Korea banned the sale of 80 models of cars produced by the Volkswagen group including the Golf, the Polo, the Beetle and the Bentley because emissions and noise tests were falsified. It also revoked the certification of an additional 83,000 vehicles sold by Audi Volkswagen Korea. Owners of those cars can continue to drive them but will have trouble reselling them. 

This brings the total number of cars with revoked certifications to 209,000: 68 percent of the 307,000 Audi and Volkswagen vehicles sold in Korea since 2007 and 97 percent of Audi and Volkswagen vehicles sold in the first half of this year. “It is against the law to gain vehicle certification through fabrication and lies,” the Environment Ministry said in its press release Tuesday. The company was fined 17.8 billion won ($16 million). Last year, the company was fined 14.1 billion won for its so-called defeat device scandal. The 83,000 cars were sold between 2009 and July 25 this year. The Environment Ministry revoked certifications from 126,000 cars of Audi Volkswagen Korea last November after its defeat device scandal. Critics said the company should have been fined more. 

An amendment to the Clean Air Conservation Act that went into effect last Thursday increased the maximum amount of fine per vehicle type from 1 billion won to 10 billion won. With this change, the Environment Ministry could have fined the company 68 billion won. But Audi Volkswagen Korea announced July 21 its decision to suspend sales of models under scrutiny by the ministry - before the amendment came into effect. “Two legal institutes advised the ministry that it is legally unsound to apply the changed regulation on the company since it suspended sales of the models under question before the amendment,” the Environment Ministry said in its press release. “Thus the ministry applied the former regulation on fines, which limits them to 1 billion won per vehicle type.” In a hearing on July 25, Audi Volkswagen Korea reportedly admitted to manipulating the noise and emissions tests, but said that the models in question do meet the noise and emissions standards, and argued that their certifications should not be cancelled. “We regret that the Ministry of Environment has imposed the strictest sanction in revoking our vehicle certifications,’’ the company said in its press release. “We are closely reviewing the ministry’s decision and considering all available options in deciding how to move forward.” 

Some analysts called the ministry’s move a de facto closing down of Audi Volkswagen in Korea. “If Audi Volkswagen Korea submits new certification applications to the Environment Ministry for the models in question,” said the ministry, “then the ministry will be sure to conduct actual noise and emissions tests on the vehicles and, if needed, will visit Volkswagen AG headquarters in Germany to conduct thorough tests.” It added, “Should Audi Volkswagen Korea decide to file a suspension of execution and resume selling the models under question, the ministry can still win the case in an administrative litigation and apply the new 10 billion won fine to the company’s new sales.” The ministry said owners of suspended cars will not be affected by the certification revocation. “The ministry’s decision only affects Audi Volkswagen Korea, and not the customers who bought the cars,” the ministry said in its press release. “Owners of the vehicles face no restriction in owning and selling their cars.”

How much financial value does an Olympic gold medal hold? A gold medal from the Summer Games at Rio de Janeiro is not pure gold but is made of 494 grams of silver, gilded with six grams of gold. Turning this into monetary value considering the prices of gold and silver as of Tuesday, an Olympic gold medal is worth about 711,700 won ($625). Medals first replaced trophies at the 1904 Games in St. Louis. Back then, gold medals were made of pure gold but the high cost of production made it impractical for them to be produced as such. Twelve years later at the Summer Games in Berlin, victors were rewarded for their feat with medals made of six grams of pure gold and at least 92.5 percent of pure silver, a stipulation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). 

In ancient Greece, a victor from the Olympic Games received 500 drachmas, or Greek silver coins. The value of one drachma was equivalent to the value of a sheep. In the first Olympics in 1896 at Athens, winners of each event received a silver medal instead of gold and were crowned with a laurel wreath. Athletes around the world today shed blood and tears for an Olympic gold medal worth about 700,000 won. But, there is so much more to a victory in the Olympics than meets the eye, including the glory and joy of accomplishment, not to mention the financial compensation victors receive from their respective Olympic committees. After each Olympics, the IOC distributes some of its profit earned through commissions from broadcasting rights and partnerships to Olympic committees of the participating nations to pay the medalists. A Korean athlete who claims a medal from the Games receives prize money from the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC). They also receive bonuses from sponsors and pensions from the Korean government. The committee pays Olympic medalists 60 million won for gold, 30 million won for silver and 18 million won for bronze. A head coach who trained a gold medalist receives 80 million won in return from the KOC. The budget for prize money for the Rio Olympics is set at 3.6 billion won. Olympians can also expect compensation from related sports associations. The incentive that different sports bodies pay the athletes varies depending on the associations. Some associations set the price early to boost the morale of the athletes while others have yet to come up with detailed plan for the reward. 

