With The Korea Herald’s 70th anniversary comes an opportune moment to reflect on the path it has forged and the lives it has impacted. A number of readers have shared their journeys with The Korea Herald, many of which illustrate how the daily has evolved into being not just an English-language lens into Korean society, but also catalyzes personal growth, opens up new perspectives and serves as a cultural connector. Here are some of their stories. Expanding perspectives through a globa

Newsmaker Aug. 13, 2023

Volkswagen Group Korea continues to make efforts to contribute to the growth of automotive-specific software talent with a series of educational and job-creating initiatives for the local economy, responding to the need for highly trained software professionals in the increasingly digitized automotive industry. One pillar of the initiatives is a partnership with German nonprofit coding school 42 Wolfsburg and Kookmin University in Seoul. The collaboration centers around the "SEA:ME" --

Mobility Aug. 8, 2023

South Korean humanoid robotics company Rainbow Robotics said Monday it is joining a 17.4 billion won ($13.36 million) state-run project to develop robots specialized for firefighting. Overseen by the Korea Institute of Robot and Convergence, affiliated with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the project aims to create two advanced firefighter robots by 2028. One robot is designed to navigate disaster zones, with the ability to swiftly and precisely locate human presence. The other is ex

Technology Aug. 7, 2023

Hyundai Motor and Kia are recalling over 91,000 vehicles in the US due to fire risks tied to a possible defect in certain components that could overheat, according to the Korean automobile manufacturers on Friday. They advised owners to park their vehicles outdoors and away from structures until they are verified for safety or repaired. The affected vehicles include Hyundai's 2023-2024 Palisade, 2023 Tucson, Sonata, Elantra and Kona models, and the 2023-2024 Seltos and 2023 Kia Soul and Spo

Mobility Aug. 4, 2023

GS Retail, the operator of Korea’s convenience store franchise GS25, holds the largest number of stores in the southern regions of Vietnam among its five foreign peers, the company said Thursday. According to self-reported data as of last month, a total of 211 GS25 outlets are spread across these regions, edging out the number of stores operated by foreign competitors such as Circle K and Family Mart in the same areas. The southern regions encompass Ho Chi Minh City and its surrounding p

Consumer Aug. 3, 2023

The state-run Korea Land and Housing Corp. (LH) said Wednesday it will launch an "anti-cartel" headquarters as part of its effort to overhaul poor construction practices and stamp out the "construction cartel," a matter under scrutiny by the ruling party for potential collusion during the previous Moon Jae-in administration. LH CEO Lee Han-jun made the announcement at an emergency meeting of key officials, after a government-led probe found that the agency had failed to dete

Politics Aug. 3, 2023

South Korea saw the third-largest decline in gross domestic product per capita among major economies in 2022 amid a strong US dollar, data released on Wednesday showed. The country's GDP per capita fell 8.2 percent to record $32,142 in 2022 when compared to the year earlier, when it posted $34,998, according to data compiled by the Bank of Korea that was based on information from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the World Bank. The decline was the third larges

Industry Aug. 2, 2023

South Korean battery cell maker SK On, affiliated with the nation’s second-largest conglomerate SK Group, on Tuesday named Sung Min-suk an automotive veteran as its first chief commercial officer. Sung, the former CEO of Hanon Systems, a Korea-based automotive parts maker, will take the new role to handle client relations as part of the battery maker’s aggressive global expansion. In line with the new appointment, SK On has also restructured its marketing, purchasing and project mana

Mobility Aug. 1, 2023

Doosan Corp., the holding unit of Doosan Group, said Monday it had secured a total of 500 billion won ($390 million) in preorders since 2019 for its lightweight patterned flat cable — or PFC — from corporate clients around the world. The PFC is a next-generation cable system pioneered by Doosan that can replace traditional cable harnesses in electric devices by reducing the weight, volume and complexity significantly, especially for electric vehicles. The PFC combines multiple cables

Mobility July 31, 2023

Hyundai Elevator said Wednesday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with LG Electronics and KT in order to drive advancements in the applications of robotics and explore new business opportunities in the field of smart buildings. The signing ceremony was attended by Do Ik-han, vice president and head of the Service Business Division at Hyundai Elevator; Roh Kyu-chan, vice president and head of the Robot Business Division at LG Electronics; and Lee Sang-ho, vice president and head of the

Industry July 27, 2023

"South Korea aims to establish itself as a central hub within the global intellectual property network through strategic partnerships, technology-focused policies and active international engagement,” said Commissioner Lee Insil of the Korean Intellectual Property Office during her speech at the 64th World Intellectual Property Organization General Assembly held in Switzerland on July 6. During the first half of the year, the patent chief underscored Korea’s dedication to creati

Companies July 27, 2023

The two firms operating the nation’s largest part-time job portals, Albamon and Alba Heaven, were fined 2.6 billion won ($2 million) for collusion, the antitrust watchdog said Monday. Following a record 16.4 percent minimum wage hike in 2018, JobKorea and MediaWill Networks, which run Albamon and Alba Heaven, respectively, colluded with each other to reduce the type of jobs available in free job postings. They also increased and fixed the price of paid services in order to steer users towa

Companies July 24, 2023

Vietnam is responsible for about half of Nike’s footwear production globally, and almost half of the Vietnamese production is shouldered by South Korean equipment manufacturers that have operated there for decades. Nike is just one example of South Korean businesses’ presence in Vietnam in the textile and apparel industry. But changes proposed to a trade system that would make foreign companies like Korean textile firms in Vietnam no longer eligible for tax exemptions has sent jitter

Industry July 23, 2023

The “SK Boulevard” debuted in Jackson Country in the US state of Georgia on Wednesday, replacing the former Steve Reynolds Industrial Parkway in recognition of the contributions of SK Battery America to the local economy, SK On, the battery making unit of SK Group said Thursday. The announcement was made at a signage ceremony at SKBA's Georgia facility attended by key local figures including Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Commerce City Mayor Clark Hill, and Jackson County Chamber of C

Mobility July 20, 2023

Between 7:58 a.m. and 7:47 p.m on July 11, Cho Young-eun, a resident in Guro-gu, southern Seoul, received a total of 13 alerts from six different public offices regarding heavy rain. Five were from the Ministry of Public Administration and Safety, three were from the Korea Forest Service, two were from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and one each from district offices of Yongsan-gu, Gwanak-gu and Seongdong-gu. Mostly titled "Public Safety Alert," the messages urged the recipients to

Social Affairs July 19, 2023