Kim Jong-un vows to thwart S. Korea-US 'nuclear alliance'

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned Monday that Pyongyang would "not tolerate" any disruption to the Korean Peninsula's balance of power, which he claimed is upheld by North Korea's nuclear arsenal and threatened by the growing "nuclear alliance" between South Korea and the United States. However, Kim simultaneously asserted that North Korea had no intention of attacking the South, North Korea's state media reported Tuesday. The remarks came during his 60th-

North KoreaOct. 8, 2024

North Korean troops killed, wounded in Ukraine war: Seoul defense minister

South Korea’s national defense minister on Tuesday said North Korean troops appear to have been killed or wounded in Russia’s war on Ukraine. Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun told lawmakers on this day that reports of North Korean troop casualties in the Ukraine war are believed to be true based on the ministry’s findings. He was speaking about a report in the Ukrainian news agency Kyiv Post that six North Korean officers were among those killed by a missile strike in

DefenseOct. 8, 2024

Korean language teaching expert says demand has outstripped supply

The Korean language and its writing system Hangeul are not easy to learn, let alone teach. Two non-Korean scholars have shown that that notion might be changing -- and the Korean government agrees. The two scholars will be awarded the Order of Culture Merit, the highest national recognition for contributions in the field of culture, at an official ceremony marking Hangeul Day on Wednesday morning in Sejong City. The city is named after King Sejong the Great (1418-1450), the fourth Joseon king wh

PeopleOct. 8, 2024

LG posts record sales in Q3; profits down on rising costs

LG Electronics on Tuesday expected its third-quarter sales to reach an all-time high of 22.17 trillion won ($16.5 billion), outpacing an earlier market consensus of 21.77 trillion won. But its operating profits during the same period were estimated to have plunged nearly 21 percent to 751.1 billion won from a year ago, largely due to rising logistics and marketing costs. The earnings guidance was far lower than market expectations. FnGuide, a local market intelligence firm, projected the compa

IndustryOct. 8, 2024

Samsung's chip head apologizes as Q3 earnings miss estimates

Samsung Electronics predicted Tuesday that its operating profit for the July-September period would miss market expectations due to a slow recovery in memory demand and the lackluster performance of High Bandwidth Memory chips used in artificial intelligence computing. Samsung's third-quarter operating profit is estimated to hit 9.1 trillion won ($6.76 billion), up 274.5 percent from a year ago, according to the company’s earnings guidance. The figure is lower than the 10.77 trillio

IndustryOct. 8, 2024

Conscripting women to lead to 'more babies,' claims military think tank

The chief of a military think tank in South Korea has sparked controversy after suggesting that conscripting women into the military could boost marriage and fertility rates. Kim Hyung-chul, president of the Korea Institute for Military Affairs, a nonprofit public interest foundation under the Ministry of National Defense, talked about whether women should go to the military in an interview on the local YouTube channel, “Pen and Mike” on Sept. 23. “We have reached a point whe

Social AffairsOct. 8, 2024

Surge in military enlistment among medical students

The number of medical students opting for military enlistment instead of continuing their medical studies has surged, surpassing 1,000, in response to the government's decision to expand medical school quotas, government data showed Tuesday. Data obtained by Rep. Jin Sun-mee of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea from the Ministry of Education reveals that as of Aug. 23, military leave had been granted to 1,059 students from 37 of the nation's 40 medical schools. This exclude

Social AffairsOct. 8, 2024

Yanolja enhances global travel data value chain

Korean travel platform operator Yanolja said Tuesday that it is ramping up global efforts to enhance its artificial intelligence-based travel solutions by securing extensive travel data. Its data solutions affiliate Yanolja Cloud Solution has recently relocated its headquarters to an information technology hub in Surat, India, to recruit local tech talent and advance its travel solutions. The decision comes as the Indian unit plays a key role in collecting travel data from numerous transactions

IndustryOct. 8, 2024

S. Korea, Singapore seal supply chain agreement

SINGAPORE -- The leaders of South Korea and Singapore on Tuesday agreed to ensure resilience in the supply chain as the two countries signed a new bilateral arrangement to weather supply chain crises especially in advanced manufacturing, biotechnology and energy. The nonbinding supply chain partnership arrangement was signed during President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to the city-state as part of a weeklong trip to Southeast Asia. In a press conference held Tuesday at the Parliament House of Si

PoliticsOct. 8, 2024

LG Energy Solution wins 10-year battery supply deal from Mercedes

LG Energy Solution has secured a major long-term contract to supply electric vehicle batteries to a key affiliate of Mercedes-Benz. The deal, announced Tuesday, primarily targets North America and other key markets, although the exact regions were not specified. Under the terms of the agreement, LG will provide 50.5 gigawatt-hours of EV batteries over 10 years, starting in 2028. While financial details of the deal remain undisclosed, industry analysts believe it likely reaches billions of dollar

