PHOTOS: Everland opens panda family pop-up store

SEOUL, June 21 (AJU PRESS) - Everland is operating the second season of its popular panda family pop-up store at The Hyundai Seoul department store in Yeouido, Seoul. The event, running from June 18 to 30, offers over 150 types of merchandise, ranging from toys and accessories to household items, showcasing the daily lives of the family of beloved Fu Bao. The first giant panda born in Korea was returned to China in April. The animal had lived in Everland, Korea's largest theme park, lo

June 21, 2024

Opinion: Amid scorching heat, 900 people died this week in Saudi Arabia. Climate change has made Hajj pilgrimage more risky

SEOUL, June 21 (AJU PRESS) - Each year, millions of Muslims from across the world embark on the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. The mass migration is unparalleled in scale, and pilgrims face numerous health hazards. Mecca is considered the holiest city for Muslims. And Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, making it a mandatory religious duty for Muslims to perform at least once in their lifetime if they are physically and financially capable. The 2024 Hajj pilgrima

June 21, 2024

Crooner Crush to take break due to back surgery

SEOUL, June 20 (AJU PRESS) - Singer Crush has been forced to halt all activities after being diagnosed with a herniated disk, the singer-songwriter's agency said Thursday. Entertainment agency Pnation, run by rapper Psy who earned global fame thanks to his viral song "Gangnam Style," said that Crush underwent medical checkups due to his worsening back pain, and he is going under the knife soon. "Crush will temporarily suspend all scheduled activities

June 20, 2024

Samsung refrigerator boosts energy efficiency with AI, chip technologies

SEOUL, June 20 (AJU PRESS) - Samsung Electronics said Thursday its new Bespoke AI Hybrid Refrigerator increases energy efficiency by up to 30 percent compared to conventional models, thanks to the adoption of artificial intelligence and semiconductor technologies. The refrigerator, released in March, adopts a hybrid cooling system that integrates a semiconductor device called Peltier with the conventional compressor. Both operate together to improve cooling energy efficiency. T

June 20, 2024

Korea imposes stricter penalties on delinquent parents

SEOUL, June 20 (AJU PRESS) - Those who neglect paying child allowance now face more inconvenience and restrictions, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said Thursday. The ministry has decided to publicly unveil the names of these delinquents, suspend their drivers' licenses, and impose travel bans. In Korea, divorced couples, either the mother or father without custody, are responsible for financially supporting their former spouse until their child turns 18. The amount

June 20, 2024

PHOTOS: Smart Tech Korea showcases latest innovations

SEOUL, June 20 (AJU PRESS) - The 13th Smart Tech Korea, one of the nation’s major industrial technology exhibitions, is underway at COEX in Seoul from Wednesday to Friday. A total of 400 companies are participating in the event, showcasing their latest technologies in areas including artificial intelligence, big data, robotics, health, security, digital retail, and smart logistics. Israeli cybersecurity firms are also participating as guest exhibitors.

June 20, 2024

Samsung enhances Tizen OS with AI capabilities to power diverse devices

SEOUL, June 20 (AJU PRESS) - Samsung Electronics is upgrading its Tizen operating system with artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to expand its application across a wide range of devices. As of late last year, Tizen was installed on around 270 million Samsung smart TVs. The open-source platform, launched in 2015, replaced Samsung's previous closed Orsay TV OS, allowing for greater openness and the ability to simultaneously handle multiple processes. Leveraging Tizen&#

June 20, 2024

Romania to buy K9 self-propelled howitzers from Korea

SEOUL, June 20 (AJU PRESS) - Romania has decided to purchase self-propelled howitzers and ammunition resupply vehicles from South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace in a deal estimated to be worth $920 million, Seoul officials said. Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tilvar told his Korean counterpart Shin Won-sik on Wednesday that the country will import 54 K9 self-propelled howitzers and 36 K1 ammunition resupply vehicles. Shin visited the European country for talks on bilateral defense

June 20, 2024

Lim Young-woong voted Korea's most favorite singer

SEOUL, June 20 (AJU PRESS) - Lim Young-woong has been named Korea's most favorite singer, according to a poll by Gallup Korea. In the survey of some 1,777 people aged over 13 across the country except for Jeju Island, some 10.3 percent of respondents picked him as their top choice. Next came versatile young star IU with nine percent, followed by K-pop juggernaut BTS with 4.8 percent. Girl band NewJeans ranked fifth with 3.5 percent while another girl band Blackpink came in te

June 20, 2024

LG Electronics expands R&D partnership to develop next-generation heat pump systems

SEOUL, June 20 (AJU PRESS) - LG Electronics is establishing a global R&D network spanning North America, Europe and Asia to develop advanced heat pump technologies as part of efforts to enhance its presence in the fast-growing market for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. LG said Thursday it has signed an agreement with three universities in Norway and Italy to form the European Consortium for Advanced Heat Pump Research (ECAHR) to develop heat pumps capa

June 20, 2024