Under-use of consultants
An acquaintance of mine, undergoing a divorce, returned from a meeting with his Korean counsel looking frustrated. Apparently, he had been advised by a third party of a critical fact, which his lawyer had not mentioned. When my friend asked why not, the lawyer replied: “Oh! You did not ask me about that specific point.” […]
Korea-Arab Society actively builds up cultural bridges
Although Korea and the Arab world have had links through the Silk Road for more than 1,000 years, in modern times, they have been restricted to the Arab construction boom in the 1970s and ‘80s and, more recently, to Korea’s energy dependency on Middle East oil. A joint partnership led by a retired Korean diplomat […]
Men’s ever-growing grooming needs
Consumers with deep pockets and cultural shift drive markets “No shame: get a free eyebrow touch-up and makeup for men” A blackboard sign said standing in front of a cosmetics shop named Manstudio. Located at the center of a bustling, hip street of Hongdae in Seoul, it is the first local cosmetics shop specifically for […]
‘Long-term vision planning needed for taekwondo’s longevity’
Master of Korean martial art plants seed in US For most people, taekwondo is a great hobby but not for Min Kyung-ho. “It’s a way of life,’’ says Min, a taekwondo master who has spent more than 50 years practicing and teaching the sport. Credited as the taekwondo pioneer in the United States, the 77-year-old […]
Focus more on quality
Quantitative growth is not boon to people The nation’s per-capita gross national income (GNI) hit an all-time high of $22,489 last year. However, individuals can hardly feel happy with the figure as their living standard is not improving. What’s wrong with it? Is it a statistical error or a structural economic flaw? The nominal GNI […]
EU urges NK to give up missiles, nukes
President Lee Myung-bak, right, shakes hands with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso as European Council President Herman Van Rompuy looks on during a joint news conference after their summit at Cheong Wa Dae, Wednesday. The leaders of the European Union (EU) urged North Korea Wednesday to end the practice of spending tens of millions […]
Imported strollers sell for double original prices
Seo Hyun-jin, 30, will become a mother in two months. She recently went shopping for a stroller at a department store but left empty-handed. She said she was shocked by the prices of imported strollers. “They were much more expensive than I expected,” she said. “Strollers from well-known imported brands such as Stokke or Orbit […]
Worker’s performance improves with smartphone off
A study has found that workers are happier and improve their performance if they give up using their smartphones one evening a week, the Daily Mail reported on March 19. The results come from a research team at Harvard Business School who monitored professionals being banned from monitoring their work after 6 p.m. once a […]
World Bank chief-nominee to tour 7 nations
Korean-born Dartmouth College President Jim Yong Kim, who has recently been nominated by U.S. President Barack Obama to lead the World Bank, will soon visit Korea, according to the U.S. Treasury Department Tuesday. The visit is part of an 11-day global tour to win over skeptics in Africa, Asia and Latin America to his becoming […]
Where does Kakao Talk go from here?
Above is a screen shot of Kakao Story, a social networking service launched by the country’s most popular mobile messenger service Kakao Talk. The company has been expanding the business scope based on the huge user base. Kakao Talk, a mobile messenger application downloaded by almost all smartphone users here, is successfully expanding its business […]
Media in Tie-up with The AsiaN 
Trump, Kim, and the Three P’s of Summit Diplomacy: 
