[OPINION] Impending US debt default: A looming financial catastrophe?

KARACHI -- As US President Joe Biden prepares to re-engage in negotiations with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other influential Republicans on the critical issue of the debt ceiling to find common ground amidst a landscape

May 18, 2023

[COLUMN] Should we ask foreigners to call our country Hankook?

SEOUL -- Now that President Yoon Seok-yeol has clearly declared that South Korea is a free market democracy and aligns itself with like-minded nations, it is now time to go one step further and disassociated ourselves in the global perception from North Korea? Of course, in our own minds, we are already very separate from North Korea. We know we are different. We

May 18, 2023

​Kakao's mobility service wing push to release van-hailing service in Jeju Island

SEOUL -- Kakao Mobility, the mobility service wing of South Korea's web service giant Kakao, is pushing to release its van-hailing service in the southernmost resort island of Jeju. The island with an iconic dormant volcanic mountain was visited by some 14 million tourists in 2022. Jeju with a population of about 700,000 is one of the popular tourist spots frequently visited by South Korean and Chinese tourists. While tourists participating in package tour programs travel aro

May 18, 2023

Doosan Robotics showcases robot chefs at S. Korean golf event

SEOUL -- Robot chefs created by Doosan Robotics, a collaborative robot manufacturer in South Korea, are providing various food items such as fried chicken, hot dogs, French fries, and noodles at a golf event in South Korea's eastern city of Chuncheon. Visitors can also enjoy ice creams and beverages made by helper robots while waiting for golf matches. Doosan Robotics said in a statement that the company the robots were showcased on May 17 at the "Doosan Match Play Champio

May 18, 2023

[INTERVIEW] Turkish envoy hopes Türkiye to become bridgehead for S. Korean businesses

SEOUL -- Despite two massive earthquakes that took the lives of more than 50,000 Turkish people, Türkiye is ready to play the role of a bridgehead for small and medium-sized South Korean companies seeking to expand their business scope from the Asian markets to markets in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Turkish envoy to South Korea Salih Murat Tamer confidently said that the "blood brother country" of South Korea will welcome business partners with attractive bene

May 18, 2023

S. Korea to join global satellite image-based aid project for various disasters

SEOUL -- South Korea was selected to support countries suffering from various types of disasters such as earthquakes by providing satellite video images. Using a state land satellite, the country will send high-resolution images capable of distinguishing different objects at an extremely high altitude. South Korea's transport ministry has provided emergency-related spacial information in domestic regions in case of natural disasters since 2020. In 2023, the ministry provided

May 17, 2023

Rookie K-pop girl band Fifty Fifty gains explosive popularity through dance song Cupid

SEOUL -- Fifty Fifty, a rookie girl band, has ranked 17th on Billboard's top 100 popular song chart with "Cupid," a disco song released in February 2023. The rookie girl group has expressed their strong feelings toward their crush through the single featuring a relaxing vibe. The four-member band stepped into the spotlight after releasing the single, which has also entered the UK Singles Chart. As of May 17, its music video has garnered more than 58 million views on Y

May 17, 2023

Doosan to enter commercial hydrogen vehicle market with fuel cell technology

SEOUL -- South Korea's Doosan Group will enter the commercial hydrogen fuel cell vehicle market using its hydrogen power drive system in a bid to create a new growth engine for the future clean energy era. The global hydrogen fuel cell-related market is growing consistently to reach $2 trillion by 2050 and South Korean technology companies are investing a total of more than 50 trillion won. Doosan Group founded Doosan Fuel Cell specializing in hydrogen fuel cell-based systems a

May 17, 2023

Hyundai Wia makes foray into EV heat management component market

SEOUL -- Hyundai Wia, South Korea's car parts maker, has entered the global electric vehicle heat management component market with a coolant hub module that manages the heat released by the batteries, motors, and other electric components. Hyundai Wia's module will be installed into Hyundai Motor and Kia's EV models. Heat management is an important aspect in the operation of an EV. When an EV's parts are heated, the overheating could lead to degraded performance or

May 16, 2023

S. Korea's TV home shopping industry struggles to capture customers

SEOUL -- Due to fewer people watching TV, South Korea's TV home shopping industry is struggling to capture more customers. Major home shopping show operators experienced a sharp decrease in operating profit. South Korea's TV home shopping market which stood at 5.56 trillion won ($4.16 billion) in 2019 saw a slight increase of 5.9 percent to reach 5.89 trillion won in 2020 when people stayed at home and watched TV to avoid being infected by COVID-19. However, the market siz

May 16, 2023