Unexpected North Korean missile attack alert wakes Seoul up

SEOUL -- Sounds of air raid sirens broke the silence of early morning in Seoul at about 6:30 a.m. (2130 GMT) on May 31. Without disclosing the source of the urgent notice, emergency text messages were sent out by the Seoul city government, telling citizens to get ready to evacuate. Naver, South Korea's most popular web search portal, was temporarily put out of service due to heavy internet traffic by people trying to figure out what was going on. However, despite the fuss, Seou

May 31, 2023

Hanwha Aerospace invests in American secondary battery technology startup

SEOUL -- In a bid to acquire the next-generation secondary battery technology for the company's eco-friendly future mobility businesses, Hanwha Aerospace, a global defense solution company, made an investment into Forge Nano, an American startup specializing in secondary battery material technologies. Large-capacity secondary batteries are the core factor in the electric-powered vehicle sector. Secondary batteries are also used in the renewable energy sector to store electricit

May 30, 2023

Amorepacific to beef up hair loss treatment business

SEOUL -- South Korea's top beauty product maker Amorepacific has hosted a conference to discuss women's hair loss with scalp experts from different countries including the United States and Japan. The South Korean company aims to roll out an anti-hair loss product based on its know-how in hair research. Government data showed that more than 240,000 South Koreans received medical services because of hair loss and female patients accounted for about 44.2 percent. According to

May 30, 2023

POSCO Group and SKC forge partnership to collaborate in future secondary battery businesses

SEOUL -- South Korea's steel-making conglomerate POSCO Group and SKC, the chemical material manufacturing wing of SK Group, have forged a partnership to collaborate in future businesses in the global secondary battery market predicted to reach $300 billion by 2030. Secondary batteries are basically rechargeable batteries that are used in people's everyday lives. Large-capacity secondary batteries are especially crucial in the electric vehicle sector where lithium-based

May 30, 2023

​S. Korea unveils roadmap to attract 700,000 foreign patients by 2027

SEOUL -- South Korea aims to attract 700,000 foreign patients by 2027 through various policies such as easing immigration procedures. Through a medical tourism project, the country will create clusters where visitors can enjoy hot springs and explore tourist spots after receiving health care services. Data released by South Korea's health ministry showed that about 248,000 foreign patients visited South Korea to receive medical treatments in 2022, up 70.1 percent from a year ag

May 30, 2023

N. Korea to launch first military spy satellite in June to monitor US military activities in real-time

SEOUL -- North Korea will launch its first military spy satellite in June to monitor military activities of the United States and its allies in real-time, Pyongyang's state-operated news agency reported on May 30. Through a statement released by the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA), Ri Pyong-chol, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party, said that a military reconnaissance satellite would be launched in June to monitor military acts of the U.S

May 30, 2023

Shinsegae Department Store launches multilingual wholesale platform for South Korean apparel brands

SEOUL -- The department store division of South Korea's retail conglomerate Shinsegae Group has officially launched a wholesale platform for South Korean fashion brands. Shinsegae aims to incubate various talented designers through the multilingual platform called “Kfashion82” targeting the global K-fashion market. According to data released by the Korea Federation of Textile Industries, South Korea's apparel item exports to Britain, France, Italy, and the Unite

May 30, 2023

Massive electromagnetic interference shielding facility to be established in industrial city of Daegu

SEOUL -- A state investment of 10.5 billion won ($7.9 million) will be allocated to construct a massive electromagnetic interference shielding test facility in South Korea's southern industrial city of Daegu. The testbed will provide a safe environment for researchers and private companies to demonstrate autonomous vehicles and drones. An electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding facility plays a crucial role in the development phase of wireless communication technologies, p

May 29, 2023

BTS' Suga completes solo concert in Indonesia

SEOUL -- BTS' lead rapper Suga has completed his solo concert in Jakarta. A total of 30,000 spectators attended the three-day event that began on May 26. "Thank you for enjoying (my concert). Today is not the end," the 30-year-old said after completing his concert in Indonesia's capital city. The artist showcased "Haegeum," the title track of his solo album "D-Day," and other rap songs such as "Daechwita" and "August D." The

May 29, 2023

[INTERVIEW] Romanian labor law expert advises S. Korea to rebuild work-life balance environment

SEOUL -- Corneliu Bente, the president of Romania's national labor law expert union, has urged that South Korean firms should create a work culture that places importance on work-life balance. The president, who is also a lecturer at Romania's labor relations expert training center "LexAcademy Romania," said low fertility rate will be maintained if citizens are excessively focused on their careers. Currently, South Korea's labor law allows 40 hours of regul

May 26, 2023