Latest News

• 
  S. Korean firm partners with Kyrgyz special purpose company to kick-start micro hydro power generation business SEOUL -- A South Korean company called CJM Global partnered with a Kyrgyz special purpose company to kick-start a sustainable energy business that uses a network of 3,000-kilometer-long canals in Kyrgyzstan as a renewable energy source for micro hydropower plants. Micro hydropower plants are much smaller than ordinary hydropower plants which are mega-structures such as dams. The smaller-sized power plants in the sizes of a van or a refrigerator can be easily installed in a river, 2023-04-21
• 
  ​Global spending on public cloud service market to grow 21.7% on-year: market data SEOUL -- The world's governments and private companies will spend more money on public cloud service, market data showed. A public cloud service is a shared-computing service where a third-party company provides cloud computing resources that is accessible by the internet. Client companies can operate their applications and other services to store, process, and analyze data. Many public cloud services are provided through on-demand formats tailored to meet the requirements of e 2023-04-21
• 
  Squid Game actor Lee Byung-hun regrets declining to take part in Parasite SEOUL -- Lee Byung-hun, a South Korean actor who appeared in Netflix drama series Squid Game, said he regrets declining a casting offer for Parasite, an Oscar-winning film, at a conference held by Standford University's research institute. The 52-year-old has interacted with global fans at the event designed to discuss directions for South Korean films, K-drama, and Korean studies. Parasite is a non-English language film that vividly depicted the rich-poor gap. The 2020 Oscar-w 2023-04-21
• 
  [OPNION] Pentagon leaks stir new controversies KARACHI -- In the realm of intelligence disclosures, the latest leaks from the Pentagon on the intelligence front may not have the same earth-shattering impact as the ones brought to light by Edward Snowden and WikiLeaks in p 2023-04-20
• 
  ​Boy band ASTRO member Moonbin passes away SEOUL -- Moonbin, a 25-year-old member of popular K-pop band ASTRO, has passed away, the band's agency said through a social media post. The cause of death was not disclosed but the agency and the late singer's family members urged media and fans not to make wild speculations about the singer's death. Moon, who was the main dancer of the five-member band, began his career in the entertainment sector by becoming a child fashion model during his pre-school days. He debute 2023-04-20
• 
  [OPINION] Preserving fragile peace in Northern Ireland KENOSHA -- President Biden’s four-day visit to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which began on April 11, has provided overall opportunity to highlight our im 2023-04-19
• 
  ​S. Korean state institutes team up to co-develop carbon-neutral technology SEOUL -- Three South Korean state institutes have signed a cooperation agreement to jointly develop technologies to achieve carbon neutrality. The capturing of carbon from the environment and converting them into high-value composites have become the main focus of various industries to slow climate change and ultimately create a sustainable environment. Carbon Neutrality refers to a state of net zero carbon emissions. This state can be achieved by controlling the emission of carbon 2023-04-19
• 
  S. Korean food delivery market slowly deteriorates after reopening SEOUL -- South Korea's online food delivery service market, which had shown a whopping average annual growth rate of some 75 percent from 2017 to 2021, is slowly deteriorating due to the "reopening" campaign that lifted many quarantine regulations including the mandate for face masks. According to South Korea's state statistical service, the country's online food delivery service market stood at 2.7 trillion won ($20 billion) in 2017 and it rapidly grew to 25. 2023-04-19
• 
  S. Koreans in 30s and 40s form largest consumer group in domestic meal kit market: data SEOUL -- South Koreans in their 30s and 40s have formed the largest consumer group in the thriving domestic meal kit market, market data released by a major meal kit company showed. Previously, the biggest consumer group was formed by customers in their 20s and 30s. Meal kits, ready-to-cook vacuum-packed food packages containing uncooked ingredients, garnered popularity among young workers and housewives for their convenience. The simple meal packs can be cooked using a microwave o 2023-04-18
• 
  S. Korea's SUV maker KG Mobility launches special brand for car tuning and customizing parts SEOUL -- KG Mobility, formerly known as Ssangyong Motor, will launch a new subsidiary specializing in tuning and customizable parts for vehicles, targeting South Korea's tuning car parts market that is projected to reach 10.5 trillion won ($7.9 billion) by 2030. Ssangyong Motor, which started business in South Korea as a small vehicle workshop founded by the late automotive titan Ha Dong-hwan in 1954, gained a reputation as the maker of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in the coun 2023-04-18
• 
