YouTube star says she was coerced to pose for pornographic photos

Seoul Mapo Police Station on Friday launched an investigation into allegation by a well-known YouTuber that she had been forced to pose for pornographic photos.The police questioned two women, YouTuber Yang Ye-won and her friend Lee So-yoon, under the presence of an attorney in an undisclosed location on Friday. Yang Ye-won, widely known on a streaming site for the videos she makes with her boyfriend, publically spoke about being a victim of sexual abuse. Yang uploaded a clip on her YouTube Chan

May 18, 2018

Christian leaders seek reformation for future

Christian leaders from around the world gathered in Seoul to talk about the future of Christianity. The Christian Leaders Fellowship held a press conference at Korea Press Center in the city on May 10. The organization was formed last year, marking the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. It is headed by Pastor Park Ock-soo. More than 24,000 pastors from 70 countries are participating in the CLF.The 2018 World Christian Leaders’ joint press conference is held on May 10 at the Korea P

May 17, 2018

Famed hanbok designer Lee Young-hee dies at 82

Hanbok designer Lee Young-hee, who helped popularize Korean traditional attire across the world, died of complications from pneumonia Thursday, her family said.Her daughter Lee Jung-woo, also a designer, told Yonhap News Agency, "Since she was admitted to hospital due to pneumonia a month ago, her health deteriorated. One time she got well and doctors said she could be discharged. But her condition became aggravated again."Lee died at 00:40 at the hospital on Thursday morning. This file photo sh

May 17, 2018

[Video] Polyglots, businesswomen among winners of 10th Miss SuperTalent pageant

(Video shot and produced by Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea Herald) Twenty-seven contestants from across the world took part in this year’s April-May edition of Miss SuperTalent, held in Seoul. Aspiring models and actresses competed in the semiannual super talent and modeling event. The final competition took place at the Premier Ballroom of Songdo Convensia in Incheon on Friday, with the top prize going to Spain’s Alexia Navarro. First and second runners-up were Cape Verde’s Simone Louisa He

May 15, 2018

Looking back, looking forward: The Korea Herald celebrates 20,000 issues

For 65 years, The Korea Herald has been delivering news about the Korean Peninsula to global readers. In breaking stories, exclusives, probing features and newer formats like photo and video news, the paper has continuously strived to offer accurate and thought-provoking insights into the country and its people. In celebration of the daily’s 20,000th edition, The Korea Herald looks back on its dynamic history to find inspiration on moving forward.Looking aheadOn Friday, The Korea Herald publishe

May 3, 2018

‘Korea Herald holds unique value in promoting Korea to outside world’

Last week, the eye of the world was on the Korean Peninsula as the two Koreas’ leaders met at Panmunjeom to discuss peace on the peninsula. “The inter-Korean summit is not just an issue between Koreas, but a trigger to change a paradigm that has continued since the Cold War. That’s the value that we hold in this era. We no longer have to underestimate our own value,” said Yun Ik-han, senior advisor of the Korea Journalists Club and former editor-in-chief of The Korea Herald, said in an interview

May 3, 2018

Longtime reader recommends The Korea Herald for both youth and retirees

Upon reaching the 20,000th issue of The Korea Herald, one of our faithful readers shared why he has been reading the paper and offered personal tips on effective reading. Baek Nam-hak, 69, said he first subscribed to The Korea Herald in the early 1970s when he was in college.“I was living outside the capital back then and did not have much resources for studying,” Baek told The Korea Herald. He said he had mainly read editorials in the paper to prepare for job entrance tests, which had required

May 3, 2018

[Herald Interview] ‘Traditional media the only source of reliable information’

World-renowned French intellect and author Guy Sorman has been a longtime observer of Korea -- and at times its sharp critic.Sorman’s connection to Korea goes back to his friendship with the late video artist Paik Nam-june in the early 1980s. The New York-based artist was not well-known in his home country, but spoke a lot about Korea as a source of inspiration, recalled Sorman. Curious about the little-known country, Sorman decided to visit. “It was still an unknown country in the West,” he tol

May 3, 2018

Kim Sa-rang injures leg in Italy, undergoes surgery

Actress Kim Sa-rang underwent surgery after fracturing her right leg in Italy last week, her agency said Thursday.According to Leo International, the 40-year-old hurt her leg between April 18 and 19. She returned to Korea on Saturday and received surgery on Monday. Kim Sa-rang (Herald DB)An official from the agency declined to elaborate on how she got injured or how serious it was, but said it did not involve a traffic accident or her falling into a manhole.The official said that the actress was

April 26, 2018

‘Infinite Challenge’ star donates W50m for ‘comfort women’

Comedian Yoo Jae-suk has extended a helping hand to former “comfort women,” donating 50 million won ($46,772) for the women sexually enslaved by the Japanese military during World War II.Officials from House of Sharing, a shelter in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, for eight surviving former comfort women, said Sunday that Yoo wired the money to its account last week without alerting it. Yoo Jae-suk (Herald DB)Yoo has reportedly been donating money to the House of Sharing since 2014, with the total a

