Burger chains in Korea spice up menus with local flavors

SEOUL, August 27 (AJP) - Hamburgers, a staple of American fast food, are creatively evolving in Korea with traditional condiments and authentic local ingredients. Last month, Korean burger franchises Lotteria and No Brand Burger added new menus along with varied versions of their previous offerings, featuring bulgogi (Korean-style marinated beef) and kimchi (Korea's traditional fermented cabbage), either blended into the patty or used as toppings. "Intrigued by its hefty

August 27, 2024

Korea enhances security reviews for foreign investments

SEOUL, August 26 (AJU PRESS) - The Korean government will tighten control over foreign investments deemed to pose national security risks and involve cutting-edge domestic technologies, officials said Monday. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that a revised enforcement ordinance of the Foreign Investment Promotion Act will take effect Tuesday to better protect national security and domestic tech companies. Under the new rule, authorities can conduct ex officio

August 26, 2024

Senior employment in Korea hits all-time high amid aging population

SEOUL, August 26 (AJU PRESS) - Elderly people aged 60 and over accounted for a record high of 22.4 percent of the total workforce in South Korea this year, government data showed Monday. According to the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and Statistics Korea, the average monthly number of employed individuals in the 60-plus age group during the first seven months totaled about 6.4 million. Both their number and proportion in the total workforce were the highest on record. The perce

August 26, 2024

Lydia Ko wins her third major, cementing legacy as one of greatest golfers of generation

SEOUL, August 26 (AJU PRESS) - Lydia Ko etched her name into golf history on Sunday, capturing the AIG Women's British Open only weeks after becoming the first golfer to win three consecutive Olympic medals. The victory at the historic St. Andrews Old Course marked Ko's third major championship title. Ko, a 27-year-old New Zealander, closed out the tournament with a 3-under-par 69 in the final round, finishing two strokes ahead of a group tied for second, including Nelly

August 26, 2024

Combined national, household debt surpasses 3 quadrillion won

SEOUL, August 25 (AJU PRESS) - South Korea's combined government and household debt surpassed 3 quadrillion won ($2.26 trillion) for the first time, driven by lower tax revenue, increased bond issuance, and aggressive household borrowing for real estate investments, government data showed Sunday. According to the finance ministry and the central bank, the country's combined national and household debt reached a record 3,042 trillion won at the end of the second quarter. T

August 25, 2024

Nurses strike to exacerbate healthcare crisis in S. Korea

SEOUL, August 25 (AJU PRESS) - Some 30,000 unionized nurses and medical workers have decided to strike this week, citing demands for higher wages and a normalized medical system amid a prolonged walkout by trainee doctors. The Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union, representing approximately 30,000 nurses and medical workers at 61 hospitals, said over 91 percent of its members supported the strike plan. The union has been urging hospitals to swiftly address the medical vac

August 25, 2024

Unprecedented heatwave to persist through early September

SEOUL, August 23 (AJU PRESS) - Korea has been experiencing an unprecedented heatwave this summer, with unbearable tropical nights now continuing for over a month. A tropical night is when the lowest temperature does not drop below 25 degrees Celsius after dark. Many Seoul residents had a sleepless night on Friday as the capital region extended its streak of tropical nights to 33. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), Seoul had already experienced three oc

August 23, 2024

Korean school team wins Japan's prestigious baseball championship

SEOUL, August 23 (AJU PRESS) - A small Korean school in Japan won the island country's annual high school baseball championship for the first time on Friday. Kyoto International Junior and Senior High School defeated Kanto Daiichi High School 2-1 in the final of Koshien, the prestigious baseball tournament held every summer in Hyogo, western Japan. Now in its 106th year, Koshien features only 49 baseball teams out of about 4,000 Japanese high schools that qualify to compete.

August 23, 2024

New variant drives sharp increase in COVID-related hospitalizations

SEOUL, August 23 (AJU PRESS) - A recent wave of COVID-19 cases has led to a rise in hospitalizations during the third week of August, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KCDA) said Friday. From Aug. 11 to 17, the number of COVID-related hospitalizations surged nearly fourfold, with the number of patients rising from around 465 to 1,464 in just a few weeks. Patients with COVID-19 now account for 70.3 percent of all respiratory disease cases, up from 32.4 percent in

August 23, 2024

Travelers from Korea to Japan increase this month despite earthquake concerns

SEOUL, August 23 (AJU PRESS) - Despite concerns about major earthquakes following a magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Japan this month, the number of travelers flying from Korea to Japan has increased compared to last year. According to data from Incheon International Airport Corp. and Korea Airports Corp., about 1,385,000 travelers used Japan routes, including both departures and arrivals, at domestic airports from Aug. 1 to 20. This represents a 20.8 percent increase from a year ago

August 23, 2024