SPOTLIGHT

• Social affairs

  

  Seungri saga grows amid police corruption, supposed link with the mob

  Recently retired K-pop singer Seungri on Saturday denied that he was involved in the operation of the Burning Sun nightclub or that he brokered prostitution for his investors. But new revelations by local media are increasing the pressure on the singer, alleging connection between the disgraced celebrity, local law enforcement, and a Taiwanese mogul believed to be related to a Chinese Triad gang. In an interview with Korean daily the Chosun Ilbo, Seungri reiterated his previous claim that he was

• World News

  

  Barr preparing a summary of Mueller report's key conclusions

  WASHINGTON (AP) _ Attorney General William Barr scoured special counsel Robert Mueller's confidential report on the Russia investigation with his advisers, deciding how much Congress and the American public will get to see about the two-year probe into President Donald Trump and Moscow's efforts to elect him.Barr was on pace to release his first summary of Mueller's findings on Sunday, people familiar with the process said.The attorney general's decision on what to finally disclose seems almost

• Fashion

  

  New fall-winter looks hit Seoul runway

  Seoul Fashion Week came to an end Sunday, wrapping up its official six-day run at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in central Seoul.Though not one of the “big four” global fashion capitals, Seoul too sees fast-changing fashion trends. The biannual fashion festival invites international buyers, media and spectators to Seoul. Models present creations from brand Beyond Closet during the 2019 F/W Seoul Fashion Week held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in central Seoul on Saturday. (Seoul Design Foundation)This ti

• Television

  

  Meet mastermind behind the original ‘Masked Singer’

  Fashion designer Hwang Jae-keun talks making masks, US version, fashion advice

LATEST NEWS

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  North Korea

  S. Korean liaison officials will be at work as usual in N.Korea: ministry

  Dozens of South Korean officials will head to the joint inter-Korean liaison office in North Korea for work this week despite Pyongyang's abrupt pullout of its staff there, a related ministry said Sunday.The Ministry of Unification said it has completed consultations with the North's relevant authorities on the entry of the South Korean officials into the compound as usual on Monday."They will leave for work normally tomorrow," a ministry official told reporters.The ministry, which handles daily

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  Economy

  Presidential office not seeking to exploit property market as means for stimulating economy

  South Korea's Moon Jae-in administration won't artificially boost the property market in a bid to stimulate the economy, a senior presidential official said Sunday.The local housing market, mainly apartment transactions, has been notably sluggish since the government's tough regulations on it became effective on Sept  13, 2018.The move was aimed at curbing apartment prices that had been skyrocketing at that time. (Yonhap)Many agree that the market overheated as a result of a set of deregulations

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  Soccer

  Hellas Verona attacker enjoys competing for nat'l football team starting spot

  Hellas Verona attacker Lee Seung-woo said Sunday competition for national football team starting spots is making him a better player as he eyes more international action for South Korea.Lee earned his 10th cap for South Korea when he played against Bolivia in a friendly match on Friday. He will try to make his 11th international appearance when South Korea take on Colombia in Seoul on Tuesday.Lee, an FC Barcelona youth product, has been struggling to get playing time since head coach Paulo Bento

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  Soccer

  S. Korean striker vows to show finisher’s instinct vs. Colombia

  South Korean striker Hwang Ui-jo said Sunday he is ready to show a finisher’s instinct when his side take on Colombia in an upcoming friendly match. South Korea will host Colombia at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul on Tuesday. The two sides are meeting for the first time since November 2017.The Taeguk Warriors are coming off a 1-0 win over Bolivia on Friday. Hwang didn’t score a goal, but he contributed to the national football team’s first home win of 2019 by playing about 30 minutes as a seco

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  Technology

  Most LG businesses to fully adopt cloud services in 5 years: LG CNS

  　The structures of more than 90 percent of LG businesses will be transformed in environments powered by cloud computing systems by 2023, the conglomerate’s information and technology solution provider said. 　During a press conference held in Seoul on Friday, LG CNS said it will assume a “central role” in introducing cloud services across all LG business units. The company said it would provide a cloud services platform applicable to every LG unit by the first half of this year.　Stressing it was

