-
East Asia
S. Korea: income of farming, fishing households up in 2018
The average annual income of South Korea’s farming and fishing households rose in 2018 from a year earlier, data showed Friday. The income of farming households reached an average of 42 million won (US$36,000) last year, up 10 percent from the previous year, according to the report by Statistics Korea.…
Read More » -
East Asia
Colorful lanterns to light up Seoul’s nights
Hundreds of thousands of colorful lanterns will light up streets in Seoul’s city center when an annual festival to celebrate Buddha’s Birthday begins this weekend. Organizers will hold a ceremony on Friday night to turn on the lights of traditional Korean lanterns of various shapes and colors on display along…
Read More » -
East Asia
S. Korea: 7 in 10 artists earn less than 1 million won a month
Seven in 10 artists in South Korea earn less than 1 million won (US$880) a month, well below the average for all trades, a government report said Thursday. According to the report by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the average annual income of domestic artist households was 42.25…
Read More » -
East Asia
FM says S. Korea, U.S. share same goal of N.K. denuclearization
South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Wednesday that Seoul and Washington are pursuing the same goal of North Korea’s denuclearization despite a “tug of war” over the method to reach that goal. Speaking at a lecture on peace, Kang said that the views of the allies can’t necessarily remain…
Read More » -
East Asia
Young S. Koreans delay marriage amid economic uncertainties
Yoon Hwan was on cloud nine last year when his girlfriend said “yes” after he popped the question. He envisioned a happy future full of precious moments with his wife and children. But that euphoria quickly gave way to a heavy heart when his dream was deflated by a lack…
Read More » -
East Asia
Asiana Airlines offers early retirement ahead of sale
Troubled carrier Asiana Airlines Inc. said Thursday it has offered a voluntary retirement program in an effort to make itself more attractive ahead of its planned sale. The early retirement offer covers Asiana employees with 15 years or more of continuous service at South Korea’s No. 2 airline. Asiana will…
Read More » -
East Asia
Jeonju film festival to open with 262 films
The annual Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF), the country’s largest showcase of indie and art house films, will start its 10-day run in the southwestern city of Jeonju on Thursday. A total of 262 films from 52 countries will be shown during the 20th edition, which runs until May 11,…
Read More » -
East Asia
Moon pledges gov’t support for non-memory chip businesses
President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday emphasized the great growth potential of the non-memory chip sector, reaffirming the government’s plan to offer every possible support for South Korea’s businesses involved. He laid out a strategic vision to boost the “system” semiconductor industry, making his first visit to the local facilities of…
Read More » -
East Asia
New Zealand committed to peaceful solution for the Korean Peninsula: amb.
New Zealand remains committed to promoting peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the region, amid uncertainties in stalled nuclear talks between North Korea and the United States, its top envoy in South Korea said Tuesday. Ambassador to Seoul Philip Turner also stressed his government’s backing for the ongoing diplomatic…
Read More » -
East Asia
U.S. commission calls for N. Korea to stay on religious freedom blacklist
An independent U.S. government commission has asked the State Department to keep North Korea on its blacklist of countries that repress freedom of religion, citing Pyongyang’s “systematic” and “egregious” human rights violations. In an annual report recently disclosed on its website, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommended…
Read More »