N. Korea admits failed launch of second rocket carrying spy satellite

SEOUL -- North Korea has admitted that its attempt at firing a spy satellite into orbit failed due to an error in the newly-designed rocket. This was Pyongyang's second attempt at successfully sending a satellite into space after the first failed launch of a carrier rocket in May. According to North Korea's state-operated news agency, the new-type carrier rocket called "Chollima-1" carrying a reconnaissance satellite "Malligyong-1" was fired from a launch

August 24, 2023

Workcation facility for IT workers to be built by 2024 in southeastern county

SEOUL -- A "workcation" center where IT employees can spend their vacation while handling important tasks will be built in a campsite located in South Korea's southeastern county of Namhae. Visitors can enjoy a coffee at a cafe on the first floor and engage in their projects with co-workers on the second floor. Workcation is a combination of "work" and "vacation." Unlike conventional remote working, the new work trend allows employees to work in touris

August 23, 2023

Japan decides to discharge contaminated water from Fukushima nuclear accident site into sea

SEOUL -- Japan has decided to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear accident site into the Pacific Ocean, about 12 years after the nuclear accident was caused by a massive earthquake. The Fukushima disaster is regarded as the world's worst nuclear accident since the Chornobyl nuclear disaster in 1986. The contaminated water, referred to as "treated water" by Japan, is subterranean water that came in contact with Fukushima's reactor that was melted do

August 23, 2023

SK Enmove to commercialize immersion cooling technology with GRC and Dell Technologies

SEOUL -- Targeting the rapidly growing liquid immersion cooling market, SK Enmove, the lube-making wing of South Korea's SK Group, will work with GRC, an American liquid immersion cooling solution provider for data centers, and American information technology company Dell Technologies. The three companies will cooperate to commercialize liquid immersion cooling technology for data centers. Cooling systems are essential for data centers filled with data storage servers and computing

August 23, 2023

STI to build power semiconductor material plant in Busan by 2026

SEOUL -- South Korea's power semiconductor material supplier STI has partnered with the southern port city of Busan to build a plant for power semiconductor materials by 2026. At the facility, STI will produce components of silicon carbide power semiconductors, which are emerging as key components of electric vehicles. Silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors are used to control the direction of current and power conversion in electric vehicles (EVs), electronics, and 5G communic

August 22, 2023

14.3 mln copies of K-pop albums sold in July 2023: market data

SEOUL -- The global popularity of K-pop reached the highest-ever point in South Korea's cultural history in July 2027. According to Circle Chart, a state-operated songs and albums chart formerly known as Gaon Chart, a total of some 14.3 million copies of K-pop albums were sold in July, up 32.1 percent compared to the same period last year. Data released by Circle Chart on August 22 showed that 14,305,353 physical K-pop albums were sold globally in July, marking the highest-ever m

August 22, 2023

Chinese group tourists to visit Busan City via cruise ship in 2024

SEOUL -- A cruise ship owned by an operator based in Shanghai will carry Chinese tourists to the southern port city of Busan in 2024. The ship with a maximum capacity of 1,200 people will visit up to 25 times next year. Busan with a population of some 3.5 million is a popular travel destination for both South Korean people and foreign visitors who seek unique and vibrant cultural experiences. The city is well-known for its beautiful seaside views as well as tasty food menus that incl

August 22, 2023

​Pulmuone builds miniature smart farm at vegan restaurant in Seoul

SEOUL -- Pulmuone Food & Culture, the cafeteria service management wing of Seoul-based food company Pulmuone, has established a miniature smart farm infrastructure at its vegan restaurant in central Seoul. Using LG's smart gardening device, the restaurant operator will use plants and herbs as ingredients in their vegan dishes. A smart farm is an indoor agricultural system that combines information and communication technology (ICT) with agricultural elements. Without having

August 22, 2023

North Korea to fire spy satellite rocket within one week: Japan Coast Guard

SEOUL -- North Korea has notified the Japan Coast Guard that Pyongyang will fire another rocket carrying a spy satellite between midnight August 24 and midnight August 31, the Japanese government said. This is North Korea's second attempt to shoot a military spy satellite into orbit after its failed attempt in May. According to Japanese news agency Kyodo News and public broadcaster NHK on August 22, North Korea notified the Japan Coast Guard that Pyongyang's rocket would fly o

August 22, 2023

K-pop festival KCON attracts 140,000 global fans in Los Angeles

SEOUL -- CJ ENM, a leading creator and distributor of the Korean cultural wave, has attracted some 140,000 global fans through KCON, an annual Korean culture convention. A total of 21 performance teams including boy band Stray Kids and girl band IVE showcased their talents at the three-day event in Los Angeles. This year, the K-pop concert festival attracted about 50,000 more people than the previous festival held in 2022 with about 90,000 global audience. CJ ENM said this year's K

August 22, 2023