S. Korea sets record with 30,586 tons of whisky imports in 2023

SEOUL -- Customs data reveals that South Korea has set a new record for whisky imports in 2023, thanks to a growing number of foreign liquor enthusiasts. A total of 30,586 tons of whisky were imported, marking a significant 13.1 percent increase compared to the previous year. This record-breaking change in consumption trend comes in a country where traditional spirits such as "Soju" and beer have long been the preferred choices among drinkers. According to Eatup Trend, a

January 16, 2024

Dual-armed robot 'ARMstrong' to carry out dangerous tasks at construction sites

SEOUL -- South Korea's state nuclear research center has transferred technology for "Accident Response Manipulator," a tracked robot with two arms, to a domestic smart construction solution provider called IT-1. The robot that can move heavy objects and turn off a valve will be used to help human workers at high-risk construction sites. Accident Response Manipulator (ARMstrong) was originally developed to handle hazardous tasks at nuclear plants. The smart robot can

January 15, 2024

Young S. Koreans seek anonymous counseling to treat addiction problems

SEOUL -- Virtual online space of metaverse operated by Seoul's northernmost district of Dobong has attracted hundreds of high school and university students, who seek counselling anonymously to treat addiction problems. The district offers online environments that young people find comfortable and familiar so that they can easily open their hearts and speak freely and truly about their problems. South Korean society with more than three million patients who suffer from mental

January 11, 2024

S. Korea to prohibit dog meat consumption from 2027

SEOUL -- South Korea's parliament has passed a bill to ban slaughtering and breeding dogs for consumption of dog meat. Starting in 2027, those found slaughtering a dog to use its meat can face punishment of up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won ($22,805). South Korea's agriculture ministry estimated that there were about 520,000 dogs bred in dog meat farms as of February 2022. Although eating dogs has been a longstanding tradition in Korea, the cons

January 9, 2024

[CES2024] S. Korea to open promotional booth for metaverse companies at CES

LAS VEGAS -- South Korea's science ministry will set up a booth at the Consumer Electronics Show, the world's largest annual consumer electronics exhibition held in Las Vegas, to help 10 South Korean companies promote their metaverse-related products to global investors and clients. Metaverse is a virtual world where anyone can engage in many different social and economic activities using their own avatars. Metaverse platforms require high-speed internet access. According

January 8, 2024

[CES2024] S. Korea to open promotional booth at CES 2024

LAS VEGAS -- South Korea's trade and investment promotion agency will set up a large-sized booth at the Consumer Electronics Show, the world's largest annual consumer electronics exhibition held in Las Vegas, to help some 480 South Korean organizations and companies promote their products and services to global investors and clients. KOTRA, or the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, is a South Korean government agency responsible for promoting international trade and

January 8, 2024

S. Korean video game 'DAVE THE DIVER' achieves milestone sales of 3 mln copies

SEOUL -- "DAVE THE DIVER," a casual, single-player adventure role-playing game developed by South Korean game developer MINTROCKET, has achieved milestone sales of three million copies. This is the first time for a South Korean game developer to garner global attention with a single-player video game. The adventure game, released in October 2022, depicts a story about Dave, a hard-working diver. Players can control Dave to catch fish, manage a restaurant, and farm vegeta

January 5, 2024

S. Korea partially restores vandalized Seoul palace walls using laser and chemicals

SEOUL -- South Korea's Cultural Heritage Administration, operated by the culture ministry, has partially restored the walls of the Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main palace of the Joseon dynasty that ruled the Korean peninsula from 1392 to 1897, located in the central Seoul area. Gyeongbokgung is an iconic palace in Seoul that was visited by some 3.4 million people in 2022. The area near the Blue House, the former presidential office, remains a high-security area with a score of c

January 4, 2024

S. Korea provides video interviews for refugee status applicants

SEOUL -- South Korea's justice ministry is providing video interviews for refugee status applicants who are unable to find their interpreters. Because the majority of professional interpreters live in Seoul and its surrounding cities, the ministry had difficulty communicating with minority language speakers residing in rural regions. Since 1994, the Ministry of Justice has selected refugees through in-person interviews. As of October 2023, a total of 100,176 people applied for

January 4, 2024

About 42 percent of S. Korean households consist of single people: data

SEOUL -- Among some 23.9 million households in South Korea with a population of about 51 million, about 42 percent consisted of people living alone, data released by South Korea's interior ministry showed. The ministry predicted the large proportion of single households was affected by a rising number of unmarried couples and elderly people who live alone. According to data released by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the number of South Korea's single households

January 4, 2024