SPOTLIGHT

• Arts&Design

  

  Wael Shawky reconstructs Arab history through art

  Imagine a Middle Eastern man walking bare feet on the streets of Mecca in the 1970s, who soon takes out his keys and drives away in a Cadillac. This interesting juxtaposition of a Bedouin city and the influx of Western influence was a common scene in Mecca at the time, when Wael Shawky was a child in the city. His experiences in Mecca have influenced him a great deal, said Shawky, whose artistic efforts are mainly invested in grappling with the history of Arab world to better understand its

• Film

  

  ‘Killed My Wife’ shows why webcomic-based films rarely work

  After watching the thoroughly boring “Killed My Wife,” I checked out the webcomic on which it is based. Surprisingly, it was pretty good. The story was intriguing, the style was tasteful and the presentation was effective in building suspense. Why, then, was director Kim Ha-la’s thriller such a flop? While Lee Si-eon does a fairly good job in his first leading role, the film fails to understand that storytelling methods of a webcomic and a movie are very different, ultimately f

• Social affairs

  

  Filipino Korean children celebrate 70th anniversary of S. Korea-Philippines ties

  Filipino Korean children staged a musical Sunday commemorating the 70th anniversary of bilateral relations between South Korea and the Philippines.Performed bilingually in Korean and Tagalog, the musical was an adaptation of Korean folktale “Heungbu and Nolbu” dating back to the late Joseon era.  The show staged at CJ Azit Auditorium in Jongno, central Seoul, was directed by Cherish Maningat, a Filipina stage actress based in Korea, and choreographed by Park Eun-hee.“We ha

• Soccer

  

  'Son-aldo!': Mourinho salutes South Korean's wonder-goal

  LONDON (AFP) -- Jose Mourinho hailed Son Heung-min's wonder-strike in Tottenham's 5-0 thrashing of Burnley as the best goal he has seen since an equally stunning effort from Brazilian legend Ronaldo.On the day he was presented with the AFC Asian International Player of the Year award by compatriot Park Ji-sung, Son underlined his place among the game's elite with arguably the greatest goal of his glittering career.With Spurs already rampant after early goals from Harry Kane and Lucas Moura, Son

LATEST NEWS

• 

  World Business

  [Graphic News] Air New Zealand named world’s best airline 2020

  　Air New Zealand has dethroned Singapore Airlines to reclaim the title of world’s best airline for the sixth time. 　AirlineRatings.com released the latest edition of its annual ranking, which is based on 12 criteria including fleet age, passenger reviews, profitability, investment rating, product offerings and staff relations. 　This year, the flagship carrier of New Zealand took top honors, nudging Singapore Airlines into second place, followed by All Nippon Airways, Qantas and Cathay Paci

• 

  Automode

  Half of Hyundai, Kia cars sold in US are SUVs

  More than a half of new cars manufactured by South Korean carmakers Hyundai and Kia sold in US were sport utility vehicles, reaching the highest mark since they launched operations in the world’s second-largest auto market, the companies said Sunday. Of the 1.2 million vehicles Hyundai and its smaller affiliate Kia sold as of November, 668,328 units or 55.4 percent of the total were SUV, from 30.9 percent in 2013. The number of SUVs sold by November already has surpassed the figure for las

• 

  Finance

  Korean investors turn to real estate, less interested in stock market

  Korean investors have been turning their attention toward the real estate market, reflected in an increase in mortgage lending, while cash flows in the equity market have been overall stagnant, recent data showed. According to data released by the Bank of Korea last month, the outstanding balance of mortgage loans held by banks and other financial institutions here came to a combined 830.3 trillion won ($700.5 billion) as of September. The latest data is a noteworthy jump from the corresponding

• Editorial

  [Editorial] Reenacted brinkmanship

  Seoul’s stance should not be detached from reality amid US-NK confrontation

• Viewpoints

  [Letter to the Editor] Office of education avoids the elephant in the room

  Once again, the Korean government is chasing its own tail over an effective (and just) education policy. It was announced this week that the top 16 universities in Seoul would have to accept at least 40 percent of their students based on regular admissions, i.e. the College Scholastic Ability Test. The original introduction of the irregular admissions policy, which included assessment of students’ extra-curricular activities (such as award-winning records, club activities and volunteer wor

