South Korean stocks retreated after a two-day increase Thursday, as investors worry rising inflation in the United States could hasten the Federal Reserve's tapering move. The Korean won rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 10.39 points, or 0.35 percent, to close at 2,962.09 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 597 million shares worth...

SEJONG -- South Korea was found to have lagged far behind major countries in the latest economic growth, data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development showed Thursday. According to the French-based organization, Korea’s gross domestic product grew 0.3 percent -- as a provisional figure -- in the third quarter of 2021, compared to the previous quarter. This placed Asia’s fo...

To help children who have experienced child abuse, the city is set to open a center. With more double-income families experiencing difficulties finding child care because of the pandemic, it will also set up a care center at Myeonghak Smart Square to minimize the gaps in coverage. The city expects its overall child care environment to improve greatly as a public day care center is set to open. A...

South Korea's military is capable of both detecting and intercepting what North Korea claims to be a hypersonic missile, Seoul's defense ministry said Thursday. Boo Seung-chan, the ministry's spokesperson, highlighted the military's readiness posture amid concerns the North's latest missile could dodge the combined missile defense system of South Korea and the United States. The North has claim...

To solidify its No. 1 position in terms of production capacity, Samsung Biologics, a contract development and manufacturing organization under the Samsung empire, will begin partial operation of its fourth plant in Songdo, west of Seoul, this year, six months earlier than previously scheduled, the company’s CEO said Thursday. Touting its manufacturing capability, John Rim, CEO of Samsung Biologi...

Through more than 69,000 press releases distributed in APAC in 2021, PR Newswire shares press release trends that will shape the new year. 248 content partners added in 2021, bringing the total to over 1,700 5,650 more journalists and influencers subscribed to receive press releases, raising the total to 85,300 over the past year More than 69,300 press releases distributed in 2021, 36% more th...

Presidential nominee Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea publicly apologized again for his party’s failure in controlling the housing crisis, promising regulatory reliefs to increase supply of new homes and thereby curb real estate prices. Lee said in a campaign event Thursday held at a reconstruction site in Nowon-gu, northern Seoul that he deeply regrets that his party failed...

The ongoing pandemic has brought a significant change in South Korea’s job market where technology skills such as data visualization and coding -- not necessarily academic background -- have become prime qualities that businesses look for from job seekers. “The COVID-19 pandemic has indeed brought about huge polarization in the local job market. Job seekers who majored in liberal arts or busines...

Panregional cooperation is the key to balanced national development, President Moon Jae-in said Thursday, presiding over the nation’s first meeting for cooperation between central and regional governments. The meeting, called “the second Cabinet meeting,” was held for the first time for top decision-makers of the central and local governments to deliberate on major policies related to regional a...

Melding stories in songs Rising from the underground to fame is not an easy task, but he attracted attention when a TV soundtrack used one of his songs. The musician’s “Becoming the Wind,” the seventh song on the soundtrack for tvN’s “Mr. Sunshine” in 2018, became a mega-hit among drama fans and listeners. “I used to upload cover songs on social media, and the director contacted me after seeing...

Of Seoul’s 25 districts, Gangnam-gu has the largest economy, with its total output being nearly 22 times the size of the smallest, Gangbuk-gu, data showed Thursday. According to the Seoul metropolitan government, Gangnam-gu’s gross regional domestic product in 2019 stood at 71.85 trillion won ($6 billion), followed by Jung-gu’s 53.8 trillion, Yeongdeungpo-gu’s 36.1 trillion and Seocho-gu’s 35....

Kim Sei-young had collected at least one LPGA victory in every season since bursting on to the scene in 2015, but that streak came to an end in 2021. Looking back on last season, Kim said Thursday she might have overexerted herself in the early months, and she had hit a wall before she could get anything going. Still hoping to reach the top of the rankings, the world No. 5 said she will try to ...

Ruling party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung is leading his main opposition rival Yoon Suk-yeol with 37 percent public support against Yoon's 28 percent, a survey showed Thursday. Lee of the liberal Democratic Party gained 1 percentage point from last week, while Yoon of the conservative People Power Party stayed put, according to the poll conducted on 1,000 adults from Monday to Wednesday ...

South Korea and the US are considering putting off their annual springtime combined military exercises from March to April, due to the March 9 presidential election and the COVID-19 situation, according to local news reports Thursday. Yonhap News Agency, citing unnamed sources, said the allies have been discussing a possible delay due to the election season and spread of the coronavirus. ...