Korean Air fined for exceeding passenger wait time limit during takeoff prep

The transport ministry said Thursday it has imposed fines on Korean Air Co., Delta Air Lines Inc. and Air Astana JSC for violating South Korea's aviation laws during operations. Korean Air, South Korea's leading carrier, was fined 25 million won ($17,221) for keeping passengers on board for four hours and eight minutes while the aircraft was on the runway during takeoff preparations on its Incheon-Delhi flight on July 23. By law, aircraft with passengers on board cannot remain still on

IndustryDec. 19, 2024

Finance minister warns of short-term market volatility following US rate cut

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok on Thursday forecast heightened volatility in South Korea's financial and foreign exchange markets in the short term following the US Federal Reserve's latest rate cut. The Federal Open Market Committee concluded its two-day meeting Wednesday by lowering its benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point to a range of 4.25 to 4.50 percent. It followed a quarter-percentage-point cut last month and a 50-basis-point reduction in September. "With

EconomyDec. 19, 2024

[해커스 TOEIC] 토익 점수 Up 단어, Part 5 문제

2) 파트 5 3문제 1. Some of the employees do not understand the ------- regarding leave days, so the supervisor will meet with them to explain it. (A) regulation (B) completion (C) formation (D) composition 해석 몇몇 직원들이 휴가에 대한 규정을 이해하지 못하기 때문에 감독관은 이를 설명하기 위해 그들과 만날 것이다. 해설 명사 어휘 문제 ‘몇몇 직원들이 휴가에 대한 규정을 이해하지 못하기 때문에 감독관은 이를 설명하기 위해 그들과 만날 것이다’라는 문맥이 되어야 하므로 ‘규정, 규칙’이라는 뜻의 명사 (A) regulation이 정답이다. 참고로 (B) completion은 ‘완료, 완성’, (C) formation은 '형성’, (D

English EyeDec. 19, 2024

Seoul shares open sharply lower after Fed rate cut; won sharply down

Seoul shares started over 1.8 percent lower Thursday after the US Federal Reserve cut its rate for the third consecutive time but signaled fewer rate cuts next year. The Korean won opened sharply lower against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 45.47 points, or 1.83 percent, to 2,438.96 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The Korean won also plummeted to breach 1,450 won per US dollar, reaching a 15-year low. It was trading at 1,450.8 won against the greenback at

EconomyDec. 19, 2024

One foreign player spot left in KBO after Dinos sign ex-MLB pitcher Allen

All but one spot have been filled for foreign players in the Korea Baseball Organization for 2025, following the NC Dinos' signing of former major league pitcher Logan Allen this week. The Dinos announced Wednesday that Allen, 27, had signed a one-year deal worth up to $1 million -- $560,000 in salary, $140,000 in a signing bonus and up to $300,000 in incentives. An eighth-round pick by the Boston Red Sox in 2015, Allen has 45 big league games under his belt with four clubs, including 22 wi

BaseballDec. 19, 2024

Household spending projected to fall 1.6% next year: poll

Households in South Korea are expected to reduce their spending by an average of 1.6 percent in 2025 from this year, a poll showed Thursday. According to the survey on 1,000 adults conducted by Mono Research from Nov. 13-20, 53 percent of respondents said they plan to reduce their spending next year, while 47 percent indicated an increase. When asked about the rate of change in spending, the average was recorded at minus 1.6 percent. The poll was commissioned by the Federation of Korean Industri

EconomyDec. 19, 2024

N. Korea defends military alignment with Russia as 'normal' cooperative ties

North Korea on Thursday denounced the United States, South Korea and other nations for issuing a joint statement condemning military cooperation between the North and Russia, claiming they were "distorting and slandering" the essence of its "normal" cooperative ties with Moscow. An unnamed spokesperson at North Korea's foreign ministry released the statement as the US, South Korea, the European Union and eight other countries on Monday condemned growing military cooperat

North KoreaDec. 19, 2024

US assesses Russia may be close to accepting N. Korea's nuclear weapons program: Washington envoy

The United States believes Russia may be close to accepting North Korea's nuclear weapons program in a reversal of its long-standing commitment to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, its ambassador to the United Nations said Wednesday. During a UN Security Council meeting, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield revealed US information that Moscow has sent air defense systems to the North while underscoring the United States' concerns over Moscow's "intent" to share satellite

Foreign AffairsDec. 19, 2024

US Fed cuts key lending rate by quarter-percentage point, signals fewer cuts next year

The US Federal Reserve on Wednesday lowered its benchmark interest rate by a quarter-percentage point and signaled the possibility of two reductions next year, two fewer than what it penciled in three months ago. After the two-day Federal Open Market Committee meeting, the central bank announced the decision to reduce the rate to the 4.25 to 4.50 percent range. It followed a quarter-percentage-point cut last month and a 50-basis-point reduction in September. FOMC members' new median economi

