S. Korean cosmetics industry struggles to recover from aftermaths of COVID-19 pandemic

SEOUL -- South Korea's cosmetics industry, which took a hard hit from the COVID-19 pandemic, is struggling to recover from the aftermath of the period of isolation and social distancing, data released by the central bank showed. When the first wave of the pandemic hit South Korea in February 2020, the government imposed heavy quarantine guidelines that had people grounded at home to prevent the spread of the infectious disease. Also, the government mandated people to wear facema

December 26, 2023

South Korean budget clothing brands win approval from consumers amid economic recession

SEOUL -- South Korean SPA (specialty retailer of private label apparel) garnered popularity among consumers amid the economic recession induced by high interest rates and increased material prices. Sales of domestic budget clothing brands operated by major retailers increased compared to 2022. South Korean consumers recognize SPA brands as clothing brands that sell reasonable-quality apparel for affordable prices. Consumers in their 20s favor buying clothes from SPA brands because f

December 26, 2023

Hyundai Mobis and US partner to create virtual world for car parts tests

SEOUL -- Hyundai Mobis, the parts-making wing of South Korea's Hyundai auto group, has partnered with United States-based software company Wind River to create a digital twin-based system where carmakers can develop and verify various vehicle parts and technologies. The virtual testing environment can also be used to demonstrate the functions of autonomous driving solutions through various scenarios. A digital twin is a virtual clone of an object or an infrastructure. Digital tw

December 26, 2023

Seoul becomes 14th most-visited city by foreign travelers in 2023

SEOUL -- Thanks to increased global recognition of South Korean culture including K-pop, K-drama, and Korean food, Seoul has become the 14th most visited city by foreign travelers in 2023, according to global market analyst firm Euromonitor. According to the global market analyst, some 1.3 billion people traveled to overseas destinations in 2023. People who were grounded during the COVID-19 pandemic headed to foreign countries as soon as most of the world's countries re-opened t

December 26, 2023

BLACKPINK to release virtual reality version of Seoul concert

SEOUL -- Girl band BLACKPINK will showcase a special concert on Horizon Worlds, a virtual reality platform created by Meta formerly known as Facebook. The four-member band will perform various hit songs such as "Pink Venom" and "How You Like That" through the virtual concert available in seven countries including the United States, Canada, and France. The concert is the virtual reality version of BLACKPINK's encore concert held in Seoul in September. The Sept

December 26, 2023

S. Korean film production company recreates historic sea battle with visual effects technology

SEOUL -- South Korea's film production company Bigstone Pictures has recreated a historic marine battle using visual effects technology. The intense battle scenes were showcased in "Noryang: Deadly Sea," a war action film directed by Kim Han-min. The film highlights Korea's 16th-century naval commander Yi Sun-sin who scored dramatic victories against Japan. Visual effects (VFX) technology, which incorporates computer graphics (CG) elements, is often used by filmmak

December 23, 2023

Bus strikes 18 pedestrians at transit center in Seoul's satellite city

SEOUL -- A public bus has struck 18 pedestrians at a bus transit center in Suwon, a southern satellite city of Seoul, killing an elderly woman and severely injuring two people. The bus also damaged infrastructure including a light pole and road signs. According to police, the accident took place at around 1:27 p.m. on December 22. An electric bus operated by a female bus driver in her 50s ran over people walking on a pedestrian crossing. The vehicle, which was just leaving a bus sto

December 22, 2023

Ordinary worker has to save every wage without spending for 15 years to buy house in Seoul

SEOUL -- An ordinary worker would have to save every dime of his or her monthly savings for 15 years to buy a house in Seoul, the land ministry's survey data showed. The homeownership rate was 61.3 percent. Renting households in the metropolitan area spent 18.3 percent of their monthly income on rent. According to South Korea's Real Estate Board (REB), the average price for an apartment in Seoul in 2022 was about 1.3 billion won ($1 million). Apartment complexes are one of t

December 22, 2023

Convenience store chain Emart24 to make foray into Cambodian market

SEOUL -- Emart24, the convenience store chain of South Korea's retail giant Shinsegae, will open its first store in Cambodia in the first half of 2024. To expand into the Cambodian convenience store market, the company partnered with Saihan Partners, a joint venture between Hanlim Architecture Group, a Seoul-based real estate service provider, and Cambodia's Saisons Brother Holding. Saisons, which started its food and beverage business in 2010, has expanded its business scop

December 22, 2023

[OPINION] CEWC 2024: China's strategic blueprint

KARACHI -- As China charts its course for 2024, the palpable resonance from Beijing is a resounding commitment to prioritize high-quality development. The recently concluded Central Economic Work Conference (CEWC), the most im

December 21, 2023