Korea surges to highest ever 20th in global competitiveness ranking

SEOUL, June 18 (AJU PRESS) - South Korea climbed eight notches to achieve its highest-ever global competitiveness ranking of 20th out of 67 economies, according to the 2024 results released by the Swiss-based IMD World Competitiveness Center on Tuesday. The stellar performance was driven by a 10-spot surge in enterprise efficiency to 23rd, offsetting declines in economic performance and government efficiency rankings. Productivity, the labor market, finance, manag

June 18, 2024

POSCO seeks to strengthen lithium business in Chile, Argentina

SEOUL, June 18 (AJU PRESS) - POSCO has engaged in talks with high-ranking officials in Argentina and Chile to secure additional lithium resources and enhance its lithium business for electric vehicle batteries. POSCO Holdings President Jeong Ki-seop met with Argentine Economy Minister Luis Caputo in Buenos Aires on June 12. He requested the Argentine government's support to include POSCO Group's lithium business in the state incentive regime for large investments called RIG

June 18, 2024

PHOTOS: Ruling party floor leader meets SME lobby in policy consultation talks

SEOUL, June 18 (AJU PRESS) - The Korea Federation of SMEs (K-BIZ) held a policy consultation meeting with Choo Kyung-ho, the floor leader of the ruling People Power Party, on Monday at its headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul. During the meeting, they discussed measures to address challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the business lobby presented a set of policy proposals for smaller enterprises.

June 18, 2024

News outlets embrace freemium models to enhance readers' engagement and revenue

The World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) issued its annual report "Innovation in News Media World Report 2024-25" in late May, highlighting major challenges faced by the global news industry. The following is the third in a four-part series summarizing key insights from the report. This third installment focuses on freemium models. – Ed. SEOUL, June 18 (AJU PRESS) - The news industry is transitioning from metered paywalls to freemium models, which offer a

June 18, 2024

PHOTOS: Exhibition features works of British street artist Banksy

SEOUL, June 18 (AJU PRESS) - The exhibition "Real Banksy: Banksy Is Nowhere" is underway at Ground Seoul in central Seoul. Running from May 10 to Oct. 20, it is the largest Banksy exhibition ever held in South Korea. It includes 29 works officially certified by Pest Control, the authentication body established by the British street artist, as well as approximately 130 paintings, videos and photographs. Banksy's works are typically spray-painted murals, some of which are repro

June 18, 2024

Medical service disruptions set to worsen as more doctors join strike

SEOUL, June 18 (AJU PRESS) - Doctors at private clinics went on a full-scale strike on Tuesday, joining the ongoing protest by trainee doctors at university hospitals. This worsening situation, sparked by the government's radical reform plans to increase admission quotas at medical schools, could lead to disruptions for patients, resulting in an unprecedented medical service vacuum in Korea. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on Tuesday, only 4.02 percent of docto

June 18, 2024

PHOTOS: Exhibition immerses fans in horror of manga artist Junji Ito

SEOUL, June 18 (AJU PRESS) - An immersive exhibition featuring the world-renowned horror manga artist Junji Ito opened in Seoul on Saturday for a three-month run. The exhibition, titled "Junji Ito Horror House," runs from June 15 to Sept. 8 at Duex in Hongdae, a popular youth hotspot in Seoul. Ito’s horror manga works have captivated readers globally. Many of his stories have been adapted into films and animations, including the anime "Junji Ito Maniac," released

June 18, 2024

Opinion: TikTok star Munya Chawawa takes on N. Korea in new documentary – it follows a long tradition of western media poking fun at Kim family's regime

SEOUL, June 18 (AJU PRESS) - Munya Chawawa, who is best known for his satirical comedy sketches aimed at educating and entertaining a Gen Z audience, has made a new documentary about Kim Jong-un's North Korea. "How to Survive a Dictator" premiered at Sheffield's DocFest on June 13, and will be broadcast on Channel 4 later this year. The documentary attempts a fresh take on North Korea. It includes serious interviews with experts, activists and escapees from the c

June 18, 2024

Putin heads to Pyongyang amid deepening military ties

SEOUL, June 18 (AJU PRESS) - Russian President Vladimir Putin is visiting North Korea this week. Putin is set to "visit North Korea from June 18 to 19 at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un," Pyongyang's state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Monday. Putin's two-day visit starting Tuesday follows his summit with Kim in Vladivostok in September last year. This reciprocal visit to Pyongyang comes more than two decades after his last visit to t

June 18, 2024

Korea, China to hold diplomatic and security dialogue in Seoul

SEOUL, June 17 (AJU PRESS) - Korea and China are scheduled to hold their first round of diplomatic and security dialogue on Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday. The high-level meeting between Korean and Chinese government officials follows their agreement at a trilateral summit held in Seoul late last month, attended by President Yoon Suk-yeol, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The Foreign Ministry here said that Korean offici

June 17, 2024