PM says willing to meet Xi during China visit

South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Tuesday he is willing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of his official visit to attend the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou in China. Han expressed hope for his official engagement, as he confirmed on Tuesday plans for a two-day visit to Hangzhou beginning Saturday. "It would be a great opportunity if I, as prime minister, were to make a visit and send friendly signals ... about the relationship between

Social AffairsSept. 19, 2023

Posco E&C targets tenfold valuation growth by 2035

Construction and engineering firm Posco Eco & Challenge unveiled on Tuesday a new vision to multiply its corporate valuation tenfold by 2035, zeroing in on its renewed commitment to spearheading growth in the eco-friendly space. Under the vision, it is aiming to reach 25 trillion won ($18.9 billion) in sales and 2 trillion won in operating profit by 2035, which would help boost its corporate value, the firm said. “Using Posco E&C's sturdy foundation as the bedrock, we are layi

TechnologySept. 19, 2023

[Herald Design Forum 2023] Design experts discuss 'design for coexistence' at Herald Design Forum

The 13th Herald Design Forum opened Tuesday under the theme of “Design for Coexistence, Exploring New Perspectives on Coexistence,” bringing together renowned designers from across the world to Seoul. “This year, we wish to focus on a realm that traditionally has not been the mainstream of the design world,” said Jeon Chang-hyeop, CEO and publisher of Herald Corp, in his opening remarks. “Taking a step back from the traditional design that we are all used to, we hop

Arts & DesignSept. 19, 2023

LG Energy Solution raises $1b from green bond sales to finance battery projects

South Korean battery maker LG Energy Solution said Tuesday it has raised $1 billion worth of global green bonds to finance its global production facilities. It marks the company's first foray into the global green bond market. Green bonds are bonds specifically designed to provide capital to industries and projects combating climate change, including batteries, an alternative to fossil fuels. This $1 billion bond comprises two portions: $400 million set to mature in 3 years and the remainin

IndustrySept. 19, 2023

Samsung’s guide dog school marks 30th anniversary

Samsung Group’s guide dog school, which began operations after the late Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s new management declaration in September 1993, celebrated its 30-year anniversary Tuesday. Samsung held a ceremony commemorating the occasion at Samsung Guide Dog School in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do, sharing gratitude for the late chairman’s insights, philosophy and passion for his dogs. Lee Kun-hee established Korea’s first school for dogs, aimed at training them for work with the vis

IndustrySept. 19, 2023

[Herald Design Forum 2023] Putting yourself in different culture enriches you as architect: Diébédo Francis Kéré, Lina Ghotmeh

Living in different cultures away from their homeland have helped globally acclaimed architects Diébédo Francis Kéré and Lina Ghotmeh think about what they can do in their city as an architect. “When we are in one place, we take it for granted. I am sure here in Seoul, if you think about the metro and everything, you will think they are normal for you. But for me, it is not normal, so I am curious to explore it,” Kéré said at the “Speci

Arts & DesignSept. 19, 2023

What drove Korea's once-revered teachers to despair?

For Kim, a retired teacher in her late 60s, teaching was one of the greatest gifts of her life. Recalling students’ laughter and small parties in classrooms celebrating Teachers’ Day every year, she was a teacher who was revered and appreciated by both students and parents. However, when Kim visited a memorial altar for a Seoul elementary school teacher who took her own life on Sept. 4, she lamented at how different schools have become and how the teaching profession -- widely revere

Social AffairsSept. 19, 2023

Yoon rallies support for Busan Expo at UN

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol led a diplomatic campaign at the 78th United Nations General Assembly in a bid to secure support for the 2030 Busan World Expo, his office said Tuesday. After arriving in New York on Monday morning, Yoon met with leaders of nine countries, including Sri Lanka, San Marino and Denmark on the day. He plans to hold bilateral summits with leaders of around 40 countries throughout his stay in the city. Yoon told the leaders that Busan is the world’s second-la

Foreign AffairsSept. 19, 2023

SC Bank’s new commercial features Kim Young-ok

Standard Chartered Bank Korea said Tuesday it started a commercial campaign for its new savings product featuring Kim Young-ok, the oldest working actress in Korea. Under the slogan “You still don’t know? Let’s be clear! Jaeil EZ account,” the new commercial features Kim, 85, as a restaurant owner, telling diners the benefits of the new Jaeil EZ account in a humorous and friendly manner. The bank also chose Korean rock band Itzi’s “Emergency Room” as the

IndustrySept. 19, 2023

BAT tackles trash dumping with flower gardens

BAT Rothmans, the Korean unit of British America Tobacco, said Tuesday it started a flower planting campaign dubbed “Kkot BAT,” with the aim to save alleys from litter and cigarette butts. “Kkot,” meaning “flower,” and “BAT," meaning “plot” in Korean, this new campaign lays lively flower pots or flower beds in neighborhoods suffering from littering and illegal waste disposal. Acknowledging the roles of citizens in this campaign, BAT Roth

