Annual year-end bell-ringing ceremonies have been canceled across the nation for the second year in a row amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, officials said Friday. The country's most popular bell-ringing ceremony, which used to be held on New Year's Eve at Bosingak Pavilion in central Seoul, has been called off again, according to the Seoul city government. Instead, a virtual bell-ringing event will be livestreamed through YouTube and Facebook, the city said. It marks the second time the y

Social Affairs Dec. 31, 2021

J-hope, a member of K-pop superband BTS, donated 100 million won ($84,000) Friday for children suffering economic hardships amid the protracted COVID-19 pandemic, a charity group said. According to ChildFund Korea, J-hope expressed hope that his donation will be used to help children in need have a warm winter. "I was concerned for children who would be spending a cold and lonely holiday season due to economic hardships from the COVID-19 pandemic," J-hope said. The donation will be

K-pop Dec. 31, 2021

Hyundai Electric & Energy Systems Co., an affiliate of Hyundai Heavy Industries Group, said Friday it has exported ultrahigh-voltage power transformers to Oman's state utility provider in a deal valued at $8.5 million. The supply deal with the Oman Electricity Transmission Co., included the sales of three 400-kilovolt/500-megavolt ampere power transformers, which will be installed in a new substation north of Oman, Hyundai Electric said. With the deal, the company's power transformer sales

Industry Dec. 31, 2021

Industry Minister Moon Sung-wook vowed Friday to make all-out efforts to ensure stable supply chains for key industry materials and to nurture next-generation sectors. He made the pledge in his message for the new year, saying the government will work further to make concrete steps that prevent any recurrences of the recent urea crisis. South Korea experienced a shortage of urea solution, an essential fluid used in diesel vehicles to cut emissions, after China imposed export curbs on urea in O

Economy Dec. 31, 2021

The National Assembly on Friday passed a bill that lowers the age of candidacy for parliament and local elections from 25 to 18. Under the bill, which is expected to be endorsed by the Cabinet next month, anyone aged 18 and above can run for a seat in the National Assembly starting with the by-elections slated for March 9, when the presidential election will be held simultaneously. At least five seats will be up for grabs in the 300-seat Assembly. The bill passed 204-12, with 10 abstentions.

Politics Dec. 31, 2021

South Korea's military on Friday reported 22 additional COVID-19 cases, including 21 breakthrough infections, raising the total caseload among its personnel to 3,257. Of the new cases, 16 are from the Army and two from the Navy, two from the Air Force and two from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the defense ministry said. Currently, 272 military personnel are under treatment. Of the total military caseload, 1,457 are breakthrough cases. (Yonhap)

Social Affairs Dec. 31, 2021

South Korea emitted a total of 701.3 million tons of greenhouse gas in 2019, the environment ministry said Friday. The 2019 figure, confirmed by the Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Research Center, represents a 3.5 percent drop from the 2018 tally, according to the ministry. The decrease came largely from a reduction in power plant emissions from 268.5 million tons to 248.7 million tons and alternative ozone layer depleting substances from 8.8 million tons to 6.3 million tons. But road transport

Social Affairs Dec. 31, 2021

South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell below 5,000 for the first time in three days Friday, but the government decided to extend toughened social distancing rules for two more weeks through mid-January to try to reduce critical cases and contain the omicron variant. The country added 4,875 new COVID-19 infections, including 4,758 local infections, raising the total caseload to 630,838, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The daily tally represented a sharp de

Social Affairs Dec. 31, 2021

Can Samsung Electronics Co. live up to the expectations and hype that the company helped create in the days leading up to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas next week? Earlier this week, the South Korean tech giant unveiled a teaser video featuring alien employees working hard behind a frosted window on the next innovations. Aliens have been often used by the company in its marketing strategy to create hype about its tech prowess being unparalleled and on another level. As far b

Industry Dec. 31, 2021

North Korea has discussed a draft resolution expected to be adopted at the close of an ongoing key party meeting, its state media reported Friday, amid expectations the document could include its foreign policy line for the new year. The North convened a fourth day of the 4th Plenary Meeting of the ruling Workers' Party's 8th Central Committee on Thursday, during which participants "concluded sectional workshops and consultative sessions," according to the official Korean Central News

North Korea Dec. 31, 2021

Hyundai Motor Co. said Thursday it will suspend one of its seven domestic plants next month to prepare for the production of electric vehicles. Hyundai Motor will halt the Asan plant from Jan. 3-28 to upgrade the facilities before beginning production of EVs next year, the company said in a regulatory filing. The company plans to resume operations of the 300,000-unit-a-year Asan plant, which produces the Sonata sedan and the Santa Fe SUV, on Feb. 3. Hyundai has seven domestic plants -- five

Industry Dec. 30, 2021

The South Korean stock market finished the final session of the year with lackluster trading Thursday as investors took to the sidelines amid a lack of market-moving events. The local currency gained ground against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) shed 15.64 points, or 0.52 percent, to finish at 2,977.65. Trading volume was a bit slim at about 454.04 million shares worth 8.59 trillion won ($7.23 billion), with decliners outnumbering gainers 485 to 377. T

Market Dec. 30, 2021

An Army service member suffered an injury in a land mine explosion near the inter-Korean border Thursday, an official said. The detonator of the Claymore directional anti-personnel mine exploded at the front-line Army base in Yanggu, 175 kilometers northeast of Seoul, when the troops were inspecting their equipment. The soldier is currently receiving medical treatment, although the official said his injury does not appear to be life-threatening. The Army is currently investigating the exact c

Defense Dec. 30, 2021

Hanwha Solutions Corp. a chemical and energy unit of South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Group, said Thursday it is acquiring the telecommunication module business of Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co. in a bid to diversify its electronics component sector. Under the agreement signed between the two companies earlier in the day, Hanwha Solutions will take over the WiFi module and the high-speed fifth-generation (5G) milimeter wave (mmWave) antenna module divisions from the Samsung unit, it said in a p

Industry Dec. 30, 2021

Main opposition presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol said Thursday he wants to pay a visit to former President Park Geun-hye when she recovers her health, as Park was to be set free later in the day under a presidential pardon. Park's release puts Yoon in an awkward position as he headed the investigation of Park's corruption scandal in 2016 that eventually led to her impeachment, ouster from office and imprisonment. "I would like to visit and meet former President Park Geun-hye when she

Politics Dec. 30, 2021