Substitute military doctors to be immune from medical malpractice damages

Military and public health doctors deployed to emergency rooms to help ease medical staff shortages will be granted immunity from liability for damages resulting from medical malpractice, health authorities said Sunday. Since last Wednesday, 250 military physicians have been assigned to emergency rooms and other understaffed departments after a significant number of junior doctors resigned in February to protest the government's decision to significantly increase medical school admissions

Social AffairsSept. 8, 2024

Family of late K-pop star Jonghyun launches counseling program for young artists

The family of the late SHINee member Jonghyun has launched a psychological counseling project aimed at supporting young artists through the foundation established in his memory. On Saturday, the Shiny Foundation introduced its latest initiative, Youth Meetup, to promote the mental well-being of young artists. The announcement was made via the foundation’s official social media accounts. In a video accompanying the launch, Jonghyun’s older sister Kim So-dam, who also serves as a direc

CultureSept. 8, 2024

[KH Explains] NCSoft pins hopes on new titles to stop bleeding

NCSoft is seeking answers to rebound with new titles and managerial overhauling efforts amid its falling stock price, as the first-generation South Korean gaming powerhouse hopes to get back to the throne. Experts forecast that the success of new games NC plans to roll out and reorganization of human resources will determine whether the game developer can turn things around in the short term. Plummeting shares NC’s stock has been practically in a free fall since reaching its peak at 1.

CompaniesSept. 8, 2024

Lotte chief eyes W1tr in Pepero sales

Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin has chosen Pepero as the flagship product for a new strategic initiative in partnership with Lotte food affiliates from Korea and Japan, the nation's sixth-largest conglomerate announced Sunday. The initiative aims to elevate the chocolate stick snack into a global megabrand with annual sales of 1 trillion won ($748 million). During Shin's recent business trip to Europe, the chairman visited Lotte's global food production facilities in Belgium an

IndustrySept. 8, 2024

SC Bank Korea names new chief

Standard Chartered Bank Korea has appointed Lee Kwang-hee, managing director and executive vice president, as its new CEO, the global lender said Friday. Lee, recognized as an expert in corporate banking, will succeed the outgoing CEO, Park Jong-bok. "A detailed evaluation was conducted on the nominees' leadership in the financial sector, willingness to share the bank’s vision, efforts for boosting public interest and sound business administration," the bank's executive

IndustrySept. 8, 2024

NK sends over 1,000 trash balloons to S. Korea in last 5 days

North Korea sent more than 1,000 trash-carrying balloons toward South Korea over five consecutive days, resuming its launch of trash balloons following a monthlong hiatus, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Sunday. The JCS said that North Korea resumed its balloon launches at around 9 a.m. Sunday morning, just hours after it had sent around 200 trash-filled balloons toward South Korea late Saturday. “Around 50 trash balloons were confirmed to have landed in Seoul and the northern

North KoreaSept. 8, 2024

Opposition slams Yoon for failing to secure formal apology from Japan

The main opposition party slammed President Yoon Suk Yeol of "flattering" his Japanese counterpart, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, accusing him of making consecutive concessions to Tokyo without securing a formal apology or compensation for its historical grievances. A day after the Japanese prime minister left Seoul, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea on Sunday pledged to revise rules to stop comfort women statues at home and abroad from being defaced or meddled with, withou

PoliticsSept. 8, 2024

Oxbridge Society in Korea holds annual reception

The Oxbridge Society, an integrated alumni association in South Korea for graduates from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, held an alumni reception on Aug. 31, where society members were urged to be at the forefront of leading country relations between Korea and the United Kingdom. According to the alumni association on Friday, around 100 alums from both universities were in attendance at the annual reception, including former Foreign Minister and former President of Oxfo

Social AffairsSept. 8, 2024

[Reporter’s Notebook] Why are so many districts in Seoul hopped up on beer fests?

With the growing trend of beer festivals across Seoul, many districts are joining the movement, with Seorim Happiness Beer Festival in Gwanak-gu and Baekmaek Festival in Gangbuk-gu having concluded their two-day events on Saturday. By the end of this year, over half of Seoul’s 25 districts will have hosted or sponsored beer festivals, reflecting a wider city initiative to boost nightlife and promote local food culture. While beer festivals have long been popular in regions with cultural ti

TravelSept. 8, 2024

Hyundai Casper EV to make Japan debut early next year

Hyundai Motor plans to bring its Casper Electric mini SUV to Europe later this year and Japan in early 2025, following robust domestic sales. The company reported Sunday that it sold 28,784 units of the Casper -- both gasoline and electric versions -- in the Korean market from January to August this year, marking a 1.4 percent increase from the same period last year. Total Casper sales surged in August, with 5,031 units sold -- making it the first month in 2024 to break the 5,000 mark. The boost

