Russia's invasion of Ukraine has propelled national security issues to the fore of South Korea's presidential campaign as the two front-runners have seized on the crisis to highlight their own visions for defending the country and peace. The competing claims from the leading presidential candidates came as the Ukraine crisis has underscored the security challenges South Korea faces against a provocative and nuclear-armed North Korea across its border. Ruling party candidate Lee Jae-myung of the

By Team Konnect Kim Min-jung (minjung.kim@heraldcorp.com) Jung Ji-eun (jungje@heraldcorp.com) Choi Jeong-yoon (jychoi@heraldcorp.com) Kim Jeong-ryul (ryul@heraldcorp.com)

Ruling party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung and main opposition rival Yoon Suk-yeol are running neck and neck at 38 percent and 37 percent support, respectively, a poll showed Friday. Lee of the liberal Democratic Party gained 4 percentage points from last week, while Yoon of the conservative People Power Party lost 4 percentage points, according to Gallup Korea, which polled 1,000 adults from Tuesday to Thursday. Ahn Cheol-soo, the candidate of the minor opposition People's Party, came in

Statistics show positive signs in bookstores’ growth, but problems linger for smaller stores: KFOBA

K-pop phenomenon BTS was recognized as Global Recording Artist of the Year by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, an organization representing the worldwide recording industry, on Thursday in the UK. The seven-member act became the first artists to nab the honor in two consecutive years, after having made history by becoming the first Asian act to win the award last year. The award is given to the bestselling artist of the year globally, based on a number of measuremen

Samsung Electronics on Friday launched its latest flagship smartphone Galaxy S22 as well as its tablet Galaxy Tab S8 in some 40 countries. According to the South Korean tech giant, the new devices will be available in major markets including Korea, the US, Canada, the UK and France. In March, the high-tech gadgets will be available in more than 130 countries. The Galaxy S22 and the Galaxy Tab S8 series enjoyed greater preorders than previous models. Preorders for both the Galaxy S22 and Galax

In his new documentary film “Comfort,” director Park Moon-chil has set up a special “meeting” between the late Kim Soon-ak, a former wartime sex slave of the Japanese military, and victims of sexual misconduct that have been taking part in the #MeToo movement. Park said he read Kim’s autobiography with the #MeToo victims before filming. The young women victims in their 20s and 30s also read Kim’s testimony out loud in the movie. “Her oral records also

North Korea has been rated as one of the worst countries in terms of freedom, a recent report by a US-funded freedom watchdog showed Friday. In an annual Freedom House report titled, "Freedom in the World 2022," the North received a combined freedom score of 3 out of 100 -- zero points for political rights and 3 points for civil liberties. It ranked only above Turkmenistan at 2 points, and South Sudan and Syria with just 1 point each among 195 countries assessed by the organization. Th

A constitutional appeal has been filed against the Immigration Control Act that allows only those from eight English-speaking countries to work as native English instructors in South Korea, officials said Friday. Migrants Center Friend, an immigrant rights' group, filed the petition after a Ugandan was denied a visa to work as an English teacher, contending that it is wrong to limit such job opportunities based on nationality. The Ugandan, whose identity was withheld, sought the visa after gradu

Tickets to remotely watch the upcoming BTS concert at movie theaters have nearly sold out, reflecting the high fan interest in the group's first in-person concert in Seoul in two years, officials said Friday. Some 36,000 tickets for "live viewing" of the K-pop superstars' concert on March 12 at the theaters of CJ CGV, Lotte Cinema and Megabox nearly sold out in minutes, according to the multiplex chains Friday. Each ticket costs 49,000 won ($40). CGV opened the sales of 25,000 tickets

South Korea's daily COVID-19 cases fell below 170,000 Friday but critical cases and deaths from the virus rose at a fast pace amid the continued spread of the highly contagious omicron variant. The country reported 165,890 new COVID-19 infections, including 165,749 local cases, raising the total caseload to 2,665,077, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). It is slightly down from the previous day's 170,015. Daily infections surpassed the 100,000 level for the first

South Korea's top envoy in Geneva has been elected the head of the World Trade Organization's committee monitoring regional trade agreements, the foreign ministry said Friday. Ambassador Lee Tae-ho was elected by consensus to lead the Committee on Regional Trade Agreement for one year at the WTO's General Council session in Geneva on Thursday, according to the ministry. The committee is a key body promoting the transparent management of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements signed by count

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Friday that the country is expected to see the peak of the omicron wave in mid-March with daily cases hovering around 250,000. South Korea's daily virus infections surpassed the 100,000 level for the first time last week, and soared to a record high of 171,452 on Wednesday due to the highly transmissible omicron variant of COVID-19. "Some experts are saying that it may hit the peak faster than expected," Kim said during a COVID-19 response meeting in Se

코로나로 어려운 분들이 참 많아지고 있습니다! 긍정의 말로 정신관리를 해 보는 것도 의미가 있다! 상황이 더 좋아질 거야(It’s going to get better.)라는 생각을 가져보자! 위로나 조언의 말에는 비교급이 많이 들어갑니다.  유명한 명언들로 비교급을 공부해 보자! Better to give than to receive.(받는 것보다 주는 것이 더 좋다.) Better safe than sorry.(후회하는 것보다 안전한 것이 더 낫다.) Better late than never.(안하는 것보다 늦게라도 하는 것이 낫다.) Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. (한 번도 사랑해본 적 없는 것보다는, 사랑해보고 실연 당해 본 것이 더 낫다.) Things will be better, just wait.(상황은 더 나아질 것이다, 그저 기다려라.) Hard ti

For those wondering how hanji, traditional Korean paper made from mulberry trees, is used in everyday life, a visit to the Hanji Culture and Industry Center is a one-stop place to learn all there is to know. Different types of hanji are on display at the center located in Bukchon, showing how the traditional material has been developed to meet modern design applications. Hanji feels coarse but lustrous to the touch, revealing the nature of the raw ingredient used to make hanji – the in