Soaring no. of patients dying on organ transplant waitlist

The number of patients dying while waiting for an organ transplant has soared, and average wait times are also rising, data showed Tuesday. According to data from the National Institute of Organ, Tissue and Blood Management provided to Rep. Park Hee-seung of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, the number of patients who died while on transplant waitlists increased by 1.4-fold, from 2,145 in 2019 to 2,907 last year. In the first half of this year, waitlist deaths had already reached 1,

Social AffairsOct. 16, 2024

ASML's lukewarm outlook pulls down Samsung, SK shares

Shares of Korean chipmakers fell on Wednesday in a bearish market as major chip-related stocks worldwide declined following a gloomy 2025 forecast from semiconductor bellwether ASML. ASML, a Dutch company that makes the world’s most advanced chip-making equipment, reported its booking was half the orders the market expected in its quarterly earnings, and saw its shares plunge 16 percent to close at 668.10 euros ($727) in Amsterdam. Other chip stocks also declined, with Nvidia falling 4.5 p

IndustryOct. 16, 2024

Hyundai Mobis to build 1st EV power system plant in Slovakia

Hyundai Mobis, an auto parts manufacturer under Hyundai Motor Group, said Thursday that it signed an agreement with the Slovakian government to set up its first manufacturing plant for electric vehicle power systems in Europe. With a 350 billion won ($256.7 million) investment, Hyundai Mobis will construct a plant in the Novaky region of western Slovakia to produce EV drive units consisting of an electric motor, inverter and reducer. Once completed next year, the facility will have the capacity

MobilityOct. 16, 2024

[News Focus] By-election, small yet crucial for Han

In the weeks leading up to Wednesday’s by-elections for Seoul’s new education superintendent and four local government heads, ruling People Power Party Chair Han Dong-hoon has been exceptionally busy. Han has visited Busan six times since Sept. 11, so far, in a bid to sway voters into backing the conservative candidate and tax accountant-turned-politician Yoon Il-hyun for the next Geumjeong district head. Busan has been considered the conservative party’s home turf for decades,

PoliticsOct. 16, 2024

Investors upbeat on LG CNS’ W7tr IPO

South Korean IT solutions provider LG CNS has emerged as a major initial public offering contender for next year as it began the listing process on the country’s main bourse Kospi earlier this month. Market watchers estimate the firm’s corporate value to reach around 7 trillion won ($5.14 billion), making it Korea's largest IPO since LG Energy Solution in January 2022. For a successful market debut, it will be crucial for the company to add more corporate clients and improve pro

IndustryOct. 16, 2024

Hyundai, Kia develop 1st automatic system for press die design

Korea’s two leading auto brands -- Hyundai Motor Company and Kia -- announced Wednesday that they developed the world’s first automatic press die system for all designs. Press dies are used to form a vehicle’s body parts such as the trunk, hood and fender. Depending on the part’s design, automakers usually conduct the press dying process three to five times to manufacture a part while press die designers line up numerous requirements for the production of each part. Accor

MobilityOct. 16, 2024

Seoul envisions design giants like Ikea

Seoul city will invest 172.3 billion won ($126 million) over the next five years to support the design industry in the city with an aim to nurture "Korean versions" of overseas design and home furnishing giants Ikea and Muji. The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Wednesday unveiled a five-year plan prioritizing a stable foundation for Seoul's design industry, strengthening the self-reliance of design companies and fostering connections between companies, as well as promoting Seoul&

Social AffairsOct. 16, 2024

Posco Group Chairman joins WSA executive committee

South Korean steel giant Posco Group announced Wednesday that Chairman Chang In-hwa has joined the executive committee of the World Steel Association. The World Steel Association, consisting of 155 members ranging from global steelmakers to research institutes, aims to enhance profitability in the steel industry. Over the next three years, Chang will work on key issues such as low-carbon technology, the environment and safety. At the WSA executive committee meeting Sunday, leaders of the global

IndustryOct. 16, 2024

Korea to pump in W8.8tr in 2025 to contend in global chip race

The South Korean government will inject 8.8 trillion won ($6.45 billion) next year to advance the country’s semiconductor ecosystem through low-interest loans while accelerating infrastructure construction and nurturing talent. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok announced a slew of plans for comprehensive support for the chip industry while presiding over a ministerial meeting Wednesday, with firms in the sector clamoring for more concrete measures to catch up to global rivals. “We wil

IndustryOct. 16, 2024

British activist fund takes aim at SK to unlock value

London-based activist investor Palliser Capital is on its way to challenge South Korean chip-to-energy conglomerate SK Group, having secured a stake of over 1 percent in its investment arm SK Square. Having built a stake in SK Square over the past two years, the British activist fund is pushing for changes in the company to improve its market valuation, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. Though SK Square is the holding company of the group’s key chip-making affiliate SK hy

IndustryOct. 16, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'Culinary Class Wars' explores today's views on fairness: creators

