Hyundai Development Co. in connection with a recent accident at its construction site in Gwangju that left one worker dead and five others missing.

Netflix to release record 25 Korean-language originals this year

Global streaming service Netflix said Wednesday that more than 25 Korean-language works, including five original films, will be released in 2022, expected to fuel the stellar drive led by the global sensation "Squid Game" last year.

Vaccine pass at large retailers lifted

The vaccine pass on six types of multiuse facilities - large retailers and department stores, study rooms, museums, libraries, cram schools and theaters - has been lifted in the wake of a court ruling ordering the suspension of the vaccine mandate at the facilities.

Fed rate hikes not entirely drag on stock market: AllianceBerstein

The U.S. Fed's planned rate hikes will not necessarily exert downward pressure on the global stock market, even if investors refrain from taking risks at this period of monetary normalization, AllianceBerstein said Tuesday.

Firefighters hold protest for better working conditions

“We don't want to die anymore. We are not fire-extinguishing machines.” Firefighters held protests in front of Cheong Wa Dae, Monday, calling for the government to improve their working conditions. The collective action came due to several firefighters having lost their lives in a series of recent blazes in warehouses in Pyeongtaek and Icheon. They urged the government to investigate the recent incidents, hold the people in charge of the Pyeongtaek accident accountable and take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Hyundai Engineering IPO raises concerns over value of Hyundai E&C

Hyundai Engineering's planned listing on the benchmark KOSPI market next month is prompting investors to continue dumping their shares in its parent firm, Hyundai E&C, based on the belief that the former will become the nation's largest builder in terms of market cap.

Daewoo E&C labor conflict casts cloud on Jungheung's takeover

Jungheung Group is facing growing uncertainties over its ongoing attempt to complete the acquisition of Daewoo E&C, due to intensifying protests from the latter's unionized workers, who asked the buyer to sign a written agreement ensuring independent management.

'Single's Inferno' star apologizes for wearing counterfeit luxury goods on show

Song Ji-ah, a cast member of Netflix's Korean reality show, “Single's Inferno,” has admitted to the ongoing rumors that she wore counterfeited luxury brand goods in her YouTube videos and on the show. The social media star, who rose to global fame after starring in the dating show, released a statement through her Instagram account, Monday, apologizing to the public.

Actor Seol Kyung-gu talks about real-life inspiration for movie role

Actor Seol Kyung-gu said the characters in “Kingmaker” are fictional, but they are inspired by prominent politicians, including former President Kim Dae-jung who served from 1998 to 2003.

'The Hill of Secrets' invited to 72nd Berlin film festival

Director Lee Ji-eun's debut film “The Hill of Secrets” has been invited to the youth-centered competition at this year's Berlin International Film Festival, the film's distributor said, Monday.

[Cityscapes] Peeling back Banpo's layers

Many readers reacted to my previous article, on Korea's ugly apartment complex names, by pointing out that the apartment buildings themselves tend to be a blight on the landscape. They're not wrong, but this point is more of a conversation starter than a real hot take. And so I've been paying more attention to the south side of the river hoping to find beauty in the dull, repetitive, colorless aesthetic of modern urban architecture.

'COMPLETE WITH YOU:' AB6IX dedicates new album to fans

K-pop boy group AB6IX gifted its fans with a special album titled, “COMPLETE WITH YOU,” Monday. It is a sequel to the group's previous releases, “MO' COMPLETE: HAVE A DREAM” (2021) and “MO' COMPLETE” (2021), in which the four members deliver the message that AB6IX cannot be completed without its fans.

Banks finding breakthroughs in digital battle against big tech firms

Commercial banks appear to be getting a sense of how to counter big tech firms, which have been muscling in on the banking industry by capitalizing on their digital prowess as platform operators.

Egypt wants Korea to share knowledge on modernization of rural sector

President Moon Jae-in will pay a state visit to Egypt Thursday with a handful of items to strengthen Korea's strategic partnership with the country. Egypt is the first African country he is to visit since he was sworn in as president in May, 2017.

Punk label releases 3rd 'Them & Us' compilation

Eleven Korean punk bands perform 22 songs, one an original song and the other a famous cover. That's the jist of the “Them & Us” compilation series put out by DIY punk label World Domination, Inc. (WDI).

#MeToo victim demands apology from opposition presidential candidate's wife

Comments made by Kim Keon-hee, the wife of main opposition People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol, have backfired as some #MeToo victims and gender experts demand an apology.

Korean banks remain conservative toward cryptocurrency industry

Korean banks are taking a cautious attitude to the emerging digital currency industry, amid lingering concerns over crypto exchange operators' possible security loopholes, industry officials said Monday.

Parents fight for their LGBTQ children's rights

As a mother of two adult children, Kang Sun-hwa, a flight attendant, was a typical working woman who tried hard to balance career and family. She had been doing so until June 18, 2016, when she and her husband were with their son at the dinner table, expecting to have quality time just like other days. Their son had said earlier that he had something to tell them. Instead of telling them what it was, he gave them a handwritten note, and then left.