First lady likely to escape 'Dior bag' indictment

First lady Kim Keon Hee is unlikely to be indicted for alleged antigraft rule violations, as the final legal procedure concerning her acceptance of luxury gifts totaling over 5 million won ($3,730), including a Christian Dior bag, has been cleared. Outgoing Prosecutor General Lee One-seok told reporters on Monday on his way to his office in Seocho-gu in southern Seoul that he "respects" the recommendation Friday by a 15-member independent review panel of the Supreme Prosecutors' O

PoliticsSept. 9, 2024

KAIST, NYU to implement joint degree for AI

South Korea's science and technology university KAIST and New York University signed an agreement in Seoul to introduce a joint degree program in artificial intelligence on Monday. The agreement came after both universities shared a consensus that strengthening capabilities in the field of artificial intelligence and fostering global talent is an essential element that can contribute to the future development of society as a whole, beyond mere technical education, KAIST explained. The two u

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

Park Chan-wook receives Golden Bird Prize at Seoul International Drama Awards 2024

Auteur Park Chan-wook clinched the Golden Bird Prize at this year's Seoul International Drama Awards for his significant impact on the drama industry with "The Sympathizer," according to the awards organizing committee on Monday. Seoul International Drama Awards, hosted annually by the SDA organizing committee and the Korean Broadcasters Association since 2006, celebrates outstanding achievements in drama series from around the world. This year’s awards ceremony logged a rec

TelevisionSept. 9, 2024

Ex-police officer behind murder of Korean in Philippines vanishes after guilty verdict: report

The whereabouts of a dismissed Filipino police officer, reportedly the main culprit behind the 2016 killing of a South Korean businessperson in Angeles City, the Philippines, remain unknown as of Monday, nearly two months after a local court sentenced him to life without parole. According to local sources cited by Yonhap News Agency on Monday, the Philippine National Police has been unsuccessful so far in locating Rafael Dumlao, former head of the Philippine National Police’s Anti-illega

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

Seoul Fashion Week still has work to do

For the last 24 years, Seoul Fashion Week has been the face of the fashion landscape Korea wants to project onto the fashion world -- one that is as fresh in creative aesthetics as it is powerful in demonstrating timeless beauty. Still, local designers need to be empowered with more financial as well as administrative support to help achieve the decades-old mission, fashion experts said Monday, calling for more active support from the Seoul Metropolitan Government -- the host of Seoul Fashion We

Arts & DesignSept. 9, 2024

Flower festivals around the country welcome fall

With the days getting shorter, a crisp breeze in the morning and late at night, one can feel fall is just around the corner. Fall flower events around the country are a sure sign of the arrival of autumn. Starting Friday, Hadong -- a small county in South Gyeongsang Province -- will begin its 17-day cosmos flower festival, attracting tourists with cosmos, buckwheat and other hands-on agricultural programs. This annual fall festival is the earliest fall event featuring a fall flower in South Kore

TravelSept. 9, 2024

[Feature] Constant competition drives Koreans to despair

Kim, a 25-year-old corporate worker, often wonders if others are living better lives than her. She thinks about who might be making more money, getting better recognition at work or more opportunities. When Kim feels she’s falling behind her colleagues, those her age job-wise or in her love life, she feels blue and uneasy. “I’m grateful for what I have -- working at a large conglomerate, being raised in a good family and graduating from a prestigious school. But everything alwa

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

Not just deepfake porn, concerns rise over 'cyberflashing’

Amid growing concerns of fast-spreading digital sex crimes like deepfake pornography, there has been an increase in the number of social media users falling victim to "cyberflashing," or sending someone unsolicited sexual images or videos. According to an official report released jointly by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Women’s Human Rights Institute of Korea, the number of people seeking help at the institute for cyber harassment increased from 251 individua

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

[2024 IFA] LG Electronics CEO committed to elevating corporate value

BERLIN -- LG Electronics CEO Cho Joo-wan promised to actively engage with global investors as part of the company’s value-up drive. “LG Electronics is committed to enhancing its corporate value these days,” Cho said during a meeting with a group of Korean reporters held on the sidelines of the IFA trade show in Berlin on Friday. His comments came ahead of his visit to London to meet with institutional investors for a non-deal roadshow on Saturday. This marks the first time the

IndustrySept. 9, 2024

Celltrion eyes new production plant, aims for W5tr in sales

Celltrion Group Founder and Chairman Seo Jung-jin has announced plans to expand the company's pharmaceutical production facilities either in South Korea or abroad as part of its strategy to enter the contract development and manufacturing organization sector. The biosimilar giant also aims to commercialize a total of six new drug pipelines by the end of 2029. "Expanding manufacturing facilities is crucial for securing production capacity and ensuring a sustainable future," Seo rep