EconomyDec. 19, 2024

KDI School professor ranked world's top 2% of social scientists

The KDI School of Public Policy and Management said Thursday that its public administration professor, Kim Soon-hee, has been ranked among the world’s top 2 percent of social scientists in the Elsevier-Stanford University list for the second consecutive year. Affiliated with the Korea Development Institute, the KDI School is a government-run graduate school based in Sejong. Kim joined the School in 2014 after serving as a professor at Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syrac

IndustryDec. 19, 2024

[Graphic News] Idiom of the year

The four-character idiom “Doryangbalho”, meaning "the rampant abuse of power and influence," was chosen as the idiom of the year. College professors highlighted their concerns, criticizing the misuse of authority for personal gain instead of serving the public good. According to a nationwide survey conducted by The Kyosu Sinmun from Nov. 25 to Dec. 2 among 1,086 professors, “Doryangbalho” received 41.4 percent of the votes (450), reflecting both past and curre

Social AffairsDec. 19, 2024

[Wang Son-taek] Why did we elect him as president?

In December 2024, the Republic of Korea is experiencing an embarrassing absurdity. A person who rose to the presidency, the pinnacle of political power, declared emergency martial law, an act that constituted political suicide. Although the situation is being settled as the National Assembly adopted a resolution demanding the immediate lifting of martial law and passed a presidential impeachment motion, people are still shocked by the unexpected massive disturbance. In particular, President Yoon

ViewpointsDec. 19, 2024

[Jiyoung Moon] Clash of traumas: Generational divides behind impeachment

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in front of the National Assembly building in Yeouido, their eyes fixed on a large screen showing Woo Won-shik, speaker of the National Assembly. It was the moment he was about to announce the results of the impeachment vote against President Yoon Suk Yeol. When Woo finally declared that the impeachment vote had passed, the crowd burst into jubilant cheers, hugging one another, waving banners and K-pop glow sticks in celebration. At the same time, a con

ViewpointsDec. 19, 2024

S. Korea reports new avian influenza case at duck farm

South Korea has confirmed its 12th case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) for the season at a duck farm in the southwestern region, authorities said Wednesday. The latest case was detected at a duck farm in the county of Buan in North Jeolla Province, some 190 kilometers south of Seoul, according to the authorities. The farm is located in a 10-km radius of another duck farm that reported a highly pathogenic AI case last week. To prevent further spread, officials have taken measures to co

Social AffairsDec. 18, 2024

Acting President Han to hold extraordinary Cabinet meeting on Thursday

Acting President Han Duck-soo will convene an extraordinary Cabinet meeting on Thursday, which is expected to decide whether to veto contentious bills. The meeting is set to review the six bills passed by the main opposition Democratic Party last month -- four agricultural bills, the National Assembly Act and the National Assembly Testimony Appraisal Act. If Han does not demand that the National Assembly reconsider the bills by Saturday, they will be enacted into law. One of the key bills under

PoliticsDec. 18, 2024

11 areas designated as special disaster zones after last month's snowfall

The government on Wednesday designated 11 areas across the country that suffered serious damage from last month's snowfall as special disaster zones eligible for state support. Acting President Han Duck-soo made the designation on seven cities and counties, including Pyeongtaek and Yongin in Gyeonggi Province, as well as four towns and villages, such as Anheung in Gangwon Province, according to the interior ministry. On Nov. 26-28, up to more than 40 centimeters of snow fell in the areas, l

Social AffairsDec. 18, 2024

'Harbin' cast and director chart legacy of Korean independence hero

A historical drama about Korea's legendary independence fighters is hitting IMAX screens just in time for the holidays. But first, its creators had to wrestle with the weight of history. "Harbin," starring top actor Hyun Bin as independence activist Ahn Jung-eun, follows the 1909 assassination of Ito Hirobumi, the first Japanese Governor-General of Korea and the first Prime Minister of Japan. The film reimagines a scenario in which, during his time in the armed resistance against

FilmDec. 18, 2024

Party leaders hold talks but differ on fundamentals

Leaders of South Korea's two major political parties held talks Wednesday in hopes of helping normalize state affairs, but the meeting ended with the two showing widely divergent views on how to address the power vacuum. At the meeting, the ruling People Power Party's acting Chair Rep. Kweon Seong-dong floated amending the portion of South Korea's Constitution that stipulates that the president serves a single five-year term. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea's le

PoliticsDec. 18, 2024

Secret service rejects search request for presidential office servers

The Presidential Security Service refused to comply with a search and seizure warrant regarding access to the presidential office's computer servers, according to a joint investigation unit probing the Dec. 3 martial law declaration, Wednesday. According to the interagency investigation unit, the Presidential Security Service submitted an official statement to the investigators at 4:50 p.m., citing “military secrets” and “official confidentiality” as reasons for its

Social AffairsDec. 18, 2024