The Korea Herald

Chung out to retain FIFA seat

SoccerJan 4, 2011

Asian confederation to re-elect delegates on ThursdayFIFA vice president Chung Mong-joon arrived in Qatar on Tuesday to make a last pitch for his re-election campaign ahead of the Asian Football Confederation’s meeting in Doha.The 46-member Asian confederation is to convene Thursday, one day before the opening of the 2011 Asian Cup, to re-elect their FIFA delegates.The AFC has four seats on the 24
Hallyu stars take first stab at rom-com

TelevisionJan 4, 2011

Hallyu stars Kim Tae-hee and Song Seung-heon have teamed up for the first time to bring television audiences a powder puff-romance about a college girl-turned-princess and her tutor. 　Titled “My Princess,” the new Wednesday and Thursday night miniseries is slated to air on MBC starting Jan. 5. 　For viewers, the upcoming drama may be just another romantic comedy; but for Kim and Song, “My Princess”
[Tidbit] Indian farmer claims to be ‘world’s oldest dad at 94’

Jan 4, 2011

(Ramajit Reghave claims to be the oldest dad at age 94, captured from YouTube)A farmer in India claims he is the world’s oldest dad at age 94. Ramajit Reghave of Kharkhoda village in Harayana claims that his wife Shakuntala, 59, gave birth to a son a month ago. According to the Sun, Dr. Paramjeet Singh, chief medical officer at the Kharkhoda civil hospital said, “It was a normal delivery and the b
Tycoons outline New Year plans

IndustryJan 4, 2011

Samsung chairman pledges investment, mutual growthSamsung Electronics chairman Lee Kun-hee reiterated his commitment to aggressive investment and mutual growth with suppliers in his New Year address Monday. Lee Kun-heeIn a speech at a ceremony with about 1,200 executives in Seoul, Lee emphasized the importance of future growth engine businesses. “Ten years from now will be the challenge per
N. Korean leader heeds 'American tastes' in propaganda show: cable

North KoreaJan 4, 2011

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il told a visiting South Korean businesswoman in 2009 that he had ordered the removal of a missile launch scene from his country's mass propaganda show because "Americans did not like it," according to a U.S. diplomatic cable. The cable, found on WikiLeaks and released this week by a New York-based blogger, offered a rare look into how the aging but omnipotent leader
Samsung's 2011 investment likely to top 30 tln won

IndustryJan 4, 2011

Samsung Electronics Co., the world's top computer memory maker, will likely spend more than 30 trillion won ($26.67 billion) in investment this year, industry sources said Tuesday. The forecast came a day after company chairman Lee Kun-hee said that the company's investment for this year will be larger and bigger than last year's. The company earmarked 26 trillion won(US$23 billion) for investm
N. Korea urged to take concrete steps for denuclearization before 6-way talks: State Dept.

North KoreaJan 4, 2011

WASHINGTON -- The United States Monday called on North Korea to take concrete steps toward its denuclearization before reopening the six-party nuclear talks, which have been stalled for more than two years over the North's provocations. "We have noted public statements about the potential for improved dialogue between North and South," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said. "Obviously,
Ice man’s adventure to break world record

More sportsJan 4, 2011

A 51-year-old Dutch man jumped into a tank filled with ice water in an effort to raise awareness of climate change and promote his plans to break a world record in Hong Kong, the Telegraph reported Thursday. Wim Hof of the Netherlands, known as “Iceman,” has a world record of staying in ice water for an hour and 44 minutes. Now he plans to break it on New Year’s Eve by staying for an hour and 50 m
S. Korea's foreign reserves rebound in Dec.

Jan 4, 2011

South Korea's foreign exchange reserves rebounded in December from the previous month as a weaker U.S. dollar boosted the conversion value of assets in other currencies, the central bank said Tuesday. The country's foreign reserves reached US$291.57 billion as of the end of December, up $1.34 billion from the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK). The foreign reserves expanded b
Seoul shares open higher on U.S. gains

Jan 4, 2011

South Korean stocks began higher on Tuesday as overnight rallies on Wall Street boosted investor sentiment, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 3.77 points, or 0.18 percent, to 2,073.85 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Shipbuilders led the climb with market leader Hyundai Heavy Industries jumping more than 3 percent and its smaller rival Daewoo Shipbu
Popping eyeballs out of sockets

InternationalJan 4, 2011

Brazilean Claudio Paulo Pinto pops his eyeballs out of their sockets, in Belo Horizonte, 340 kilometers (210 miles) north of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Pinto can pop his eyeballs at least 7 millimeters (0.3 inches) out of their sockets, a national record for eye-popping according to RankBrasil, an organization modelled after the Guinness Book of World Records that lists Brazilian records. Pinto says h
Broadcasting regulator under fire

Jan 3, 2011

KCC accused of expedience in awarding cable TV licensesThe government has come under fire for its recent selection of new TV channel operators. Critics say it will cause excessive competition in a saturated market and aggravate large conservative newspapers’ dominance of public opinion.Experts are also voicing doubt about the selection committee’s fairness and correctness in assessing applicants.T
Park keeps lead in opinion polls of presidential hopefuls

PoliticsJan 3, 2011

Rep. Park Geun-hye, former chairwoman of the ruling Grand National Party, has maintained an overwhelming lead in all recent opinion polls on those hoping to run in the 2012 presidential election.However, observers say it remains to be seen whether Park will continue to remain the favorite in the polls, citing the possibility of her suffering an unexpected setback in the unstable political scene be
Cancer can pave way to a fuller life

Food&BeverageJan 3, 2011

On Christmas Eve morning in 2009, business owner Deborah Delaney was pulling the cinnamon rolls from the oven in her well-appointed Wayzata, Minn., home and worrying about preparations for her guests arriving for that evening’s festivities.At that moment, the phone rang with news that would change her life, ultimately for the better.“I want you to know that your (breast) biopsy came back as cancer
Concerts to blast away the cobwebs

MusicJan 3, 2011

Ruichi Sakamoto, Vienna Strauss Festival Orchestra to stage unusual performancesArdent classical concertgoers may find it easy to keep awake during a classical concert in the evening, even after a long day of hard work and a series of self-reminders not to make any noise louder than breathing.However, those less schooled in concert etiquette might secretly admit that they have at one time unintent