SPOTLIGHT

• Baseball

  

  S. Korea undone by lack of firepower

  TOKYO (Yonhap) -- After his squad lost to Japan in the championship final of the Premier12 baseball tournament, South Korean manager Kim Kyung-moon said it was all his fault that the team came up short.Kim, long known for being fiercely loyal to his players, isn't one to throw his players under the bus. But he came as close to doing so as he ever had Sunday, when he acknowledged that the heart of his order never quite got it going. "Our sluggers never came around, and that just goes to show

• Industry

  

  Physically impaired participants give thumbs up to G-Star 2019

  BUSAN – Gaming’s power for social inclusivity was one of the many things on show at the the 15th annual game expo G-Star 2019 in Busan last week, with visitors with physical disabilities experiencing improved access. Among the crowd at the city’s Bexco center were visitors in wheelchairs watching live e-sports. “This is my third year coming to G-Star. I’m enjoying the event without encountering any major issues,” said 29-year-old Lee Shim-hoon, who has a first

• Music

  

  SPO shares plans for 2020

  Mahler, Sibelius expert conductor to take baton for orchestra, starting 2020

• Industry

  

  Royal Salute adds artistic touch to its blend Scotch whisky

  Icelandic artist Kristjana S. Williams holds royal Menagerie-motivated visual art exhibition

LATEST NEWS

• 

  World News

  Hong Kong police storm university held by protesters

  HONG KONG (AP) -- Police breached a Hong Kong university campus held by protesters early Monday after an all-night siege that included firing repeated barrages of tear gas and water cannons.Anti-government protesters have barricaded themselves inside Hong Kong Polytechnic University for days. Police surrounded the area Sunday night and began moving in after issuing an ultimatum for people to leave the area. The crowd wore raincoats and carried umbrellas to shield themselves. Riot officers broke

• 

  Foreign Affairs

  Coming challenges call for stronger Korea-ASEAN ties

  President Moon Jae-in contributed this article to The Korea Herald and Asia News Network member newspapers on the occasion of the 2019 ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit slated for Nov. 25-27 in Busan. – Ed.Next week, November 25-27, the 2019 ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit and the 1st Mekong-Republic of Korea Summit will be held in Korea. In particular, since my hometown Busan will play host to the events, I am very much looking forward to them – as if I have

• 

  Baseball

  S. Korea falls to Japan to finish in 2nd place in Premier12 baseball

  TOKYO -- South Korea finished runner-up to Japan at the Premier12 baseball tournament on Sunday, losing 5-3 in its bid for a second straight championship.South Korea blew a 3-0 first-inning lead, with Japanese leadoff man Tetsuto Yamada cracking a go-ahead three-run shot in the bottom of the second at Tokyo Dome.This was the second edition of the signature tournament by the World Baseball Softball Confederation. South Korea won the inaugural title in 2015. Despite losing in the championship fina

• 

  Defense

  S. Korean, Chinese defense chiefs agree to boost strategic communications

  BANGKOK -- The defense ministers of South Korea and China held bilateral talks in Bangkok on Sunday and agreed to boost their defense relations for regional peace and stability, Seoul‘s defense ministry said.  During the meeting, Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and his Chinese counterpart, Wei Fenghe, exchanged their assessments of regional security situations, commending each government’s efforts for the denuclearization of and the establishment of a lasting peace on the Kore

• 

  Foreign Affairs

  Top US negotiator in defense cost-sharing talks arrives in S. Korea

  The top US negotiator in defense cost-sharing talks with South Korea arrived in Seoul on Sunday for a new round of negotiations this week over the sharing of the cost for the upkeep of American troops here.Speaking to reporters, James DeHart of the US State Department voiced confidence that with “some hard work,” the allies will reach an agreement that is mutually acceptable and will ultimately strengthen the long-standing alliance.Earlier this month, DeHart made an unannounced visit

• 

  Industry

  S. Korea recaptures No. 1 spot in shipbuilding orders

  　South Korea recaptured the top spot in global shipbuilding orders last month, industry data showed, on the back of its dominance in the liquefied natural gas carrier market. 　In October, local shipyards, led by Hyundai Heavy Industries, won orders totaling 1.29 million compensated gross tons to build 17 ships, accounting for 86 percent of the orders placed around the globe, according to London-based Clarkson Research Services, the world’s leading provider of data for the shipping and ship

