SK E&S constructs world's largest liquified hydrogen plant

SEOUL, May 09 (AJU PRESS) - SK E&S, the green energy arm of Korea's SK Group, has constructed the world's largest hydrogen liquefaction plant in the western port city of Incheon. The company held the dedication ceremony Wednesday for the plant with an annual capacity of 30,000 tons of liquid hydrogen, enough to fuel 5,000 hydrogen buses for a year. SK E&S said it has invested about 700 billion won ($511.7 million) in the construction between 2021 and 2023. Liquefi

May 9, 2024

Opinion: Germany lowers voting age to 16 for the European elections – but is it playing into the far right's hands?

SEOUL, May 09 (AJU PRESS) - Ahead of the European parliament elections in June, Germany has lowered the age limit on participation to 16. This makes it the largest of just a handful of states in the EU to allow people under the age of 18 to vote. Austria, Belgium and Malta have already enfranchised 16 and 17-year-olds, and Greece is to allow anyone turning 17 in 2024 to participate in the June vote. Around 4.8 million young Germans – plus about 300,000 young people from othe

May 9, 2024

Opinion: Boeing's Starliner launch – delayed again – will be an important milestone for commercial spaceflight

SEOUL, May 09 (AJU PRESS) - Already years late, Boeing's Starliner spacecraft continues to face delays as it prepares to launch NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams into space. The latest delay came as a problem with its ride to orbit, an Atlas V rocket, caused the first launch attempt late on May 6, 2024, to be scrubbed. When it does launch from the Kennedy Space Center, no earlier than May 17, this last crucial test for Starliner will try out the new spacecraft an

May 9, 2024

LIG Nex1 displays guided missiles at defense exhibition in Kuala Lumpur

SEOUL, May 08 (AJU PRESS) - LIG Nex1 is displaying its mid-range surface-to-air missile defense system "Cheongung-II" at the Defence Services Asia (DSA), which kicked off on Monday for a four-day run in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. More than 1,200 companies from some 60 countries are participating in the defense exhibition hosted by the Malaysian government. The Cheongung-II, also known as M-SAM, features the function of intercepting ballistic missiles at an altitude of ab

May 8, 2024

Hangeul forum inaugurated in Sejong City

SEOUL, May 08 (AJU PRESS) - The inaugural forum on promoting the use of Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, was held in Korea's administrative capital, Sejong City, on Wednesday. Hosted by the Sejong Institute of Korean Language and Culture, the forum provided a platform to discuss ways to raise public awareness of the importance of preserving the Korean language. Notably, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Hyungwon Kang, dedicated to the globalization of Korean cultural heritage,

May 8, 2024

Korea's workforce expected to decline 10 million by 2044 

SEOUL, May 07 (AJU PRESS) - Korea is expected to face a dramatic decline in its workforce of nearly 10 million by 2044 due to its low fertility rate, a report released by the Korean Peninsula Population Institute for Future (KPPIF) Tuesday shows. According to the report, the population aged 15 to 64, totaling 36.57 million in 2023, is projected to decline to 27.17 million by 2044. The total population will fall to 39.69 million in 2065 from 51.71 million in 2023. KPPIF forecasts

May 7, 2024

Queer parade to take place in central Seoul on June 1

SEOUL, May 07 (AJU PRESS) – The organizers of Korea’s largest LGBTQ festival on Tuesday announced plans to stage a Pride parade in central Seoul on June 1, criticizing the city government for rejecting its application to use the event's traditional spot of Seoul Plaza for the second consecutive year. The Seoul Queer Parade, a key event of the Seoul Queer Culture Festival (SQCF), will be held in the capital's Euljiro and Jongno districts, hundreds of meters from

May 7, 2024

Event promoting Korea underway in Paris ahead of Olympics

SEOUL, May 07 (AJU PRESS) - A Korea-themed festival featuring various events and splendid programs are currently underway across France, under the name of "2024 Korean Season." More than a dozen Korean cultural organizations including the Korea Tourism Organization and Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, are actively promoting Korea at the festival which runs for six months. The festival kicked off with a captivating performance and dance battle b

May 7, 2024

Stray Kids to drop collaborative single with Charlie Puth this week

SEOUL, May 07 (AJU PRESS) - Boy band Stray Kids are set to release their new single "Lose My Breath" later this week. The single featuring a collaboration with American singer-songwriter Charlie Puth will be available on major music-streaming sites this Friday, according to the eight-member band's agency JYP Entertainment. Excitement has been building among fans since teaser videos and posters for the single were revealed last week, as it soured to the top on YouTube

May 7, 2024

Korean oil refiners ramp up car wash business amid declining profit margins

SEOUL, May 07 (AJU PRESS) – Major Korean oil refiners are expanding their presence in the market of automatic no-brush tunnel car washes as part of efforts to improve their bottom line as higher oil prices and operating costs are squeezing their profit margins. HD Hyundai Oil Bank signed a cooperation agreement with domestic unmanned no-brush car wash service operator Come In Wash last week to accelerate the distribution of an automated no-brush tunnel car wash system to its

May 7, 2024