​Vietnamese envoy participates in lecture designed to encourage interpreter trainees in S. Korea

SEOUL -- At a lecture designed to encourage interpretation school students, Vietnamese Ambassador to South Korea Nguyen Vu Tung lectured that trust between humans plays a key role in interpretation even in an era in which translator devices are gaining popularity. The ambassador interacted with students majoring in Korean-Vietnamese at a graduate school in eastern Seoul. "The ambassador told students that demands for talented human interpreters will be still high as artificia

April 28, 2023

President Yoon pledges S. Korea would play role of 'compass for freedom' at US Congress

SEOUL -- President Yoon Suk-yeol has told members of the U.S. Congress that South Korea would play the role of "compass for freedom" along with the United States. The statement was made during a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress designed to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the two nations' alliance in Washington, DC. The keyword of Yoon's speech on April 27 was "freedom," which was mentioned a total of 45 times. Yoon said during the speech: "T

April 28, 2023

S. Korea recovers number of domestic travelers 1Q 2023 compared to pre-pandemic era: survey

SEOUL -- A survey showed that the number of South Koreans who traveled to at least one tourist spot in South Korea in the first quarter of 2023 has recovered to the level of the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period while the number of those who have traveled overseas has not reached the half of the people who traveled abroad before the pandemic in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Consumer Insight, a domestic market research firm, analyzed that overseas travelers' satisfaction rate was also low due to

April 27, 2023

Yoon and Biden affirm strong commitment to defense of people and territories of S. Korea and US

SEOUL -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and United States President Joe Biden affirmed their strong, shared commitment to the defense of the people and territories of South Korea and the United States, through the deployment of the U.S. strategic assets including U.S. nuclear-capable platforms around the Korean peninsula as deterrence against Pyongyang's nuclear attack. Outlining the joint statement called "Washington Declaration," Yoon said during a joint press

April 27, 2023

Seoul launches English language-based subway application for foreign passengers

SEOUL -- To help foreigners reach their destinations without difficulties, Seoul has launched an English-language-based subway app that provides various train-related information such as a line map and direction guidance inside stations. Users can find the nearest station just by entering their destinations even if they don't know station names. The smart app notifies users if they get on the wrong train on the opposite side. The English language-based app called "Seoul Su

April 27, 2023

Seoul partners with SK geo centric to recycle discarded banners into industrial materials

SEOUL -- Seoul will collaborate with SK geo centric, a chemical company affiliated with South Korea's SK Group, to recycle some 24,000 discarded advertisement and promotion banners. After removing nylon strings and wood blocks from the used banners, the capital city will send the discarded materials to SK geo centric so the chemical firm can verify whether they can be recycled using its chemical recycling technology. Chemical recycling is used to decompose and refine waste PET

April 26, 2023

28 S. Koreans safely return home from Sudan through military aircraft

SEOUL -- A military transport airplane carrying 28 South Koreans who escaped Sudan suffering a civil war safely arrived at an airbase in Seoul's southeastern satellite city of Seongnam. The presidential office said the aircraft called "KC-330" arrived at Seoul Air Base at 3:57 p.m. (0657 GMT) on April 25. After checking their health conditions, the rescued members will move into accommodation facilities provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The South Korean

April 25, 2023

President Yoon Suk-yeol welcomes Netflix's $2.5 bln investment plan in S. Korea's content industry

SEOUL -- Prior to a summit meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden, President Yoon Suk-yeol has welcomed Netflix's $2.5 billion investment plan in South Korea's content industry. The president highlighted that the global streaming giant's four-year investment would become an opportunity for South Korean content businesses and creators as well as Netflix. According to data released by South Korea's presidential office, more than 60 percent of the 231 million households

April 25, 2023

​Imports of whisky increase by 78.2% thanks to young consumers

SEOUL -- The popularity of whisky, a type of liquor that was formerly regarded as the "old people's drink" in South Korea, has skyrocketed due to young consumers in their 20s and 30s. The number of whisky enthusiasts has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic when people were grounded and restaurants and bars were closed early at 9:00 p.m. to prevent the spread of the infectious disease. Whisky was the icon of old people's drinking culture related to the "bom

April 24, 2023

Busan to host Asia's first World Barista Championship

SEOUL -- A global barista competition to select the best barista among 60 candidates will take place in South Korea's southern port city of Busan, well known for the city's affection for coffee. Using a coffee machine, participants will create 12 beverages such as espresso and milk-based drinks for 15 minutes in front of certified judges from all over the world. Busan said in a statement that the 2024 World Barista Championship (WBC) will be held for four days starting on

April 24, 2023