Brit singer Pixie Lott enchants Korean audience

Pixie Lott, a 21-year-old singer-songwriter from Britain, captivated the Korean audience with her signature husky voice and adorable smile at her album showcase in Seoul on Wednesday evening.

The singer, who gained popularity around the world with her hit-song “Mama Do (Uh oh, Uh oh),” was in Seoul for four days this week to promote her special album “Young Foolish Happy” released only in some Asian countries including Korea, Japan and Taiwan. She left Korea on Thursday for Malaysia, her next destination for the album promotion.

Pixie Lott dons a hanbok and responds to the audience at her album showcase in Seoul on Wednesday. (Universal Music Korea)

The singer first showed off her musical skill along with a somewhat modest stage performance, quite different from what young Korean music fans have seen on YouTube.

On Wednesday, the singer sang seven songs in an hour-long mini concert and tried to get closer to the audience by telling them about her shopping experience on Garosugil in Sinsa-dong.

“We had a little bit of time, so we went shopping on Garosugil. And I bought some clothes and could have been spending hours there but we didn’t have enough time. And we also tried some Korean food which was very tasty,” she told the audience at Club Junkie, where her showcase was held.

Lott, known as a leading fashionista in the U.K., also shared her first hanbok moment, saying it was something she would never forget. Park Sool-nyeo, a leading hanbok designer in Seoul, presented the Korean traditional dress especially designed for the singer in pink. The singer surprised the audience by wearing the hanbok at the end of the show.

Lott is one of many pop stars promoting their albums and concerts in Asia, the world’s fast emerging music market. To win the attention of the Asian audience, she also recorded a track titled “Dancing on My Own” featuring Korean artists GD and T.O.P from boy band Big Bang.

Pixie Lott, whose real name is Victoria Louise Lott, debuted in 2009 with single “Mama Do” which went to No. 1 in the U.K. Singles Chart. She released her second album, “Young Foolish Album” in 2011 with songs entering the U.K.’s top charts.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldm.com)

Cows crash party, drink all the beer

Police in Massachusetts attempting to deal with a herd of loose cows said the beer-loving bovines crashed a backyard party and cleared it of brews.

(MCT)

Boxford Police Lt. James Riter said he was directing traffic around the herd on Main Street when the cows took off for the back yard of a nearby home, The Boston Globe reported Friday.

"I could hear screaming coming from the back of the house. When I ran around back, a group of young adults were outside enjoying the nice weather and having a few beers," Riter said. "The cows chased them away from the table they were sitting at and started drinking their beers. They knocked the beer cans over with their noses started drinking beer right off the table."

Riter said that of the available beers, the cows seemed to prefer the Bud Light to the Miller Light.

"When they ran out of beers on the table, one of them started to forage in the recycling to see if he could find any last drops in there," Riter said.

Riter said a dispatcher was able to contact the owner of the animals, who was able to round up the herd with the help of some friends.

"Myself and another officer blocked traffic; we had one cruiser in front of the cows, and I followed behind them," Riter said. "We marched them about three-quarters of a mile up Main Street where they belonged." (UPI)

Eurozone woes may hurt Korean exports: think tank

Eurozone woes may hurt Korean exports: think tank

The eurozone's fiscal troubles could seriously hurt South Korea's exports and cause a slow down in economic growth, a private think tank said Thursday. The Hyundai Research Institute (HRI) said persistent fiscal troubles facing European Union (EU) countries such as Greece are affecting worldwide trade. "If the EU cuts back on imports, this will have direct bearing on South Korea and could even cause a hard landing for the country's exports," it said. Europe accounted for 9.5 percent of South Korea's trade last year, with exports reaching $55.7 billion. The total rises to around $69.3 billion if indirect shipments going through the United States, China and other countries are tallied. South Korea's outbound shipments contracted for the second straight month in April, mainly due to a drop in overseas demand triggered by eurozone woes and sluggish growth in the United States and China. HRI said if Europe's imports fall by 20 percent, exports by Asia's fourth largest economy will drop $12.8 billion, while a 30 percent reduction could result in shipments diving $20.7 billion. It said ship exports will be hit the hardest since the continent accounts for 19.7 percent of all sales by local yards. Shipments of information technology and autos may also be affected. The think tank added that Seoul needs to closely monitor developments taking place in Europe and set up strategies to best cope with sudden changes. (Yonhap)