Among the sports associations in Korea, the Korea Golf Association (KGA) has the highest bonuses for its athletes. The KGA announced in December that it would pay 300 million won to any athlete who wears a gold medal around his or her neck. In comparison, the Korea Football Association (KFA) has yet to fix the financial rewards for its players. In 2012 for the London Olympics, the KFA set aside 3.1 billion won for the players in case they return home with gold medals. With the squad taking bronze, the team received 1.5 billion won by the KFA. Although reigning bronze medalists, the team is unclear on how much they could earn if they claim gold from this year’s Games. Athletes may receive bonuses from their respective sponsors as well. For athletes sponsored by local government entities, bonuses range from 2 million won to 50 million won. Those who are sponsored by private companies receive more lucrative compensation. Jin Jong-oh, for instance, a Korean sharpshooter who earned two gold medals from 2012 London Games, received 250 million won from his sponsor, KT. On top of everything, the athletes can expect government pensions when they return home with their necks adorned with medals. Gold medalists can receive 900,000 won for pension or a lump sum of 67.29 million won. A gold medal also holds intangible value. According to findings by Kwak Seung-jun, an economic professor at the Korea University, from 2007, the economic value of a gold medal was estimated to be about 48 billion won. The value was estimated by aggregating the amount of tax each Korean would be wiling to pay when a Korean athlete wins gold from the Olympics. Taking Consumer Price Index into consideration, a gold medal would hold as much value as 58.4 billion won today. 

According to research by the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation, the gold medal that Korean figure skater Kim Yuna clinched in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver created an economic effect worth as much as 5.23 trillion won. Depending on how much a gold medal affects people’s emotions, the value it creates can skyrocket.

With Korea’s monsoon season having officially ended last Friday, the summer heat will now go into full swing across the nation, bringing extreme temperatures to all corners. For today, the national weather authority said the highest temperature will fall within the range of 26 to 35 degrees Celsius (78.8 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit), while the sky will be cloudy nationwide. The coastal areas of Gangwon and South Gyeongsang might meet sporadic rain in the afternoon due to atmospheric instability. 

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, there will be no rainfall in Korea until Aug. 10, although many areas will see cloudy skies. Temperatures will mostly surpass 30 degrees during the day and slightly fall to around 25 degrees at night. Sporadic showers might affect some regions in the second half of this month due to atmospheric instability, but it will not be long enough to cool things off, and will instead create more humidity. The weather authority has warned vacationers to stay at high alert for “short, heavy summer rainfalls,” saying they can flood valleys in no time, threatening the safety of nearby campers. This year’s summer will be roughly as hot as last year, or slightly hotter. The heat will continue through September and past the Chuseok [Korean Thanksgiving] holidays, which will take place from Sept. 14 to 16. A heat wave warning was issued Sunday in Seoul and Gyeonggi, as the country fell between 29 to 35 degrees. A heat wave warning is issued when the daytime temperature hits 33 degrees for two consecutive days or more. Seoul reached 33 degrees, while Daegu hit 35 degrees. 

On Saturday, the Korea Meteorological Administration issued heat wave warnings for 40 different areas including Daegu, Gwangju, Daejeon, Ulsan, Jeju Island and several places in the Gyeongsang and Jeolla provinces. Last Wednesday in Busan, a 53-year-old drunken man died of a heatstroke after falling asleep in his car. He was suspected to have spent hours in his vehicle that day, which police assume heated up to 60 or 70 degrees at peak time. In Gwangju, a 4-year-old boy was found unconscious in a school bus last Friday. A teacher and bus driver were arrested on professional negligence charges, as police suspect they missed roll-call and left the young student in the hot vehicle for eight hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. When the boy was transported to a nearby hospital, his body temperature was 42 degrees. He has yet to gain consciousness.

Any pet owner who’s imbued their furry or feathered friends with deep thoughts and mysterious intentions will relate to the imagination behind “The Secret Life of Pets.” It may not have the emotional resonance of a Pixar movie, but with its playful premise, endearing performances and outstanding score by Alexandre Desplat, “Pets” is fun, family (and animal)-friendly fare. 

