[From the Scene] SKIET develops world’s most heat-resistant battery separator

DAEJEON -- “You shouldn’t be looking at your smartphones while you are walking around the (SK) R&D campus,” said Lee Su-hyun, group leader of the management support department at SK IE Technology, a battery materials subsidiary of SK Innovation, as he greeted a group of reporters at the SKIET Research and Development Center on Friday. “We have this rule called SGR meaning Safety Gold Rule on this research site to discourage employees from looking at their smartphones

CompaniesSept. 23, 2024

Hanwha Hotels and Resorts offers discounts of up to 80%

Hanwha Hotels and Resorts, the country’s leading premium leisure services company, launched a large-scale discount program Monday, offering discounts of up to 80 percent. The Hanwha Resort Sale Festa promotion, offered from Monday to Oct. 20, features a total of four different packages. Vacationers can choose to book a two-night stay for the price of a one-night stay -- with prices starting at 159,000 won ($118.99) for a standard room. The Signature Package offers a choice between discount

TravelSept. 23, 2024

P1Harmony reflects on loneliness and growth in new album 'Sad Song'

After a successful world tour and performances at several overseas festivals, P1Harmony is back with a new album full of challenges. Group's 7th mini-album “Sad Song,” released Friday, comes about seven months after their first full-length album “Killin' It.” It has six tracks including the Lain-rhythm-themed title track. The album explores feelings of loneliness and emptiness, as well as the process of overcoming such emotions through the concept of superheroes

K-popSept. 23, 2024

Daewoo E&C chairman seeks community support for Czech nuclear project

South Korean builder Daewoo Engineering & Construction said Monday it donated over 316 million won ($236,000) to the Czech Republic’s Trebic District, as part of its efforts to foster support in the region where a Korean consortium was selected as the preferred bidder for the construction of nuclear power plants. According to Daewoo E&C, the donation will be used to purchase fire trucks for Namest nad Oslavou, a municipality located about 11 kilometers from Dukovany in Trebic Distr

CompaniesSept. 23, 2024

[Wang Son-taek] The enemies of liberal democracy

Recently, a headline captured global attention: another assassination attempt on Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for the US presidency. Fortunately, the attempt failed, and Trump remains unharmed. However, the incident raises serious concerns about the state of democracy today. Why is Trump a target again, and who benefits from this chaos? More critically, what does this say about the health of American democracy and its liberal traditions? This event is not an isolated act of violence;

ViewpointsSept. 23, 2024

3 in 4 self-employed make less than 1 million won a month

Three-quarters of self-employed people and small business owners in South Korea report a monthly income of less than 1 million won ($750), well below the monthly minimum wage, government data showed Sunday. Out of 11.46 million self-employed people who filed for income tax in 2022, 75.1 percent, or 8.6 million reported a monthly income below 1 million won, or an annual income of less than 12 million won, according to data obtained from the National Tax Service by Rep. Park Sung-hoon of the rulin

Social AffairsSept. 23, 2024

SK hynix applies CXL optimization solution to Linux

SK hynix said Monday it has introduced the main features of its heterogeneous memory software development kit, a self-developed memory control solution that optimizes the operation of Compute Express Link, or CXL, a next-generation memory technology, to Linux, the world’s largest open-source operating system. CXL is a next-generation interface that supports large-capacity and ultra-high-speed computations by efficiently connecting the central processing unit, graphics processing unit and m

TechnologySept. 23, 2024

SK On eyes first profit as it begins US production for Hyundai EVs

SK On will begin mass production of electric vehicle batteries for Hyundai Motor Co. in the US next month, a move expected to help the battery maker turn a profit for the first time after years of losses. The company’s US unit, SK Battery America, will reportedly begin partial production at its Georgia Plant 2, supplying batteries for Hyundai’s new EV production facility, Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, also located in Georgia. According to industry sources on Monday, SK On ha

MobilitySept. 23, 2024

Nexon to host exhibition match featuring soccer legends in Seoul next month

Nexon, the developer behind popular soccer video games FC Online and FC Mobile, said Monday it will host a real-life exhibition match featuring retired soccer legends, including Didier Drogba, Kaka and Rio Ferdinand, at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Oct. 19 and 20. The Icon Match is a collaboration between Nexon and the Korean soccer YouTube channel Shoot for Love. It will showcase former star players featured in Nexon’s games as part of the Icon Class -- a collection of legendary soccer play

SoccerSept. 23, 2024

Mirae Asset named ‘Best Securities House in Korea’ by Euromoney

South Korea's largest stock brokerage company Mirae Asset Securities said Monday that it has been recognized as the "Best Securities House in South Korea" by Euromoney at the Euromoney Securities Houses Awards 2024. The accolade follows Mirae Asset Group Chairman Park Hyeon-joo being named International CEO of the Year by the Academy of International Business in July, making him the first Asian finance leader to receive the prestigious award. “Despite the challenging environ

