SPOTLIGHT

• Television

  

  Actress Ku Hye-sun, actor Ahn Jae-hyun may divorce

  Actress Ku Hye-sun and actor Ahn Jae-hyun could become yet another high-profile Korean couple whose marriage ends in divorce.On Sunday, the actress shared a post that hinted at the end of her marriage with Ahn. In the post that included a private message with Ahn, Ku wrote that she had lost faith in her husband. HB Entertainment, which represents both Ku and Ahn, announced Sunday that the two have agreed to start divorce proceedings.However, Ku has refuted the statement, saying she has not come

• Social affairs

  

  National Assembly staffers call for gender parity in Yeouido

  Women who work at the National Assembly are holding a monthlong campaign to promote gender equality within the legislative arm of the government.According to National Assembly Feminists, a feminist group comprising female National Assembly staffers, 38.2 percent of all staffers at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, were women as of Aug. 1. While women made up 52.3 percent of interns and 63.3 percent of grade 9 staffers -- the lowest-ranked civil servants -- they accounted for only 8.6 perc

• Technology

  

  Can LG smart fridge actually tweet?

  A tweet by a teenager living in Kentucky, the US, made LG Electronics’ smart refrigerator go viral globally this week, raising the question of whether the fridge could be used to tweet. A fan of singer Ariana Grande, named Dorothy, tweeted Aug. 8 that she was posting via LG’s smart fridge as her mother had taken away her smartphone. “I do not know if this is going to tweet. I am talking to my fridge, What the (explicit) my mom confiscated all of my electronics again,” rea

• Social affairs

  

  First hearing in Holt lawsuit by Korean adoptee deported from US highlights fight for transparency, adoptee rights

  The presiding judge in the Seoul Central District Court opened session Tuesday by noting the unusual audience as the small courtroom overflowed with over 60 South Korean-born international adoptees and adoptee rights advocates. The hearing was the first in a landmark lawsuit filed by deported Korean American adoptee Adam Crapser against the Korean government and Holt Children’s Services.Crapser, adopted through Holt at age 3, was abused by two sets of adoptive parents, neither of which fil

LATEST NEWS

• 

  Industry

  Korea keen on investment in ocean cruise harbors

  SEJONG -- South Korea has five international cruise terminals -- two in Jeju, one in Busan, one in Sokcho and one in Incheon.With the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries focusing on the development of cruise tourism, its plan to open a new Jeju Port, aimed at handling a greater number of inbound cruise tourists, has been approved by the Cabinet.The endorsed budget for the third ocean cruise terminal on Jeju Island -- with the capacity to manage 4.7 million tourists per year -- is set at 2.8 trillio

• 

  Viewpoints

  Beware ‘moral hazard’ in Hong Kong

  Watching videos of Chinese protesters singing the US national anthem in the streets of Hong Kong, or hearing the tear-jerking chorus of “Les Miserables” during a sit-in at the Hong Kong airport, only someone with a heart of stone wouldn’t want to assist these brave people who are fighting for their freedom. But beware. The problem is that easy gestures of support could get these Chinese freedom fighters killed. It’s a problem that insurance companies call “moral haz

• 

  Viewpoints

  Trump isn’t crazy to want to buy Greenland

  Former Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen called US President Donald Trump’s reported idea of buying Greenland, a self-governed Danish territory, an out-of-season April Fools’ Day joke. Trump’s idea may be outlandish -- and impossible -- but that doesn’t mean there’s no benefit in thinking about reviving the market in sovereign territories, which once made America great. Besides acquiring Louisiana from France, Florida from Spain, Alaska from Russia and much

• Editorial

  Pie in the sky

  NK fires missiles, ridicules Moon a day after Liberation Day address; rhetoric of ‘peace economy’ empty

• 

  Industry

  Top 10 biz groups' operating profits down by 54% in H1

  South Korea's major conglomerates posted downbeat operating earnings in the first half from a year ago due to weak global demand for major products, including memory chips, industry data showed Sunday. The combined operating profits of 90 listed companies affiliated with the nation's top 10 business groups totaled 21.3 trillion won ($17.5 billion) in the first six months of this year, 53.5 percent down from a year earlier, according to market researcher Inforbix's analysis of their semiannual re

• 

  Economy

  Signs of global recession haunt S. Korean economy

  A shadow of global recession looms over key economies as major markets have been dealing with some of their worst days in recent weeks. This is sparking concerns that chances of recession may also be growing on home turf, in South Korea. Last week, the yields on US 10-year Treasurys fell below two-year yields for the first time since 2007 – a phenomenon known as an inverted yield curve. Investors and experts alike are regarding such trend with wariness -- every recession in the last 60 yea

