SPOTLIGHT

• Music

  

  Serial version of latest BTS doc, 'Bring the Soul,' to hit mobile app

  "Bring the Soul: The Movie," the latest documentary film featuring global band BTS, will be released in a new mobile version this month on an application for BTS fans, the band's management agency said Friday.The first of the six episodes of the mobile version, "Bring the Soul: Docu-Series," will hit the Weverse mobile application's BTS category for paid service on Aug. 27, Big Hit Entertainment said. The remaining five episodes will be released every Tuesday one by one till

• Finance

  

  Won, dollars and supernotes: How fake bills are detected

  The leader of KEB Hana Bank’s anti-counterfeiting team discusses how experts spot forgeries and look at the danger of a suspected North Korean export: supernotes

• People

  

  Four generations of family carry on Jeju’s brewing legacy

  Master Kim Hee-sook sticks to centuries-old brewing-distilling techniques

• Travel

  

  Becoming a K-pop star for a day with Airbnb

  As Korean culture gains popularity around the world, Airbnb has launched a new K-wave Trip section -- a chance for tourists to take part in K-pop or K-beauty activities.The global house-sharing platform held a press event Friday in the Itaewon area of central Seoul, inviting reporters to a class on how to make a vegan bath scrub, registered as a K-beauty trip under Airbnb. “On Airbnb, we have always seen the want for local, authentic experiences. As the K-wave has proved itself to be

LATEST NEWS

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  Social affairs

  Moon expresses condolences as remains of 2 late climbers are returned home

  President Moon Jae-in on Saturday expressed condolences over two late South Korean climbers whose remains were returned home after going missing in the Himalayas a decade ago.The bodies of Min Jun-young and Park Jong-seong were found in July in the Himalayas and their remains were transported home earlier in the day after cremation in Nepal. They lost contact with the other members of the Jikji Expedition team in September 2009 while climbing in Annapurna, a massif in the Himalayas in north

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  North Korea

  NK vice sports minister cancels plan to visit Japan: report

  North Korea's vice sports minister has canceled his plan to visit Japan this week to attend a 2020 Tokyo Olympics-related meeting, a Japanese news outlet reported Saturday.North Korean vice minister Won Kil-u and two officials had planned to visit Tokyo from Tuesday to Thursday, but withdrew their plan, Kyodo News reported, citing multiple government sources. The North Koreans originally planned to take part in a meeting of countries that will participate in the Tokyo Olympics. The reason f

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  Economy

  S. Korea voices willingness to talk with Japan over its 'whitelist' move

  South Korea has notified Japan in advance of its plan to remove Tokyo from its list of trusted trading partners and is willing to talk with Japan further if needed, the trade minister said Saturday.South Korea decided on Monday to remove Japan from its "whitelist" of countries that receive preferential trade status amid a bilateral trade row sparked by Tokyo's July export curbs against Seoul and its subsequent removal of the South from a list of trusted buyers. "The governmen

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  Foreign Affairs

  US cites close ties with S. Korea, Japan amid reports Pompeo sided with Tokyo

  The United States is committed to maintaining close relationships with both South Korea and Japan, the State Department said Friday amid reports that Washington's top diplomat expressed his support for Tokyo's view on the issue of wartime forced labor.Japanese media have reported that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo recently agreed with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono's assertion that all matters of compensation related to Tokyo's past use of forced labor were settled under a 1965 deal nor

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  Finance

  Seoul stocks likely to remain subdued next week on global economic woes

  South Korean shares are likely to remain subdued next week amid lingering concerns over a global economic slowdown prompted by the US-China trade row, analysts said Saturday.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index closed at 1927.17 points on Friday, up 0.34 percent from a week ago. The index suffered a 3 percent decline last week. Analysts said the market direction for next week will largely depend on developments in the US-China trade spat, although the latest moves from the world'

