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Visitors wash hair in calamus water ahead of Dano festival SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - Foreign tourists and children participated in a centuries-old Korean tradition of washing their hair in water infused with calamus root at the National Folk Museum of Korea in Seoul on Wednesday, two days ahead of this year's Dano festival. The museum held the demonstration in the courtyard of Ochon-daek, a traditional house on its grounds, as part of its seasonal Dano program. Dano falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month and has long been marked as a major folk holiday, with customs meant to ward off evil spirits and bring good fortune. Washing hair in water boiled with calamus root is a custom, believed to keep hair from graying early and to repel bad luck. This year's Dano falls on June 19, when the museum plans additional events including fan-giving, bracelet-making and special performances. 2026-06-17 16:30:16 -
Housing prices near chip clusters in Seoul outskirts surge amid soaring demand SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - An ongoing artificial intelligence (AI)-driven semiconductor boom is spilling over into the housing market, pushing up apartment prices near facilities operated by chip giants Samsung Electronics and SK hynix in satellite cities across Gyeonggi Province. According to transaction prices disclosed through a database system operated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, an 84-square-meter unit at an apartment complex in Dongtan was traded for 2.23 billion won (about US$1.5 million) earlier this month, setting a new record high. Dongtan, located near Samsung Electronics' Hwaseong and Pyeongtaek campuses, is one of the key residential areas for its employees. Realtors say demand for homes has surged recently in Dongtan, Suwon, Yongin and other commuter towns close to the two leading chipmakers, with apartment prices climbing rapidly in recent weeks as buyers rush to secure homes amid expectations that prices could rise further. A real estate agent there said, "It is one of the most popular areas because Samsung Electronics and SK hynix employees can commute via shuttle bus," adding that buyers are mostly those seeking homes near their workplaces, as well as others coming from farther away to look for listings. According to the Korea Real Estate Board, a state-run real estate information provider, apartment prices in Dongtan stood at between 1.1 billion and 1.2 billion won as of early this month, rising 1.98 percent in June, far outpacing the national average of 0.1 percent. The development comes as Samsung Electronics and SK hynix employees received hefty bonuses and benefit from strong stock market gains driven by the rapid growth of the semiconductor sector. Many are also taking advantage of company-backed loan programs, further boosting their purchasing power in the housing market. They have also emerged as big spenders, with higher incomes driving increased spending on automobiles, luxury goods, and other high-end items. But market analysts warn that widening income gaps between workers in booming technology sectors and others could intensify housing disparities, affecting the broader economy beyond corporate earnings and stock prices. 2026-06-17 16:22:38 -
Calamus water hair-washing ahead of Dano SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - Foreign visitors and children take part in a calamus water hair-washing experience during a Dano seasonal event in front of Ochon-daek at the National Folk Museum of Korea in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on June 17, 2026. 2026-06-17 15:55:30 -
Calamus water hair-washing ahead of Dano SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - Foreign visitors and children take part in a calamus water hair-washing experience during a Dano seasonal event in front of Ochon-daek at the National Folk Museum of Korea in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on June 17, 2026. 2026-06-17 15:54:31 -
Calamus water hair-washing ahead of Dano SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - Foreign visitors and children take part in a calamus water hair-washing experience during a Dano seasonal event in front of Ochon-daek at the National Folk Museum of Korea in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on June 17, 2026. 2026-06-17 15:53:19 -
Calamus water hair-washing ahead of Dano SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - Foreign visitors and children take part in a calamus water hair-washing experience during a Dano seasonal event in front of Ochon-daek at the National Folk Museum of Korea in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on June 17, 2026. 2026-06-17 15:52:07 -
Calamus water hair-washing ahead of Dano SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - A foreign visitor takes part in a calamus water hair-washing experience during a Dano seasonal event in front of Ochon-daek at the National Folk Museum of Korea in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on June 17, 2026. 2026-06-17 15:51:04 -
Ruling party members shooed away as Jamsil rally takes a far-right turn SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - The political tide appeared to shift Wednesday at Gate 2-1 of Seoul Olympic Park's Handball Gymnasium, where a protest initially fueled by younger voters' concerns over ballot shortages increasingly showed signs of becoming dominated by older, far-right activists. Members of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea visited the site of an ongoing rally over the June 3 local election ballot shortage, urging demonstrators not to disrupt public access and sports activities at the venue. Lawmakers Chun Jun-ho, Jeon Yong-gi and Lim O-kyeong visited the Handball Gymnasium in southeastern Seoul, where protesters have maintained a blockade around a vote-counting center established for the local elections. While acknowledging citizens' right to raise concerns over possible infringements on voting rights, the lawmakers called on participants to avoid obstructing pedestrian traffic and interfering with the operations of sports organizations housed inside the building. The lawmakers were met with hostility from demonstrators, who chanted slogans such as "Election fraud," "Hold a new election" and "Manual vote counting on election day." Some protesters shouted insults and attempted to block their movements. The lawmakers left after about 10 minutes as the atmosphere grew increasingly confrontational. The scene contrasted sharply with the early days of the protest, when much of the crowd consisted of people in their 20s and 30s who described themselves as politically unaffiliated and focused primarily on protecting voting rights after ballot shortages were reported during the June 3 local elections. On Wednesday, older demonstrators and overtly partisan messages appeared more prominent. Protesters waved South Korean and U.S. flags while continuing to call for a rerun of the election and the adoption of manual ballot counting. The number of American flags has increased alongside the growing presence of far-right activists calling for U.S. involvement in the probe into the ballot shortage incident. The protest began after ballot shortages disrupted parts of the June 3 local elections and has continued for more than a week outside the Handball Gymnasium in Seoul's Olympic Park. On Tuesday, opposition People Power Party lawmaker Jang Dong-hyeok received a warmer reception and briefly brokered an arrangement that allowed tenants of the gymnasium — home to multiple sports associations — to retrieve belongings needed for overseas competitions. The entrance was nearly reopened before a woman in her 20s blocked access by clinging to a gate secured with tape, halting the effort. 2026-06-17 15:47:00 -