Euro woes fuel inflation fears

Euro woes fuel inflation fears

By Kim Tong-hyung Confidence in the Korean economy has evaporated fast on bad industrial and consumer data as well as evidence that inflation may not be coming under control, despite policymakers’ claims. And that was before the European financial crisis lurched into a perilous new phase and decimated stock markets along the way. As leaders in Europe scramble to assure a future for their precarious single currency and duck from a full-blown financial crisis some say would be reminiscent of the 1930s, the action plan for officials in Seoul seems to read, wait, pray and fret. Helplessness has set in at the halls of the Ministry of Strategy and Finance in recent months as it struggles to cope with the disastrous vortex of subduing economic activity, spiraling debt and unemployment. And now there are signs that inflation is creeping back up on higher household bills for fuel and utilities, an alarming development for policymakers who find their options in monetary policy severely limited. The drama in Europe has once again exposed Korea as a one-trick export pony with the sinking Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) and sliding value of the won being the skid marks left by foreign investors who continue to run from the country screaming. The recent exchange rate movement has policymakers concerned about the impact of dearer imports when the elevated costs of living are already putting an acute squeeze on the living standards of low-income earners. Fuel prices could be heading up soon as Korea braces for a possible halt in imports of Iranian crude oil following tightened sanctions by the European Union. And the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), the country’s debt-ridden power monopoly, says it can no longer afford to keep higher costs from being passed on to consumers. In a recent meeting of economic policymakers, Strategy and Finance Minister Bahk Jae-wan admitted to fears that the eurozone debt crisis and tension in the Middle East could have inflation peaking again. ``With the world economy facing greater uncertainties, there are also increasing worries over price stability here coming from major items of consumption such as fuel, food and utilities,’’ he said. ``We need to take a closer look at the factors from inside and out that pose risks to our economy.’’ The Bank of Korea (BOK) kept its policy rate at 3.25 percent for the 11th consecutive month in May as the depressing combination of subduing economic activity and high prices continue to force interest-rate setters to sit on their hands. Headline inflation was measured at 2.5 percent in April from a year earlier, representing a 21-month low. However, it was hard to take the lower figure as an indicator of price stability when the base of comparison is the outrageous 2011, when inflation was measured above 4 percent for most of the year as consumer prices lost all sense of gravity. The reading for last month was also influenced by temporary factors, such as increased government support for daycare centers and school meals, which are cosmetic effects that will wear off soon. The public’s inflation expectations over the next 12 months remained in the upper-3s for May. Policymakers consider consumer expectations of long-term price trends as important because inflation often proves to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. If people believe inflation will continue to rise, businesses will carry on raising the prices of products and services to worsen price instability and make it harder to tame. ``The level of inflation expectations is still a concern, and should the cost of electricity and other utilities go up, the price pressures will become even greater as people will be anticipating a rise in services costs as well,’’ said Lee Jun-yeop, an economist from the Hyundai Research Institute (HRI). With the central bank in a self-induced coma, the country’s fight against inflation has depended on government price controls and its ability to bully companies out of elevating price tags. With the finance ministry choreographing the action and the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) and National Tax Service (NTS) deployed as enforcers, the government has suppressed businesses from raising the prices of their products and services, resisting criticism that their measures are running against the limits of acceptability. But with the parliamentary elections already in the books and the clock ticking toward the presidential vote in December, it appears that the lame-duck administration will have a tough time extending its ``whack-a-mole’’ strategies. Already, a number of firms in the retail, food and services raised the prices of their products, while municipalities discuss raising fares for mass transit and the cost of other public services.

LG’s new quad-core smartphone to debut in Europe next month

LG Electronics announced Tuesday it will roll out its new quad-core smartphone named Optimus 4X HD in Europe next month to compete with its rival Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy S3.

Beginning its launch in Germany in June, the firm said it will release the 4.7-inch display smartphone in other European nations such as Sweden, the U.K., Italy and Poland.

It will then expand to other regions including Asia, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Latin America, said LG officials.

