Roughly equivalent to madam or ma’am, "ajumma" is, according to the National Institution of Korean Language, an informal way of saying "ajumeoni," an appellation for middle-aged women. For the unmarried women, being called an ajumma can be considered an insult because it implies that she no longer looks like an “agassi,” a single, young woman. Even those who fit the dictionary definition of ajumma -- married with children -- often express their dislike f

Hashtag Korea March 15, 2023

On Christmas morning in 1971, a devastating fire broke out at the 21-story Daeyeongak Hotel in Seoul. It was filled with locals and foreigners who had spent Christmas Eve at the lavish hotel, which had only opened two years prior. When the blaze was finally brought under control after nearly eight hours, it was unclear immediately how many lives had been lost. Although over 100 were rescued, a far larger number was feared to have been killed. The next day's front page of The Korea Herald is

Hashtag Korea March 2, 2023

“History through The Korea Herald” revisits significant events and issues over the seven decades through articles, photos and editorial pieces published in the Herald and retell them from a contemporary perspective. – Ed. In its Aug. 16, 1957 edition, The Korea Herald, then called The Korea Republic, carried a story titled “Atom arms now being sent here,” based on what the country’s envoy to the US learned from the Washington government. In this front page a

Politics Jan. 18, 2023

South Korea has officially entered a weeklong national mourning period for the victims of Saturday night’s human stampede in Itaewon, which was recorded as one of the worst peacetime disasters in the country with over 150 casualties. “Following the president’s directive, the government has decided to observe a national mourning period until midnight of Nov. 5, during which the nation will mourn the perished,” Prime Minister Han Duck-soo told a media briefing. A joint alta

Social Affairs Oct. 30, 2022

Test your knowledge of Korea with our weekly quiz on the language, culture, history or anything K-related. -- Ed. Find the answer at the bottom of the page. Incheon, a port city west of Seoul, has long served as South Korea’s gateway to the outside world. Located on the western tip of the country and facing China across the sea, it is where the largest numbers of Chinese merchants settled following the opening of the port in the late 19th century. For this reason, the city boasts the lar

Hashtag Korea Oct. 26, 2022

Every child has the right to rest or have fun how they want to. This is article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted in 1989. It is one of the most ratified international treaties in history. More than three decades after its ratification here, South Korea is revisiting the clause with renewed enthusiasm, largely thanks to an ill-advised move by the Education Ministry to put kids in school one year early. “Children need to play,” read the ban

Social Affairs Aug. 8, 2022

A fire broke out at an office building in the southeastern city of Daegu on Thursday, leaving seven dead and injuring 46 others, officials said. The fire broke out at the seven-story building in the city, 302 kilometers south of Seoul, at around 10:55 a.m., according to firefighters. It was fully extinguished some 20 minutes later. Dozens of other citizens evacuated the building. Authorities mobilized 50 fire trucks and 160 firefighters at the scene. Police said they were investigating the

Social Affairs June 9, 2022

The coverage on this blog has ended. For more updates, results and news on South Korea’s presidential election, visit www.koreaherald.co.kr. -- Ed. Yoon Suk-yeol elected president of S. Korea Yoon Suk-yeol, a former chief prosecutor and political neophyte, was elected the next leader of South Korea on Thursday in one of the closest presidential elections in the country’s history. With all the votes counted, the conservative candidate garnered 48.6 percent, against 47.8 percent of

Politics March 9, 2022

When Shinsegae Group Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin wrote “Annihilate communism” on his Instagram along with a photo of Chinese President Xi Jinping last week, it is unlikely that he intended to start a fad.  But for some conservatives salivating over a chance to slam the ruling camp’s guiding philosophy of diplomacy known as strategic ambiguity, the half-joke was just too spot on. A day after Chung’s post, Yoon Suk-yeol, presidential candidate of the conservative Pe

Politics Jan. 10, 2022

“Land of Squid Game” By Min Byoung-chul BCM Publishing Company 　 For many global audiences, 2021 may have been a year of discovering Korea. From Netflix’s megahit “Squid Game” to the mighty BTS, Korean cultural products have expanded their reach across the globe. Min Byoung-chul’s new book, “Land of Squid Game,” arrives at this opportune time when there appears to be growing genuine curiosity about South Korea, a country until not so long ago o

Books Dec. 27, 2021

Siemens Korea announced Wednesday the promotion of Chung Ha-joong to president and chief executive officer. Chung, who served as vice president prior to the appointment, will oversee all businesses of the German technology giant’s Korean unit, effective Friday, while also serving in his current role as head of smart infrastructure and CEO of Siemens Mobility Ltd., Seoul, the firm said. Since joining Siemens Korea in 2000, the new chief has taken up various key roles in energy, mobili

Industry Oct. 1, 2021

South Korean steelmaker Posco has forged a five-way partnership encompassing shipbuilders and ship registries to develop a liquid carbon dioxide carrier tanker, as part of its bid to gain an upper hand in the global transition to a net-zero economy, the firm said Sunday. Its four partners are Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, Lloyd’s Register Asia and Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry.  According to the agreement, signed Frida

Industry Aug. 29, 2021

Amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, consumers’ interest in what makes their home a more pleasant place to be has grown. This has certainly affected the home appliance market. Before, devices like electric dehumidifiers were not something people sought aesthetic satisfaction in. Yet, in this era, they need to change. Coway’s recently launched Noble Dehumidifier AD-1221E is a new addition to the ranks of premium appliances, with design elements more commonly found in luxury furnit

Technology Aug. 29, 2021

Nexon employees hired within the past two years have created seven-minute video clips to share their experiences with new recruits. The company is hiring interns as part of its six-month Nexon Tutorial program. In the clips, five employees from the game firm’s four divisions -- business, new development, live development and intelligence labs -- briefly introduce their work and offer candid thoughts for people hoping to land internships at the company. Nexon Tutorial, launched this ye

Industry Aug. 26, 2021