  Hyundai and Kia cars excluded from list of EVs eligible for US tax credits of up to $7,500 SEOUL -- The US Treasury Department has sidelined Hyundai and Kia's electric vehicles from the list of 16 EVs that are eligible for the United States federal tax credit of up to $7,500, which branches out from the Inflation Reduction Act that was signed into law in 2022. The exclusion cast a dark cloud over the South Korean carmakers as their products lost competitiveness in the North American EV market which is growing at an average annual growth rate of about 37 percent to 2023-04-18
• 
  SM Entertainment artists to nest in HYBE's mobile K-pop fan platform Weverse SEOUL -- 12 artists or teams from SM Entertainment, one of South Korea's largest entertainment powerhouses, will nest in Weverse, a mobile K-pop fan community platform designed to help K-pop super fans share information and communicate with their favorite artists. Weverse is operated by HYBE, the famous agency of K-pop superstar BTS. SM Entertainment was acquired by Kakao, South Korea's web service giant, in March 2023 through a head-to-head competition with HYBE. The BTS a 2023-04-17
• 
  Hanwha Aerospace to build rocket assembly facility in southern province SEOUL -- Hanwha Aerospace, a global defense solution company, will invest 50 billion won ($38.1 million) to build a rocket research and development infrastructure in the southern port city of Suncheon some 300 kilometers (186 miles) south of Seoul, designated as the special zone for space launch vehicle development. The massive infrastructure will house a rocket assembly facility. In a bid to be reborn as a global defense solution company like the Unites States' Lockheed Martin 2023-04-17
• 
  ​S. Korean pharmaceutical companies race to enter pet healthcare market SEOUL -- South Korean pharmaceutical companies are competing to become the top player in the country's rapidly-growing pet healthcare market. South Korea, where 25 percent of households have at least one pet, is predicted to have a pet-related products and services market sized six trillion won ($4.5 billion) by 2027. The country's pet market that stood at 3.4 trillion won in 2020 saw a rapid expansion during the last few years, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic that left 2023-04-17
• 
  Soundtrack created by AI composer played on S. Korean home shopping TV show SEOUL -- KT Alpha, a commerce wing of South Korea's major telecom company KT, showcased a soundtrack created by an artificial intelligence composer on a TV show. The music with a cheerful vibe was used for a veteran show host's home shopping program, mostly consumed by women in their 40s and 50s. The AI-based soundtrack was played on "Shin Jin-young's S Shop" where many different luxury apparel items and home appliances are presented. The soundtrack was made 2023-04-14
• 
  Number of patients with panic disorder rapidly increases in S. Korea SEOUL -- South Korea experienced a sharp rise in the number of patients suffering from panic disorder between 2017 and 2021. The number of people with panic disorder skyrocketed to 205,540 in 2021, up 44.5 percent from five years ago. The anxiety disorder becomes severe if patients delay receiving medical care or if they are frequently exposed to various types of stress. People with the disorder often suffer from extreme anxiety and fear. Panic attacks accompanied by heart palpitat 2023-04-14
• 
  [COLUMN] How long will the Comfort Woman statue last? SEOUL -- As readers may know, the offices of this newspaper are located within shouting distance of the Comfort Woman Statue in Seoul which sits facing the Japanese Embassy. I’ve worked in the neighborhood for 15 years and have become quite familiar with the Statue of Peace, as it is known, and with the demonstrations held alongside it every Wednesday luncht 2023-04-14
• 
  Online apparel giant Musinsa's annual sales skyrocket by 54 percent on-year SEOUL -- The annual sales of South Korea's online apparel startup unicorn Musinsa in 2022 has skyrocketed by 54 percent compared to a year ago, backed by aggressive marketing that targeted both online and offline customers in their 20s and 30s. Musinsa made a foray into South Korea's fashion industry in 2003 as a small online fashion community. The startup company opened an online shopping mall in 2009 and garnered popularity among young consumers for affordable and fashion 2023-04-14
• 
  Seoul offers subsidies for building-integrated solar wall panel system for tall buildings SEOUL -- Seoul will subsidize up to 80 percent of the installation costs for building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs), a solar panel system that is integrated into the walls of a building. Compared to the conventional system, which installs external structures on separate sites such as roofs and skylights, BIPVs are suitable for urban areas filled with skyscrapers where there are not many idle spaces. BIPVs can be formed in various ways including semi-transparent window glasses wi 2023-04-14
• 
  Lotte Department Store to launch Line Friends pop-up store in southern Seoul SEOUL -- Targeting Southeast Asian tourists who often use messenger platform LINE, the department store wing of South Korea's retail giant Lotte Group will open a pop-up store featuring Line Friends, a character brand lineup of IPX, a digital IP platform operator under South Korean web service giant Naver. Lotte Department Store said in a statement that a large offline store would be launched in Seoul's southern district of Jamsil on April 13. The company said that the 10- 2023-04-13