Yoon, first lady replace mobile phones

President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee have stopped using their mobile phones and replaced them with new phones, an official at the ruling bloc said Sunday. The move came after Yoon said in a Nov. 7 press conference that both he and his wife should have changed to new mobile phones after his inauguration, in response to criticism over the first lady using her personal phone for communications linked to controversies surrounding her. "I was given advice on changing the mobile ph

PoliticsNov. 24, 2024

[More than APT] Residents, architects together design homes

In Korea, presale of apartments prevails, meaning home buyers base their purchases on model houses and blueprints. Apartment units of a certain size generally have similar floorplans and buyers have an idea of what they will look like when completed. Construction companies, which are also developers in most cases, sell apartment units that are considered investments as well as dwellings. The hope is that apartment prices will rise, at which point some homeowners may choose to sell, only to begin

Arts & DesignNov. 24, 2024

[Photo News] Hyundai, Toyota chiefs at WRC finale

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun (left) greets Toyota Motor Corp. Chairman Akio Toyoda Sunday at the Toyota Gazoo Racing Service Park in Nagoya as the final round of the World Rally Championship, FORUM8 Rally Japan 2024, concludes. Thierry Neuville and co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe of the Hyundai World Rally Team won the season’s drivers’ and co-drivers’ championships, a first for Hyundai since its WRC debut in 2014. The event, held on the challenging tarmac stages

MobilityNov. 24, 2024

Tensions to escalate over third revote of bill targeting first lady

Tensions between the rival political parties are expected to escalate in the following days, with the main opposition seeking to put a bill calling for a special counsel investigation into allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee up for a revote on Nov. 28. On Nov. 14, the opposition-led Assembly passed the revised special counsel probe bill in a 191-0 vote, as the ruling People Power Party lawmakers boycotted the vote. The Assembly has previously passed two similar bills, in December 2023

PoliticsNov. 24, 2024

Nvidia CEO signals Samsung’s imminent shipment of AI chips

Samsung Electronics, the world's largest memory chip maker, is expected to supply its cutting-edge chips to the top graphics processing unit maker Nvidia soon, stepping closer to securing a footing in the lucrative AI chip market. Speaking on the sidelines of a convocation ceremony at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology on Saturday, Nvidia CEO and founder Jensen Huang told Bloomberg Television that the company is "working as fast as it can to certify Samsung's AI memory

IndustryNov. 24, 2024

Korea to hold own memorial for forced labor victims, boycotting Japan’s

The South Korean government plans to hold a separate on-site memorial ceremony for Koreans forced to work at the gold mines on Sado island during Japan's colonial rule, following a last-minute decision to boycott Japan’s memorial event on Sunday. Seoul’s abrupt reversal comes amid a growing domestic backlash over the choice of Akiko Ikuina, a parliamentary vice minister at Japan’s Foreign Ministry, as the chief government delegate for Sunday’s memorial event. Ikuina

Foreign AffairsNov. 24, 2024

S. Korea leads world in industrial robot adoption: study

South Korea leads the world in industrial robot adoption, with 1,012 robots per 10,000 employees deployed in 2023, according to a global study. The World Robotics 2024 report, presented by the Frankfurt, Germany-based International Federation of Robotics, reveals that the Asian country’s robot density far surpasses other nations. Singapore ranked second with 770 robots per 10,000 employees, followed by China at 470 robots per 10,000 employees. “Robot density serves as a barometer

IndustryNov. 24, 2024

Final push to forge UN treaty on plastic pollution set to begin in Busan

All eyes turn to Busan as delegations from 175 countries gather for the final round of negotiations to clinch a legally binding United Nations treaty to combat plastic pollution. Kicking off Monday and running through Dec. 1, the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee could define the global response to one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. The initiative stems from a resolution passed during the UN Environment Assembly meeting in March 2022, which

Social AffairsNov. 24, 2024

Opposition leader awaits perjury trial ruling

The Seoul Central District Court is set to rule Monday on perjury subornation charges against Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party. The ruling of the first trial comes just 10 days after Lee received a suspended prison sentence in a separate trial for violating the Public Official Election Act, further compounding the legal challenges that could cost him his parliamentary seat and jeopardize his presidential aspirations. Prosecutors filed the perjury subornation case aga

PoliticsNov. 24, 2024

Submission of edited recording punished as attempted fraud

A person who submitted an edited a voice recording to win a civil lawsuit was found guilty of attempted fraud, a local court said Sunday. Chuncheon District Court sentenced the 41-year-old defendant to a 10 million won ($7,100) fine for attempted fraud. The defendant, who was involved in a legal feud with another person over a bar they had jointly operated, claimed that the partner had promised to pay 50 million won as a form of reimbursement for investing in the bar. A voice recording of the tw

Social AffairsNov. 24, 2024

Doosan’s restructuring plan clears regulatory hurdle, awaits shareholder approval

