Heat Pump System Tested in Jeju for Heating, Cooling, and Hot Water "The current hot water temperature is about 46.5 degrees Celsius," said a Samsung Electronics representative, pointing to a control panel installed on the wall in the basement of a single-family home in Jeju's Donam-dong on September 14. The panel displayed the flow and temperature of water circulating in the house, as well as the air conditioning status. Nearby were a 200-liter hot water tank and a thermal storage tank, with insulated pipes running along the ceiling and walls.One outdoor heat p September 16, 2026

Agriculture Ministry to Enhance Winter Animal Disease Prevention Measures Starting in October The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is ramping up measures to combat the risk of winter animal diseases, including highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI), foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), and African swine fever (ASF). In light of increasing outbreaks abroad, the emergence of new FMD virus types, and the potential for ASF transmission through wild boars and feed, the ministry will focus on managing high-risk areas and farms while ensuring rapid response in case of outbreaks.On Septe September 16, 2026

Hong Ji-sun Pledges to Expand Housing Supply with Public and Private Resources Hong Ji-sun, the nominee for Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, expressed her commitment to expanding housing supply in areas desired by citizens by mobilizing both public and private resources. She aims to enhance the execution of housing supply policies by addressing on-site challenges such as permitting, drawing on her experience working in local government.During her opening remarks at the National Assembly confirmation hearing on the 16th, Hong stated her goal of achieving hous September 16, 2026

Long-Distance Travel with Electric Vehicles: EV Financing Promotions Ahead of Chuseok As the Chuseok holiday approaches, demand for long-distance travel is expected to rise, increasing interest in electric vehicles (EVs). Previously, EVs were primarily seen as suitable for short urban trips, but improvements in driving range and charging performance have expanded their viability for longer journeys, such as returning home or traveling.Hyundai Motor and Kia are enhancing battery capacity and driving efficiency based on their dedicated electric vehicle platform, E-GMP, while also e September 16, 2026

U.S. Clarity Act Fails, Hectofinancial Shares Drop 15% The failure of the Clarity Act, aimed at establishing a regulatory framework for virtual assets, has led to a significant drop in shares of fintech company Hectofinancial.As of 10:52 a.m. on September 16, Hectofinancial's stock was trading at 18,650 won, down 3,340 won (15.18%) from the previous trading day, according to the Korea Exchange. Other companies in the sector, including KakaoPay (-11.37%), Danal (-10.9%), and NHN (-4.15%), also experienced declines.The sharp drop in cryptocurrency-rel September 16, 2026

Kang Shin-cheol Aims to Build a Winning South Korean Military Kang Shin-cheol, the nominee for Minister of National Defense, stated on September 16 that he aims to create a "winning South Korean military," asserting that victory will become the strategy and policy of national defense. During his opening remarks at the confirmation hearing held by the National Assembly's Defense Committee, Kang emphasized the need to establish a defense posture led by the military across all domains, while also strengthening the combined defense posture under the solid trus September 16, 2026

Ansan Mayor Lee Min-keun Engages with Residents to Address Local Issues On September 15, Ansan Mayor Lee Min-keun accompanied residents of Ildong to address local inconveniences. As part of the upcoming budget preparation, the mayor shared local issues with residents under the theme 'Incorporating Citizens' Dreams into the Budget' and discussed ways to improve daily inconveniences. By directly observing the residents' daily challenges, Mayor Lee demonstrated his commitment to finding solutions on-site. About 70 people attended the meeting, including Mayor Lee, relev September 16, 2026

BABYMONSTER Sells Out Two Concerts in Macau, Drawing 18,000 Fans The group BABYMONSTER has sold out both performances of their second world tour in Macau.BABYMONSTER held their '2026-27 BABYMONSTER World Tour CHOOM' at The Venetian Arena in Macau on September 11 and 12, captivating over 18,000 local fans.This concert marked BABYMONSTER's first solo performance in Macau since their debut, generating significant buzz ahead of the event. Thanks to the explosive response from local fans, additional tickets were quickly sold out, showcasing their strong global tic September 16, 2026

Korean Bar Association Hosts Conference on Realistic Compensation for Damages The Korean Bar Association (KBA), led by President Kim Jeong-wook, announced that it will co-host a conference on "Realistic Compensation for Damages" with Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Dong-a on September 17 at 10 a.m. in the fourth meeting room of the National Assembly.The standards for calculating damages have remained unchanged for over a decade without reflecting economic conditions, leading to ongoing criticism that they are out of touch with public sentiment. In response, the KBA has orga September 16, 2026

Suwon City Launches '2026 Suwon Hwaseong Media Art' Festival Gyeonggi Suwon City (Mayor Lee Jae-jun) will host the '2026 Suwon Hwaseong Media Art' event from September 19 to October 6 at Jangan Park.Themed 'Saebit Dongrak (同樂): Suwon Hwaseong (華城), Blooming with Light Season 1 - Ayu Gabin (我有嘉賓),' the festival will take place daily from 6 PM to 10 PM at Hwaseomun, Janganmun, and Jangan Park. 'Ayu Gabin' translates to 'I have a precious guest.'The opening ceremony is scheduled for 7 PM on September 19. This marks the sixth year of the Suwon Hwaseon September 16, 2026