LG Electronics’ quad-core smartphone Optimus 4X HD. (Yonhap News)

Running on Google’s latest 4.0 mobile operating platform, also called the Ice Cream Sandwich, the gadget is equipped with a quad-core processor called Tegra 3 as well as a high-capacity battery, LG officials said.

The Tegra 3 quad-core processor doubles the speed for completing tasks compared to the previous dual-core processor and also has a fifth battery-saver core that takes care of simple duties such as voice calls, e-mails and music play with low power, its officials said.

“The Optimus 4X HD will feature the firm’s innovative competitiveness in terms of fast task completion speed, clear display and longer battery life, which have been pointed out as the needs of smartphone owners,” said LG’s mobile chief Park Jong-seok.

He also said the upgraded functions such as the quick memo, which enables fast sharing and storing of memos, and media plex features ― such as fingertip seek, live zooming, video speed control and thumbnail list play ― will provide a differentiated user experience.

By Cho Ji-hyun (sharon@heraldm.com) 

China keeps silent on detained S. Korean

The Chinese authorities have continue to withhold information about arrested South Korean human rights activist Kim Young-hwan, despite Seoul’s diplomatic efforts.

Kim, along with three other South Koreans, has been in the Chinese Ministry of State Security’s custody since March 29 on charges of “damaging national security.”

Kim Young-hwan

Kim is a former pro-North Korean movement leader who turned to promoting human rights in North Korea in the 1990s, and currently works as a researcher at the Network for North Korean Democracy and Human Rights.

The Chinese authorities have not elaborated on their charges, and only Kim has met with a South Korean diplomat since the arrest in Dalian, Liaoning Province. He left South Korea on March 23.

“Kim met with the consul 28 days after he was incarcerated. Regarding the other three, the Chinese authorities have sent us handwritten statements from them declining to meet with our officials, and we are currently trying to verify their authenticity,” a Foreign Ministry official said.

“Though the ministry has been working to affect their release, no real results have been forthcoming. The fact that the Chinese authorities are withholding information about their exact charges is making the situation more difficult.”

According to the Committee for Release of North Korean Human Rights, the South Korean consulate general who visited Kim in April was prevented from meeting with the other three detainees by the Chinese authorities.

“The three other Koreans ― Yoo Jae-gil, Kang Shin-sam and Lee Sang-yong ― were also arrested in Dalian, but the Liaoning province branch of the Ministry of State Security has not revealed why they are detained, nor where they are currently held,” the committee said in a statement.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been working on resolving the issue, and has requested an attorney, but as far as we know the Chinese government is not responding,” a Network for North Korean Democracy and Human Rights official said.

Before turning to fight for North Korean human rights and the democratization of the country, Kim spent the 1980s and early 1990s as a key member of the pro-North Korean student movement.

Soon after enrolling at Seoul National University in 1982, Kim became involved in the then-widespread anti-government student movement. During this time he also wrote letters promoting the concept of juche ― a political principle established by North Korean founder Kim Il-sung ― under the penname “Kang-chul.”

By 1986 he was a central member of the movement and became a founding member of the “Federation of Students for Saving the Country.” The organization is considered to be the first student organization with connections to National Liberation, a strong pro-Pyongyang movement based on the juche concept. In 1989, he was contacted by a North Korean spy and joined the Workers’ Party of North Korea. He illegally entered North Korea in 1991 where he met with Kim Il-sung.

In the following year he participated in the founding of the Minhyukdang or the “People’s Democratic Revolutionary Party.” However, in the mid-1990s he switched gides to fight against human rights abuse. In 1997, he initiated the dissolution of Minhyukdang. However, investigations by the National Intelligence Service led to the arrest of the group’s key members, including Kim and Unified Progress Party lawmaker-elect Lee Seok-ki, in 1999 on charges of espionage. Kim, however, was not indicted for his part in dissolving Minhyukdang.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldm.com)

Facebook faces challenges ahead of IPO

Facebook, the world’s biggest social networking company, faces a bewildering challenge as it prepares for its initial public offering slated for Friday. The much-anticipated IPO is estimated to reach a record $100 billion.

