​Eastern city to replace outdated power meters with smart electricity meters

SEOUL -- To save electricity costs and increase energy efficiency, South Korea's eastern city of Wonju will replace outdated power meters with smart electricity meters that provide power consumption information in real-time every 15 minutes. The meter is linked to a smartphone application that allows people to check the electricity consumption of elderly single households. Wonju will receive applications from citizens who wish to have their old meters replaced with new ones un

November 11, 2022

University hospital to roll out large-scale gene research project for Korean women

SEOUL -- Seoul National University Hospital will roll out a gene research project designed to find specific genes that trigger depression in Korean women through a research grant of about seven billion won ($5.2 million) from the United States National Institute of Mental Health. According to the National Health Insurance Service, a total of some one million people received treatment for mental illnesses in 2020 and 671,000 people were women. Data showed that women aged between 25

November 11, 2022

Poongsan's military ammunition gains attention due to war in Ukraine

SEOUL -- Poongsan Corp., a producer of fabricated non-ferrous metal products and military ammunition in South Korea, has been a hermitic company with little publicity. However, its defense business gained unexpected attention due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The company has produced almost all kinds of ammunition used in the military. Poongsan has secured its exclusive position in South Korea's military ammunition market since it jumped into the production of bullets

November 11, 2022

Traditional Korean board game earns title of National Intangible Cultural Heritage

SEOUL -- Yut Nori, a traditional Korean dice-stick board game, was designated as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. The board game that was passed on from the first century is also enjoyed by families of the current generations during traditional New Year celebration festivities. The traditional board game consists of four dice-like sticks called "Yut" and a rectangular board called "Mal-pan," which is normally made of cloth or hard paper. There are four s

November 11, 2022

Korea Seven creates metaverse store to host music festivals and events

SEOUL -- The South Korean operator of global convenience store franchise 7-Eleven launched a virtual store where visitors can enjoy entertainment performances and events on a metaverse platform created by SK Telecom, a top mobile carrier. Food products such as ramen noodles and beer were recreated into chairs so that visitors can sit and consume various content. Ifland has showcased the performances of many indie bands and musicians, using volumetric capture technology that uses ma

November 11, 2022

Seoul to install EV chargers in state-owned idle spaces

SEOUL -- In a bid to speed up the distribution of electric vehicles, Seoul will install EV chargers in state-owned idle spaces managed by a public asset management company. After selecting operators, EV chargers will be installed in collaboration with a state-run green energy management agency. As a state project to achieve net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050, Seoul will replace 10 percent of diesel vehicles with EVs by 2026. About 45,000 EVs were registered in Seoul as of Ma

November 10, 2022

Hyundai Mobis partners with southern province to build integrated logistics center for car parts

SEOUL -- To establish a stable distribution network in South Korea's southeastern region with some 12.7 million population, car parts maker Hyundai Mobis has partnered with local governments to build a mega-sized logistics center. Hyundai Mobis currently operates four logistics centers and 22 car parts distribution centers across the country. The company provides after-service car parts for Hyundai and Kia vehicles. The company recorded sales of some 41.7 trillion won ($30.1 bi

November 10, 2022

Researchers develop detoxification coating material for chemical warfare agents

SEOUL -- Researchers have developed a detoxification coating material for chemical warfare agents. The coating material can be sprayed onto equipment or manufactured in form of films and fabric to protect personnel and equipment from toxic substances. Extremely toxic chemical warfare agents (CMAs) pose a critical threat to humanity as only a small dose could cause critically destructive results. However, protection against such toxic materials is very limited. Carbon-based filters

November 10, 2022

KT makes strategic investment in vocal biomarker technology company Sonde Health

SEOUL -- South Korea's top telecom company KT will enhance the competitiveness of the artificial intelligence-based health diagnosis business through a strategic investment in Sonde Health, a United States-based digital medicine company specializing in the detection of various diseases such as mental health and respiratory disorders through the analysis of voices. Demands for voice-based health monitoring are steadily increasing as non-face-to-face medical treatments have gaine

November 10, 2022

Researchers develop super-compact ultrasound neuromodulation system

SEOUL -- South Korean researchers have developed a super-compact ultrasound neuromodulation system that is the size of a finer digit capable of being worn by a freely behaving rodent's head. The neuromodulation system unit has the potential to allow explorative studies in the treatment of brain diseases and accelerate the widespread adoption of neuromodulation using ultrasound. Transcranial-focused ultrasound stimulation (tFUS) is an effective non-invasive treatment method for

November 10, 2022