People’s favorite non-speaking companions are brought to life here by Illumination Entertainment (the studio behind “Despicable Me”) and given voice by an all-star cast that includes Louis C.K., Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate and Albert Brooks. Plot-wise, “Pets” follows the path Pixar set with talking toys 20 years ago in “Toy Story”: Two would-be rivals fighting for the love of their owner are forced to unite for a common cause. Little terrier Max (C.K.) is the top dog in the life of his owner, Katie (Ellie Kemper), and a leader among the other house pets in their New York City apartment building, including neighbor Pomeranian Gidget (Slate), and the fat cat next door, Chloe (Lake Bell). But his exalted position is threatened when Katie brings home a giant, fluffy mutt named Duke (Eric Stonestreet). Like Woody and Buzz, Max and Duke are instantly at odds. The rival pups are trying to sabotage each other when they become separated from their dog walker and captured by animal control. This sends them on an adventure into the animal underworld: literally, the underground headquarters of a bitter bunny named Snowball (Hart) and his team of Flushed Pets. Abandoned by their former owners, their motto is “liberated forever, domesticated never.” Max and Duke try to fit in, but Snowball soon observes, “You’ve got the scent of domestication all over you,” and sends his army of rogue animals after them. At one point, the little rabbit steals a bus. 

Meanwhile, the other pets from Max and Duke’s apartment building notice the two are missing and set out to find them. Gidget, who has a not-so-secret crush on Max, leads a menagerie that includes Chloe the cat, Mel the pug, Buddy the dachshund and a guinea pig named Norman. They enlist the help of Tiberius the hawk (Brooks) and Pops (Dana Carvey), the wheelchair-bound basset hound who knows every animal in New York. Desplat’s jazzy, energetic score amplifies the urgency and excitement as the chase continues through the city, and clever animation highlights the quirkiness of animal behavior. Though the characters in “Pets” are entirely anthropomorphized - they speak English and can operate electronics - they retain some recognizable animalism. 

When Pops wants to shut down one of his famous parties, for example, he turns on the vacuum cleaner. Dogs in hot pursuit of their friends are suddenly distracted by butterflies. And Buddy’s movements are especially amusing, as he navigates his elongated dachshund body around corners and down stairs. It’s fun to imagine what pets get into when no one is home, and “Pets” does a great job of taking that idea to an extreme. And you thought Fluffy and Fido just spent the day napping.

The announcement of the official results for the historic European Union referendum for the exit of Great Britain as one of its members was made on June 24, 2016. The results revealed that the Leave Campaign secured 51.9 percent of the total votes and the Remain Campaign only got 48.1 percent, implying that Great Britain has voted to leave the European Union.

The voting process that was confirmed to have had a turnout of 72 percent of Great Britain’s total voting population happened on June 23, a day prior to the announcement. Votes from different parts of Britain were gathered and tallied in the evening of the same day. People in Europe as well as the international public closely monitored developments through the night and even after the announcement of the results were made.

A number of major events followed the announcement that Great Britain decided to leave the European Union. Among them is the resignation of David Cameron, a strong advocate of the Remain Campaign, from his position as the prime minister. He said that Great Britain needs fresh leadership for the new chapter that it is about to face. He added that he will prepare his nation for the transition. However, the negotiations and the invocation of Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon will have to be carried out by the new prime minister.

Britons had mixed emotions about the results of the referendum.The Remain Campaign supporters were deeply saddened by the results as they claim that their nation is bound to face economic and political doom. On the other hand, the Leave Campaign supporters see the results of the referendum as a declaration of their freedom and independence.

There are also those who think that the outcome is inconclusive. There were around 30 million voters who participated in the process, and the difference between the votes for the two opposing sides is just a little over a million votes. These people say that a majority vote was not attained. They suggest that the referendum should be repeated because it may bring better and more conclusive results. 

Many people consider Great Britain to be in an unstable situation. The future of the first country to vote out of the European Nation is yet to be seen. It may still take a while before people can see if the Brexit was a good decision.

The lab also predicted an aging society, where people 65 and older will account for more than 20 percent of the world’s population. “New means of mobility for the old, such as robots and wearables will be introduced,” the company said in a statement. The sharing society, represented by ride-hailing services like Uber, will rise, while artificial intelligence may play a bigger role in transportation.