IndustrySept. 9, 2024

Chin Unsuk, Lim Yunchan recordings shortlisted for Gramophone Awards

The recordings of South Korean composer Chin Unsuk and pianist Lim Yunchan have been shortlisted for the 2024 Gramophone Classical Music Awards. Their albums were among a total of 33 recordings in the 11 categories -- three per category -- shortlisted for the award. In the piano category, Lim’s two albums have made the shortlist: "Liszt: Transcendental Etudes" and his debut album "Chopin: Etudes." "The Liszt Transcendental Etudes" contains Lim’s semifi

CultureSept. 9, 2024

Provincial patients continue to prefer top hospitals in Seoul

Patients from outside Seoul coming into the capital still heavily favor the city's "Big 5" hospitals, government data showed Monday. According to data from the National Health Insurance Service provided by Rep. Kim Mi-ae of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, 60 percent of patients from outside Seoul who sought treatment in the capital's large hospitals during the first half of 2024 went to those hospitals, which have suffered from staff shortages for m

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

[2024 IFA] Samsung eyes bigger presence in ad-supported streaming market

BERLIN -- As TVs evolve into platforms offering limitless content-based enjoyment, Samsung Electronics has revealed its ambition to lead the free ad-supported television market, or FAST, by providing distinctive services and diverse content. “In line with the AI era, we will actively explore and implement measures to become the optimal platform by advancing and enhancing basic AI usability,” Kim Yong-su, head of the global service business team of the visual display division at Samsu

IndustrySept. 9, 2024

S. Korea to expand support for single parent households

With families becoming increasingly diverse in South Korea, support for single-parent households will be expanded, including the introduction of a new budget to increase housing provisions and the amount of the advance payment system for child support. Next year's budget to support single-parent families will be 590.1 billion won ($440 million), an increase of 46 billion won or 8.5 percent from this year's budget, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on Monday. To ea

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

LS Cable CEO vows to hit W10tr sales by 2030

LS Cable & System CEO Koo Bon-kyu has pledged to achieve 10 trillion won ($7.5 billion) in sales by 2030 by accelerating business expansion abroad. “Joining hands with (our subsidiary) LS Eco Energy, we will set up our global production bases in Europe, Asia and North America,” Koo said during a press conference in Yeouido, Seoul, Thursday. “With LS Marine Solution, the company aims to strengthen its business portfolio for cable supply, installation and maintenance using t

IndustrySept. 9, 2024

Gangnam-gu's removal of LGBTQ+ dating app ad draws fire

A backlash from the LGBTQ+ community has been mounting over Gangnam-gu office's decision to take down after four days what it called an "indecent" digital advertisement, which featured same-sex couples facing each other, hugging and kissing. Yang Sun-woo, chair of the Seoul Queer Culture Festival organizing committee, told local media that the decision was based on discrimination against LGBTQ+ members of society. "Many advertisements in Korea depict the affection between dif

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

HD Hyundai to showcase uncrewed vessel at REAIM conference

HD Hyundai said Monday that it is participating in the REAIM Summit, a global military conference, held at the Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, central Seoul, this week. REAIM Summit 2024 is an international multilateral event where 90 countries are presenting their uncrewed vessel technologies and discussing responsible military use of artificial intelligence. HD Hyundai will showcase a model of Tenebris, an uncrewed surface vehicle co-developed with US-based big data analytics firm Palantir Technologie

IndustrySept. 9, 2024

SK Ecoplant secures $98m by offloading stake in Ascend Elements

South Korean energy and environmental solutions provider SK Ecoplant said Monday that it has secured over $98 million by selling its stake in the American battery recycling firm Ascend Elements, as part of its initiative to restructure its recycling business portfolio. SK Ecoplant had invested over $60.8 million in Ascend Elements since 2022. It sold its entire stake of approximately 9.2 million shares to SKS PE, a Seoul-based private equity firm, according to the company’s regulatory fili

CompaniesSept. 9, 2024

N. Korean trash balloon blamed for Paju warehouse fire

The past five days have seen a flurry of trash and debris littering the greater Seoul area again as North Korea resumed its campaign of floating hundreds of trash-carrying balloons over the border into South Korean territory. On Sunday, one of these balloons touched off a fire in a warehouse in the city of Paju, just 28 kilometers north of Seoul, local fire officials reported Monday. The fire reportedly broke out on the rooftop of a single-story pharmaceutical warehouse at around 1:59 p.m on Sun

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

APR’s Medicube, Aprilskin brands enter UK market

Korean beauty brands Medicube and Aprilskin have officially entered the UK market, South Korean beauty tech company APR announced Monday. The two brands are now available through London-based K-beauty retailer Pureseoul, which operates both online and in physical stores in prime shopping districts such as those of Soho, Westfield and Oxford. Pureseoul, a leading distributor of over 60 Korean beauty brands, is seen as a key partner in helping Medicube and Aprilskin gain a foothold in the UK marke

CompaniesSept. 9, 2024