The creators of "Culinary Class Wars," the hottest Korean original on Netflix right now, stated they felt they had accomplished the impossible when recruiting participants for the show. According to the show's creators, there were a total of 600 applicants. Around 10 writers participated in the casting process, with the final 100 participants being selected through interviews. Interviewing the applicants was a difficult process, but recruiting some of the chefs the creators wanted

TelevisionOct. 16, 2024

KB Kookmin Bank to launch ‘Starbucks Account’ for coffee aficionados

KB Kookmin Bank and Starbucks Korea on Wednesday announced a partnership to launch a bank account product exclusively for local devotees of the US coffee chain. Set for launch in early 2025, the new partnership will introduce the first-ever "Starbucks Account," a savings account tailored to Starbucks customers, offering unique benefits that blend banking services with daily coffee purchases. Additionally, KB Kookmin Bank’s digital certificate service will be integrated into the S

TechnologyOct. 16, 2024

Zico to hold first solo shows in six years

Zico, a rapper and music producer, will be holding a pair of solo concerts for the first time in six years. On Wednesday, Zico announced through the global fan platform Weverse and his official social media channels "Zico Live: Join the Parade." The concerts are to take place on Nov. 23 and 24 at the Olympic Hall in Olympic Park, Songpa-gu, Seoul. "Zico Live: Join the Parade" will be the first such concerts since "King of the Zungle" in 2018. The concert poster, rel

PerformanceOct. 16, 2024

Kim Jae-joong’s girl group Say My Name debuts

Say My Name, the first K-pop girl group produced by K-pop singer Kim Jae-joong, debuted Wednesday with its first EP, “Say My Name.” “The motivation for Say My Name is hearing fans call out their names. The team name represents their ambition to run toward their dreams. We aimed to showcase fresh and diverse music genres as well as the unique colors of each member in their debut album. This mini-album is something we put a lot of effort into, from song selection to all aspects o

K-popOct. 16, 2024

1 in 4 seniors prefer using assets over leaving them to children

One in four South Korean senior citizens wish to use their assets for themselves and their spouses rather than passing them on to their children, according to government data on Wednesday. The 2023 survey of 10,078 senior citizens by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, Gallup Korea and the Health Ministry between Sept. 4 and Nov. 12 last year showed that 24.2 percent of the respondents chose to prioritize using their assets for their own and their spouse during their lifetime inst

Social AffairsOct. 16, 2024

‘North Korea can’t afford war while sending shells to Russia’: ex-Yoon adviser

Rep. Lim Jong-deuk, former deputy national security adviser to President Yoon Suk Yeol and lawmaker on the National Assembly National Defense Committee, on Wednesday allayed concerns of North Korea waging war on account of its arms trade with Russia. “North Korea is in a difficult position to start a war at this point for a number of reasons. One is that North Korea is already sending large quantities of artillery shells and missiles to Russia, and likely to send troops as well,” he

PoliticsOct. 16, 2024

Korea's well-to-do live longer, healthier lives: report

People with higher incomes are likely to live longer and healthier lives than those with lower incomes, government data showed Tuesday. The "healthy life expectancy" -- defined as the period of years one is expected to live with no major health issues -- was 73.4 years in 2021 for South Koreans in the top 20 percent of incomes, according to Ministry of Health and Welfare data submitted to Rep. Kim Nam-hee of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. But for those in the bottom 20

Social AffairsOct. 16, 2024

Court recognizes misogyny as motive for hate crime for 1st time

An appellate court ruled Tuesday that the assault on a female convenience store clerk by a man in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, allegedly motivated by her short haircut, constituted a misogynistic hate crime. The landmark ruling is the first time a Korean court has explicitly recognized misogyny as a condemnable motive in a criminal case. The Changwon District Court upheld the lower court's decision to put the attacker behind bars for three years for aggravated assault, destruction of p

Social AffairsOct. 16, 2024

[Korea Quiz] K-drama feels and foods

Find the answer at the bottom. In Korean, the terms sweet potato (고구마) and cider (사이다) are often used as metaphors to describe emotions evoked by fiction, TV dramas, or other narratives. In this context, the sweet potato, commonly featured in various Korean dishes, refers to moments in a story that feel stifling, frustrating, or slow. Eating a sweet potato without water can make one feel like they’re choking or struggling to swallow, which parallels the experience of watching charac

Hashtag KoreaOct. 16, 2024

'Rapping granny' of Chilgok passes away at age 87

Octogenarian rapper Seo Mu-seok, who inspired many by pursuing her musical dreams into her late 80s, passed away Tuesday at the age of 87. Seo died Tuesday morning at a hospital in Daegu, according to North Gyeongseong Province's Chilgok-gun officials. She had been diagnosed with stage three lymphoma in January, and doctors had told her that she had three months to live. Seo made her musical debut last year as a member of the seven-member musical act, Suni and the Seven Princesses, made up

Social AffairsOct. 16, 2024