IndustrySept. 19, 2023

[Photo News] Crown princes' building

Gyejodang, a part of Gyeongbokgung where the Joseon crown princes attended to state affairs and hosted banquets, opens to the public Wednesday after a six-year restoration. Built in 1443 during King Sejong's reign, the original Gyejodang was completely destroyed by the Japanese in around 1910 after Japan's annexation of Korea. Traditional materials and building techniques were used in the restoration, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration. (Cultural Heritage Administration)

CultureSept. 19, 2023

Yoon meets leaders of Sri Lanka, San Marino, other nations

President Yoon Suk Yeol held summits with the leaders of Sri Lanka, San Marino and four other nations in New York on Monday, kicking off a series of bilateral meetings arranged on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to seek support for South Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo. Yoon, who arrived in New York on Monday for a five-day visit, is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on Wednesday and hold at least 30 bilateral summits on the margins, according to his office. Duri

PoliticsSept. 19, 2023

Uzbek man risks life to save Korean woman from blaze

An Uzbek man, aged 40, risked his life to rescue a Korean woman, aged 69, from a blaze that broke out in a restaurant in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, Monday. According to the South Gyeongsang Province Fire Department, a fire broke out in a restaurant run by an older couple in Bukbu-dong, Yangsan, around 6:44 p.m. on Monday. Witnessing the sound of an explosion, broken glass, and flames in the restaurant, someone called 119. Meanwhile, however, the woman was alone in the restaurant as the

Social AffairsSept. 19, 2023

'Cross-cultural exchanges crucial to Mexico-Korea ties'

Mexico's ambassador to Korea, Carlos Penafiel Soto, underlined people-to-people connections and the mutual exchange of knowledge as the linchpin of Mexico-Korea ties, marking Mexico’s 213th anniversary of independence from Spain on Wednesday. Mexico declared its independence from Spain in 1810. Noting bilateral strategic partnerships and political dialogue that were developed over six decades, Soto highlighted recent bilateral trade between Mexico and Korea that hit $30 billion in 202

Foreign AffairsSept. 19, 2023

Central American nations commemorate Independence Day

Honoring history and pledging to build a new future, the embassies of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua commemorated the 202nd Independence anniversary in Seoul on Friday. To commemorate the occasion, the Seoul City Hall building was illuminated in blue and white -- the colors that symbolize the common history of the region. The event was attended by the ambassadors, diplomats, and community members of the Central American countries. Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, H

Foreign AffairsSept. 19, 2023

140 years of German-Korean ties celebrated

Alumninetzwerk Deutschland-Korea and the German Embassy in Seoul held an integrated academic conference and press day commemorating the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Germany on Monday. Under the theme "Together for another 140 years," the event discoursed on the enduring partnership between South Korea and Germany and encapsulated the spirit of unity and collaboration. The attendees included ADeKo Chairman Kim Hyo-jun, German Ambassado

Foreign AffairsSept. 19, 2023

LG Electronics hosts conference to boost smart TV biz

LG Electronics Inc. said Tuesday it held a global conference aimed at enhancing its smart TV content and platform business. The South Korean tech company said some 300 content developers and business partners from 30 countries attended the webOS Partner Summit, held at LG Science Park in western Seoul, to extend the ecosystem and values of webOS, LG's own smart TV operating system. LG is "seeking to make a paradigm shift" away from a hardware maker to "a media and entertainme

IndustrySept. 19, 2023

S. Korea to open men's volleyball tournament Wednesday with eye on 15th consecutive medal

South Korea will open the Asian Games men's volleyball tournament in Hangzhou on Wednesday, launching a bid for the country's 15th consecutive medal at the continental event. South Korea will begin Pool C action against India at Linping Sports Centre Gymnasium in Hangzhou at 7 p.m. Wednesday, or 8 p.m. the same evening in South Korea. South Korea will then play Cambodia on Thursday to wrap up the preliminary stage. There are six groups in action, with Pools A to E each featuring three

More SportsSept. 19, 2023

Cross-border shopping from S. Korean consumers nearly tripled from 2018 to 2022: data

Direct purchases South Koreans made from overseas almost tripled over the past four years, data from the Korea Customs Service showed Tuesday. According to the data submitted to Rep. Han Byung-do of the main opposition Democratic Party, South Korean shoppers made about 96,120,000 cross-border purchases online in 2022, up by almost threefold from 32,255,000 in 2018, the data showed. In the first half of this year, the figure came to 57,570,000. The surge in direct purchases from overseas also cam

Social AffairsSept. 19, 2023

Seoul shares open tad higher ahead of Fed meeting

South Korean stocks started weaker Tuesday as investors take a cautious approach ahead of a US rate-setting meeting later this week. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 2.56 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,577.28 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, US stocks also closed little changed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average grew 0.02 percent, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite inched up 0.01 percent, and the S&P 500 rose 0.07 percent. The Federal Reserve will hold the Federa

MarketSept. 19, 2023