Renault Samsung partners LG Chem for ESS development

Renault Samsung Motors, a South Korean subsidiary of French carmaker Renault, has forged a partnership with LG Chem to develop energy storage systems with used batteries, the companies said Thursday. The carmaker has provided 40 units of used batteries from its electric vehicle SM3 Z.E. to its counterpart to help the latter develop and start testing a new type of ESS by 2021.Renault Samsung plans to provide batteries that have reached retirement age from its ultramini EV Twizy and other EVs plan

MobilityOct. 31, 2019

Hyundai unveils upgraded hydrogen bus for Korean police

Hyundai Motor unveiled an upgraded version of fuel cell electric bus powered by hydrogen for the Korean police on Thursday, in line with the law enforcement agency’s plan to turn its entire bus fleet green.The carmaker had previously introduced city bus-type hydrogen vehicles for the law enforcement agency, but it is the first model with large cargo space for police equipment and is suitable for long-haul travel. The latest model has two 95 kilowatt fuel cell stacks with hydrogen tanks pla

MobilityOct. 31, 2019

Paradise Casino Walkerhill holds event for Mongolian students in Seoul

 　Paradise Casino Walkerhill’s chief Park Byeong-ryong held a community event with Mongolian students living in Korea, to improve their occupational aptitude and career trajectory, the company said Thursday. 　According to the foreigner-only casino operator, its employees and 60 students from International Mongolia School gathered at vocational school KidZania in Seoul on Wednesday to participate in job-searching programs. 　The students received advice about their career paths through

IndustryOct. 31, 2019

SuperM breaks Twitter Blueroom record with over 2 million viewers

K-pop supergroup SuperM broke a record after appearing at the Twitter Blueroom in Los Angeles earlier this month, drawing over a whopping 2 million viewers -- the highest figure to date.The septet consists of members from various acts -- SHINee, EXO, NCT127 and WayV. It managed to attract the record-breaking global viewership on Oct. 7 as it directly engaged fans and showcased dance moves for nearly 1 1/2 hours. In another sign of the group’s popularity, over 30 million tweets using the #S

K-popOct. 31, 2019

Warmbiers to attend Seoul meeting of N. Korean abduction victims

Family of Otto Warmbier, an American college student who died in 2017 shortly after being released from prison in North Korea, is expected to visit Seoul next month for a meeting of international victims of abduction by the North.  The Korean War Abductees’ Family Union said Wednesday the American victim’s parents, Fred and Cindy Warmbier, have accepted its invitation for the convention slated for Nov. 22.In January 2016, Otto Warmbier was detained in Pyongyang for allegedly att

North KoreaOct. 31, 2019

NK human rights resolution submitted to UN committee

A resolution calling for accountability for human rights violations in North Korea has been submitted to the United Nations committee that oversees humanitarian issues, Voice of America reported Thursday.This year’s resolution, written by the European Union, does not differ significantly from last year’s, which was adopted by the UN Third Committee and the UN General Assembly by consensus without a vote, a spokesperson for the EU delegation to the UN told the US broadcaster.The spoke

North KoreaOct. 31, 2019

Cha In-pyo bought apartment from ex-minister’s relative without knowing

Actor Cha In-pyo denied being aware that the apartment he purchased recently had been owned by a relative of Justice Minister Cho Kuk. The ex-justice minister’s cousin once removed has been indicted on embezzlement charges, and the wife of that cousin sold the apartment to Cha through a real estate agent. On Wednesday, Cha released a statement on social media saying he and his spouse -- actress Shin Ae-ra -- had bought the apartment because they intended to live there and had been unaware

Social AffairsOct. 31, 2019

N. Korean leader sends condolence message to Moon over passing of his mother

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has extended a condolence message to President Moon Jae-in over the death of his mother, Kang Han-ok, Cheong Wa Dae announced Thursday.Kim delivered the message Wednesday afternoon through the truce village of Panmunjom, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson, Ko Min-jung.It was conveyed soon after to Moon at Namcheon Catholic Cathedral in Busan, where a mourning station for Kang was set up, she added. Kim sent his "consolation" message for Moon, expres

North KoreaOct. 31, 2019

BLACKPINK's 'As If It's Your Last' tops 700m YouTube views

The music video of K-pop girl band BLACKPINK's "As If It's Your Last" hit the milestone of 700 million YouTube views Thursday.The music video, released in June 2017, surpassed the 700 million threshold early Thursday morning, according to the band's label, YG Entertainment.  The feat made "As If It's Your Last" the four-piece girl band's third music video to achieve the 700-million-view record, following "Ddu-du Ddu-du" and "Boombaya," making BLACKPIN

PerformanceOct. 31, 2019

SK Innovation Q3 net plunges 62 % on inventory losses

SK Innovation Co., South Korea's top refiner, said Thursday that its third-quarter net profit tumbled 62 percent from a year earlier on inventory losses.Net profit stood at 174.2 billion won ($149 million) on a consolidated basis in the July-September period, compared with 459.4 billion won a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing.Operating income plunged 60.5 percent on-year to reach 330 billion won in the third quarter, with sales falling 17.3 percent on-year to 12.3 trillion wo

