Yoon's approval rating stuck in doldrums, plummeting below 30%

SEOUL, September 2 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating fell below 30 percent, according to a survey released on Monday. Pollster Realmeter surveyed 2,513 people aged 18 and older across the country last week and found that some 29.6 percent feel Yoon is doing a good job, a decline of 0.4 percentage points from the previous week and is the second-lowest level since he took office in May 2022. It also marked the first time in nearly two years that his approval rat

September 2, 2024

Health Ministry official tries to alleviate concerns over emergency room crisis

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (AJP) - Korea's intensive care units (ICUs), are not on the brink of a breakdown, despite complaints that many hospitals are struggling to operate emergency rooms properly, a Health Ministry official claimed on Monday. The claims came amid walkouts by trainee doctors protesting the government's radical reform plans over the admission quotas of medical school students. Some 2,645 ambulances were turned away from emergency rooms due to manpower shortages and

September 2, 2024

Naver's map service sees surge among foreign travelers, outpacing Google Maps

SEOUL, September 2 (AJP) - Usage of Naver's map service has increased significantly among foreign travelers. The number of daily active users of the service in foreign languages rose by approximately 30.8 percent to an estimated 6.89 million last month, compared to the same period last year, Korea's largest portal said on Sunday. A survey of about 1,200 foreign travelers to Korea, jointly conducted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organiza

September 2, 2024

President Yoon refuses to attend Assembly opening ceremony

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (AJP) - The 22nd National Assembly officially kicked off with a ceremony on Monday, but President Yoon Suk Yeol chose not to attend. This marked the first time since 1987 that a president has skipped such a ceremony. His absence comes amid ongoing disputes with rival and other opposition parties. Although the new Assembly was convened on May 30, the official event to inaugurate the Assembly was indefinitely delayed for about 95 days — the longest since 1987 &mda

September 2, 2024

SM Entertainment to debut AI-powered virtual artist next week

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (AJP) – SM Entertainment, a major Korean talent agency, will debut its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered virtual artist nævis with a digital single, "Done," on Sept. 10. On Thursday, SM Entertainment signed a memorandum of understanding with LG Uplus, a telecom operator, to produce various types of content, including music videos and short-form videos, for the digital human using LG Uplus' generative AI technology, "ixi-GEN."

September 2, 2024

LG Electronics establishes heat pump research consortium in China

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (AJP) - LG Electronics has established a heat pump research consortium in Harbin, China, as part of its efforts to expand its presence in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) market, which is crucial for AI and high-capacity data centers. The launch of the Chinese Consortium for Advanced Heat Pump Research (CCAHR) marks the completion of LG's global research and development triangle for HVAC, following similar initiatives in Alaska, U.S., and Oslo

September 2, 2024

Samsung Medison acquires French AI startup Sonio

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (AJP) - Samsung Medison, a Korean manufacturer of diagnostic ultrasound systems, said Monday that it has finalized the acquisition of Sonio, a French startup specializing in ultrasound diagnostic reporting and AI-assisted diagnosis. With this acquisition, the company aims to accelerate innovation in ultrasound imaging and reduce global healthcare disparities by expanding its AI solution portfolio. Sonio's FDA 510(k)-approved AI solution, "Detect," eva

September 2, 2024

Korea's kimchi imports hit record high amid cabbage price surge

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (AJP) - Korea's kimchi imports have reached a record high in the first seven months of this year, rising nearly 7 percent compared to the same period last year, customs data showed on Monday. From January to July, kimchi imports totaled around 130 billion won ($98.47 million), up 6.9 percent year-on-year, according to the Korea Customs Service. The import volume increased by 6 percent to 173,329 tons during the same period, breaking the previous record of 172,

September 2, 2024

Korean defense firms participate in major industry show in Poland

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (AJP) - Korea's leading defense companies are set to showcase their products at an industry fair in Poland this week, aiming to expand their footprint in the European market. The 32nd International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO), one of Europe's largest defense exhibitions, will be held in central Poland from Tuesday to Friday. About 800 companies from 35 countries are expected to participate in the event in Targi Kielce, an exhibition and congress center.

September 2, 2024

OPINION: 26 states may soon need to regulate cannabis – here's what they can learn from Colorado and Washington

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (AJP) - The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has made moves to reclassify marijuana, making it a type of legal but regulated medicine, like Tylenol with codeine or some steroids. With the reclassification, 26 states where cannabis is currently illegal will need to decide whether they want to take action to stop the sale of cannabis in their state or figure out how to regulate the newly legal drug. A few states such as North Carolina have laws on the books sayin

September 2, 2024