SouthKorea

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  Electric double-decker buses adopted by Seoul's satellite cities to help commuters SEOUL -- Six double-decker buses will carry commuters from Gimpo, a western satellite city of Seoul, to Gangnam, a southern business district, and back. The double-decker bus can carry more passengers on a single trip because it has 70 passenger seats while normal buses have 44 seats. Data released by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in 2019 showed that about 1.3 million people commute from Gimpo and the western port city of Incheon to Seoul using public transports 2021-10-15
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  Seoul to demonstrate particulate matter reduction technology for building construction SEOUL -- Seoul will demonstrate technologies such as the reduction of photocatalyst-based particulate matter and safety analytics to measure the tensile strength of old prestressed concrete that has been used for bridges at urban motorways. Particulate matter, also known as fine dust, is a cloud of microscopic pollution particles that stay in the air. Such air pollution includes nano-sized pallets of heavy metal and other substances that can pose health hazards. Fine dust is mainly 2021-10-15
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  Daegu launches metaverse-based education program for schools SEOUL -- Metaverse-based classes will be offered to elementary, middle, high and special-education schools in a provincial city for students grounded due to a coronavirus pandemic. Students will be able to explore various club activities through the simulated digital world platform. Education authorities in Daegu some 240 kilometers (149 miles) southeast of Seoul said in a statement on October 12 that 10 schools would conduct metaverse-based classes and develop new curriculums based 2021-10-12
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  (INTERVIEW) New wind created by 'Moyamoya about Korea-Japan relationship and me as a college student' SEOUL -- A new prime minister took office in Japan on October 4, but expectations for improvement in relations with South Korea can't be seen, with key cabinet posts filled with those associated with former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The prevailing view is that relations, which have deteriorated in recent years, will remain sluggish. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida served as foreign minister for about four years and eight months in a row during the Abe administration. He was the p 2021-10-08
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  Seoul Library starts automated book rental service at subway station SEOUL -- Seoul Library, operated by Seoul City, opened an unmanned library at a subway station where citizens can borrow books through an automated system. The robot librarian is always online so that book lovers can borrow and return books at any time. People can visit the automated library late at night or early in the morning to avoid coming in contact with crowds of people. Data released by Statistics Korea in September 2021 showed that public libraries were open for an average 2021-10-07
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  Seoul to team up with Itgreen to replace 54 mln disposable containers with reusable containers SEOUL -- Seoul City will work with Yogiyo, a South Korean food delivery service app, and Itgreen, a company specialized in cleaning and resupplying food containers, to encourage restaurants to use reusable food containers made of metal and other durable materials for food delivery services. Currently, almost every restaurant uses disposable products such as styrofoam containers and plastic forks for delivery orders because it is a laborsome and time-taking job for shop owners to retrie 2021-10-07
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  Daegu to adopt ordinance to prevent electric scooters from being left unattended on sidewalks SEOUL -- Daegu City will adopt an ordinance to prevent electric scooters from being left unattended on sidewalks. Scooter rental companies will be slapped with a fine of up to 13,000 won ($11) per scooter to ensure the safety of pedestrians in Daegu some 240 kilometers (149 miles) southeast of Seoul. Last-mile mobility services involving electric scooters and bicycles were first introduced by mobility service startups in Seoul and its satellite cities in 2016. Some 90,000 scooters a 2021-10-06
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  S. Korea to accelerate localization of salmon aquafarming techniques thru 150 mln dollar project SEOUL -- To boost the localization of salmon aquafarming techniques in South Korea, the country's conglomerates will team up with small and medium-sized aquafarms through a 178.1 billion won ($150 million) state project. The country's maritime ministry will build three aquaculture facilities and a fish disease prevention laboratory to demonstrate the production and boost the domestic Atlantic salmon market to about 420 billion won. Data released by the Ministry of Oceans and 2021-10-05
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  FILA to launch shoes made with recycled materials SEOUL -- FILA, a Seoul-based global apparel brand, will release eco-friendly shoes made with recycled materials. Recycled materials are widely used by South Korean apparel makers. K-pop band BTS gained public attention in September 2021 while delivering an inspirational speech at the 76th United Nations General Assembly for wearing "RE;CODE," a suit made with recycled fabric. The suit was produced by Kolon FnC, a fashion and lifestyle wing of South Korea's fabric maker 2021-09-29
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  Nuclear experts resume activities to check feasibility of spent fuel processing technology SEOUL -- South Korean nuclear experts resumed activities to check the feasibility of spent nuclear fuel processing technology after more than two decades of fruitless research that sparked a never-ending debate over how long taxpayers' money should be spent on acquiring unviable technologies. As a nuclear accord between Washington and Seoul effectively restricts the development of reprocessing facilities to acquire enriched uranium as fuel, South Korea has conducted research int 2021-09-29