IndustrySept. 23, 2024

Samsung develops 1st all-solid-state battery

Samsung Electro-Mechanics, the electronic parts manufacturing subsidiary of the chip giant Samsung Electronics, has developed the world’s first all-solid-state battery for wearable devices, industry sources said Monday. According to sources, the company made an all-solid-state battery prototype with an energy density of 200 watt-hours per liter. It is slated for mass production in 2026. All-solid-state batteries are rechargeable batteries with solid electrolytes filling the gap between the

TechnologySept. 23, 2024

Yanolja Cloud appoints accounting specialist as new CFO

Yanolja Cloud, a South Korean provider of AI-based Software as a Service solutions, announced on Monday the appointment of Moon Byung-deok as its new chief financial officer. Moon, a seasoned financial expert, previously offered accounting audit and financial advice to both domestic and overseas companies at Samil PricewaterhouseCoopers. Since joining Yanolija in 2021, Moon has served as its chief accounting officer in charge of managing business and tax accounting. As it has been rapidly expand

IndustrySept. 23, 2024

[Herald Review] IU wraps up 1st world tour 'HEREH' at Seoul World Cup Stadium

K-pop sensation IU wrapped up her first world tour, ‘HEREH,’ with an unforgettable finale Sunday at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. She made a striking entrance on a swing-like lift, dressed in a sparkling coral mini dress and a white headset, kicking off the show with “Holssi,” the first track from a captivating setlist that spanned over two hours. IU took an audience of 50,000 on a mesmerizing journey, performing “Ah Puh” amidst a stunning display of whale and

K-popSept. 23, 2024

[Herald Review] 'Culinary Class Wars': fresh, creative survival show minus the drama

“Culinary Class Wars,” one of the hottest entertainment shows trending in Korea right now, offers a refreshing take on the survival show format, while highlighting the ingenious recipes created by some of Korea's most acclaimed cooks and chefs. The competition features 100 contestants divided into two teams: the white team, consisting of the nation’s top star chefs, and the black team, made up of lesser-known cooks and local restaurant owners. Contestants participate in a

TelevisionSept. 23, 2024

Charges sought against doctor who told nurses to ‘butt out’

A civic group said Monday it has filed defamation and insult charges against Park Yong-eon, the vice president of the Korea Medical Association who recently told nurses to "butt out" of doctors' treatment roles after recent passage of the Nurses Act. The People's Welfare Countermeasure Committee said Park's comment would hurt the trust between those in the medical circles by sending a message that the doctors do not respect nurses. The KMA has been at the forefront of

Social AffairsSept. 23, 2024

Korean snack exports expected to hit record high in 2024

South Korean snack exports will likely hit a record high of $700 million this year, riding the wave of popularity of Korean culture and food overseas. From January to August, exports of Korean snacks were tallied at $494.2 million, marking a 15.4 percent increase compared to the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on Monday. Snacks were the third-largest export in the agricultural sector, following instant noodles and tobacco products. By mid-S

CompaniesSept. 23, 2024

25-year-old bullied to death at work ruled occupational accident victim

The death of Jeon Yeongjin, 25, who took his own life last year after experiencing severe bullying at his workplace, has been ruled an "occupational accident" by the state authority on workers' welfare. Jeon's bereaved family members told local media Sunday that the Seoul committee of the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service recently decided that his death should be considered an occupational accident. Defined in Article 5-1 of the Industrial Accident Compensa

Social AffairsSept. 23, 2024

Regulator makes over 3,000 requests for removal of suicide-related content since 2020

South Korea's telecommunications regulator has requested platforms to revise their content to delete information that can potentially induce suicide on 3,243 occasions since 2020, government data showed Monday. From 2020 to August of this year, content with possibly suicide-inducing content have been reviewed by the Korea Communications Standards Commission on 4,100 occasions, according to the KCSS data submitted to Rep. Lee Jeong-heon of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. The c

Social AffairsSept. 23, 2024

Aespa to drop new mini-album ‘Whiplash’ next month

Aespa is set to make its highly anticipated return next month with “Whiplash,” the girl group's fifth mini-album. The six-track album will be released on multiple music platforms at 6 p.m. KST, Oct. 21. Showcasing Aespa’s unique musical style, it will feature title track “Whiplash” alongside tracks of a variety of genres, according to SM Entertainment. Expectations for "Whiplash" are high after the massive success of the group's first full-length

K-popSept. 23, 2024

Illit to release second mini-album 'I'll Like You' next month

Rookie K-pop group Illit will release its second mini-album “I’ll Like You” on Oct. 21, the band announced through global fandom platform Weverse on Monday. This marks the group’s first new music in seven months, following the success of their debut mini-album “Super Real Me.” The album made waves both at home and abroad, even securing a spot on the Billboard 200. The group has quickly risen to prominence since its March debut, with its title track “Magn

K-popSept. 23, 2024