Broken EV chargers take average of 3 days to be repaired in S. Korea: data

SEOUL -- According to data released by the environment ministry, it took an average of about three days to fix a broken electric vehicle charger. South Korea has a rapidly growing number of EVs but charging infrastructure is not growing as fast as the clean energy vehicle market. As of 2022, there were some 400,000 clean energy vehicles registered in South Korea where some 5.5 million vehicles roam the roads. The number of registered clean energy vehicles, mostly EVs, increased by 68

September 19, 2023

N. Korean leader Kim Jong-un returns from Russia after summit meeting with President Putin

SEOUL -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has returned home five days after he met his Russian counterpart President Vladimir Putin on September 13, Pyongyang's state media reported. The two leaders discussed cooperation in various sectors including the sharing of know-how of Russia's advanced space technology. The Korean Central News Agency reported on September 19 that Kim passed through the Tumangang Railway Station located at the northern border of North Korea on September

September 19, 2023

Hyundai E&C plans to open new branch in Warsaw to expand small modular reactor business

SEOUL -- South Korea's major builder Hyundai Engineering and Construction plans to open a new branch in Poland to provide small modular reactors that are smaller and safer than conventional nuclear reactors. Through the new office in Warsaw, the company would expand its nuclear reactor business to other European countries including Lithuania, Romania, and Slovakia. Small modular reactors (SMRs) have been studied to offer solutions to the challenges associated with traditional l

September 18, 2023

First solo album by BTS' V launches at No. 2 on Billboard's popular albums chart

SEOUL -- "Layover," the first solo album released by BTS member V on September 8, has earned some 100,000 equivalent album sales in the United States during the first week of release. The album launched at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, the weekly chart that ranks the most popular albums in the U.S. Layover is a rhythm and blues (R&B)-themed piece containing six songs. The 27-year-old BTS member pre-released songs -- "Rainy Days" and "Love Me Again" --

September 18, 2023

President Yoon to visit New York for UN General Assembly

SEOUL -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol will embark on a five-day visit to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly and meet leaders from other countries. The presidential office said that Yoon will address the UN General Assembly to share his thoughts about climate change, digital transformation, and the recent signs of military cooperation between North Korea and Russia. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin met at the Vostochny Cosm

September 18, 2023

​CJ Logistics to build inland container depot in Ukraine's northwestern region

SEOUL -- South Korea's major logistics company CJ Logistics has partnered with JJ Group, an investment firm in Ukraine, to build an inland container depot with a total capacity of five million tons of cargo in Ukraine's northwestern city of Lutsk. The facility will be used to supply food resources such as grain and cooking oil to Ukrainians. Inland container depots, also known as dry ports, are mainly located in industrial zones that connect ports and inland transportation such

September 18, 2023

HMM works with oil refiner GS Caltex to demonstrate bio fuel-based container ship

SEOUL -- HMM, the world's eighth-largest marine shipping company controlled by creditors in South Korea, will demonstrate the country's first biofuel-based container ship powered by GS Caltex, a main domestic oil refiner. After departing from South Korea's southern port city of Busan, HMM's ship will head to Brazil. Biofuel is produced using plant-based or animal-based oil such as cooking oil from fast food restaurants or palm oil. Biodiesel, one of the most widely reco

September 15, 2023

​Foreign tourists revisit Seoul mainly because of Korean food: survey

SEOUL -- A survey conducted by Seoul City showed that most foreigners revisit the capital city to taste Korean food again. The second primary reason for the revisit was shopping and the third was because they were satisfied with the country's weather and seasons. In a survey of 500 expats who visited Seoul more than once, jointly conducted Seoul Tourism Organization, the "K-food" section received the highest score of 79.5, followed by "shopping" (73.2), and

September 15, 2023

McDonald's Korea adopts voice guidance function for kiosks to help visually impaired

SEOUL -- To help visually impaired customers, the South Korean office of McDonald's has applied a voice guidance function to its kiosks. South Korea became the second country with McDonald's restaurants to adopt the voice system after the United States and the first in Asia. McDonald's Korea said in a statement on September 15 that the voice guide function was adopted for its digital kiosks. Because the kiosks can be connected to earphones, visitors can easily choose their

September 15, 2023

LG Chem partners with Italy's Eni SM to build hydrotreated vegetable oil plant

SEOUL -- LG Chem will work with Eni SM, a state-run energy company in Italy, to build a factory that produces hydrotreated vegetable oil, a bio-based fuel that can be made through the process of either hydrocracking or hydrogenation of vegetable oil. Because the eco-friendly fuel has an extremely low freezing point, it can be used as automobile or aviation fuels. Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is made through either hydrocracking or hydrogenation of vegetable oil. Hydrocracking

September 14, 2023