Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung, the front-running presidential contender for the ruling party, retook the lead in a presidential hopefuls poll released Monday, beating former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl of the main opposition party. In a poll of 1,006 voters conducted by the Korea Society Opinion Institute (KSOI) on Friday and Saturday, Gov. Lee of the Democratic Party (DP) garnered support from 30 percent of respondents, pushing down Yoon of the People Power Party (PPP) to second

The race for the South Korean presidency is heating up in both the political and entertainment scene. As the upcoming presidential election is about half a year away, the presidential hopefuls are seeking to appeal with their personal sides to woo voters. Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung, the current ruling party front-runner, appeared in the latest episode of SBS’ Sunday reality show “Master in the House.” “I realized there are many misunderstandings about me. I t

Global shoppers face possible shortages of smartphones and other goods ahead of Christmas after power cuts to meet government energy use targets forced Chinese factories to shut down and left some households in the dark. In the northeastern city of Liaoyang, 23 people were hospitalized with gas poisoning after ventilation in a metal casting factory was shut off following a power outage, according to state broadcaster CCTV. No deaths were reported. A components supplier for Apple Inc.'s iPhone

With Netflix and Disney+ ready to intensify content battle, Korean streaming platforms under pressure to devise new strategies to retain subscribers

South Korea has been named the next head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors, marking the first time a Korean representative is to hold the post since the UN nuclear watchdog was established in 1957, the Foreign Ministry said Monday.  Shin Chae-hyun, the South Korean ambassador to Austria and permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, was elected as the chairman of the board during a meeting held in Vienna on Monday. His one-year term start

Benefits of COVID-19 shot not as great in children as in adults, according to top health agency

Key of Shinee came out with his first solo EP, “Bad Love,” on Friday.   　 It has been 2 1/2 years since his previous solo album.   　 “It will be impossible to make an album that is perfect in every aspect but I am satisfied in that I’ve been able to have quite a say,” said the veteran idol. He was inspired by the combination of retro and space and the overall concept was based on that idea.   　 The title track boasts a powerful choreography all the

President Moon Jae-in on Monday stressed the need for discussions about a ban on dog meat, renewing a decades-old dispute here over the slaughter of animals, especially dogs, for food. “Hasn’t the time come to prudently consider prohibiting dog meat consumption?” the president asked Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum during their weekly meeting, according to his spokesperson Park Kyung-mee. Moon made the comments after he was briefed on the government’s new measures to prote

Personal and corporate bankruptcies in South Korea increased by more than 10 percent last year, data showed Monday, reflecting the economic impact of COVID-19 on both businesses and households. According to the report released by the National Court Administration, the number of personal bankruptcies filed in 2020 rose by 10.4 percent from the previous year, from 45,654 cases to 50,379 cases. Last year’s tally was the biggest figure since 2015. After hitting a record high of 150,439 c