Ishiba mentions martial law aftermath in S. Korea; Austin appreciates PM's 'steady hand'

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Tuesday no one could have ever imagined South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law imposition last week, while US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin took note of Ishiba's "steady hand." Ishiba met with Austin at his residence in Tokyo as Seoul is reeling from the aftermath of the reversed martial law declaration. "The world changes very quickly on a weekly basis. No one could have ever imagined what has happened

Foreign AffairsDec. 10, 2024

Austin reaffirms 'ironclad' commitment to S. Korea, Japan, says US 'clear-eyed' about N.K., China threats

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reaffirmed America's "ironclad" deterrence commitment to South Korea and Japan on Tuesday, stressing that Washington remains "clear-eyed" about security challenges from North Korea, China and Russia. During his talks with Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani in Tokyo, Austin also underscored the United States' commitment to advancing what he called "historic" trilateral cooperation with South Korea in the face of shared

Foreign AffairsDec. 10, 2024

Culture minister urges opposition to halt impeachment of Cabinet ministers

The culture minister on Tuesday called on opposition parties to refrain from impeaching two Cabinet ministers overseeing the nation's legal and security matters in connection with President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law declaration, warning such actions could destabilize the government. Speaking in his capacity as the government spokesperson at the main government building in Seoul, Yu In-chon issued a public statement emphasizing the need for stability in state governance. &

PoliticsDec. 10, 2024

‘Drag lawmakers out’: Yoon’s chilling order to commander

Dozens of generals and military leaders attended a questioning session by the Assembly national defense committee on Tuesday, a week after troops stormed the parliament grounds overnight on Dec. 3-4. One by one, key commanders testified against Yoon on his aborted bid to impose martial law. In a shocking revelation, Special Warfare Commander Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-geun claimed to have received a call from Yoon, who told him to “break open the door, and drag the lawmakers out.” “The

PoliticsDec. 10, 2024

Shares linked to Lee Jung-jae soar following 'Squid Game' Golden Globe nomination

Shares linked with South Korean actor Lee Jung-jae are soaring after the announcement that "Squid Game 2" has been nominated for Best Television Series at the Golden Globes, ahead of its release. As of Wednesday, shares of Artist United— Lee's agency in which he is the largest shareholder with a 23.49 percent stake -- closed at 13,320 won ($9) per share, marking a 29.25 percent increase from the previous day. Meanwhile, shares of Artist Studio, the Korean drama production co

TelevisionDec. 10, 2024

Passage of budget bill may relieve uncertainties

The National Assembly on Tuesday approved next year's national budget of 673.3 trillion won ($470.5 billion), reduced from the government's original proposal under pressure from the majority-held main opposition bloc. The final package is a 2.5 percent gain from that of this year's but about 4.1 trillion won less than the government’s proposal. The bill passed 183-94 with 1 abstention in an assembly where the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea holds a majority of 170

IndustryDec. 10, 2024

Woman who helped those in need for 20 years dies, donates organs to 4

The family of a 67-year-old woman, who dedicated much of her life to volunteer work, respected her wishes by donating her organs and tissues to those in medical need after her death, the state-run organ donation agency said Tuesday. Jang Song-gu died on Nov. 6 after falling critically ill five days earlier, according to the Korea Organ Donation Agency. Shortly after she passed away at the Keimyung University Donsan Medical Center, her liver, right kidney, right eye and left eye were donated to f

PeopleDec. 10, 2024

Newlywed couples fall below 1m for first time

Nearly half of couples remain childless in the first 5 years of marriage in South Korea, government data showed Tuesday. According to the Statistics Korea, the number of newlywed couples, defined as those married for 5 years or less, stood at at 974,000 in 2023, marking a 5.6 percent decrease from 1.03 million in 2022. This is the first time the figure has fallen below 1 million since the government began tracking such data in 2015. The number of newlywed couples has been on a steady decline s

Social AffairsDec. 10, 2024

Hana Financial reassures foreign investors amid political unrest

Hana Financial Group on Tuesday announced bolstered engagement with foreign investors and regulators, as market volatility intensifies amid South Korea's ongoing political turmoil. The group said that it sent letters to overseas investors on Monday, assuring them of the implementation of value-enhancement measures based on its commitment to improving shareholder rights and reinforcing its strong fundamentals. In October, the finance giant unveiled a corporate value-up plan, outlining target

IndustryDec. 10, 2024

Lawsuit eyes W100,000 per person in damage compensation from Yoon

Two lawyers are recruiting plaintiffs for a lawsuit against President Yoon Suk Yeol, seeking compensation of 100,000 won ($70) per individual for alleged psychological damages stemming from his declaration of martial law. They argue Yoon’s actions during the martial law incident violated constitutional principles and caused public distress. The lawsuit is led by two attorneys: Lee Geum-kyu, who represented the National Assembly during the impeachment trial of former President Park Geun-hye

PoliticsDec. 10, 2024

Adult politicians may be divided, but teen leaders speak with one voice: Yoon out

