South Korea’s Mirae Asset Global Investments is pulling out of a 4.1 trillion won ($2.86 billion) deal to acquire IFC Seoul, a landmark complex in Yeouido, western Seoul, from Canada’s Brookfield Asset Management, industry sources said Monday. In May, Mirae Asset was picked as the preferred bidder to acquire the IFC Complex, which consists of three office towers, after fierce competition with a ...

Pernod Ricard's Kyoto dry gin KiNoBi made its South Korean debut earlier this month, targeting a growing number of drinkers here who may drink less but are willing to spend more to elevate at-home bar experience after pandemic years. “COVID-19 has reduced opportunities for people to mingle and socialize, so people looking for a luxury experience started to choose to enjoy them at home, trying ou...

Bilateral exercises aim to demonstrate allies’ strong will to counter N. Korean provocations, says S. Korea Navy

The meeting between President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly after much controversy and led to few immediate results. While Seoul's presidential office touted the meeting as “meaningful,” some critics say the bilateral meeting was unnecessary and that it has put Yoon in a more difficult position. Yoon told reporters...

Cross-border cargo trains between North Korea and China have resumed operations after a five-month hiatus, China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed Monday. The confirmation came after South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported that a freight train loaded with supplies was seen departing from the Chinese border city of Dandong and crossing the China-North Korea Friendship Bridge into Sinuiju in North Ko...

Over the last few years, pandemic-triggered market volatility has provided great business opportunities for South Korean startups. But in the face of a deteriorating market outlook driven by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and inflation, only a handful of startups with strong business portfolios could keep their title as “the next unicorn” with a corporate value of some $1 billion or more. RSquare,...

“Whereas, in ‘Remember,’ there is the bromance between men of different generations. Despite their age difference as a man in his 20s and a man in his 80s, they show chemistry,” the director said. The action film will hit local theaters on Oct. 26. Meanwhile, this was Nam’s first press conference appearance since he faced several bullying allegations in June and July. At the time, Nam’s agency...

Digital media facade projections will be shown at Chundangji, a scenic pond located in the rear garden of Changgyeonggung, known for its fall foliage. The show runs five times a day, from Oct. 1 to 9, every 20 minutes, starting at 7 p.m. A schedule of events for the Royal Culture Festival can be found at the festival's official website.

The National Education Commission will finally be launched, after two months of hiccups, but concerns over its legitimacy remain. The education committee will be launched two members short, with 19 members. The committee is tasked with deliberating on long-term education policies for the country, from national education curriculum to college entrance measures. While the committee will decide on...

Korean heartthrob Song Joong-ki’s new crime movie "Hwaran" -- meaning disaster or chaos -- started shooting on Sept. 13 at a site in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province, according to the film’s distributor Megabox Joongang Plus M. Directed by Kim Chang-hoon, the film revolves around Yun-kyu, who wants to escape from his everyday struggles. One day, Yun-kyu meets a crime organization’s underboss Chi-g...

Lisa, NCT Dream, Secret Number and T1419 take home top prizes

Lacking faith in traditional media, more people turn to YouTube for political news despite flimsy verification process

Rotary, an international volunteer organization with 70,000 participants in Korea and 1.4 million members around the world, is holding 2022 Rotary training session at the Maison Glad Hotel in Jeju City on Sept. 26-29. The workshop will be a venue for learning and exchange for leaders who lead Korean Rotary. About 500 people will attend, including Rotary’s President Jennifer E. Jones and Trustee ...

Was that Kim Jong-un’s daughter on TV? North Korean watchers are zeroing in on a girl who appeared on the reclusive state’s national TV during a recently televised event, saying she could be Kim Jong-un’s only daughter, Ju-ae. The UK's Daily Mail first reported about the child among a pack of preteen children attending the anniversary of the founding of North Korea from a broadcast of the Korea...

Korea Ginseng Corp., the country’s leading ginseng manufacturer, said Monday it will work with nongovernmental relief agency World Vision to help malnourished children in Vietnam. By donating part of its revenue from sales, KGC will provide food and health supplements to malnourished children under 5 in two of Vietnam’s most impoverished districts -- Huong Hoa and Da Krong. Some 28 percent of ch...