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LG Honorary Chairmans Wife Dies at 85

By Cho Jin-seo Staff Reporter LG Group Honorary Chairman Koo Cha-kyung's wife Ha Jung-im passed away Wednesday morning at the age of 85. Her funeral will be held at Seoul National University Hospital on Saturday, and will be attended by her friends, children and husband. She will be laid to rest in the family's vault in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province. Ha was born in 1924 in Jinyang, South Gyeongsang Province. She married Koo, who was living in a nearby town, in 1942, when she was 18 and Koo was 17. Koo Cha-kyung's father Koo In-hwoi founded Lak Hui Chemical Industrial in 1947, which became the LG Group. In 1969, Koo Cha-kyung became the second chairman of the group. Over the following 25 years, he led the group's rapid expansion into the electronics, chemical and retail industries with moral support from Ha. Koo retired to the honorary chairman's position in 1995, and since then the couple have enjoyed a bucolic life on the family farm in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. Ha and Koo had four sons and two daughters. The oldest son is Koo Bon-moo, the current LG

Jan 9, 2008

Foreign Financier Urges Korea to Attract More Capital

By Kim Yoo-chul Korea Times Correspondent MANILA, Philippines ― South Korea will have to step up efforts to attract more foreign investment by creating an environment friendly to foreign businesses with more benefits, a renowned foreign researcher has said. ``Korea's faster business shift and greater focus on a friendly investment environment are quite positive when it comes to attracting more investment from such foreign investors as Middle Eastern funds,'' Federico M. Macaranas, a former economics advisor to the First Philippine Fund in New York, said in an interview with The Korea Times. ``As more countries have implemented stricter rules to monitor power consumption and environmental waste, growing awareness among consumers about using eco-friendly technology will push up demand,'' the former confidant of former Filipino President Fidel Valdez Ramos said on the sidelines of the 7th business forum organized by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM). Since veteran financier David Eldon joined the presidential transition team in line with President-elect Lee Myung-bak'

Jan 8, 2008

Rain Clarifies Olympic Song Rumor

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Korean pop singer and actor Rain has not been chosen to perform the 2008 Beijing Olympics theme song, according to his management agency J Tunes. J Tunes issued the clarification, after reports surfaced that Rain would be performing the theme song for the Olympics this summer. ``An agency in China asked Rain to record a 'candidate' song for the Olympics, but we have not yet recorded any song,'' J Tunes said. J Tunes said Rain would be honored if he were chosen to perform the official song for the Olympics. Beijing Olympic organizers will announce the official song and singer, 100 days before the start of the Olympics. The Beijing Olympics will run from Aug. 8 to 24. Rain is one of the most popular Korean singers and actors in China. He has appeared in numerous advertisements for Pepsi, DHC cosmetics and other products in China. Rain is also appearing in the highly anticipated Hollywood film ``Speed Racer'' this year. Last year, Chinese superstar Jackie Chan recorded, ``We are Ready,'' an official song that marked the countd

Jan 8, 2008

Independence Fighter Yang Han-muk Honored

By Jung Sung-ki Staff Reporter The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs has selected Yang Han-muk (1862-1919) as the Independence Fighter of the month in consultation with the Korea Liberation Association and the Independence Hall of Korea. Yang is one of 33 people who led a nationwide independence movement against Japanese colonial rule of Korea on March 1, 1919. Born in Haenam, South Jeolla Province, Yang studied several religions, including the Buddhism and Roman Catholicism. In 1898, he went to Japan to study and met several political refugees of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), such as Kwon Dongjin and Oh Sae-chang, who were spearheading an enlightenment movement for national salvation. He also met Son Byung-hi, founder of the Donghak religion, and joined the religion, which fomented a rebellion against Western influence in Korea and specifically against Roman Catholicism, and the Japanese invaders. Donghak was later renamed Cheondo. He led the March 1 Independence Movement and signed the declaration of independence. He was arrested during a rally in Seoul

Jan 7, 2008

Novelist Wins ‘Mark of Respect Award’

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Renowned Korean novelist Hwang Sok-young, 65, won the annual “Mark of Respect Award” held by Jinro Ballantines, Korea’s No.1 whiskey maker. The award is given to a person who made great cultural and artistic achievements during the past year. Hwang was chosen through surveys conducted by the liquor company among journalists and consumers, who recognized his literary achievements, such as his 2007’s hit novel “Baridegi.” Hwang is one of the Korea’s favorite writers with his ability to create stories that not only touch the hearts of those of his age, but also the younger generation. His work “Baridegi” sold over 400,000 copies last year, despite the sluggish state of the nation’s publishing industry. The 20 million won prize money will be donated to a group or organization designated by the winner. Hwang chose to donate the money to the city office of Taean in South Chungcheong Province, where more than a thousand volunteers are toiling to clean up the beaches and coasts that were destroyed by the nation’s worst-ever oil spill last December.

