SouthKorea

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  Agricultural research institute demonstrates rice seed-sowing drone SEOUL -- An agricultural research institute has demonstrated a rice seed-sowing drone to promote the use of unmanned machines to reduce carbon emissions, work time, and labor costs. The battery-powered drone can sow seeds over a rice paddy that is 991 square meters wide in just 10 minutes while a rice planting machine would take about 80 minutes. Normally, farmers sow rice seeds onto standardized plates so that they can be transferred to paddy fields by hand or using r 2021-05-12
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  S. Korea to conduct full inspection on discharge of factory air pollutants SEOUL -- In a bid to create an accurate database of air pollutants, a state air quality watchdog will conduct a full inspection of facilities that discharge pollutants. The database will be used for working out state guidelines and policies for air management. Particulate matter, or microscopic air pollutants which are also known as fine dust, has become a serious health threat in South Korea as it causes skin irritations, respiratory diseases, and vascular disorde 2021-05-12
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  Seoul to launch special education program for familiarizing elderies with digital service SEOUL -- Seoul will launch a special education program to familiarize old people with digital services such as digital kiosks at restaurants. Some 100 old people would be hired as teachers to offer personalized education at libraries, community centers and senior citizen shelters. South Korea with a rapidly aging society is one of the world's most digitalized countries. Some 51.8 million smartphone users are hooked onto nationwide 4G and 5G mobile communicatio 2021-05-06
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  National treasures, masterpieces among late Samsung chairman's art collection to be donated: Yonhap SEOUL -- The vast art collection that heirs of the country's biggest conglomerate Samsung pledged to donate has turned out to be a treasure trove of national treasures and masterpieces by renowned artists here and abroad. Late Samsung Group chief Lee Kun-hee's family announced that they would pay more than 12 trillion won ($10.7 billion) in inheritance taxes, the largest amount in the country's history. They also unveiled plans to donate one trillion won to 2021-04-28
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  New ferry launched for operation on sea route suspended by 2014 Sewol disaster SEOUL -- A 27,000-ton ferry equipped with various safety facilities was launched for operation on a sea route which was suspended following the tragic 2014 sinking of a ship packed with high-school students. The new ferry named "Beyond Trust" maximized resilience with low-weight and low-center design. The new Ro-Pax ferry built at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in the southeastern port of Ulsan will be delivered to its owner, Hydex Storage, in September for operatio 2021-04-27
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  S. Korean rescue ship ready to depart and help Indonesia's submarine rescue operation SEOUL -- A South Korean rescue ship is ready to depart if Indonesia requests rescue assistance for a submarine that went missing with 53 crew on board, on special order from Defense Minister Suh Wook. South Korea operates a 3500-ton rescue and salvage ship equipped with a remotely operated underwater vehicle and side-scan sonar. South Korea is willing to support Indonesia's search and rescue activities "by all available means," the defense ministry said, 2021-04-22
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  About 30 percent of S. Koreans keep companion animals: survey SEOUL -- About 30 percent of South Koreans keep at least one companion animal, a government survey showed. Pet lovers preferred dogs over cats. About six million dogs and 2.5 million cats live with human companions who spend an average of 117,000 won ($104) on their pets per month. South Korea's pet industry is rapidly growing mainly due to the increased number of single households and married couples who chose not to have a child. The pet market in 2012 stoo 2021-04-22
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  Provincial government turns telephone booths into battery-sharing stations for electric motorcycles SEOUL -- In a country known for its high smartphone penetration rate, public telephone booths will be turned into battery-sharing stations for electric motorcycles in a provincial government project. Solar charging facilities and convenience facilities will be installed gradually to increase utilization. South Chungcheong Province will work with South Korea's leading telecom company KT and its public phone arm, KT Linkus, to build a battery-sharing network aime 2021-04-13
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  Researchers develop new technology to recycle low-level radioactive waste SEOUL -- South Korea's state research institute has developed an innovative technology to recycle low-level radioactive waste. If commercialized, the technology can reduce the cost of disposing of radioactive waste or purchasing expensive neutron absorbers. The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) said its research team has converted low-level radioactive waste into boron carbide to prevent a chain of fission i 2021-04-13
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  SK Bioscience ready for domestic release of Novavax vaccine in June SEOUL -- SK Bioscience will start producing a protein-based vaccine developed by Novavax for domestic use in June under a technology transfer deal with the American vaccine development company, which has promised to provide doses for 20 million people in South Korea. SK Bioscience, a partner for South Korea's state project to develop COVID-19 vaccines, agreed to produce the antigen of the Novavax vaccine and maintains a production partnership with AstraZeneca PLC, 2021-04-12