• 

  Economy

  People question policy on Seoul apartments

  SEJONG -- An online commenter, who identified himself as a salaried worker in charge of a household, wrote earlier this month that he bought an apartment in Seoul during the latter part of the Park Geun-hye administration (2013-2017).The price of the apartment has climbed 300 million won ($257,000) during President Moon Jae-in’s term, which began in May 2017, according to the commenter’s post.“But I don’t feel so happy when I think about (negative) effects of this kind of

• 

  Foreign Affairs

  Moon to seek 'clearer blueprint' for partnerships with ASEAN members in Seoul, Busan talks

  President Moon Jae-in will hold a series of one-on-one summits with the leaders of 10 Southeast Asian countries gathering in South Korea later this month for a special summit Seoul is hosting for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday.Moon has invited them to the two-day ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit to open Nov. 25 in the southern port city of Busan. It will be the biggest diplomatic event to take place in South Korea under the Moon administration.&

• 

  K-pop

  Mamamoo sings about self-confidence in new single ‘Hip’

  Mamamoo has returned with the single “Hip” centering on self-confidence.It is the lead track off the group’s second full-length album, “Reality in Black,” released last week. “Hip” is a rhythmical dance track overflowing with charismatic brass and string sounds. The fierce anthem, co-written by Hwasa, talks about how being true to oneself and confident embody real “hipness,” or coolness. Firing back at naysayers of the group, the four singers

• 

  North Korea

  NK condemns UN rights resolution as proof of hostile US policy

  North Korea denounced a recent UN human rights resolution against it as a US attempt to topple the communist regime, vowing never to discuss the issue of its nuclear programs unless Washington's "hostile policy" is on the agenda.An unnamed foreign ministry spokesperson issued the criticism in a statement, saying that last week's UN resolution clearly proved that the US has not given up on its "hollow dream to bring down our system." "Even if the North-US talks reopen in

GRAPHIC NEWS

OPINION

• Viewpoints

  

  China’s No. 1 university has a big debt problem

  A crown jewel of President Xi Jinping’s Made in China 2025 plan is faltering.Tsinghua Unigroup is the business arm of the prestigious Tsinghua University, Xi’s alma mater. The company has been trying to establish itself as a leader in China’s nascent memory-chip industry since 2015, when it famously tried to acquire stakes in US rivals Micron Technology and Western Digital. Both advances were rejected amid concerns that US regulators wouldn’t approve the deals on national

• Viewpoints

  

  Talk of a ‘new Cold War’ between US and China is misleading

  Thirty years ago this week I was on my way to Prague to watch Czechoslovak communism end with the Velvet Revolution. The Berlin Wall had just fallen, the Soviet communist party was headed for collapse, and the Cold War would soon end.Five months earlier, Chinese leaders had cracked down on student admirers of Western democracy in Tiananmen Square. That tragedy didn’t stir the same geopolitical shock waves as the events in Europe, because China was still a poor, developing country.Yet 30 ye

THE INVESTOR

• Startups & Investors

  

  S. Korean startups use M&As to improve apps, services

  Let’s say a car-sharing startup tries to launch a business. It will essentially have to buy cars and develop a mobile app for people to use. But that is just the beginning.The startup realizes cars operate remotely, so it finds a need to a control-system for cars -- which have to be regularly maintained, fixed and insured. To address growing number of users, the company has to look for a financing method to buy more cars. For future growth and competitive edge, it colle

• Mobile & Internet

  

  Gen Z youth prefer emerging e-commerce platforms, shun Coupang

  South Korea’s e-commerce market has several big players -- Coupang, 11st Street, WeMakePrice and G-market -- which are engaged in cut-throat competition and are gnawing at the business of offline retailers. But they are not necessarily preferred by young Koreans. According to App Annie, Generation Z youth (those born in the mid-90s) prefer unique online secondhand market places like Bungaejangter along with fashion shopping malls ZigZag and Musinsa. There are 6.46 million Gen Z youth in So