MobilitySept. 8, 2024

Samsung SDI to showcase advanced energy solutions at RE+ 2024

Samsung SDI will present its latest energy storage systems at RE+ 2024, the largest clean energy expo in North America, held in Anaheim, California, for four days starting Monday. The company’s showcase will revolve around the theme "A Sustainable Future Driven by PRiMX." PRiMX is a branding term for Samsung SDI’s advanced battery technology portfolio. Leading the lineup is the Samsung Battery Box 1.5, the company's next-generation ESS battery system ready for US lau

IndustrySept. 8, 2024

German frigate visits Incheon on Indo-Pacific mission

The German frigate Baden-Wurttemberg and replenishment ship Frankfurt am Main arrived in Incheon on Friday as part of the Indo-Pacific Deployment 2024, a key German maritime defense diplomacy initiative in the region. Before reaching Incheon, the ships played a role in monitoring the United Nations arms embargo against North Korea, said the German Embassy in a press release Friday. The ships leave Incheon on Tuesday, it added. According to the embassy, the deployment aligns with the mission of t

Foreign AffairsSept. 8, 2024

SK chief convenes CEOs to inspect global businesses

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won stressed the need for a sharp focus and prompt response to evolving AI, semiconductors and energy solutions sectors during an executives' management review meeting held on Saturday, the Korean conglomerate said Sunday. “Enhancing the competitiveness of our core businesses in AI and semiconductors while adapting to the evolving business environment is a formidable challenge, but one we must confront,” said Chey at the SK Seorin Building headquarte

IndustrySept. 8, 2024

[2024 IFA] Samsung’s AI push has long way to go: CEO

BERLIN -- Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman and co-CEO Han Jong-hee said Saturday that the tech giant’s recent push for artificial intelligence-powered home appliances still has a long way to go in fulfilling the increasingly sophisticated demand from consumers “Our products are not keeping up with very high consumer expectations. … If we consider consumer expectations to be at 100, our product currently stands at around 30,” Han said during a press conference held on th

TechnologySept. 8, 2024

Seongsu-dong to host first-ever World Webtoon Festival

South Korea is set to host its first-ever global webtoon festival and awards ceremony, highlighting the country's leading role in the growing global popularity of webtoons, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on Sunday. The 2024 World Webtoon Festival will run from Sept. 26 to 29 at various venues across Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul. The festival will kick off with the 2024 World Webtoon Awards on the opening day at S-Factory in Seongsu-dong, a retail, event and cultu

CultureSept. 8, 2024

[Hello India] India makes fresh overture to lure Korean financial firms

India’s financial regulators boasted their fast-growing economy and young workforce at a rare investment forum held in Seoul on Friday, making a fresh overture to lure Korean investments. The event, co-hosted by Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service and the Embassy of India here, featured key officials from Indian financial regulatory bodies and drew around 140 executives from Korean financial institutions. “India is emerging as a global production hub with remarkable growth i

EconomySept. 8, 2024

Linkin Park regroups after 7 years, to hold concert in Korea

Linkin Park has announced the band's comeback, along with the release of a new album with new members in November and a concert in South Korea for the first time in 13 years. The band has added vocalist Emily Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain, and on Friday released a new single titled “The Emptiness Machine.” Armstrong was previously a co-vocalist for Dead Sara, while Brittain has worked as a producer for artists such as Illenium and One Ok Rock. Linkin Park’s upcoming

PerformanceSept. 8, 2024

Xikers returns with darker, deeper charisma in their bold 4th mini album

K-pop boy band Xikers released their 4th mini album, "House of Tricky: Watch Out," on Friday, showcasing more powerful performances and charisma than ever before. The album comes in three distinct versions, each depicting a different phase of Xikers' journey. “The ‘Tricky’ version represents the maze Xikers are trying to escape from, while the ‘X’ version captures the moment they discover the light and run toward it. The ‘Hiker’ version sh

K-popSept. 8, 2024

[2024 IFA] LG AI Home envisions zero-labor home

BERLIN -- LG Electronics has announced a brand new era for the company by introducing its artificial intelligence home hub, featuring what it calls "affectionate intelligence," at this year’s IFA trade show that kicked off Friday in Berlin. “We are thrilled to announce the launch of LG AI Home, a smart living solution that utilizes generative AI to seamlessly communicate and connect with customers,” Lyu Jae-cheol, the tech giant's home appliance chief, said Thurs

TechnologySept. 8, 2024

LGBTQ+ dating app ad taken down 4 days later due to complaints

A large digital advertisement showing same-sex couples kissing and embracing each other was taken down four days after it began airing on the streets of Seoul's southern district of Gangnam due to a series of complaints. The 20-second dating app ad first appeared on a 6-storey digital billboard set up along the streets of Gangnam's Nonhyeon-dong on Aug. 26 under a contract that calls for the ad's airing at least 100 times a day for one year. The images showed gay and lesbian coupl

Social AffairsSept. 8, 2024