Facebook has shown rapid growth over a short period of time, posting $3.7 billion in revenue last year. It has become an integral part of daily life for adults around the world, with the growing use of smartphones, tablets and notebook computers.

More than 40 percent of American adults log onto the site at least once a week while 55 percent those under age 35 go on Facebook every day. There are some 900 million people using Facebook around the globe.

Despite such impressive numbers, however, not many seem to place much trust in Facebook. According to a recent Associated Press-CNBC poll, half of Americans consider Facebook a passing fad. Also, half of Americans are skeptical of the company’s expected asking price for its coming IPO, saying it is too high.

On top of it all, General Motors is planning to pull its ads from Facebook, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, because of the minor impact the paid ads had on consumers.

“So far, Facebook’s advertising platform hasn’t kept pace with the explosive growth of its social network, and it remains to be seen if CEO Mark Zuckerberg even wants to focus on advertising as a source of revenue,” said WordStream chief technical officer Larry Kim.

In the poll of U.S. adults published Tuesday, 83 percent of respondents said they “hardly ever’’ or “never’’ click ads on Facebook.

“As good as Facebook has been at evolving to serve consumers, that’s how bad it’s been at serving marketers,” Forrester analysts Nate Elliott and Melissa Parrish said in a blog post.

Instead of exposing user information directly to advertisers, Facebook delivers ads to specific groups of people. Also, Facebook has yet to support advertising on smartphones or tablet computers.



By Sim Guk-by
Intern Reporter

2PM to release new single in Japan in June

JYP Entertainment

K-pop idol group 2PM will be making its Japan debut on June 6 with its new single album “Beautiful” and Arena Tour Live DVD.

Title track “Beautiful” has gained popularity ahead of the debut as the song of Sempio’s black vinegar drink. The song topped Recochouk chart, the biggest ringtone download website in Japan.

A song written by 2PM member, Junho, “If You are Here” will also be included on the album.

2PM is expected to meet Japanese fans at a Tokyo fan meeting on June 16, before performing live at the Video Music Awards Japan 2012 on the 23rd.

The tickets to 2PM’s concert “6 Beautiful Days” were sold out immediately. The exclusive concert will be held at the end of this month at Tokyo Budokan.



By Sim Guk-by
Intern Reporter

7 lawmakers plagiarized dissertations

7 lawmakers plagiarized dissertations

By Yun Suh-young The Korea Progressive Academy Council (KPAC), an association of 22 academic organizations, has confirmed that seven newly-elected lawmakers engaged in various types of plagiarism in their dissertations. The lawmakers-elect to the 19th National Assembly who included plagiarized parts include five from the ruling Saenuri Party — Kang Ki-youn, Chung Woo-taek, Yeom Dong-yeol, Yoo Jae-jung and Shin Kyung-rim — and Chung Se-kyun of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP). Also on the list is Moon Dae-sung, an independent. “We have confirmed that the dissertations of the seven were plagiarized during our inspection,” the group announced Sunday during a press conference in central Seoul. Examples of plagiarism detected ranged from copying a sentence to copying a paragraph without citation. The plagiarism was categorized into nine categories based on the degree of seriousness such as “simple plagiarism” to “duplication of work.” Other categories included pasting several pieces of work, copying ideas, redundant publication and manipulation of data. They were classified based on the 2008 guideline from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, 2009 research ethics guidelines published by the KPAC and 2011 research ethics code set by the National Science and Technology Commission. The lawmaker found to have plagiarized to the most serious degree was Moon Dae-sung, a Korean member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and former lawmaker-elect of ruling Saenuri Party who resigned from the party last month due to the allegations of plagiarism in his doctoral thesis. It turned out he had also plagiarized in his master’s thesis. “The elected lawmakers failed to uphold, throughout the research process, the core values a researcher must fulfill. These are honesty, accuracy, fairness, openness, social responsibility, respect towards the research target, and carefulness. The lawmakers therefore violated research ethics,” the KPAC members said. The group lashed out at the seven lawmakers saying that in advanced countries, lawmakers who plagiarize are considered swindlers. “We don’t expect them to have the highest level of morality that we would demand from leaders of society. But how can the law made by these legislators have social authority if they lack the minimum requirement of civic consciousness we would expect in a lawmaker?”