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  ​KHNP to build 20MW-class hydrogen fuel cell power plant SEOUL -- Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, the operator of nuclear power plants, will build and operate a 20 megawatt-class hydrogen fuel cell power plant in Gyeongju some 270 kilometers (167 miles) southeast of Seoul. The power plant will be capable of powering about 43,000 households. Hydrogen fuel cell power plants use hydrogen separated from liquefied natural gas (LNG) to fuel power generators. When electricity is generated, it is stored in an energ 2021-04-12
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  New Seoul mayor pushes for introduction of COVID-19 self-testing at home SEOUL -- The newly elected mayor of Seoul who won a landslide victory in a by-election in April as an opposition party candidate rekindled debate over whether South Korea should introduce COVID-19 diagnostic kits for self-testing at home to acquire rapid results. There is no officially licensed method for easy and quick sampling. At a high-level COVID-19 conference that sets the direction of anti-epidemic policies, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon made a strong proposal fo 2021-04-12
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  ​S. Korea to regulate styrofoam buoys at oyster and seaweed farms SEOUL -- In an effort to reduce pollution by foamed polystyrene pollution, South Korea will take steps to regulate the use of high-density styrofoam buoys used widely for aquaculture and promote the use of eco-friendly plastic products that releases less microplastic waste into the ocean. Currently, aquafarmers are allowed to use high-density styrofoam buoys. However, such buoys are easily disintegrated in a short period. When styrofoam blocks are broken down in th 2021-04-05
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  University hospital selected to participate in development of mobile COVID-19 screening center SEOUL -- A university hospital has been selected for a project to develop a mobile modular COVID-19 screening center that will help contain the spread of infectious disease and accelerate diagnosis. The screening center is designed to replace makeshift screening centers set up near multi-use facilities such as subway stations and parks. Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital said it was selected by the Korea Medical Device Development Fund (KMDF), a public interes 2021-03-29
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  Ulsan to build hydrogen fuel charging station for freight trucks SEOUL -- To transform its old transport hub infrastructure based on fossil fuels into an eco-friendly one that uses hydrogen fuel, the southern port city of Ulsan will build a big hydrogen fuel charging station for freight trucks. Ulsan, which serves as the transport hub of South Korea's southeastern region, said in a statement on March 29 that it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korea Hydrogen Industry Associa 2021-03-29
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  S. Koreans show support for Myanmar protesters thru offline and online campaigns SEOUL -- Thousands of South Koreans, young and old, have joined an online relay campaign to express sympathy and support for Myanmar's "Spring Revolution" that began in early February against a coup by top army commander Min Aung Hlaing. Online protestors used various hashtags including "#미얀마_민주주의" (Myanmar democracy in Korean) and "#DemocracyForMyanmar" to upload posts including images that show a &quo 2021-03-25
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  Provincial government introduces battery-sharing network for electric delivery bikes SEOUL -- In an effort to reduce air pollution, a provincial government will use old telephone booths, which are hardly used, to establish a battery-sharing network for deliverymen who use motorcycles. Street telephone booths will be turned into charging depots where deliverymen can quickly replace depleted battery packs. Such a battery-sharing method is popular in Southeast Asia. Food deliverymen in an urban environment travel a daily average 2021-03-24
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  S. Korea's midsized observation satellite successfully launched into orbit: Yonhap SEOUL -- South Korea's next-generation midsized observation satellite successfully entered its target orbit and made its first contact with a base station on Monday, the science ministry said, marking the country's latest step to boost its space industry. The 540-kilogram satellite made contact with the Svalbard Satellite Station in Norway around 100 minutes after its launch on Russia's Soyuz-2.1a rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 2021-03-22
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  Provincial government proposes civilian space industry cluster in Goheung SEOUL -- Goheung, a southern coastal town that has been the center of South Korea's space program, came up with the idea of creating a civilian space industry cluster in line with a government policy shift to solid-propellant boosters that would deliver satellite payloads to low-Earth orbit. For decades, South Korea's space program has been led by the state-run Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). The Seoul government is now pushing for a policy shift 2021-03-22
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  Samsung Display installs smart collection boxes for recycling at production base SEOUL -- Samsung Display, a major flat panel maker in South Korea, has set up smart collection boxes for recycling at its production base in the southern city of Asan. Built-in intelligent cameras recognize used cans and plastic bottles and automatically classify them by type. Samsung Display said in a statement on March 21 that smart collection boxes were installed in 11 places in its Asan complex. Users can accumulate mileage depending on their use perform 2021-03-22