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  Social affairs

  Police raid YG Entertainment over ex-chief Yang's suspected gambling

  Police raided the headquarters of YG Entertainment on Saturday over allegations that Yang Hyun-suk, former CEO and chief producer of the influential K-pop label, engaged in habitual gambling.Police have been looking into suspicions that Yang, 49, and Seungri, a former member of the K-pop boy band BIGBANG, gambled while overseas. They were both booked for the allegation earlier this week. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency sent investigators to YG Entertainment in Mapo Ward, western Seoul,

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  North Korea

  N. Korea says it tested 'new weapon' under leader Kim's guidance

  North Korea said Saturday that it has tested a "new weapon" under the guidance of its leader, Kim Jong-un, in the launch of two projectiles the previous day.Kim "guided the test-fire of (a) new weapon again on Friday morning," the Korean Central News Agency said. "The national defense scientists showed a perfect result in the test-fire, too, and helped cement bigger confidence in this weapon system." "It is our party's goal of defense building to possess i

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  Foreign Affairs

  Foreign ministry voices regret over Kono's remarks on President Moon

  South Korea's foreign ministry expressed regret Friday over the top Japanese diplomat's remarks calling for President Moon Jae-in to "exert his leadership" to address a rancorous row over Tokyo's wartime forced labor.    In a meeting with reporters on Thursday, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono renewed Tokyo's claim that South Korea breached international law by demanding compensation for the victims of forced labor and said that Moon should "rectify" the sit

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  Culture

  Special festival recreates major intangible Korean cultural assets in Seoul

  A special festival in central Seoul will showcase the essence of some internationally recognized traditional Korean performing arts, the culture ministry said Friday.    The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in collaboration with the Korean Traditional Performing Arts Foundation, will host the festival, whose title translates as "Great Inheritance Meets Today," from Aug. 31 to Sept. 21 on the premises of the National Museum of Korea.     The upc

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  Politics

  Korea to commemorate 10th year of ex-president Kim Dae-jung's death

  An official ceremony to commemorate the death of former President Kim Dae-jung 10 years ago will be held in Seoul on Sunday, organizers said.     The Kim Dae Jung Peace Center said on Friday about 2,000 people are expected to participate in the event starting at 10 a.m. at the Seoul National Cemetery.      National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang, who heads the commemoration committee, Prime inister Lee Nak-yon, Presidential Chief of Staff Noh Young-min and the

GRAPHIC NEWS

OPINION

• Viewpoints

  

  What’s behind America’s mass shootings?

  After every mass shooting in the United States, Americans and others around the world are confronted with the question of what lies behind this distinctly American horror. Though total gun deaths in the US have actually declined over time, mass shootings (those with at least four victims) have become deadlier and more frequent. Some have had an especially strong emotional impact on the country.The back-to-back mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, on the first weekend of August are

• Viewpoints

  

  America’s superpower panic

  Global superpowers have always found it painful to acknowledge their relative decline and deal with fast-rising challengers. Today, the United States finds itself in this situation with regard to China. A century-and-half ago, imperial Britain faced a similar competitive threat from America. And in the 17th century, the Dutch Republic was the superpower and England the challenger.History suggests that the global superpower should aim for a soft landing, including by engaging with its likely succ

THE INVESTOR

• Samsung

  

  Samsung Galaxy Note 10 to be powered by LG Chem batteries

  Some of the latest flagship phones from tech giant Samsung Electronics will useLG Chem batteries, sources said Aug. 16.LG Chem’s partnership with Samsung on the high-end Galaxy Note 10 lineup was unexpected as the LG Group affiliate is competing with Samsung SDI, a Samsung Group battery business unit, in the global battery sector for electric vehicles and mobile devices. LG Chem has provided batteries to Samsung before, but only for low- and midrange smartphones.Samsung SDI and L

• Deals

  

  Majesty Golf Korea looks to buy remaining 49% stake in Majesty Golf

  South Korea’s private equity firm Orchestra Private Equity said Aug. 15 that its portfolio firm Majesty Golf Korea is looking to buy a 49 percent stake in Majesty Golf, a Japanese company that makes high-end golf equipment, for 2.1 billion yen ($19.7 million) from retail shareholders by September. Majesty Golf Korea will bag the remaining shares of the Tokyo-based firm between Aug. 13 and Sept. 25 via a takeover bid at 195 yen per share. Orchestra PE plans to close the deal by end-Septembe

