South Korea’s partnership with ASEAN goes way beyond the economic realm, the head of the ASEAN-Korea Center said, defining the geostrategically crucial 10-nation group as sharing a “common destiny” with the country. Kim Young-sun stressed that Korea’s evolving relationship with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is vital given the bloc’s geopolitical value and growth potential and the ra...

Between January and March, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Korea reported 123.7 billion won ($111.7 million) in sales and 9.6 billion won in operating profit, the highest rates ever. Besides from the ever-growing popularity of the Mercedes car itself, the fact that workers are genuinely happy with what they are entitled to do in an ultra-supportive environment contributed to the phenomenal succ...

Internationally praised for his refined artistry and classical reinterpretations, pianist Dasol Kim has finally released his debut studio album, “Dasol Kim Plays Schumann,” paying personal homage to one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. Following an increasing demand in the European market for a studio album from the piano prodigy, the 26-year-old unveiled his first album in May, fe...

Singer-songwriter Hong Dae-kwang rose to fame through the TV star discovery program “Superstar K4,” but that wasn’t his first experience performing for the public. On the show, he created buzz by talking about his extensive experiences busking on the street, and he says that those experiences influenced the way he approached his third EP, “With You.” “I worked with a team that is really experien...

Broadway director and choreographer Jeff Calhoun has teamed up with some of the biggest names in the musical business, including composer Frank Wildhorn, to tackle the splendorous and mysterious tale of Mata Hari, one of the world’s most notorious female spies, in a new musical. The Korean audience will have the first chance to watch his work. “What’s great about Mata Hari is that people think t...

Bernhard Butz, the culinary director at the Millennium Seoul Hilton, appears to be a tired and stressed chef at first glance. But it’s only natural that he looks that way after hearing his story and understanding what kind of responsibilities he has for the hotel. He manages five specialty restaurants, a bar and a deli, in addition to making sure breakfast, lunch and dinner are served properly ...

Five major world economies ― the U.S., China, Japan, the European Union and Korea ― have adopted a joint statement to provide better intellectual property services to users and the public. The agreement was reached during the eighth meeting of the heads of “IP5 Offices” in Suzhou, China, late last month. KIPO Commissioner Choi Dong-gyou IP5, which began in 2007, is a forum of the five largest...

Online comic strips, or webtoons, nowadays play a pivotal role in the creation of media content, serving as a reservoir of new ideas for TV shows and movies. Featuring gripping stories with twists and turns and witty, but satirical punchlines, they allow people of all ages and genders to let their hair down while reading. Stories and genres are diverse, ranging from office life and heart-wrench...

In 2008, a North Korean leaflet flew under the front door of South Korean artist Ham Kyung-ah’s home. Ham never thought she would see the propaganda leaflets on her doorstep as they were not frequently seen in cities as they were in the 1970s. The propaganda leaflets instantly reminded the 49-year-old artist of her elementary school years during which schools awarded kids who brought North Kore...

AMSTERDAM ― KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, known for its social savvy and service, is expanding its online presence to reach out to Korean customers with the launch of a KakaoTalk customer service account in a bid to “be where its customers are,” the airline’s e-commerce executive said. “Replying in Korean on Korea’s most popular social media platform allows KLM to be in close interaction with its Ko...

Inspired by the South Korean government’s initiative to foster a “creative economy,” the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry is seeking to recognize innovative Korean and German operations here with the inaugural KGCCI Innovation Awards. “We wish to provide a forum for a broad variety of innovative companies located in Korea, both Korean and German, to advertise their unique and innov...

It was a dream come true for Yang Ji-hoon, a 1990s a cappella singer, producer and songwriter, to come back, produce and sing pop music for the public after almost two decades away. He now wants to share his experience of rediscovering his artistic passion with people who long for a life in arts and entertainment. Yang seeks to pass on his know-how through books and songs in what he calls the Ji...

At the end of the Korean War in 1953, Korea was a country in ruins with a per capita income of $70, worse off than some of Africa’s poorest nations. Over the next several decades, using foreign aid, Korea elevated its economy to the world’s 14th largest, pushing the frontiers of market and technology. The miraculous transformation of a once-ravaged country was aided in large part by the World B...

Switzerland and Korea can contribute to peace and security around the world by abolishing the death penalty, phasing out nuclear power and pressing North Korea on human rights, the Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter told The Korea Herald in an email interview. Burkhalter, who is a federal councilor in Switzerland’s foreign ministry, came to Korea to participate in the 2015 OSCE-Asian Confe...

Providing selective or comprehensive education benefits has long been a topic of discussion in South Korea. Some say the welfare system should cater to those in need, while others say it should extend to all citizens. Bjorn Haugstad, the deputy minister of education and research in Norway, said that paying for education should remain a duty of the government rather than the parents. “We have al...