Doosan Group’s ambitious corporate restructuring plan, which will separate Doosan Bobcat from Doosan Enerbility and merge it into Doosan Robotics, is entering its final stages. Following regulatory approval last Friday, the proposal now awaits a vote at a shareholders’ meeting on Dec. 12, marking the completion of a process that began four months ago. The restructuring process has undergone six amendments to its securities filings since the plan was first announced on July 11, as Doo

CompaniesNov. 24, 2024

Korea Kimchi Grand Festival transcends politics, nationality to help those in need

Lawmakers and ambassadors were among the 1,122 people who gathered in Gwangju and Seoul Friday to make kimchi to donate to underprivileged people. The 2024 Korea Kimchi Grand Festival was held for two hours in the National Assembly’s courtyard in Yeouido, central Seoul and May 18 Democracy Square in central Gwangju simultaneously. The event was organized by Herald Media Group, local broadcaster Gwangju MBC and Rep. Ju Chul-hyun of the main opposition Democratic Party. The event at the Nati

Social AffairsNov. 24, 2024

Court backs subsidy cut for hospital that refused emergency patient

A local court ruled against a Daegu hospital that challenged government's decision to withdraw funding after the institution's refused to admit a teenage emergency patient, leading to her death. Th Health Ministry decided not to provide government subsidies to four universities, including the Daegu Catholic University Medical Center (DCMC), for six months in response to their actions concerning a 17-year-old emergency patient in March. The girl sustained a serious injury after fallin

Social AffairsNov. 24, 2024

Wealthy parents ditch Korean passports to get kids into international school

Vanuatu, an archipelago of 83 islands in the South Pacific, is a paradise for nature lovers. But in South Korea, this beautiful island nation is gaining attention for a different reason: citizenship shopping. Bae, 30, a housewife living in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul, is thinking of acquiring Vanuatu citizenship for the sake of her 4-year-old son. “My son currently attends an English immersion kindergarten. I am hoping he can enroll in international schools (in Korea), instead of local s

Hashtag KoreaNov. 24, 2024

Police nab 294 doctors this year over drug-related offenses

South Korean police apprehended nearly 300 doctors for drug-related offenses this year, government data showed Sunday, highlighting the need for stricter monitoring of medical professionals who have access to controlled substances. A total of 294 doctors were caught for drug-related offenses in the first 10 months of this year, according to the Korean National Police Agency's data submitted to Rep. Yang Bu-nam of the main opposition Democratic Party. Drug offenders here are those involved

Social AffairsNov. 24, 2024

First snow to fall in Seoul on Wednesday

Temperatures are expected to drop significantly from Wednesday, with some regions likely to see the first snow of the season, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration on Sunday. A low-pressure trough and a cloud band developing over the West Sea are expected to bring rain to most parts of the country on Tuesday. Following the rain, temperatures are forecast to drop significantly starting Wednesday, with morning temperatures as low as minus 8 degrees Celsius in Seoul, the KMA said

Social AffairsNov. 24, 2024

Exclusive, new stages highlight of 2024 MAMA

This year's Mnet Asian Music Awards presented new and exclusive performances while exploring the tastes of K-pop fans worldwide Thursday at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and at Osaka's Kyocera Dome on Friday and Saturday. The Korean music awards ceremony, broadcast live in around 200 countries, held part of its three-day event in the US for the first time, attracting an audience of around 93,000. 2024 MAMA was held under the theme of "Big Blur," which the festival host sai

K-popNov. 24, 2024

Man convicted after binge eating to avoid military service

A 26-year-old man was found guilty of evading national service after he was found to have deliberately gained weight to avoid serving in the military. Seoul Eastern Dongbu District Court recently sentenced the defendant to one year in prison, suspended for two years, for violating the Military Service Act. The act stipulates that those who evade their mandatary military service without justifiable cause can be punished by up to three years in prison. The defendant deliberately gained weight by

Social AffairsNov. 24, 2024

Woori Bank CEO to step down amid legal turmoil over loan scandal

Woori Bank CEO Cho Byung-kyu is stepping down in disgrace as legal risks surrounding the bank and its parent group intensify. According to industry sources on Sunday, the board of Woori Financial Group, the holding company of Woori Bank, on Friday decided against reappointing Cho following the expiration of his current term at the end of this year. The decision came hours after local prosecutors filed an arrest warrant for former Woori Financial Chairman Son Tae-seung on charges of breach of tru

IndustryNov. 24, 2024

Fire extinguishers now mandatory for vehicles carrying 5 or more

Starting next month, all newly registered cars seating for five or more passengers will be required to have a fire extinguisher, fire authorities said Sunday. Currently, the mandatory installation of fire extinguishers applies to vehicles that carry seven or more passengers. According to the National Fire Agency, the change aligns with the revision of the Act on Installation and Management of Firefighting Systems, set to take effect in December after a three-year grace period. The mandate does

Social AffairsNov. 24, 2024