• Deals

  

  LG H&H closes $125m acquisition of New Avon

  Seoul-based LG Household & Health Care said on Aug. 16 that it had closed a stake purchase deal in US beauty and personal care product maker New Avon for $125 million in cash. Under the transaction, LG H&H had bought New Avon’s entirety -- 1 million shares from US private equity Cerberus Capital Management and UK-based Avon Products. Cerberus paid $170 million for some 80 percent ownership in New Avon in March 2016. Avon Products owned the remaining 20 percent stake.Related:Ready,

• Retail & Consumer

  

  Mediheal launches BTS sheet masks via BeautyTap in US

  South Korean cosmetics company Mediheal on Aug. 15 launched its “Love Me” sheet mask set in the US via cosmetics retailer BeautyTap. Love me is the result of a collaboration with popular boy band BTS. “We’re beyond excited to partner with Mediheal and BTS to bring this innovative product to the US market for the first time,” BeautyTap CEO James Sun said in a statement. The product will be available exclusively on BeautyTap’s website until Aug. 20 and is priced

K-POP HERALD

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  Review: Enjoying Monsta X’s LA concert at home in Seoul

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  Interview: ‘Chameleonlike’ Jinu of Winner sometimes obsesses over things

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  Review: BTS’ ‘Bring The Soul’ delves into blood, sweat and tears of stardom

HERALD INTERVIEW

• Fashion

  

  Park Seung-gun still pushing the envelope

• Music

  

  Percussion is more than beats and rhythms

• Social affairs

  

  Donggubat CEO strives for social well-being along with revenue growth

• Industry

  

  Accounting alignment a prerequisite for better inter-Korean business ties

PHOTO NEWS

• Culture

  

  Japanese colonial history in Korea at a glance

  On Thursday, a national holiday marking Korea’s independence from Japanese colonial rule on Aug. 15, 1945, the Museum of Japanese Colonial History in Korea was very crowded with visitors wanting to better understand the history of the two neighboring countries amid a deepening diplomatic and trade rift. The two-story museum, which sits in a small alley in Yongsan, central Seoul, opened in August last year through donations from the public, civic groups and academics. It exhibits the h

VIDEO

• Foreign Affairs

  

  Views of South Koreans on boycotting Japanese products

• Food&Beverage

  

  Behind South Korea’s ‘fatcaron’ sensation

• Food&Beverage

  

  Behind jewelry shops, pairing pork, kimchi and oysters in Jongno

• Food&Beverage

  

  Tender, sweet spareribs at Seongsu-dong

FEATURES

• Social affairs

  

  Single-person households on the rise in S. Korea

  Seoul, South Jeolla top 1-member household portion

• Social affairs

  

  More than 10,000 centenarians reside in Seoul metropolitan area

  SEJONG -- The population of South Korea increased by less than 1.2 percent over the past five years from 51.25 million in July 2014 to 51.84 million in July 2019, amid the record-low birthrates.According to the Ministry of Interior and Safety, the number of Koreans increased by only 595,000 over the five-year period. This indicates a growth of less than 10,000 a month on average.Apart from the rapid reduction of newborns and those aged under 15, the working population aged between 15 and 64 has

• Economy

  

  Korea faces retreat from GDP, export powerhouses

  SEJONG -- South Korea is one of the few developing countries whose economy expanded sufficiently over the past decades to compete with advanced nations in Europe.Korea achieved the world’s 10th-largest gross domestic product in 2005. It was 28th in 1980, ranked behind Indonesia (21st), Iran (20th) and Saudi Arabia (14th).As exports in sectors such as semiconductors and automobiles greatly contributed to its GDP, there have been predictions that the nation could consistently become one of t

• Politics

  

  Moon’s approval ratings slide in Seoul, Sejong: poll

  Large portion of Koreans in 20s drop support for president over last year