Seoul to operate 199-seater commuter water bus on Han River in 2024

SEOUL -- A water bus that can carry 199 passengers and cross the river will start its operation in 2024 on the Han River that flows through Seoul. The capital city will improve various problems found in its water taxi service which is barely used by commuters. Seoul said the water taxis have been shunned by Seoulites due to the lack of infrastructure that enables passengers to transfer to ground transportation such as buses. In October 2007, Seoul launched the river taxi service on t

September 5, 2023

S. Korea to offer visa and duty-free benefits to attract more Chinese tourists

SEOUL -- South Korea will try to attract more Chinese tourists by exempting the fee for the application of the electronic travel visa and simplifying the process for duty-free tax refund processes. The country will also seek to upgrade its tourism environment by preventing over-competition by travel agencies and sales of overly budget travel programs. Before Beijing imposed a travel ban on South Korea as part of retaliatory steps over the installment of an advanced American missile

September 4, 2023

S. Korea launches smart logistics working group for effective policy-making

SEOUL -- South Korea has launched a smart logistics working group in a bid to receive help from the private sector for the optimization of the government's policy-making process and further upgrade the country's logistics infrastructure into a more future-oriented one that would harness the latest technologies. South Korea with some 52 million people had some 1,550 logistics complexes as of 2021. The country teeming with overnight grocery delivery and single-day parcel delive

August 31, 2023

Busan to release English-based bus hailing application for foreigners

SEOUL -- South Korea's southern port city of Busan will release an English language-based bus hailing application for foreigners. The bus will take passengers to the closest bus stop to their destination. The city is looking into connecting the new transport service with a tourist pass service that allows foreigners to visit tourist attractions and use public transport using a single plastic or digital app card. According to the Busan Tourism Organization, about 2.7 million forei

August 31, 2023

​44% of S. Koreans when choose travel destinations based on friends' recommendations: survey

SEOUL -- South Koreans prefer to receive travel recommendations from friends and relatives rather than to seek travel spots themselves, a survey showed. The second-most preferred source for travel destinations was online blogs. According to a July 2023 summary for a weekly survey of 500 South Korean people aged 19 years and older, released by global market research firm Consumer Insight on August 30, 43.5 percent of people chose their travel destinations in July based on recommendation

August 30, 2023

S. Korea to lower classification of COVID-19's infection capability to same level as seasonal flu

SEOUL -- In September 2023, South Korea will classify the COVID-19 infection category as the lowest level which is the same as seasonal flu. When the infectious disease category of the coronavirus is lowered, rapid antigen tests at hospitals and clinics will no longer be provided for free. Government financial support for expensive polymerase chain reaction tests will also be cut, transferring the financial burden to ordinary citizens. When the first wave of the pandemic hit South Ko

August 30, 2023

Sales of seafood decrease due to fear of Japanese nuclear-contaminated water

SEOUL -- Consumption of seafood in South Korea has decreased for six consecutive quarters since 2022, one year after Japan announced that the country decided to release contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the world's worst nuclear disaster site since the Chornobyl nuclear disaster in 1996, into the Pacific Ocean. Data released by South Korea's state statistical information service on August 27 showed that the monthly average amount of money spent on pur

August 28, 2023

Coastal city Seosan to commercialize drone delivery for island residents

SEOUL -- Seosan, a South Korean coastal city with many small islands, will commercialize drone delivery for residents living on its islands. The city in the western region showcased a drone carrying dried seafood at a demonstration event attended by experts from a state aviation safety technology institute and companies specializing in drone technology. Seosan said in a statement on August 24 that its "hybrid multicopter" run by hydrogen power and batteries was tested in

August 25, 2023

India's national security advisor visits Seoul for strategic cooperation

SEOUL -- Without disclosing details, the Indian Embassy in South Korea said India's national security advisor visited Seoul for strategic cooperation in various areas, including defense, technology, and economic security. This was the first dialogue between the two nations after South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol took office in 2022. The strategic dialogue was regularly held after the two countries' summit in 2014. The fourth event took place on August 23 about two year

August 24, 2023

Workcation facility for IT workers to be built by 2024 in southeastern county

SEOUL -- A "workcation" center where IT employees can spend their vacation while handling important tasks will be built in a campsite located in South Korea's southeastern county of Namhae. Visitors can enjoy a coffee at a cafe on the first floor and engage in their projects with co-workers on the second floor. Workcation is a combination of "work" and "vacation." Unlike conventional remote working, the new work trend allows employees to work in touris

August 23, 2023