S. Korea's 'milkflation' continues to increase, causing price hikes in dairy products

SEOUL -- South Korea's prolonged "milkflation," the continuous increase in the price of raw milk produced at dairy farms, has reached its steepest climb ever, recording the highest milk price since 2008. The average price for raw milk was 1,253 won ($0.93) per liter in December 2023, up by 7.83 compared to the average price of 1,162 won in January 2023. The price of raw milk is an important factor that affects consumer prices, especially in the food sector, as milk i

January 18, 2024

Samsung Electronics showcases real-time AI interpretation service for Galaxy S24 series

SEOUL -- Samsung Electronics has showcased a real-time interpretation service, based on generative artificial intelligence technique, for users of Galaxy S24, Samsung's latest phone scheduled for release on January 31, 2024. Galaxy S24's instant interpretation feature will help users communicate with other people regardless of their language barrier. The technology giant's upcoming Galaxy S24 series offers functions based on generative AI, a type of AI that can produ

January 18, 2024

Samsung Electronics records semiconductor revenue of $39.9 bln in 2023, down 37.5% percent year-on-year: market data

SEOUL -- Due to the sluggish global semiconductor market, Samsung Electronics faced a significant revenue decline in 2023. Data released by market research firm Gartner showed that the technology giant's global semiconductor revenue was $39.9 billion in 2023, down 37.5 percent from a year ago. The global market research firm reported on January 16 that worldwide semiconductor revenue dropped 11.1 percent year-on-year to $533 billion last year. Samsung secured the second posit

January 17, 2024

Girl band Le Sserafim to perform at US music festival Coachella

SEOUL -- Le Sserafim, a girl band formed by BTS agency Hybe's music label Source Music, will interact with global fans at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, a popular music event held in California. The annual event is known for showcasing popular artists in indie rock, hip-hop, and electronic dance music. Coachella is one of the largest music festivals in North America that attracted more than 200,000 fans every year. Along with K-pop girl band BLACKPINK, Puerto Ri

January 17, 2024

[OPINION] Taiwan reconfirms equality as well as democracy

KENOSHA -- Over the weekend, Lai Ching-te, also known as William Lai, was elected President of Taiwan. He succeeds President Tsai Ing-wen, who served two terms and is the firs

January 17, 2024

SK Group units partner with US clean energy company for ESS projects

SEOUL -- SK gas, a natural gas provider affiliated with South Korea's SK Group, will work with Apex Clean Energy, a Virginia-based renewable energy company, to establish energy storage systems infrastructure in the United States. Through a joint venture, the South Korean company will build energy storage facilities in Texas with a capacity of 200 megawatts. The amount of generated electricity is enough to provide power to about 330,000 households annually. An energy storage sy

January 17, 2024

Young S. Koreans join rural exodus to Seoul seeking higher salaries and better living environment

SEOUL -- Many young South Korean university graduates are leaving their hometowns in rural provinces to migrate to Seoul in search of higher salaries and a better living environment. The rural exodus of young people is accelerating depopulation and the aging phenomenon in cities and provincial areas outside Seoul and its suburbs. A famous centuries-old Korean saying goes, "When a child is born, send the baby to Seoul. If a horse is born, send it to Jeju." This saying con

January 17, 2024

S. Korean socks brand Banana Sisters opens first store in Philippines

SEOUL -- South Korea's socks brand Banana Sisters has opened its first store in the Philippines. The store located in Manila provides more than 300 types of socks including premium fashion socks, sports socks, and products designed for adults and children. According to data released by global market research firm Statista, the socks market in the Philippines which stood at $39.8 million in 2024 is projected to reach $44.5 million in 2027. Banana Sisters CEO Jung Yong-ju said he

January 16, 2024

BTS' leader RM completes basic training at army boot camp as elite soldier

SEOUL -- BTS' leader RM has completed five weeks of basic training at South Korea's largest army boot camp. The 29-year-old started his mandatory military service with V, a 28-year-old member of the seven-member band on December 11, 2023. In South Korea, males aged 18 and above are obligated to fulfill their military service unless exempted for valid reasons. Those enlisted in the army serve for about 18 months. RM and V joined the boot camp in Nonsan some 154 kilometers (

January 16, 2024

S. Korean ecommerce operators join cutthroat race to check Chinese giant Alibaba and Pinduoduo

SEOUL -- South Korean ecommerce operators including Tmon and Wemakeprice have joined a dangerous cutthroat race to check against Chinese online shopping giants Aliexpress, the business-to-customer wing of Alibaba Group, and Temu, the counterpart of Chinese online retail giant Pinduoduo. Aliexpress became the ecommerce app that gained the largest number of new users in South Korea in 2023, according to data released by Wiseapp, a smartphone app market research firm. Aliexpress garn

January 16, 2024