• 

  Viewpoints

  [Slawomir Sierakowski] Macron needs prudence, restraint to achieve goal

  You can be talented, handsome, rhetorically skilled, and politically brave, and yet suffer for it. In the long run, prudence and restraint are crucial ingredients of successful leadership, and it is precisely these two qualities that, up to now, French President Emmanuel Macron appears to lack.Macron wants to lead the European Union into the 21st century. But he will succeed only if he does not go too far. If he overplays his hand, he will open himself up to a challenge from some other rising po

• 

  Politics

  [Newsmaker] Centrist third party on course to split

  Minor opposition Bareunmirae Party, formed in February last year to challenge the bipartisan establishment, is on the verge of splitting.The party’s meeting for “nonpartisan initiative” has launched a committee to prepare for the formation of a new party with “a centrist reform agenda.”Heading the committee is Rep. Ha Tae-keung, a conservative politician who helped integrate factions supporting two former third-party presidential candidates, Ahn Cheol-soo and Yoo Se

• 

  Industry

  5G smartphones to boost revenue for Samsung Display

  Samsung Display faces new opportunities for sales growth as the growing demand for fifth-generation smartphones is expected to drive up sales of the firm’s small and medium-sized OLED panels, industry watchers said Sunday.OLED panels, a key component of large-screen smartphones, are seeing increased demand with the rise in consumption of high-definition video and game content among handset users. Global handset makers, Samsung Electronics, Apple, Huawei, Oppo and Vivo, began to adopt

• 

  North Korea

  North Korea intensifies pressure on US as it tries to exact concessions

  Pyongyang announces conducting ‘very important test’ -- likely engine test for ICBM

• 

  Finance

  Foreign investors’ bond holdings hit 6-month low

  Foreign investors in South Korea continued to recoup investments from the local bond market for three consecutive months, dragging the amount of locally listed bonds they held to the lowest level in six months, according to the financial regulator on Sunday. The latest data of the Financial Supervisory Service showed foreign holdings of locally listed bonds amounted to 122.3 trillion won ($103 billion) as of Wednesday, dropping from 124.77 trillion won at end-November. It also marked the lowest

GRAPHIC NEWS

OPINION

• Viewpoints

  

  Macron needs prudence, restraint to achieve goal

  You can be talented, handsome, rhetorically skilled, and politically brave, and yet suffer for it. In the long run, prudence and restraint are crucial ingredients of successful leadership, and it is precisely these two qualities that, up to now, French President Emmanuel Macron appears to lack.Macron wants to lead the European Union into the 21st century. But he will succeed only if he does not go too far. If he overplays his hand, he will open himself up to a challenge from some other rising po

• Viewpoints

  

  Key factors to consider when choosing a nursing hospital

  Nursing hospitals get asked most frequently about the amount charged for hospitalization fees. The reason appears to be that the patient’s children usually pay for the hospitalization fees. If the patients themselves pay the fees, they might ask about hospital facilities or services rather than costs. As the patient’s children bear the cost for the most part, the inquiry about the fees remains the top priority.Simply put, bills for nursing hospitals are specified under the comprehens

THE INVESTOR

• Mobile & Internet

  

  Korean investors turn to real estate, less interested in stock market

  Korean investors have been turning their attention toward the real estate market, reflected in an increase in mortgage lending, while cash flows in the equity market have been overall stagnant, recent data showed. According to data released by the Bank of Korea last month, the outstanding balance of mortgage loans held by banks and other financial institutions here came to a combined 830.3 trillion won ($700.5 billion) as of September. The latest data is a noteworthy jump from the corresponding

• LG

  

