Seoul to allow passengers to tag out and reboard subway trains within 10 minutes

SEOUL -- Starting in July, Seoulites will be allowed to tag out and reboard subway trains within 10 minutes without paying an extra fare. Currently, passengers must pay for a new trip if they have to move through a toll gate to get to the other side of the platform or go to a toilet. These situations occur occasionally, especially when a person forgets to get off his or her destination station. According to Seoul, there were many complaints regarding the need to pay

June 29, 2023

Five S. Korean universities enter top 100 in global university ranking

SEOUL -- QS Quacquarelli Symonds, a Britain-based company specializing in the evaluation of higher education institutions, has included five South Korean universities in the top 100 on the list of 1,500 institutes in the world. Seoul National University ranked seventh among Asian universities, and 41st globally. QS determines the global ranking every year based on various factors such as academic reputation, faculty-student ratio, number of citations for academic journals, employme

June 28, 2023

Number of S. Korean overseas travelers slowly increase after reopening: market data

SEOUL -- The number of South Korean overseas travelers has exceeded 5 million in the first half of 2023, accounting for up to about 50 percent of the number of people who traveled to foreign countries in the first half of 2019, data released by the operator of the country's seven main airports showed. The state airport management body said the number of its total overseas flyers in 2022 was about 1.78 million. The Korea Airports Corporation (KAC) said in a statement that the nu

June 27, 2023

Whisky continues to attract young S. Korean consumers thanks to DIY cocktail culture: data

SEOUL -- Customs data showed that whisky is continuing to maintain its place as the favorite alcoholic drink among young consumers in their 20s and 30s thanks to various make-your-own cocktail recipes that are shared through social media platforms. Among simple cocktails, a highball is one of the most popular cocktails enjoyed by young consumers. Highball, a Japanese-style alcoholic cocktail that is based on an alcoholic spirit and a larger proportion of non-alcoholic base ingredie

June 26, 2023

[SUMMIT] S. Korea to cooperate with Viet Nam to achieve trade amount of $150 bln by 2030

SEOUL -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has vowed to enhance economic cooperation with Viet Nam to achieve a trade amount of $150 billion by 2030. At a summit meeting held in Hanoi, Yoon promised his country would provide $4 billion worth of low-interest-rate loans to Viet Nam by 2030. The South Korean leader also reached a consensus with Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong to increase coordination in counteraction against North Korea's nuclear weapon and missile program.

June 23, 2023

President Yoon arrives in Viet Nam for summit meeting with Vietnamese leader Vo Van Thuong

SEOUL -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has arrived in Viet Nam to attend a summit meeting with Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong. The South Korean leader will focus on enhancing economic cooperation during the two-day visit, which will be also joined by entrepreneurs including Samsung Electronics' Jay Y. Lee and SK Group's Chey Tae-won. Viet Nam is South Korea's third-largest trading partner after China and the United States. Data released by South Korea's t

June 22, 2023

President Yoon asks for global community's support to host World Expo in Busan

SEOUL -- President Yoon Suk-yeol has asked the global community to support South Korea to host the World Expo 2030 in the southern port city of Busan. The South Korean leader stressed that his country would showcase the greatest expo through the nine-minute speech delivered in Paris during the general assembly of an intergovernmental organization that oversees the World Expo. "Korea has been fully investing in preparing for the Busan Expo. We will make it the best World Expo o

June 21, 2023

President Yoon encourages overseas Koreans in Paris to support for Busan's bid for World Expo 2030

SEOUL -- President Yoon Suk-yeol has encouraged South Korean compatriots in Paris to support Busan's bid for the World Expo 2030. The South Korean leader is scheduled to participate in a general assembly of an intergovernmental organization called the "Bureau International des Expositions" and ask for support from the global community to host the expo in South Korea's southern port city. "We should be able to open up a new horizon for South Korea's global

June 20, 2023

Number of working S. Korean elderlies higher than young workers in 20s: data

SEOUL -- Recent data released by South Korea's state statistical information service has shown that the number of old people in their 60s is higher than that of young people in their 20s due to the rapidly aging society. The government data showed that about 60 percent of old people are working. South Korea is an aging country where about 30 percent of the population would consist of people aged 75 years and older by 2073. The aging society is accelerated by the record-low birt

June 19, 2023

Seoul attracts thousands of visitors through multicultural festival in iconic squares

SEOUL -- Two iconic squares in Seoul -- Gwanghwamun Square and Cheonggye Plaza -- were created into event spots where visitors could enjoy food from 42 countries and 16 music performances. Thousands of visitors from South Korea and abroad gathered on the first day of a multicultural festival that showcased various dance groups including the LA Rams Cheerleaders, an American football cheerleading squad. Gwanghwaun Square located near various restaurants and museums is favored by Seo

June 17, 2023