• Industrials

  

  Doosan Bobcat builds global center in U.S. for biz cooperation

  Doosan Bobcat Inc., a construction equipment unit of Doosan Group, said Sunday it has set up a global center in the US for business cooperation across the globe.The Global Cooperation Center built in Minnesota will serve as the “control tower,” which will develop new products and share the company‘s business strategies with global business headquarters, Doosan Bobcat said in a statement.　The company expects the center will help enhance its price competitiveness in global market

• Economy

  

  S. Korea mulling separate FTAs with more ASEAN member states

  South Korea is exploring the possibility of forging individual free trade deals with more ASEAN member states, a senior trade official has said, in a move to further boost growing economic ties with the region.　South Korea has a free trade agreement with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, but Seoul has been pushing for separate free trade deals with individual members of the Southeast Asian bloc. “We are reviewing the possibility of free trade agreements” with some

K-POP HERALD

• 

  Mamamoo sings about self-confidence in new single ‘Hip’

• 

  Eric Nam talks about first English album, hopes of winning over global fans

• 

  Return of 1st-generation K-pop bands bring old fans back together

HERALD INTERVIEW

• Industry

  

  ‘Korea should expedite knowledge-based assets development’

• K-pop

  

  Zico returns with new reflective album ‘Thinking’

• Film

  

  Actress knocks up marionette story in directorial debut, ‘Judy and Punch’

• Arts&Design

  

  Shaping crude warmth into tableware and more

PHOTO NEWS

• Travel

  

  A stroll through Korea’s naval history

  Since the early history of the Korean Peninsula, the Han River has served as a strategic waterway and was the center of a power struggle among the Three Kingdoms of Baekje, Silla and Goguryeo.It was also near its banks that Joseon-era kings visited to observe the training of the nation’s Navy.Seoul Battleship Park, located on the river’s northern bank in Mapo-gu, is the first shipbuilding theme park in Seoul, providing an ideal destination for family outings.The 9,952-square-meter ar

VIDEO

• Diplomatic Circuit

  

  Mexico top diplomat in Seoul optimistic on Seoul’s Pacific Alliance associate membership prospects

• Diplomatic Circuit

  

  ASEAN delegation relishes ASEAN-Korea Train, future of ASEAN-Korea

• Food&Beverage

  

  A mix of ‘nogari’ and beer in Euljiro, Seoul

• Industry

  

  Looking beyond today’s crises and into the future

FEATURES

• Social affairs

  

  Will K-pop singer Steve Yoo be allowed into South Korea?

  Once a K-pop icon, Steve Seung Jun Yoo, also known as Yoo Seung-jun, is ever closer to entering South Korea again for the first time in more than 16 years.With the exception of a brief sojourn in 2003, the Korean American singer and actor has not been able to set foot in his motherland since he chose to become a US citizen, which immediately relieved him of his duty to serve in the military in Korea. Korea’s Military Manpower Administration, or MMA, viewing his US naturalization in 20

• Social affairs

  

  Year of soccer, Olympics, elections coming up

  SEJONG -- The 2010s will terminate in about 50 days, and South Korean politics will face a turbulent time from the beginning of the 2020s as the nation has already entered the election mode for the 21st Assembly.In 2020, the general election for the National Assembly is slated for April 15, while there will be a presidential election in the US on Nov. 3.Meanwhile, next year will also feature big international sports events.People in Europe and across the globe are waiting for opening of the

• Politics

  

  President’s detractors cite economy as No. 1 reason

  But Moon supporters say prosecution reform is main factor: poll

• Health

  

  Using robotics in dementia prevention, care

  An orb with a set of ears, blinky eyes and the voice and speech manners of a chatty child is making advances in dementia therapy at a hospital in Seoul. Named Bomy, the robot assists cognitive training for patients in the early stages, or at the risk of developing dementia.Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital’s Robot-assisted Cognitive Training Center opened its doors in April, and is headed by Dr. Kim Geon-ha, a neurologist who has been researching related technologies since 2009. The