Seocho district in Seoul spearheads reform of large store regulations

SEOUL, June 3 (AJU PRESS) - Seoul's affluent Seocho district is poised to drastically loosen restrictions on the operating hours of large retail markets despite opposition from small vendors, a move that could have repercussions for other local authorities facing growing calls to overhaul the much-disputed regulations. On May 27, the ward office in southern Seoul announced a plan to reduce the night curfew for big-box stores and so-called super-supermarkets within the district

June 3, 2024

About 30% of late middle-aged Koreans fear lonely deaths, survey reveals

SEOUL, June 3 (AJU PRESS) - One in three people born in the 1960s have a fear of dying alone, a recent survey reveals. According to the survey of 980 people in their late middle age, conducted by the Care for All Foundation last month and released on Monday, 30.2 percent harbored a gloomy outlook that they would "die alone." The likelihood of holding this pessimistic view was higher among those with lower incomes. A "lonely death" refers to the situation where

June 3, 2024

S. Korea mulls resuming propaganda broadcasts along border

SEOUL, June 03 (AJU PRESS) - South Korea is considering resuming loudspeaker broadcasts in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) as a countermeasure against North Korea's balloons carrying garbage and feces, the presidential office said on Sunday. A high-ranking official said that Seoul is not ruling out the possibility of resuming psychological warfare using loudspeakers to respond to North Korea's garbage balloons and is preparing for it. "We will come up with a measure soon

June 3, 2024

'Baby Shark' company surpasses 100 billion views on YouTube

SEOUL, June 3 (AJU PRESS) - The Pinkfong Company, creator of the global hit cartoon song "Baby Shark," has garnered over 100 billion cumulative views on YouTube, the Korean entertainment company said Monday. The company has achieved the milestone with over 7,000 pieces of content offered in 25 languages across 244 regions worldwide. Its channels in Korean, English, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian have ranked among the top 10 channels on the video-sharing platfor

June 3, 2024

Innospace, UAE Space Agency sign MOU for space business cooperation

SEOUL, June 3 (AJU PRESS) - Korean spaceflight startup Innospace has signed a memorandum of understanding with the state-run UAE Space Agency to boost cooperation in space-related business ventures. Under the arrangement inked in Seoul on Friday, the two entities will collaborate to select the optimal launch site and work together on constructing a launch facility equipped with the necessary infrastructure for satellite launches, including a launch pad, a launcher assembly facility

June 3, 2024

NewJeans make this year's 21 Under 21 list on Billboard

SEOUL, June 03 (AJU PRESS) - K-pop girl band NewJeans made this year's 21 under 21 list released by Billboard last week, along with global pop stars like 4batz, Jessie Murph and Tate McRae. The five members of the band have "established a singular presence in K-pop since debuting just two years ago," the American music chart said last Friday. The annual list recognizes "the most innovative and influential young artists in the music industry" based on var

June 3, 2024

HD Korea Shipbuilding unveils ammonia-fueled ship technology

SEOUL, June 03 (AJU PRESS) - HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) has unveiled new technology that enhances the safety of ammonia-fueled ships, a promising next-generation eco-friendly vessel, ahead of a major industrial fair in Greece. The shipbuilder held a forum in Athens on Friday to showcase its innovative technology that reduces toxic gas emissions from ammonia fuel to near-zero levels. The event, attended by over 100 global shipbuilding and shippin

June 3, 2024

Opinion: Why we should care about this week's European Parliament elections

SEOUL, June 03 (AJU PRESS) - The European Parliament (EP) elections being held this week will likely alter the political orientation of the European Union's main legislative and budgetary authority, the only directly elected EU body. Parties that are skeptical about European integration, along with populist right-wing politicians, are expected to gain ground, while centre-left and Green parties are poised to lose votes and seats. The outcome will have a big impact on EU pol

June 3, 2024

Tens of thousands of people gather to celebrate gender equality at Seoul Queer Festival

SEOUL, June 01 (AJU PRESS) - Tens of thousands of people gathered in central Seoul on Saturday to participate in this year's "Seoul Queer Festival," an annual event designed to celebrate gender diversity and promote equal rights for everyone. According to the festival's organizing committee, a total of some 150,000 people participated in the LGBTQ+ event. This is the second time the festival was held near Euljiro 1-ga Station, about 500 meters (0.3 miles) from Seou

June 1, 2024

VISUALS: The 25th Seoul Queer Culture Festival in Seoul

SEOUL, June 01 (AJU PRESS) - The 25th Seoul Queer Culture Festival was held near Euljiro 1-ga Station in central Seoul on June 1. Under the slogan "YES, QUEER!", the festival aimed to create an inclusive space where people of all sexual orientations and gender identities could gather and celebrate equally. Events included a parade, the Korean Queer Film Festival, a Rainbow Goods Fair, and an international lecture series.

June 1, 2024