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  Health

  Growth of medicine side effects slows in 2018

  　South Korea saw reports of medication side effects gain about 2 percent in 2018, although their rate of growth slowed sharply from the prior year, data showed.　Local health authorities handled 257,438 cases of side effects from taking medicine last year, up 1.9 percent from the previous year, according to data from the Korea Institute of Drug Safety & Risk Management.　By drug, aspirin, phenacetin and caffeine had the largest reports of side effects with 36,321 cases (14.1 percent), followed by

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  Technology

  Samsung, Motorola compete to win 5G smartphone race

  　With South Korea and the US gearing up for the commercial rollout of their fifth-generation wireless networks next month, the countries’ smartphone manufacturers are scrambling to attract consumers by touting their functionalities. 　The starting players are Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest smartphone maker, which is betting on its advanced technologies, and Motorola, which is hoping that its high-tech functions and midrange pricing will help it leap out of its No. 8 position. 　Samsung E

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  Politics

  Bareunmirae Party’s deepening conflict to hold back fast-tracking of key bills

  Eyes on whether former party leader Ahn Cheol-soo will return to Korea in summerIntensifying dispute between members of the minor conservative Bareunmirae Party due to differing views on the independent investigative agency has sparked the possibility of former party leader Ahn Cheol-soo’s return to politics. In the midst of Bareunmirae Party members showing no signs of reaching an agreement, some party officials have hinted at the possibility co-party founder Ahn could return home from his stay

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  Social affairs

  Early English education a necessity: Daejeon education chief

  As countries become ever more interconnected and globalized, English proficiency becomes a necessity if a nation and its people are to succeed on the global stage. Therefore early English education is a must, according to the chief of the Daejeon Metropolitan Office of Education.“The merit of our country, which has a small territory and is short of resources, is Koreans’ diligence and education fervor. Early English education will be a means to solidify Koreans’ standing in the global market,” D

• Editorial

  Confusing signals

  Seoul’s mediating role dimmed by latest steps taken by Washington and Pyongyang

GRAPHIC NEWS

OPINION

• Columnists

  

  China’s hydrogen economy is coming

  There was little excitement in the air when China’s State Council convened a press conference on March 15 to announce and explain 83 revisions to the annual Government Work Report. A few equity investors paid attention anyway. Among the revisions was a proposal to promote the development and construction of fueling stations for hydrogen fuel-cell cars. It was a Friday, and too late to trade on the news. On Monday, Chinese punters were ready: In the first few minutes of trading, fuel cell-related

• Columnists

  

  America now inspires world for wrong reasons

  The mass murderer of 51 worshippers in New Zealand mosques last week issued a manifesto in which he asked himself this question: “Were/are you a supporter of Donald Trump?”His answer: “As a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose? Sure. As a policy maker and leader? Dear god no.”In other words, there was no linear connection between Trump and the New Zealand massacre, nor can he be directly blamed for the carnage. Yet Trump has become an important symbol for white nationalists and bi

THE INVESTOR

• Automobiles

  

  Overcoming Elliott hurdle, Hyundai heir tightens grip over W220tr empire

  In a crushing victory over US hedge fund, Chung cements his leadership -- but is a bigger battle ahead?Tension ran high early Friday morning, just before Hyundai Motor’s annual general shareholders meeting at the carmaker’s headquarters in Yangjae, southern Seoul, and it showed on the faces of the executives.Highlighted in the media weeks earlier, the second battle between the South Korean auto giant and the US hedge fund Elliott was a must-win for Hyundai Motor, which had already suffered big a

• Automobiles

  