April 15, 2018

[Herald Interview] Discovering new ways to farm and sell produce from rural Hwacheon

When the sun rises at 5 a.m., Song Ju-hee begins her day. After applying a lot of sunscreen on her face and wearing the most comfortable outfit she has, Song drives to her family’s farm in Hwacheon, Gangwon Province. She spends nearly 10 hours on the farm, where she grows corn, perilla, chili pepper and watermelon.The 29-year-old farmer also runs a company named Neorean, which makes about 100 million won ($94,000) in annual sales by producing bottles of perilla and sesame oils. Song is regarded

April 6, 2018

BusinessKorea appoints Yu Kun-ha new president

BusinessKorea, Korea’s first English business magazine, appointed Yu Kun-ha, former editor-in-chief of The Korea Herald, as new president and CEO on Wednesday.Yu joined The Korea Herald in 1982 and had served as its business editor, managing editor and editor-in-chief before retiring in 2016.BusinessKorea has also named Youn Won-chang, former editor of the Electronic Times, as its new managing editor.(khnews@heraldcorp.com)

April 4, 2018

Earth Hour campaign in Seoul to heighten awareness for environment

The World Wide Fund for Nature, an international nongovernmental organization dedicated to conservation activities, is set to hold its annual Earth Hour event in Seoul on Saturday evening to spread awareness of global warming.Held collectively in major cities around the globe, Earth Hour is a worldwide event during which participants turn off the lights for an hour starting at 8:30 p.m. The event in Seoul is to be held at Cheonggye Plaza starting at 5 p.m. Saturday under the theme “Candle Night,

March 23, 2018

[Newsmaker] Stephen Hawking: a brief history of genius

Stephen Hawking, who has died aged 76, was Britain's most famous modern day scientist, a genius who dedicated his life to unlocking the secrets of the Universe.Born on January 8, 1942 -- 300 years to the day after the death of the father of modern science, Galileo Galilei -- he believed science was his destiny.But fate also dealt Hawking a cruel hand.Most of his life was spent in a wheelchair crippled by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a form of motor neurone disease that attacks the nerves

March 14, 2018

IOC chief gets honorary doctorate degree from Dankook University

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach received an honorary doctorate degree in politics from Dankook University at its Jukjeon Campus’ Nanpa Concert Hall at 10 a.m. Friday. Dankook University’s head board of trustee Chang Choong-sik, President Jang Ho-sung, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Korean Sport and Olympic Committee President Lee Ki-heung and other officials attended the ceremony to congratulate Bach. IOC President Bach’s relentless efforts in supporting North Kor

March 9, 2018

[Photo News] Toyota Korea sponsors exchange program for Korean and Japanese students

TOYOTA SCHOLARSHIP -- Kim Soung-soo (third from right), chairman of Youth For Understanding Korea, a nonprofit student exchange organization, poses with Korean and Japanese students selected for the 2018 exchange program sponsored by Toyota Korea. Also present in the ceremony held in Seoul last week were Keiko Enatsu (fourth from left), national director of YFU Japan, and Nobuyuki Takemura (fifth from left), head of Toyota Korea. (YFU Korea)

March 5, 2018

[Herald Interview] How embassy staffer became face of Finland in Korea

It’s pretty unusual for a staff member of a Nordic embassy to be a household name in Korea, but Petri Kalliola, a project coordinator at the Embassy of Finland, has made his mark in an unusual way. When he is not at the office, he can often be seen on TV entertainment shows, introducing his country to Korean viewers. Kalliola says his employer, the Finnish Embassy, has been supportive of his TV activities. He thanked his colleagues for putting up with his erratic schedule, but emphasized that hi

March 4, 2018

Photographer Rotta accused of sexual harassment

Widely known for his controversial works, photographer Rotta has been accused of sexually harassing a model. The alleged victim claimed in a television news interview that Rotta harassed her five years ago while shooting a pictorial.“(The photographer) suddenly asked me to bite his finger, claiming that he demands the act of all girls when shooting. He kept touching me as well,” the accuser said. Despite her clear refusal, he continued to physically come into contact with her, she added. She lef

March 1, 2018

YouTubers go offscreen to perform onstage

When YouTuber Josh Carrott, better known here as the Korean Englishman, appeared onstage with his creative partner Ollie Kendal, the crowd erupted into cheers. The two English nationals, famous for their video content that introduces Korean culture to foreigners, frolicked around onstage. They brought audience members into the spotlight, handed out snacks and hosted a 15-minute performance with showmanship. 　Magician Nicky followed with a live magic show, bringing audience members onto the stage

Feb. 26, 2018

Bae Bien-u faces #MeToo movement for his sexual misconduct: report

Renowned photographer Bae Bien-u, 68, has become the latest figure outed in the #MeToo movement, being accused of sexually harassing female students when he was a professor.  (Yonhap)According to local daily Kyunghyang Shinmun, graduates of Seoul Institute of Arts are lashing out at the photographer for sexually assaulting students both verbally and physically. “Teaching a class at his studio in November 2010, the professor came up to me from behind and grabbed my buttocks,” one of the accusers

Feb. 23, 2018