Yuhan Corporation Accelerates Growth with New Drug Pipeline Following Lecraza Success As the cancer treatment drug Lecraza gains traction in both domestic and international markets, Yuhan Corporation is accelerating the development of its new drug pipeline to secure future growth. According to industry sources on June 17, Lecraza, a treatment for non-small cell lung cancer, recorded sales of 99.6 billion won ($84 million) in 2025, marking a 17% increase from the previous year’s 84.6 billion won. This growth is attributed to the approval of its combination therapy with Johnson & Johnson's (J&J) Librium by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August 2024, which helped establish its presence in the global market. J&J's first-quarter earnings report indicated that the combined sales of this therapy reached $257 million (approximately 389 billion won), an 82% increase compared to the same period last year. Industry attention is now shifting to Yuhan Corporation's 'post-Lecraza' strategy. The company is focusing on developing pipelines centered around allergy treatments, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASH) treatments, and cancer therapies. A Yuhan Corporation representative stated, "We currently view five pipelines as potential post-Lecraza candidates. Instead of concentrating on a single candidate, we are pursuing a strategy of developing multiple pipelines simultaneously." The most notable pipeline at present is the allergy treatment Resigercept (code name YH35324). Like Lecraza, Resigercept is noteworthy for being an asset acquired through open innovation. Yuhan Corporation has been co-developing this candidate since acquiring it from GI Innovation in 2020. The global rights, excluding Japan, are held by Yuhan Corporation. The company began global Phase 2 clinical trials for Resigercept earlier this year, aiming to produce key results in the fourth quarter following the conclusion of the last test subject in the second half of next year. A company representative remarked, "We have been in discussions regarding technology transfer with global pharmaceutical companies since Phase 1, and we are currently focused on accelerating development through technology exports or establishing new companies based on domestic and international funding." The MASH treatment candidate YH25724 is also a core pipeline. This dual-action drug works on both glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21). Notably, YH25724 is recognized as a self-developed pipeline by Yuhan Corporation. Although this candidate was licensed to the German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim in 2019, it returned to Yuhan Corporation in 2025, which has continued its development. If successful in commercialization, it could generate revenues exceeding those of Lecraza, making it a promising candidate for profitability. YH25724 received approval for its Phase 1 clinical trial application (IND) last month. Three cancer drug pipelines are also currently in Phase 1 trials. An industry insider commented, "The cash generation and development experience gained from Lecraza are leading to the development of subsequent pipelines. The cultivation of post-Lecraza candidates will determine the company's next growth phase." Meanwhile, Yuhan Corporation, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, invested the most in research and development (R&D) among South Korea's top five pharmaceutical companies last year. Its annual R&D investment reached 242.3 billion won, accounting for 11% of its total revenue of 2.1866 trillion won last year.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-17 15:44:00 -
South Korea to Stockpile 34,000 Tons of Cabbage and Radishes for Summer Supply Stability The South Korean government plans to stockpile 34,000 tons of cabbage and radishes to ensure immediate market supply in case of reduced shipments. Additionally, it will import 30 million fresh eggs and 17 million hatching eggs to meet increased summer demand. On June 17, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced the formation of a "Summer Agricultural Supply Stability Task Force" to proactively address potential supply instability in agricultural products during the summer months. The meeting included representatives from the Rural Development Administration, National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT), and the Korea Rural Economic Institute, who reviewed supply trends and seasonal risk factors for key agricultural products. The ministry will designate major agricultural products for focused management, conducting weekly assessments of supply conditions and implementing preemptive stockpiling for items at risk of supply instability. It also plans to expand discount support to help lower consumer prices, with rice, eggs, and cabbage set for discounts until July 1. Support measures will also be introduced to mitigate productivity losses due to heatwaves. The government will provide temperature-reducing equipment such as black-and-white mulching films, shading materials, cooling pads, and ventilation fans for open-field and facility horticulture, orchards, and livestock farms. Nutritional supplements will be supplied to pig and poultry farms. Various agencies will collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture to minimize heatwave damage. The Rural Development Administration will operate a field technical support team to enhance pest prevention and growth management amid heavy rainfall, while the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation will assist farmers by regulating contracted production volumes. Additionally, aT will flexibly manage government stockpiles and take charge of importing items experiencing supply instability, such as eggs. The supply stability task force plans to hold regular meetings biweekly following its inaugural session, with additional assessments conducted as needed in response to expected weather anomalies. The task force aims to respond proactively to weather-related risks and swiftly implement stockpile releases and discount support when supply instability is anticipated. Kim Jong-gu, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, stated, "During the summer, the incidence of pests and diseases increases due to heavy rainfall and heatwaves. The Ministry of Agriculture will closely monitor the supply situation of key products in collaboration with relevant agencies and provide support for rapid production resumption in the event of disasters."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-06-17 15:44:00