  Jaguar Land Rover Korea introduces upgraded Velar

  Automobile lovers in South Korea are about to be presented a feast for the eyes with a luxury crossover SUV built with a V8 supercharged engine and diamond-quilted leather interior.Jaguar Land Rover Korea will launch the Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition at the Seoul Motor Show, set to begin on March 29 at Kintex.  Range Rover Velar SVA-DThe new Range Rover Velar SVA-D has been dubbed the top Velar model produced by Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations team. It is an optimized

• Economy

  

  Korea widens tax evasion crackdown on ‘Seungri scandal’

  South Korea’s tax authorities have launched an industrywide tax evasion probe into local entertainment and nightclub businesses, fueled by scores of allegations surrounding K-pop star Seungri’s sex bribery scandal. The National Tax Service said on March 22 it had launched a crackdown on 21 nightlife businesses suspected of evading taxes. The NTS is to cooperate with prosecutors on obtaining warrants for search and confiscation, it added. Though the NTS has yet to confirm, industry watchers say t

• LG

  

  Most LG businesses to fully adopt cloud services in 5 years: LG CNS

  More than 90 percent of LG businesses structure will be transformed into the environment powered by cloud computing system within the year of 2023, the conglomerate’s information and technology solution provider said. During a press conference held in Seoul on March 22, LG CNS said it will assume a “central role” in introducing clouding service all across LG business units. The company said it would provide a clouding service platform applicable to every LG unit by the first half of this year.St

K-POP HERALD

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  ‘I have no regrets’: Holland on world tour, BTS’s UN speech, and coming out to family

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  YG CEO survives no-confidence vote

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  Twitter CEO: ‘Authentic’ K-pop stars more successful

HERALD INTERVIEW

• Television

  

  Meet mastermind behind the original ‘Masked Singer’

• Social affairs

  

  Blaming China doesn’t help combat fine dust: GGGI director

• Finance

  

  Yulchon M&A lawyer predicts ‘new wave’ in Indonesia

• Food

  

  Chef Akira comes back to Seoul

PHOTO NEWS

• Culture

  

  The history beneath our feet

  History is closer to people’s lives than in the musty pages of old books. In the ultra-modern metropolis of Seoul, there is a place where a step into the lower ground of a high-rise office building can pull one into the city’s past, dating back to the 16th century. It is Gongpyeong Historic Site Museum, a 3,817-square-meter space in the underground floor of Centropolis office building in Gongpyeong-dong, central Seoul -- the biggest historic site unearthed in Seoul to date.  (Park Hyun-koo/The K

VIDEO

• Industry

  

  Seoul Square, witness to Seoul’s economic history

• North Korea

  

  Hanoi welcomes US, N. Korean leaders

• Social affairs

  

  Violence erupts at Liberty Korea Party national convention as union stages surprise protest

• Social affairs

  

  Inside dog farm in Korea

FEATURES

• North Korea

  

  Speculation grows over NK’s next move

  North Korea may be trying a new tack in diplomatic relations, raising questions for the future of inter-Korean relations and denuclearization. On Friday, North Korean officials at the inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong withdrew from the facility, stating only that they were following orders from higher up. The North also stated that it will not concern itself with South Korean officials remaining at the facility, and that practical matters will be dealt with at a later date. The move came am

• Social affairs

  

  Workers more likely to call out abuse in wake of 2016 candlelight vigils

  7 in 10 workers say they experienced workplace harassment in 2017: survey

• Industry

  

  Korea’s peeping Tom dilemma: Are censors getting too much power?

  Controversy erupts over government's method of blocking ‘illegal’ websites

• Industry

  

  Booyoung’s real estate dilemma on acquiring Samsung assets

  The Korea Herald is publishing a series of articles and videos about some of the most expensive and fascinating landmark office buildings in Seoul. -- Ed. Defining the symbolic cityscape of Seoul is Sejong Main Street, a 10-lane road that runs across the downtown area, stretching from Seoul Station to Gwanghwamun Square. Halfway along this main road, just north of Sungnyemun, the southern gate of Seoul, is the “Taepyeong-ro zone,” location of landmark buildings such as the palace Deoksugun