  LG Chem, GM deal ups ante in EV battery competition

  The recent announcement for a joint venture between South Korean battery maker LG Chem and US carmaker General Motors has upped the ante in the global competition to secure lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, according to industry sources on Dec.8. The 2.7 trillion won ($2.3 billion) joint venture for an EV battery factory with production capacity of over 30 gigawatt hours per year in Lordstown, Ohio, was clinched amid GM’s ongoing transition from combustion engine cars to electri

• Economy

  

  Power market open to private firms, price hike needed for green energy expansion

  South Korea’s efforts to tackle environmental issues related to power generation using conventional technologies are no longer sustainable, and the only way forward -- apart from expanding renewable energy -- is to allow private operators in the sector which is now controlled by state firms, according to Korea Energy Economics Institute President Cho Yong-sung.“Korea should now ponder whether its energy market needs to embrace a free market mechanism in a new era driven by renewable

• Finance

  

  Foreign investors’ bond holdings hit 6-month low

  Foreign investors in South Korea continued to recoup investments from the local bond market for three consecutive months, dragging the amount of locally listed bonds held by them to the lowest level in six months, according to the financial regulator on Dec.8. The latest data of the Financial Supervisory Service showed foreign holdings of locally listed bonds amounted to 122.3 trillion won ($103 billion) as of Dec.4, dropping from 124.77 trillion won in end-November. It is also the lowest f

K-POP

• 

  BTS performs at 2019 Jingle Ball

• 

  BTS' Suga releases collaboration with Halsey

• 

  What went wrong at MAMA 2019

HERALD INTERVIEW

• People

  

  Women’s colleges relevant in world where men enjoy privileges

• Industry

  

  China’s No. 1 aesthetic laser firm sees Korea as bridge to Asian markets

• Defense

  

  ‘We will support conscientious objectors in fulfilling alternative service’

• Social affairs

  

  ‘Still traumatized’: 1980s murder convict on trying to clear name

PHOTO NEWS

• Travel

  

  Once a ghetto, now tourist hot spot

  Gamcheon Culture Village, a hilltop village in Busan’s Saha district, is a tourist hot spot, drawing an increasing number of visitors.Camera-toting tourists from Korea and elsewhere explore terraced rows of small houses, painted in pastel colors, and labyrinth-like alleys, with some so narrow only one person can pass at a time. The town has hidden gems as well -- murals, sculptures, installation art, galleries and eateries.Among its recent visitors was Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who

VIDEO

• Film

  

  Ryan Reynolds says ‘6 Undergrounds’ shows how times are changing

• Travel

  

  While in Busan, don’t miss 2 things: Excitement and adventure

• Automode

  

  The New Grandeur gains a bold, younger and sportier look

• Politics

  

  Hwang at a loss

FEATURES

• Finance

  

  Unlisted stock market gains momentum with attention to startups

  Interest in unlisted stocks is projected to further grow as there are no other alternatives to Kosdaq and Konex

• Technology

  

  Is Vietnam an attractive place for Samsung chip plant?

  Is Vietnam a good place for chipmakers to consider building a high-tech plant? In light of a request by the Vietnamese head of state to Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest chipmaker, many in South Korea are asking whether it is a viable business move.In a private meeting held in Seoul on Thursday, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong to consider building a chip manufacturing facility there. The Korean tech giant already has pr

• Economy

  

  Outlook for Korean economy remains grim

  SEJONG -- South Korea has yet to see any positive signals of an economic revival although the government predicted it would bounce back in the second half of the year.The financial woes of companies are continuing while the stock market is lackluster. In addition, another round of the US dollar’s strong position is aggravating the situation.Korea saw its exports fall by 10.3 percent during the Jan. 1-Nov. 20 period, on year, according to the Korea Customs Service. The nation’s outbou

• Politics

  

  Real estate, education policies, lower Moon’s approval ratings among housewives, students

  SEJONG -- President Moon Jae-in started the latter part of his term this month amid discontent with his administration’s policies on real estate and education.Alongside sagging economic indices, a number of other factors have led citizens to express frustration or anger with Moon. Among these are skyrocketing apartment prices in Seoul and alleged irregularities by former Justice Minister Cho Kuk and his family.Though President Moon’s approval ratings remain above the psychologically