SPOTLIGHT

• Arts&Design

  

  Exhibition looks at overarching presence of virtual reality

  In a video introducing Niantic’s mobile game Pokemon Go, which uses augmented reality, Pikachu is running around in an open-air cafe, past real people. The uplifting yellow creature even plays hide-and-seek using real-world objects like flower pots. “Watching the video, I thought this real world has become an image -- in an allegorical sense. It was somewhat scary too when I thought about how the real world and virtual reality overlap with one another, the one with Pikachu and the ot

• Film

  

  ‘Start-up,’ a loveable disappointment that fails to take off

  [Honestly, Choi Jeong-yeol’s “Start-up” is a film that I would’ve loved to like. The film had such loveable characters and felt so likeable, yet both the narrative and comedy kept falling short.Perhaps the best way to describe it is that it is a poor-man’s version of “Exit,” a 2019 action comedy which blended just a hint of drama with three tablespoons of suspense, two cups of laughter, awesome characters and a whole bunch of creative settings to conjure

• Golf

  

  S. Korean rookie upsets reigning US Open champ in Presidents Cup singles

  South Korean rookie Im Sung-jae defeated the reigning US Open champion Gary Woodland in the singles match at the Presidents Cup on Sunday, though Im's effort wasn't enough to get his International Team over the hump.Powered by a back-nine charge at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Im beat the American veteran 4 & 3 for his third win in five matches in his first Presidents Cup appearance.The biennial Presidents Cup pits a team of non-European international golfers against Americans in match play. A

• Food&Beverage

  

  Best places to get cakes, turkeys and wine

  Christmas meals here do not necessarily involve a whole roasted turkey sitting right at the center of the table waiting to be carved. The festive feast could be on food of any kind from sushi to fried chicken, pizza or a bowl of rice with good old doenjang jjigae. Whatever the choice is, many folks here like to finish it with a cake, since Christmas has somehow become one of the two special days in a year to be celebrated with a cake, the other being the birthday. Here are some ideas for hassle-

LATEST NEWS

• 

  Economy

  [Monitor] One-person households in Korea suffer from low income

  About 36 percent of one-person households earn less than 2 million won per month, data from Statistics Korea showed last week.One-person households, which take up one-third of all households in South Korea, tended to show low satisfaction in their type of residence with only 23.3 percent answering they were content, compared to 30.8 percent of those in multiple-households that said the same.The Seoul Institute, a research center, said that while 1 in 3 households in the country were one-person h

• 

  North Korea

  Biegun to arrive in Seoul amid deadlock in nuclear talks as year-end deadline approaches

  Pyongyang says it conducted “another crucial test” at Seohae site

• 

  Social affairs

  [Newsmaker] Ex-Ulsan mayor questioned over Cheong Wa Dae’s alleged election meddling

  Former Ulsan Mayor Kim Gi-hyeon, who raised allegations about Cheong Wa Dae’s suspected meddling in regional elections last year, appeared before the prosecution Sunday to be questioned as a witness. Kim, who is affiliated with the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, says that the Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency deliberately investigated suspicions surrounding his brother and close aide a few months ahead of the elections last year, to sway the vote in favor of the ruling Democratic

• 

  Economy

  BOK may hold off further rate cut amid easing US-China tension

  Following signs of a thaw in US-China trade tension, speculation is building that South Korea may slow its pace of monetary easing, in step with the growing possibility of a global economic upturn.Though the world’s top two economies face a bumpy road ahead, their latest reconciliatory move is expected to ease uncertainties -- especially for Asia’s fourth-largest economy, which is highly dependent on trade.After Washington and Beijing announced their phase one agreement Friday to red

• 

  Foreign Affairs

  Senior diplomats of S. Korea, China, Japan met ahead of trilateral summit

  BEIJING -- Senior diplomats from South Korea, China and Japan met in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu last week to prepare for the countries' trilateral summit later this month, China's foreign ministry said Sunday.During the talks Friday among Seoul's Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Gunn, Beijing's Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui and Tokyo's Senior Deputy Foreign Minister Takeo Mori, the officials exchanged opinions regarding the preparations for the upcoming summit, according to the mini