• 

  Economy

  Thavma thrives on patriotic marketing

  Amid the ongoing boycott of Japanese products in the midst of the South Korea-Japan trade row, a Korean brand is gaining recognition for its “Yes. We are a Korean brand” campaign. Thavma, a luxury bag brand known for its simple designs, variety of colors, quality materials and reasonable prices, has succeeded in making itself stand out from other foreign name brands, according to industry sources. The most popular model is Christa.Thavma products are currently sold at the company&rsq

• 

  Politics

  Liberty Korea Party to stage anti-govt. rally

  The main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) will stage an anti-government rally in Seoul this week in what would be the first such move outside the parliament in three months, its officials said Sunday.Hwang Kyo-ahn, the leader of the conservative government, said that the rally at Gwanghwamun Square on Saturday is aimed at sending a "warning" to the Moon Jae-in government against its liberal policies and personnel management. The LKP has been highly critical of Moon's recent nominat

• 

  Industry

  Raising the bar of ethical farming, startup offers ‘disruptive’ agritech

  ULikeKorea set to enter Australia, UAE with bio capsule system for livestock

• 

  Social affairs

  Suspect in case of dismembered male torso on Han River turns himself in

  Authorities are seeking an arrest warrant for a man suspected of killing a man whose dismembered torso was found in Han River, Aug. 12. Goyang Police Station said an arrest warrant hearing for the suspect, a 39-year-old motel employee, was held at the Uijeongbu District Court at 4 p.m. on Sunday.The man turned himself in to Jongno Police Station at around 1 a.m. Saturday, five days after the dismembered torso was found.At 9:15 p.m. Aug. 12, police on patrol found a bare torso without a head and

GRAPHIC NEWS

OPINION

• Viewpoints

  

  Beware ‘moral hazard’ in Hong Kong

  Watching videos of Chinese protesters singing the US national anthem in the streets of Hong Kong, or hearing the tear-jerking chorus of “Les Miserables” during a sit-in at the Hong Kong airport, only someone with a heart of stone wouldn’t want to assist these brave people who are fighting for their freedom. But beware. The problem is that easy gestures of support could get these Chinese freedom fighters killed. It’s a problem that insurance companies call “moral haz

• Viewpoints

  

  Trump isn’t crazy to want to buy Greenland

  Former Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen called US President Donald Trump’s reported idea of buying Greenland, a self-governed Danish territory, an out-of-season April Fools’ Day joke. Trump’s idea may be outlandish -- and impossible -- but that doesn’t mean there’s no benefit in thinking about reviving the market in sovereign territories, which once made America great. Besides acquiring Louisiana from France, Florida from Spain, Alaska from Russia and much

THE INVESTOR

• Startups & Investors

  

  Raising the bar of ethical farming, startup offers ‘disruptive’ agritech

  ULikeKorea set to enter Australia, UAE with bio capsule system for livestockULikeKorea is a livestock health care startup that has introduced a first-of-its-kind bio capsule designed to lodge inside a cow’s first stomach and stay there to monitor the animal’s food and drug intake, real-time core body temperature and breeding cycle for quality meat production.The company became one of the eight winning candidates in the third SoftBank Innovation Program that took place in June, 2018,

• Samsung

  

  Samsung Display CEO confirms QD-OLED plan

  While Samsung Display, an affiliate of Samsung Electronics, is moving to cut its production of liquid crystal display panels, the company is making significant efforts to commercialize quantum dot organic light-emitting diode panels, according to the industry on Sunday. Samsung Display CEO Lee Dong-hoon told The Korea Herald, “The company is preparing” to launch QD-OLED panels in the near future.  However, Lee declined to reveal when he would make an official announcement o

• Mobile & Internet

  

  KT launches epidemic prevention app in Ghana

  Korean telecom company KT said Aug.18 it has launched a mobile application to help prevent epidemics in Ghana, Africa. Called the Global Epidemic Prevention Platform, the app allows users to access information on epidemic diseases. It supports three functions: GEPP Public, GEPP Clinic and GEPP Gov.GEPP Public alerts people who enter an epidemic region of the potential dangers. GEPP Clinic receives real-time notifications from people who have experienced an epidemic breakout and displays loc

• Economy

  

  Signs of global recession haunt S. Korean economy

  A shadow of global recession looms over key economies as major markets have been dealing with some of their worst days in recent weeks. This is sparking concerns that chances of recession may also be growing on home turf, in South Korea. Last week, the yields on US 10-year Treasurys fell below two-year yields for the first time since 2007 – a phenomenon known as an inverted yield curve. Investors and experts alike are regarding such trend with wariness -- every recession in the last 60 yea

K-POP HERALD

• 

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

• 

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

• 

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

HERALD INTERVIEW

• People

  

  Four generations of family carry on Jeju’s brewing legacy

• 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

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