Korea’s sweltering heat is set to continue until early August at the least, according to the state weather forecaster. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) issued heat wave warnings Monday across most of the country, including Seoul, Gyeonggi, Ulsan, Busan, Daegu, North and South Gyeongsang, Jeolla and Chungcheong, as well as Jeju Island. A heat wave warning is issued when the daytime temperature hits 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 degrees Fahrenheit) for two consecutive days or more. 

Seoul recorded its fourth tropical night in a row early Monday, with the lowest temperature in the morning at 26.5 degrees Celsius. A night is dubbed tropical if the temperature remains above 25 degrees Celsius throughout the night. The daytime temperature hit 31 degrees Celsius in Seoul on Monday, 33 degrees Celsius in Gwangju and Jeonju, and 34 degrees in Daegu before rain hit the city in the afternoon. Rain cooled some parts of Gangwon, North Chungcheong and North Gyeongsang on Monday afternoon. “The heat wave will likely continue through this week and into early August,” said Han Sang-eun, a KMA official. “While the monsoon rains will likely descend from the North into South Korea on Wednesday and Thursday, this is expected to be the last monsoon shower of the year.” The official said early August will see some temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius. 

Korea is not alone in enduring an extended heat wave this summer. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted that a heat wave in the central United States, with some areas reaching 115 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday, will continue through this week. The weather and climate agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce said nearly 124 million people in 26 states were issued excessive heat wave warnings, excessive heat watches or heat advisories last Friday. An excessive heat wave warning is issued when the maximum heat index temperature is higher than 105 degrees Fahrenheit during the day for at least two days. The rest of Asia, as well as the Middle East and Europe, are issuing alerts and taking measures to cope with the stifling heat. Heat wave alerts were issued in southern and western regions of China on Sunday, with some areas’ temperatures rising higher than 40 degrees Celsius. The temperature in Baghdad hit 120 degrees Fahrenheit last Wednesday, reportedly the highest in the world that day. Iraqis working in the city were allowed to take off work that day and the next due to the harsh conditions. And according to the BBC last Tuesday, some rail companies in the U.K. announced new speed restrictions during the hot weather after a rail buckled in North Yorkshire under the heat. 

Climate experts point to global warming as the cause of the excessive heat throughout the Earth. According to NOAA, the 17 warmest years on record all took place in the last 18 years.

Religion is one of the oldest and most controversial topics for debate anywhere in the world. There are many types of religion. Despite the distinct characteristics that each religion has, all religions have one thing in common which is the belief in, worship of, and submission to a supernatural power in the form of a god or gods. 

Mankind’s continuous quest for knowledge and its scientific discoveries and triumphs have changed many people’s attitudes towards religion. For instance, a lot of people have considered turning their backs on it. Some people simply do not believe in a higher power. There are, of course, other people who still put religion in the center of their lives.

Believers of religion say that it is the foundation of people’s belief systems. It serves as a guide to every action and decision they make in life. It also enables people to live harmoniously with human beings and other forms of life. 

Second, with the help of religion, people have a more elevated treatment and understanding of the world they live in. Moreover, religion is what distinguishes people from other forms of living things. It keeps people from submitting to their instincts and desires of the flesh. 

Third, religion gives meaning to people’s lives. It helps people understand that events in their lives happen for a reason. Knowing that there is a supreme being gives people a sense of purpose and direction in life in preparation for the afterlife. Also, with the help of faith in a supreme being, people go through trials and adversities with strength and determination.

On the other hand, non-believers do not follow any religion because science and modernity are often viewed by many religions as evils of society. Religion can be the very thing that stops a person from aspiring to change the conditions that he or she was born into, believing that a bigger reward awaits in the afterlife. As a result, people who are restricted by their religion become stagnant and sometimes a burden to society.

Second, religion can get in the way of the creation of different laws and policies that aim to alleviate societies from different kinds of suffering. Religion can be something that holds societies back from succeeding and developing with modern times, creating great social divides.

Third, religion is often the source of discrimination, prejudice, andintolerance. It can divide societies which often creates conflicts and wars between people from different religions because of their conflicting or differing philosophies. In worst cases, religion can result in extremism.