MobilityOct. 8, 2024

Cheonan World Dance Festival celebrates creativity, diversity

The 20th edition of the Cheonan World Dance Festival showcased awe-inspiring performances by some 4,000 dancers and crew members from 54 countries, reaching an all-time high number of participants since its launch in 2003. The event, which ran from Sept. 25 to 29, entertained 880,000 spectators from South Korea and abroad with diverse dance competitions, parades, cheerleading shows and more. As the 28 dance troupes from around the world competed in the International Dance Competition at Cheonan

CultureOct. 8, 2024

Baby Monster to release first full-length album in November

Rookie girl group Baby Monster will release its first full-length album, “Drip,” on Nov. 1, seven months after its April debut, YG Entertainment said Monday. The title track, "Drip," composed with the help of Big Bang’s G-Dragon, is expected to be a dance anthem for all ages. The other eight tracks include "Clik Clak," a hip-hop track described by YG Entertainment Chief Executive Producer Yang Hyun-suk as “unlike anything YG has ever presented before,&

K-popOct. 8, 2024

Korea launches antidumping probe into Chinese steel

Following the US and EU’s efforts to curb the flow of "underpriced" Chinese steel, South Korea has launched an anti-dumping probe into imports of Chinese-made heavy steel plates. The Korea Trade Commission under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on Friday that it initiated an investigation against the Chinese steel suppliers, including Shagang Group. The steel products in question, sheets 6 millimeters thick or more, are primarily used in shipbuilding. After a

IndustryOct. 8, 2024

'Risk of bioterrorism' from NK's trash balloons: KDCA head

The head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Jee Young-mee, has expressed concern over the risk of bioterrorism posed by the trash-carrying balloons from North Korea and said the agency is planning to stockpile vaccines in preparation, Monday. Jee was responding to Rep. Lee Ju-young of the minor conservative Reform Party, who raised concerns about North Korea's intentions with its trash balloons, during a National Assembly audit held in Yeouido, Seoul. Lee asked if it wouldn

Social AffairsOct. 8, 2024

SK Bioscience acquires $3m stake in US biotech firm

South Korean biotech firm SK Bioscience said Tuesday it has invested $3 million in the US-based biotech firm Fina Biosolutions to acquire a stake in the company as part of the company’s broader strategy to secure next-generation vaccine technologies and enhance its global competitiveness in the vaccine market. Founded in 2006, Fina Biosolutions specializes in conjugate vaccines widely used in vaccines to prevent illnesses such as pneumonia, meningococcal disease and typhoid. The company is

IndustryOct. 8, 2024

Hyundai reportedly begins EV production at Georgia plant

Hyundai Motor Group has reportedly begun early-stage production of electric vehicles at its new Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America facility, located near Savannah, Georgia. According to a report on Saturday by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a major local newspaper in Georgia, Hyundai commenced production at the facility earlier last week. The company also reportedly held a private event on Thursday for employees to mark this achievement. The official completion ceremony for the plant is st

MobilityOct. 8, 2024

Shortening med school courses not a must: Minister

Amid the debate around shortening the medical school curriculum from six to five years, the education minister stated Tuesday that the proposal is an emergency measure and that universities will not be forced to comply. Education Minister Lee Ju-ho said during a parliamentary audit at the National Assembly that the proposal was a measure to ensure there are enough medical professionals in the future to meet the country's health care needs. "(We) will not force medical schools. If unive

Social AffairsOct. 8, 2024

S. Korea sees surge in foreign patients for beauty care, plastic surgery

South Korean hospitals and clinics have seen a surge in patients from overseas since the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly for plastic surgery and skin care, according to government data on Tuesday. A total of 239,060 and 114,074 international patients received dermatological treatments and plastic surgery, respectively, accounting for nearly 52 percent of the 678,799 foreign nationals in South Korea who received medical services at hospitals and clinics in 2023. The figures are from the Health Ministry

Social AffairsOct. 8, 2024

Police arrest YouTubers who doxxed 2004 gang rape suspects

South Korean police on Tuesday said they have arrested two YouTubers who revealed the identities of the suspects in a 2004 gang rape case in Miryang, in a show of force against the self-proclaimed vigilantism that was opposed by the victim herself. The two YouTubers, one in his 20s and the other in his 30s, are under investigation for the doxxing that took place on their respective channels between June and August this year, according to the cyber investigation unit of the Gyeongnam Provincial P

Social AffairsOct. 8, 2024

Fire at multi-unit home in Gwangju kills 1 man

A fire broke out early Tuesday morning in Gwangju, killing one man, local fire authorities said. According to the Gwangsan Fire Station, flames engulfed a multi-unit residential building around 4:32 a.m. The victim in his 50s was unable to escape and was found dead after the firefighters extinguished the fire at around 5:13 a.m. The victim was a resident of a first-floor unit of the building. A couple in their 60s inhaled smoke during the evacuation, but did not suffer any major injuries. The

Social AffairsOct. 8, 2024