Starbucks Korea, Korea’s top specialty coffee chain, now accepts Apple Pay, Apple’s mobile payment service, as of Tuesday. Starbucks Korea is the second retailer under Korean retail giant Shinsegae Group to implement the near-field communication system for Apple Pay following E-mart24, Shinsegae’s local convenience store. Apple Pay landed in Korea on March 21 with local partner Hyundai Card. “Ninety-six percent of Starbucks cafes, except for the 40 located inside departme

Market May 10, 2023

Lee Bok-hyun, chief of the Financial Supervisory Service, is heading to Southeast Asia this week to promote the globalization of South Korea’s financial markets and attract global investors, the financial watchdog said Tuesday. The FSS chief, accompanied by representatives from Korean financial companies, was scheduled to visit Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia and hold investor relations events there. Lee’s visit began with a trip to Thailand on Monday, where he met with Sethaput

Market May 9, 2023

South Korean cable maker LS Cable & System said Monday it had won an order worth 2 trillion won ($1.5 billion) as part of the largest-ever transmission network project launched by Dutch state-run grid operator. The Korean firm is forming a consortium together with Belgian construction companies Jan De Nul and Denys to secure the deal. The project aims to connect a North Sea offshore wind farm with inland areas of Germany and the Netherlands through high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables.

Companies May 8, 2023

The British Ambassador to Korea Colin Crooks hosted a reception to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between South Korea and Britain, as well as the coronation of Britain's King Charles III at the British Embassy in Seoul on Wednesday. During the event, Crooks expressed gratitude to the visiting guests and highlighted the long-standing ties of the two nations, expressing optimism for a bright future of cooperation. Crooks was particularly grateful for

Foreign Affairs May 4, 2023

Elementary school students would love to hear “I love you” the most from their parents and teachers on Children’s Day, according to a survey released Wednesday. According to the survey conducted by Chungcheongnamdo Office of Education, 37.8 percent of respondents said they wanted to hear "I love you" while 24 percent said they want to hear "you can do it.” From their friends, some 40 percent of respondents said they want to hear "let's hang out

Social Affairs May 4, 2023

One in 5 elementary and middle school students have expressed a desire to attend medical school, a survey showed Tuesday. According to a poll of 1,344 students conducted by MegaStudy Education, an online-based education platform, 21.6 percent of respondents chose medical science as their preferred major in university. The second most popular choice was natural science with 18.7 percent, followed by engineering, and humanities and social science, with 15.5 percent and 10.3 percent, respectively

Social Affairs May 2, 2023

Tens of thousands of workers took to the streets nationwide on Monday in South Korea to mark Labor Day with protests against labor reforms being pushed by the Yoon Suk Yeol government. Workers belonging to the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions and the Federation of Korea Trade Unions -- the country’s two major umbrella labor organizations -- participated in large-scale rallies across the country, including in the metropolitan cities of Seoul, Daegu, Busan, Gwangju and the southern island

Social Affairs May 1, 2023

Seoul's Jamsu Bridge connecting Yongsan and Seocho districts will be closed from 12:00 a.m. on Saturday to 12:00 a.m. on Sunday due to a fashion show hosted by French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, the city government said Friday. During this time, the bridge will be inaccessible to cars, bicycles, motorcycles and pedestrians. Buses will also be taking temporary detours, it added. To inform people in the vicinity of the bridge about the traffic control measures and encourage them to fi

Social Affairs April 28, 2023

Nearly half of Korea's young people don't want their children to receive the same kind of education they had, a survey showed Thursday. According to a survey conducted by the Educational Broadcasting System (EBS) last August, 49.6 percent of Korean respondents reacted negatively to the question of whether their children should receive the same kind of education they had. Among the respondents of other countries who also answered the question negatively, Japanese ranked second at 39.5

Social Affairs April 27, 2023

Gangwon Province said Tuesday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with K-Diaspora World Solidarity in an attempt to cultivate the identity of overseas Korean youth. "K-Diaspora" refers to the Korean diaspora, a group of people of Korean origin regardless of nationality. K-Diaspora World Solidarity is a nonprofit organization aimed at providing young overseas Koreans with opportunities to develop their sense of identity and talent. According to the Gangwon provincial gove

Social Affairs April 26, 2023

The Seoul city government said Tuesday that it will host a range of cultural festivities and events in public parks throughout the city next month, in a bid to provide families with diverse cultural experiences. The planned events include a list of musicals, cultural performances and hands-on activities related to both nature and Korean culture. They are set to take place at 20 parks across the city, including Boramae Park, Mapo World Cup Park, Mt. Baebong Park, Seoul Botanic Park, Seoul Grand P

Social Affairs April 25, 2023

Gwangju's Bukbu Police Station announced Thursday it would reward a man for thwarting a kidnapping attempt. The man, a 42-year old identified only by the surname Lee, will be rewarded with 1 million won ($760), for deterring a kidnapper from taking a 9-year-old girl. After witnessing a man approaching a young girl on April 2 at 5:15 p.m., Lee asked them what their relationship was. The man said that he was her uncle and hurriedly left the scene with the young girl. Lee, however, kept follow

Social Affairs April 7, 2023