New York-based burger franchise Shake Shack will make its long-awaited Korea debut in bustling Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Friday with five locally exclusive menu items, including a red bean milkshake, while maintaining the chain’s signature service and classic offerings. Shake Shack began in 2001 as a burger and hot dog joint in New York’s Madison Square Park. It was the brainchild of Danny Meyer, CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group which operates several restaurants in New York. Unlike other fast-food chains, Shake Shack is known to pursue what’s called “fine casual” dining, providing high-quality food and service at a reasonable price. “When I encountered a Shake Shack burger five years ago, I was mesmerized by not only its amazing taste but also the staff’s warm hospitality and vibrant mood,” Hur Hee-soo, SPC Group executive managing director, said at a media event on Tuesday at the soon-to-open Gangnam branch. 

SPC, a leading food and bakery chain in Korea that operates Paris Baguette, Baskin Robbins and Dunkin’ Donuts, is an official local partner. “The brand mission of Shake Shack, ‘stand for something good,’ and our own, ‘the best way to happiness,’ have something in common,” Hur said. “And by collaborating, we believe we can make a bigger synergy.” Hur began building a partnership with Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti five years ago. With SPC taking over local management of the franchise, the Gangnam branch will be Shake Shack’s 98th location in the world. “This is a dream come true for me as well as Shake Shack,” Garutti said. “We never opened a restaurant here.” “In 2011, where there were less than 10 branches of us, he [Hur] saw the vision.” 

Shake Shack currently has over 90 branches in 13 countries. In East Asia, the franchise has two branches in Japan, and the one in Korea will be its third. Shake Shack said it is planning to open a second branch in Seoul within this year, but a specific neighborhood has not yet been decided. By 2025, it plans to open 25 branches in Korea. Ever since SPC officially inked an exclusive license deal with the international burger franchise in December 2015, even the smallest progress has made headlines, drumming up anticipation among local foodies. SPC and Shake Shack will provide the entire classic menu including the flagship Shack Burger, which is equivalent to a cheeseburger, as well as the Smoke Shack with smoked bacon and the vegetarian ‘Shroom Burger with a mushroom patty. Hot dogs and crinkle-cut fries are also on the menu. At 6,900 won ($6) for a single-patty Shack Burger, the price is comparable to that in New York, where the same item goes for $5.29 without taxes. 

Shake Shack has been introducing localized menus whenever it enters a new overseas market. For Korea, it has added a milkshake made from red beans and four types of frozen custards made from local ingredients. The burgers’ core ingredients, such as Angus beef, cheese and sauce, will be directly delivered from the United States, while fresh ingredients such as lettuce and tomatoes will be locally supplied. The franchise has also developed a partnership with local breweries Magpie Brewing Company and the Hand and Malt to provide craft beer to Korean customers. The Shake Shack branch in Gangnam District will serve its first burgers on Friday starting from 11 a.m. and will be open until 11 p.m.

Many of the films released recently are sequels of movies that became blockbuster hits in the past. They are called film franchises. Good examples are the latest Mission Impossible, Fast and Furious, and Avengers films. The international viewing public seemed to respond very positively to these movies as they also became top grossers, some even surpassing the earnings of those that came before them. However, some say they film producers are making too many sequels. They call this “film franchise fatigue.”

Movie producers these days are into maintaining film franchises.Standalone films or those that have definite endings have become very rare. It has been observed that if a movie earns humongous amounts of profit, there would be a big possibility that producers would create a spin-off or a continuation of the film. The process goes on and on until producers hit a dead end or until the film franchise no longer has the same impact on people as it did with the earlier releases. At some point, film sequels become bland and boring.

Because of film franchises, it can be said that producers just recycle movie material that has proven itself to be profitable. The creativity and artistry behind film production are gone because all film producers can think about is the guarantee of a big profit. Maintaining film franchises is just a way of showing how the film industry has become too episodic. Films are like prolonged versions of TV shows that are shown in big screens. Storylines are too stretched and manipulated because producers need to have something to work on for their next films. 

Many compare film sequels with old products that are placed in new packaging or stale cake that does not taste as good as when it was served fresh from the oven. For some, film sequels will never be at par with the first and original releases. So, the film industry should just move away from maintaining film franchises. Instead, they should go back to creating new stories that will coincide with realities of life. Producers should go against the profit-centered motives of producing films and once again give people fresh and new standalone movies that will create big impacts in society.