South Korea’s two main parties cannot quite agree on what to do with President Yoon Suk Yeol after his botched attempt to rule the country under martial law. Their clash resulted in a failed vote to impeach Yoon on Saturday. As a result, Yoon remains president of South Korea. However, two 19-year-olds, despite their respective affiliations with the opposing parties, believe it is time to put party interests aside. In interviews with The Korea Herald, both said there is no way forward for K

Social AffairsDec. 10, 2024

A Korean teacher declared 'martial law' in class. Students rose up in response

A teacher at a second grade class of an elementary school in Gangwon Province conducted a reenactment of the recent political turmoil to teach children about the law. The mock classroom martial law decree denied misbehaving and disobeying students freedom of speech and outdoor play during lunch break. It ended when students eventually turned the tables, denying teacher the authority to impose such rules. According to Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday, the educational experiment took place on Dec. 4,

Social AffairsDec. 10, 2024

Korean youth to adults: 'Do what you taught us'

“We were taught in school to stand against military dictatorships and defend democracy, but what’s the point of learning it if we don’t practice it? We refuse to stay silent anymore.” These words, spoken by Kim Dong-hee, a young activist from the Youth Human Rights Movement Coalition “Jieum,” captured the spirit of a historic youth-led protest in South Korea. On Tuesday, students and young activists gathered at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul to demand the resigna

Social AffairsDec. 10, 2024

Doosan's restructuring plan falls apart

Doosan Group’s business restructuring plan has fallen apart once again, after Korea’s martial law turmoil delivered a heavy blow to the stock market. Doosan Enerbility on Tuesday announced that it decided not to hold a temporary shareholders meeting on Friday this week after it held a board of directors meeting earlier in the day, indicating that the attempt to split off Doosan Bobcat, a subsidiary of Doosan Enerbility, and merge it with Doosan Robotics had to be scrapped. “Due

CompaniesDec. 10, 2024

[Photo News] Sound of tomorrow

LG Electronics on Tuesday unveiled its revamped wireless audio brand LG Xboom, in collaboration with US rapper and producer will.i.am as “experiential architect.” The brand’s wireless speakers come with a new sound identity and user-centric designs, including an AI-powered radio app for personalized content. Its Xboom Buds earphones, formerly LG Tone Free, have also been upgraded for their official debut at the upcoming CES tech show in Las Vegas in January. (LG Electronics)

TechnologyDec. 10, 2024

Signs surface that martial law plotted well in advance

Senior officers of the military were ordered to be on standby for a North Korea-related situation in the days leading up to President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law, in another sign that the events that unfolded on Dec. 3 were plotted in advance. Colonel-level commanders were called to be on guard for an imminent provocation by North Korea on Dec. 1, two days before Yoon declared martial law, according to Maj. Gen. Lee Kyung-min. Speaking before the National Assembly on Tuesday

PoliticsDec. 10, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ V enters Billboard Hot 100 with winter song

V of BTS hit Billboard’s Hot 100 at No. 99 with the single “Winter Ahead,” according to the chart preview published Tuesday. It is his fifth solo entry on the main songs chart, following “Christmas Tree” for the 2021 drama “Our Beloved Summer”; “Slow Dancing” and “Love Me Again” from his first solo album “Layover”; and the digital single “Fri(end)s” from March. The artist teamed up with singer Park Hyoshin

K-popDec. 10, 2024

[Herald Interview] Jeju Biennale is at crossroad: artistic director Lee Jong-hoo

Jeju Biennale marked its fourth edition in November with the theme of “drift,” inviting some 87 artists from 14 countries to participate. The regional biennale is a latecomer in South Korea's biennale scene, following far behind the Gwangju Biennale and the Busan Biennale. Since its inauguration in 2017, it has continuously suffered from internal conflicts over whether it should continue. Jeju Province's budget for this year's biennale was around 1.2 billion won, a cut

Arts & DesignDec. 10, 2024

MBK proposes stock split for Korea Zinc

Private equity firm MBK Partners suggested a stock split for Korea Zinc as part of its initiatives to enhance the shareholder value of the troubled zinc smelter, which has been embroiled in a heated power struggle. While the MBK-Young Poong coalition and the current management of Korea Zinc, headed by Chairman Choi Yun-beom, continue a prolonged quarrel over the right to control the zinc smelter, the private equity house unveiled a set of initiatives to boost its shareholder value, including a s

IndustryDec. 10, 2024

[KH Explains] Crypto tax postponed again: Why Korea remains a rare case

Amid the rapidly expanding global virtual asset market, South Korea has decided to push back cryptocurrency trading taxation until 2027. On Tuesday, the National Assembly passed a revised Income Tax Act, which includes a two-year delay on taxing income from virtual asset trading, initially planned for implementation next month. The original plan proposed a 22 percent tax on annual crypto income exceeding 2.5 million won ($1,750) starting in January 2022 but has been delayed three times due to po

IndustryDec. 10, 2024