• 

  Golf

  Woods sets Presidents Cup record, Americans make their move

  MELBOURNE (AP) -- Tiger Woods set the Presidents Cup record for most victories and set the tone for his US team Sunday at Royal Melbourne.Woods seized control around the turn against Abraham Ancer and won, 3 and 2, in the first of 12 singles matches. The Americans need to win singles for the first time in 10 years to overcome a two-point deficit against the International team.Woods went 3-0 for the week as the first playing captain since Hale Irwin at the inaugural Presidents Cup in 1994. His si

• 

  Industry

  LG Uplus to invest W2.6tr after takeover of No. 1 cable TV operator

  LG Uplus Corp., South Korea's No. 3 mobile carrier, on Sunday said that it plans to invest 2.6 trillion won ($2.2 billion) over the next five years to offer upgraded services after the country's science ministry approved its acquisition of the country's top cable TV operator.The Ministry of Science and ICT approved the telecom operator's acquisition of a 50 percent-plus-one-share stake in CJ Hello Co. from CJ ENM Co., a deal valued at 800 billion won. The acquisition will make LG Uplus the No. 2

• 

  Industry

  Govt. approves merger of LG Uplus-CJ Hello merger

  The merger between South Korean mobile carrier LG Uplus Corp. and cable and budget phone operator CJ Hello Co. received final approval from the government Sunday in a development that could lead to more investment and growth in the local telecom and broadcasting sector.The conditional permission follows a detailed review of the market impact of the transaction, with emphasis placed on the benefits to the industry as a whole and improvements in rights and convenience for consumers, the Ministry o

• 

  Defense

  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 fresh round of negotiations this week over the sharing of the cost for the upkeep of American troops here, with the two sides still being far apart. Upon arrival at Incheon International Airport earlier in the day, James DeHart of the US State Department did not answer reporters' questions, such as his prospect of progress in the Special Measures Agreement that stipulates the allies' sharing of

• 

  Industry

  2 pending S. Korean WTO complaints affected by dispute-body impasse

  Two out of South Korea's six complaints pending at the World Trade Organization will be left in limbo due to the suspended operation of its dispute settlement body, according to a local think tank Sunday.Earlier this week, the WTO Appellate Body shut down as it failed to meet the minimum quorum of three judges after the United States blocked the appointment of new ones in line with President Donald Trump's protectionism drive.Asia's No. 4 economy currently has six trade disputes pending at the G

GRAPHIC NEWS

OPINION

• Viewpoints

  

  Europe’s young leaders are bucking politics as usual

  The emergence of 34-year-old Sanna Marin as Finland’s new prime minister is no fluke: In recent years, Europe has seen its leaders get younger as the new generation appears better at navigating increasingly complex political landscapes.The average age of global leaders actually has increased since the 1950s, according to the Rulers, Elections and Irregular Government dataset, created by Curtis Bell from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. In Europe, though, it has been going down sin

• Viewpoints

  

  Military spending on R&D a boon for private sector

  There has been a clamor for the US government to spend more on research and development. Economic theories such as those of Paul Romer, who won the Nobel Prize in 2018, suggest that spending more on R&D would promote long-term economic growth. A growing number of economists also believe that basic research is a job that only government can do; because basic research is so hard to profit from directly, there’s a clear pipeline from government-funded discoveries to private sector innovat

THE INVESTOR

• Deals

  

  German firm Delivery Hero to take over S. Korean food delivery unicorn Woowa Brothers

  South Korean food delivery unicorn startup Woowa Brothers announced Dec. 13 that German food delivery giant Delivery Hero will acquire a majority stake in the company at a $4 billion valuation.Berlin-based Delivery Hero will buy 87 percent of Woowa Brothers, known for its online delivery app Baedal Minjok. As a result of the transaction, venture capitals such as Hillhouse Capital, Altos Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Goldman Sachs and GIC are expected to exit from the startup. Related:Woowa Bro