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  S. Korea demonstrates ultra-fast public 5G Wi-Fi service in subway trains SEOUL -- South Korea's science ministry teamed up with the country's three major mobile carriers to demonstrate a 28 gigahertz 5G public Wi-Fi service that can provide super-fast internet access inside subway trains in Seoul. The capital city's subway train operator said the new public internet service will ease the financial burden of communication costs among citizens who frequently use subway trains. South Korea has focused on installing wireless access points (AP) i 2021-09-29
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  Heat pumps help seaweed processing companies reduce electricity bills SEOUL -- South Korea's seaweed processing companies reduced their electricity bills by 51 percent on average in 2021 from a year earlier and also increased production with energy-saving facilities called heat pumps. The maritime ministry will provide more heat pumps for dried seafood processing companies to help them cut operational costs and save energy. Through the refrigeration cycle, a heat pump transfers thermal energy from a cooler space to a warmer space. Heat pumps use 2021-09-28
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  SK Telecom to develop more accurate disaster notification system SEOUL -- South Korea's top mobile carrier SK Telecom will upgrade the country's public disaster notification system to deliver emergency alert messages more accurately. The company will work with the government to selectively send notifications to people in a small area. In South Korea, disaster notifications are sent out to all mobile phones in a designated area for rapid evacuation and counteraction. To prevent the spread of a COVID-19 pandemic, disaster notifications are 2021-09-28
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  Chungju to operate S. Korea's first electric sightseeing boat SEOUL -- South Korea's first electric sightseeing boat will start its commercial operation in Chungju some 100 kilometers (62 miles) southeast of Seoul. The electric boat named Tangeum has been certified as an eco-friendly zero-carbon electric boat. Chungju City said in a statement that the sightseeing boat with a boarding capacity of 72 people will begin its operation on Chungju's Tangeum Lake. The electric ship will carry tourists through a 5-kilometer (3.1 miles) round tr 2021-09-23
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  S. Korea to install CCTV cameras in all subway trains to prevent crimes SEOUL -- Closed-circuit television cameras will be installed in all urban subway trains by 2022 to prevent crimes. South Korea's transport ministry made the decision after finding that there are not enough cameras installed to monitor train cars. About 2 billion passengers use subway trains in Seoul every year and most routes only have less than 10 percent of cars have cameras. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement on 22 that closed-circuit tel 2021-09-23
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  S. Korea to supply microgrid and home solar power systems to Vanuatu SEOUL -- The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), a state organization that implements South Korea's grant aid programs for developing countries, will supply renewable energy systems to Vanuatu, a country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The microgrid and home solar systems will be established in Vanuatu's isolated areas. A microgrid is an autonomously-controlled power grid that enables a self-sufficient power supply in small, regional areas. The system incorpor 2021-09-23
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  South Korea to develop solar-powered stratospheric drones by 2025 SEOUL -- South Korea's science ministry will develop a solar-powered stratospheric drone by 2025. About 37.4 billion won ($32 million) will be invested into the development of a high-performance drone that can monitor and observe the ground while floating in the stratosphere for over a month. Stratospheric drones can monitor the ground at a high altitude of 50 kilometers (31 miles). They can monitor wildfires, marine pollution and sea-level rise. Because abnormal weather conditi 2021-09-15
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  Seoul to run mental health support program for COVID-19 response personnel SEOUL -- Due to a prolonged coronavirus pandemic, Seoul City will operate a mental health support program for medical staff who are likely to be suffering from "Corona Blue," a sign of depression triggered by a coronavirus pandemic. It has been 20 months since the pandemic hit South Korea. According to a survey of medical staff in Seoul conducted by the city government, 73.6 percent of workers who treat COVID-19 patients suffered from emotional exhaustion due to work. 75.4 2021-09-15
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  S. Korea seals final agreement with Paraguay to build modern commuter rail transport line SEOUL -- A public and private team in South Korea sealed an agreement to build a 43-kilometer commuter rail transport line between the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion and the neighboring town of Ypacarai that will cost some $500 million. The project is part of efforts by the Paraguayan government to rebuild its worn-out urban railway system, solve traffic congestion in Asuncion and revitalize the economy. In a ceremony in Seoul on September 9, South Korea's Land, Infrastructure 2021-09-10
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  [GGGF2021] Chinese scholar urges Washington to stop pressure on Beijing's science and technology buildup SEOUL -- The United States, which has long been the biggest beneficiary of science and technology opening and cooperation around the world, should stop its diplomatic and trade pressure to check China's science and technology buildup, a Chinese professor said, stressing that global science and technology cooperation is an engine for the growth of the international economy. "Technological cooperation is in the interests of both countries," Bian Yongzu, a professor a 2021-09-09