Jan 7, 2008

Director Resigns From SBS’ ‘King and I’

By Kwon Mee-yoo Staff Reporter Renowned producer-director Kim Jae-hyung, 72, resigned from the directorship position of SBS drama “King and I” on Jan. 5. Executives said Kim has been suffering from pancreatitis since last August and remains unwell after hospitalization. The codirector of “King and I,” Son Jae-sung, has been doing most of the soap opera’s directing in his absence. Kim is a director specializing in historical dramas. Having joined KBS in 1961, He directed many epic dramas including the first Korean epic drama “Gukto Malli” (Nation 4,000 Kilometers) (1964), “Tears of the Dragon” (1996) and “Women Rule” (2001). He won the Best Producer of the Year in 1998 for “Tears of the Dragon.” Due to Kim’s advanced age, “King and I” is likely to be his last directing work of Kim. He also is a chair-professor in Creative Writing at Dongguk University. “King and I” is Kim’s 248th production and recorded an audience rating of more than 20 percent for the first few episodes. However, ratings have dropped recently to around 10 percent due to competition with MBC’s “Le

Jan 7, 2008

Hanyang University Founder Dies at 94

By Kim Rahn Staff Reporter Hanyang University founder and composer Kim Lyon-joon died Monday. He was 94. Born in 1914 in North Hamgyeong Province in North Korea, Kim graduated from Yonhee College (now Yonsei University) in 1939 and founded Donga Engineering Institute, the predecessor of Hanyang University. Kim, known by his penname Paiknam, also set up elementary, middle and high schools associated with Hanyang University. Other schools he founded include Hanyang Women's University, Hanyang University Medical Center, and Hanyang Cyber University. He retired as Hanyang University's chief director last January due to poor health. Kim was also president of Hanyang University for 15 years from 1959 to 1973, the longest term for such a position in Korea. Besides his devotion to education, he ran companies including Hanyang Securities, Paiknam Tourism and Hanyang Development. Kim was also a big figure in the nation's music history. He composed 1,610 songs, and was named honorary chief director for the Music Association of Korea and advisor for the Korean Composers Assoc

Jan 7, 2008

Big Bang Will Knock on Japan

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter The hip-hop sensation Big Bang will join the rush of Korean celebrities making entertainment headlines in Japan. According to their agency, YG Entertainment, the five-member boy band will release a mini album, also known as an EP (extended play) ``For the World'' in Japan Jan.4 and will also hold a concert ``Big Bang: For the World'' at the JCB Hall at Tokyo Dome city in March 28 and 29. A mini album or EP is an album that has more than one song but too few to qualify as an album and usually contains 10-30 minutes of music (or up to seven songs), compared to singles (one to two songs) and regular albums (ten to eleven songs). This particular mini album will only be released in Japan and will contain hit songs such as ``Lie.'' Big Bang became one of Korea's favorite hip-hop bands with their easy-to-memorize melodies, lyrics and fashion styles. They won numerous awards last year for their music and are expected to create a new Korean style hip-hop trend in Japan. sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr

Jan 3, 2008

Pop Singer Donates W4 Billion for Disabled

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Singer Park Sang-min has been quietly helping the physically disabled over the last ten years. He has donated more than 4 billion won to various organizations and also held charity performances to help the disabled and the underprivileged. ``I first started to help people with hearing disabilities at a charity concert four years ago. I just thought of it as a good experience, but it all changed when I actually met the children who received the financial help and went through the operation. It was such a warm feeling, I just had to keep doing it,'' he said. Park is not only an official member of a charity organization for patients with hearing disabilities and children with tumors, but also a member of five different donation organizations. He is currently working as the president of the organization, which aims at helping people with hearing disabilities. By holding charity concerts, Park has helped many patients who cannot afford but are in great need of an operation. Despite his devotion, many people do not know about the singer's g

Jan 2, 2008

Radio Presenter Becomes `Miss Mom

By Kim Tae-jong Staff Reporter Radio presenter Her Soo-kyung Monday became a so-called ``Miss Mom'' in Korean, who chose to have a baby without being married. On the last day of 2007, she gave a birth to a daughter, after becoming pregnant through artificial insemination. Her shocked the public last July when she announced that she was expecting a baby. She was unmarried after experiencing two divorces. She avoided identifying the baby's father but just said it was a long expected event after undergoing artificial insemination a couple of times. ``I don't have any plan for marriage. But I wanted to have a baby,'' the 40-year-old mother previously said. ``I believe in the power of motherhood more than anything else in bringing up a baby.'' She will take a maternity leave for three weeks before rejoining her radio program on SBS. Her is the only celebrity who has succeeded in being a Miss Mom in public, but her action shows the social changes in the traditional concept of a family, consisting of parents and children, observers here note. According to a surv

Jan 1, 2008
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