Railway operator to commercialize AI-based railroad monitoring robot in 2024

SEOUL -- South Korea's public railway operator will commercialize a smart robot that monitors railway facilities automatically in the first half of 2024. The artificial intelligence-based robot will assist human workers in inspecting hazardous areas, especially during typhoons or heavy rainfall. The robot incorporates an LTE communication network, a camera, and a laser Imaging detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor. While navigating the track, it transmits real-time images and ale

December 6, 2023

[COLUMN] Is it the end of dog farming?

SEOUL -- From time to time, I find myself wondering how future generations might look upon our era. Just as we find it hard to believe that nice, sophisticated people could own slaves, what do we do today that will make our great-grandchildren doubt our moral uprightness? There are some obvious candidates for disapproval – warfare, poverty, pollution, lon

December 6, 2023

YG Entertainment renews group contract with BLACKPINK members 

SEOUL -- K-pop girl band BLACKPINK has reached a consensus with its agency "YG Entertainment" to carry on with its group activities. The four-member band is currently discussing with its agency regarding the possibility of each member continuing individual activities. "We are happy to maintain our relationship with BLACKPINK," YG Entertainment's head Yang Hyun-suk said after signing the agreement with the group. The producer added: "BLACKPINK members wil

December 6, 2023

Hanwha Ocean becomes preferred negotiator for S. Korea's 3,600-ton attack submarine project

SEOUL -- Hanwha Ocean, the shipbuilding wing of South Korea's Hanwha Group, has become the preferred negotiator for a government contract designed to construct a 3,600-ton class "Jangbogo" attack submarine. This is the company's first submarine order since Hanwha Group became the owner of the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering's shipyard through a $1.4 billion deal that was finalized in early 2023. South Korea has a three-stage project called KSS (Jan

December 6, 2023

Inflation of food prices accelerate despite slowed inflation of consumer prices

SEOUL -- Despite the slowed inflation of consumer prices in November, the inflation rate of food prices has become steeper, data released by South Korea's statistics information office showed. Among food ingredients, the increased rates of prices of salt, sesame oil, and pasta noodles were the biggest. The continued consumer price increase in South Korea was caused by high interest rates, high oil prices, and increased prices of agricultural products. Various factors such as abn

December 6, 2023

Megastore franchise Emart to open third store in Viet Nam

SEOUL -- Emart, the megastore wing of South Korea's retail conglomerate Shinsegae, will open its third store in Viet Nam in about a year after the launch of its first store in November 2022. Visitors can enjoy various types of food products such as pizza and Gimbap, a Korean dish of rice and other ingredients such as vegetables and meat wrapped in sheets of laver. Emart said in a statement that the third store, located in Ho Chi Minh City, will start operations on December 7. Th

December 6, 2023

State electricity company partners with Jordan's state agency for small modular reactor project

SEOUL -- Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, a state operator of South Korea's nuclear power plants, will work with Jordan's state agency responsible for atomic energy projects, to provide its small modular reactor that is claimed to be smaller and safer than the conventional reactors. The South Korean company will carry out a technology exchange and feasibility study with Jordan, considering the adoption of the small modular reactor after 2030. Small modular reactors (SMRs) ha

December 5, 2023

Spicy rice cake Tteokbokki franchise Addal receives Malaysia's halal authorization

SEOUL -- South Korea's street food franchise operator Addal has secured halal certification for Tteokbokki, finger-sized rice cakes simmered in fiery-red spicy chili sauce, from the Malaysian government. Halal-certified food products are considered to be safe and clean under Islamic standards. The food maker will release three different ready-to-eat Tteokbokki products in the Southeast Asian country targeting Muslim consumers. Malaysia's Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKI

December 5, 2023

S. Korean public buses to provide faster 5G-based free Wi-Fi service

SEOUL -- South Koreans who use public buses will gain access to a 5G-based free public Wi-Fi service that is about four times faster than the currently provided 4G-based free wireless internet service starting December 6. Currently, some 29,100 public buses that carry passengers across South Korea offer 4G-based free Wi-Fi service for customers. By following the simple steps shown inside a bus, customers can use the free wireless internet service without having to use up their data

December 5, 2023

S. Korea to allow customers use ATMs without plastic cards

SEOUL -- In line with the current "walletless' trend where people no longer carry plastic cards and make payments with their smartphones, South Korea will allow customers to use automatic teller machines through QR codes shown on their smartphones' display by mobile banking apps. According to data released by the state financial watchdog, a total of 61,233,000 plastic cheque cards were issued in the first quarter of 2023, down 6.9 percent from the same period a year ago

December 5, 2023