The Korea Herald

Film fest showcases joy of cinema

FilmJan 7, 2011

Movies can mean a lot of things. They can be made, studied, critiqued and simply watched. They can give multiples of meanings and hardships, as well as aspirations and enormous wealth.The 6th Cinematheque Friends Film Festival, however, simply focuses on the joy of cinema this year. Starting on Jan. 18 at Seoul Art Cinema in central Seoul, the one of a kind festival showcases a total of 44 Korean
Asia witnesses soccer power shift

More sportsJan 7, 2011

Chung loses FIFA post to Jordanian princeIt was a shock to Chung Mong-joon that the Asian Football Confederation decided not to re-appoint him as the FIFA vice president for Asia.The 45-member committee voted Thursday 25-20 in favor of Prince Ali bin al-Hussein over Chung at the Asian Football Confederation’s meeting in Doha.Chung, 59, had been in the job for 16 years and was widely expected to se
Lee’s chief auditor nominee faces tough hearings

PoliticsJan 7, 2011

Civil service marred by ethical problemsChief state auditor nominee Chung Tong-ki faces tough questions at his parliamentary confirmation hearings about his political impartiality and his earnings at a law firm after resignation as a prosecutor.President Lee Myung-bak last week nominated his former aide Chung as the new chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection.Opposition legislators argue th
Flu patients surge amid cold spell

Social affairsJan 7, 2011

Lee Kyung-joon is concerned about the slowing speed of production at his manufacturing factory in Gyeonggi Province. A factory manager has already been staying at home for days after he was diagnosed with the influenza A(H1N1) virus, while there are more workers who show flu symptoms. “If more workers become ill from the virus and have to rest at home, it would greatly affect the factory’s product
Skype offers upgraded video calling

IndustryJan 7, 2011

Skype, the leading internet calls operator, said Friday that it updated its software for enterprises with Group Video Calling which enables the participation of a maximum of 10 people.The business version of Skype intends to become a communication platform that could have individuals interact in real-time over high quality audio and video, conference calling and instant messages, according to Skyp
‘Africa crucial for Korea to see $1tr trade’

Jan 7, 2011

South Korea with Africa should forge a win-win cooperation model where they maximize the use of Africa’s abundant resources and Korea’s technology and development experience, a senior government official said Friday. “Korea needs to start seeing Africa as a major emerging market for the country to achieve an annual trade volume of $1 trillion,” Second Vice Minister of Knowledge Economy Park Young-
S. Korea to repatriate 3 stray N. Koreans

PoliticsJan 7, 2011

South Korea will return on Friday three North Korean fishermen who had drifted on a boat across the countries’ tense western sea border about a month ago, an official said.The fishermen were rescued by the South Korean Navy on Dec. 3 near the island of Yeonpyeong in the West Sea, Unification Ministry spokesman Chun Hae-sung said in a briefing.The island was the site of an attack by North Korean ar
Ex-KH editorial writer dies

PoliticsJan 7, 2011

Kim Kak, former editorial writer for The Korea Herald, died of bile duct cancer Friday morning at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital. He was 76.Kim had been a journalist for four decades since he joined the Korea Times as a reporter in 1957. He became an editorial writer for The Korea Herald in 1972. Kim KakKim also briefly served as former President Park Chung-hee’s secretary for public relations in 1973.
Seoul, Tokyo ministers talk on cooperation

PoliticsJan 7, 2011

Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan met with Japan’s national strategy minister Friday to discuss ways to enhance cooperation between the two neighboring nations, including the possibility of a free trade agreement.Koichiro Genba, Japan’s state minister in charge of national policy, arrived in Seoul on Thursday for a two-day visit that includes meetings with Foreign Minister Kim, Trade Minister Kim Jon
Verizon reveals first 4G wireless gadgets

IndustryJan 7, 2011

LAS VEGAS (AP) ― This year, the big national wireless carriers will be racing to stake their claims in the new frontier of service: ultra-fast data access ― for smart phones and laptops as well as for gadgets like tablets.The companies are boosting their wireless data speeds and revving up the marketing hype. They’re moving away from talking about call quality and coverage, and focusing on data sp
NYC sees record tourism in 2010, after 2009 slip

TravelJan 7, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) ― New York City hosted a record number of visitors in 2010, a sign that the Big Apple’s tourism industry is bouncing back after a decline the previous year when travelers everywhere tightened their budgets amid the recession.Mayor Michael Bloomberg said 48.7 million people visited New York last year, surpassing the city’s 2008 record of 47 million.The increase shows the city’s travel
Taeguk Warriors ready to end Asian Cup frustration

SoccerJan 7, 2011

The fact that South Korea has failed to win the Asian Cup since 1960 is a source of puzzlement.The South Koreans, named the Taeguk Warriors after the emblem of their national flag, have by far the best record at the World Cup of any Asian team and has appeared at eight tournaments. Japan and Saudi Arabia are next with four each. At the competition itself, the team has progressed further than any o
Woods, Golf Digest end relationship

GolfJan 7, 2011

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) ― Tiger Woods has one less endorsement deal, ending his 13-year relationship with golf’s biggest magazine when they couldn’t agree on how many hours he should devote to the job.Golf Digest, with a circulation of 1.65 million, announced Thursday the mutual end of a relationship that began at the 1997 Masters. He made his debut in the magazine in June that year, and the endorsem
K.J. Choi has high expectations in 2011

GolfJan 7, 2011

PGA golfer signs 3-year contract with SK TelecomFinally fit and healthy, South Korean professional golfer Choi Kyoung-ju declared himself ready on Thursday for the 2011 PGA Tour season.At a press conference in Seoul, Choi, known as K.J. Choi on the PGA Tour, said he has high expectations for himself.“This year, more than any other season, I expect myself to take big strides,” Choi said. “Two years
[Editorial] Cleaning up mess

EditorialJan 7, 2011

Kim Seok-dong, the newly appointed chairman of the Financial Services Commission, has established a reputation as a troubleshooter. Since the mid-1990s, he has led many task forces formed to resolve crises in the financial and real estate markets. Kim’s appointment comes at the right time, since the domestic financial sector faces a host of problems. In the first place, Kim needs to address the dr