• Stocks & Bonds

  

  Doosan Heavy to delist Doosan E&C by March 2020

  Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction said on Dec. 12 that it would delist its loss-making apartment builder arm Doosan Engineering & Construction from the Korea Exchange’s main board Kospi and wholly own the company.Holding 82.47 percent of Doosan E&C’s voting rights, Doosan Heavy will carry out a stake swap deal on March 10, 2020 that gives Doosan E&C shareholders some 248 Doosan Heavy shares in return for 1000 Doosan E&C shares, according to a disclosure on De

• Startups & Investors

  

  WeWork Labs announces achievements in South Korea in 2019

  After its entry into the South Korean startup sector in 2016, coworking space giant WeWork changed the startup scene dramatically -- more local startups began to collaborate actively with each other and to get chance to go abroad thanks to its global network.Through WeWork Labs, a global startup acceleration program launched in 2018, it helped budding startups in cities across the nation build their teams, attract investment, and roll out innovative products and services here and overseas.Lookin

• Deals

  

  Deadline extended for Asiana Airlines stake transfer

  The deadline for the stake transfer of South Korea’s second-largest air carrier, Asiana Airlines, has been extended to the fourth week of December, according to industry sources Dec. 12.The preferred bidder, a consortium comprising Hyundai Development Co. and Mirae Asset Daewoo, fell short of acquiring a 31.05 percent stake in Asiana Airlines from Kumho Asiana Group within a month, after Kumho gave the HDC-led consortium the exclusive rights to negotiate Nov. 12.Over the past month, Kumho

K-POP

• 

  Academics explain driving force behind BTS’ global success

• 

  Holland is turning scars into triumphant pop

• 

  Big Hit denies report it is in profit dispute with BTS

HERALD INTERVIEW

• Industry

  

  Electricity market competition, price hike needed for green energy expansion

• 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’

PHOTO NEWS

• Culture

  

  Making art out of straw

  A giant eagle and gorilla recently took up residence by an outdoor pool in Jungnang-gu in northeastern Seoul. They -- along with smaller animals, scarecrows and other figures arranged on the pool grounds during the offseason -- are all made of straw from this year’s rice harvest. The sculptures are the works of artist Lee Chun-su and the people of Buan County in North Jeolla Province. About 30 works are on display as part of the rural county’s efforts to showcase what it calls &

VIDEO

• People

  

  ‘Koreans are like the Latin people of Asia’

• Diplomatic Circuit

  

  Paris looks to Korea’s technology, startups for cooperation: French ambassador

• Film

  

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

• Travel

  

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

FEATURES

• People

  

  Frank penguin becomes new star of year, breaks stereotype of EBS characters

  A 210-centimeter-tall penguin walks into a room for an audition at Educational Broadcasting System, insisting he wants to be a star creator. The penguin, who has a strand of seaweed and a seashell on its head, explains that he swam all the way from the South Pole. The 10-year-old’s ultimate goal is to become as popular as BTS.Speaking in a cute -- sometimes husky -- voice, Pengsoo raps, breakdances and even yodels -- a skill he picked up in Switzerland on his way to Korea. When the judges

• Social affairs

  

  Number of Seoulites residing alone up 300,000 in 10 years

  SEJONG -- The number of residents in Seoul stood at 9.73 million as of November 2019, according to the Ministry of Interior and Safety. This is estimated to be the lowest figure in more than 30 years.Given unofficial statistics showing that Seoul was home to 9.2 million in 1983 and 10.28 million in 1988, the current population level is assumed to be similar to that seen in the years between 1984 and 1987.Compared to the figure of 10.21 million in November 2009, the population of the capital of S

• Technology

  

  LG Chem, GM deal ups ante in EV battery competition

  The Friday 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 Sunday. 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 electr

• 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