IndustryOct. 31, 2019

N. Korea's top girl band to go on concert tour in China

North Korea's best-known girl band is expected to go on a one-month concert tour in China later this year, sources said Thursday, in a sign of strengthening relations between Pyongyang and Beijing.Moranbong Band plans to start the tour in Beijing in December at the invitation of a Chinese international culture exchange center, which will be followed by concerts in other major Chinese cities such as Shanghai, Shenzhen and Changsha, according to the sources. It will be the first time that the band

North KoreaOct. 31, 2019

Court to decide whether to issue arrest warrant for ex-justice minister's brother

A Seoul court will review another prosecution request to issue an arrest warrant for the younger brother of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk on Thursday over alleged wrongdoing involving a private school foundation run by the family.The Seoul Central District Court began a hearing at 10:30 a.m. to decide whether to issue the arrest warrant for the 52-year-old, who showed up in court in a wheelchair, after an initial request by prosecutors was rejected earlier this month.State prosecutors asked th

Social AffairsOct. 31, 2019

East Asian football body not considering sanctioning N. Korea for skipping tournament

North Korea will not face punishment for withdrawing from an East Asian football tournament to be held in South Korea later this year, the region's top football body said Wednesday.North Korea will skip the women's tournament at the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Football Championship, set to take place from Dec. 10-18 in the South Korean city of Busan. The Korea Football Association (KFA) revealed on Tuesday that the North had informed the EAFF in September that it would not sen

North KoreaOct. 31, 2019

Fire burns down structures at historic Japanese castle

TOKYO (AP) -- A fire has spread among structures at Shuri Castle on Japan's southern island of Okinawa, nearly destroying the UNESCO World Heritage site. Firefighters were still battling the blaze a few hours after the fire started early Thursday and nearby residents were evacuated to safer areas, Okinawa police spokesman Ryo Kochi said.The fire in Naha, the prefectural capital of Okinawa, started from the castle's main structure. The main Seiden temple and a Hokuden structure, or north temple,

World NewsOct. 31, 2019

New S. Korean ambassador expects US-NK talks to resume this year

South Korea's top envoy to the United States said Wednesday that he expects the US and North Korea to resume denuclearization negotiations before the end of the year.Ambassador Lee Soo-hyuck made the remark to reporters in his first briefing since taking office last week, noting that his prediction is based only on the South Korean government's assessment of the last round of negotiations that took place in Sweden early this month.The talks ended without an agreement, with the North accusing the

North KoreaOct. 31, 2019

US House panel passes bill on reuniting Korean-Americans with NK family members

WASHINGTON -- A US congressional committee on Wednesday passed a bill calling for US efforts to reunite Korean-Americans with their family members in North Korea.The Divided Families Reunification Act, introduced by Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), passed through the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee amid ongoing tensions between the US and the North over the regime's nuclear weapons program.The bill requires the US secretary of state and the US special envoy on North Korea human rights

North KoreaOct. 31, 2019

US Fed lowers key interest rate as 'insurance' against economic risks

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- The US Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate for the third straight time on Wednesday but is likely to hold off before providing more stimulus as it gauges economic risks.Though President Donald Trump's trade war with China and Brexit concerns have created uncertainties that have crimped business investment and undermined manufacturing, the American economy has remained "resilient," and monetary policy is now "in a good place," Fed Chairman

World NewsOct. 31, 2019

S. Korea to offer autonomous bus service in Sejong in 2022

A simple tap on a smartphone screen can bring a bus to your selected location. And don't be surprised if the driver's hands are not on the wheel. The proposed service is an illustration of South Korea's efforts to develop future vehicles and related services amid growing global competition.The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said it will begin testing autonomous buses in South Korea's administrative hub of Sejong next month.A human backup driver will be behind the wheel durin

IndustryOct. 31, 2019

Samsung’s Q3 net profit plummets on semiconductor market woes

Samsung Electronics on Thursday kept an upbeat outlook on its memory chip business, pledging flexible investments into the sector despite its third-quarter earnings having suffered from semiconductor market woes.Samsung’s third-quarter earnings released earlier in the day showed that its net profit more than halved due to the lackluster performance of its semiconductors division, despite improved smartphone sales. In a conference call that immediately followed the earnings release, Jeon Se

IndustryOct. 31, 2019

Sept. industrial output falls 0.4% on service sector

South Korea's industrial output fell in September from a month earlier due mainly to declines in the services sector, government data showed Thursday.The country's overall industrial production saw a 0.4 percent on-month decline last month after posting on-year gains in the previous two months, Statistics Korea said in a statement. Production in the mining, manufacturing, gas and electricity industries climbed 2 percent in September from a month ago, while output in the services industry decline

IndustryOct. 31, 2019