Author: Jae young

August 19, 2025SEOUL – Korea’s craving for burgers shows no sign of abating, with the once-occasional indulgence now a regular part of many consumers’ weekly diet.According to market research firm Euromonitor, Korea’s burger market has climbed steadily from 2.1 trillion won ($1.51 billion) in 2014 to a projected 5 trillion won this year, up from 4.2 trillion won in 2024.Riding this swift rise, global players are digging deeper into localization, whereas local brands look outward to grow.McDonald’s Korea is marking a historic turnaround among foreign labels.Last year it returned to the black for the first time in eight years, posting…

August 19, 2025SEOUL – A firefighter who had reportedly been struggling with depression after being dispatched to the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush has been missing for eight days.According to the Incheon Fire Department, the firefighter, in his 30s, left a note on his phone that read, “I’m sorry for not being able to hold my head high before my family and friends,” before losing contact.He left his home on Aug. 9 and was last seen around 2 a.m. on Aug. 10, driving through the South Incheon Tollgate.His car was later discovered parked on the shoulder of the road near the…

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August 19, 2025SEOUL – South Korea and the United States began their annual large-scale military exercise Monday, with all eyes on whether North Korea will respond with warnings or provocations.The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, which aims to strengthen combined defense readiness against potential threats, particularly from North Korea, will be carried out for 11 days and concludes on Aug. 28.The Joint Chiefs of Staff said this year’s exercise would be held on a scale similar to last year’s, with about 18,000 South Korean troops taking part. The level of US participation is expected to be similar, though neither the JCS…

August 18, 2025SEOUL – Japan protested to South Korea over what appeared to be unauthorized marine research conducted by South Korean vessels within Japan’s territorial waters off the coast of the Takeshima Islands in Shimane Prefecture on Saturday.At about 12:15 p.m. on Friday, the research vessel Onnuri was seen dropping what appeared to be a wire into the sea within Japan’s territorial waters west of the islands, according to the 8th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters.In response, Masaaki Kanai, director general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau at the Foreign Ministry, lodged a strong protest on the same day with…

August 18, 2025SEOUL – South Korea’s criminal punishment for breach of trust is back in focus after lawmakers broadened directors’ fiduciary duty beyond the company to include shareholders.The change, part of a Commercial Act amendment passed in July, has fueled concerns in the business community that it could open the door to excessive liability and criminal charges over disputed management decisions.In response, President Lee Jae Myung launched a task force on “Rationalizing Economic Criminal Penalties,” with revision of breach of trust at the top of its agenda.“A business misstep in Korea can land you in prison, and that chills investment,”…

August 18, 2025SEOUL – South Korea could unlock over $100 billion in economic value by welcoming 1 million more skilled foreign graduates, according to new research that emphasizes immigration as a possible answer to the country’s shrinking workforce.The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a research team led by Korea University economics professor Kim Duk-pa released the findings Wednesday. They analyzed the economic effects of foreign talent using data from all 17 administrative regions of Korea between 2012 and 2023.The study found that when the share of registered foreign university graduates in the economically active population rises by one…

August 18, 2025SEOUL – While impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee are detained, their six dogs and five cats are reportedly being cared for by Kim’s acquaintances, according to local media reports Sunday.The 11 pets are staying at the couple’s home in Seocho-dong, Seoul. Staff from Covana Contents, an art exhibition company run by Kim, along with her acquaintances, are said to visit the house to feed and care for them.With both Yoon and Kim detained, the presidential security office is considering how to handle the pets’ situation.Under the Presidential Security Act, the office must…

August 18, 2025SEOUL – South Korea’s military said it repelled more than 9,200 hacking attempts in the first six months of the year, up about 45 percent from the same period a year earlier, with most believed to be from North Korea.A total of 9,262 cyberattacks targeted the South Korean military from January to June in 2025, according to data provided to The Korea Herald Sunday by the office of Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the main opposition People Power Party.Specifically, 9,193 attempts were made to breach the military’s official homepages, while the remaining 69 were cyber intrusion attempts through email…

August 18, 2025BANGKOK – Japanese businesses are increasingly moving to set up Japanese-style vocational schools in Asia in an effort to secure ready workers for their local factories.In recent years, Chinese and South Korean companies have pushed more quickly into Southeast Asia. Amid growing competition with these firms for staff, Japanese companies are rushing to try to retain workers.“I love the sounds of Japanese car engines. I’d like to work for a Japanese automaker and help out on development,” said a 16-year-old student learning car maintenance at Politeknik Mitra Industri, a vocational school in an industrial park in the suburbs…