Police plan to install more CCTV cameras near urban cultural heritage sites

SEOUL -- Police plan to install extra closed-circuit television cameras in areas near urban cultural heritage sites such as palaces located in central Seoul. The discussion on the blueprint for the new surveillance camera networks took place after vandals damaged the walls of Gyeongbokgung Palace using spray paint cans in mid-December. Gyeongbokgung is an iconic palace in Seoul that was visited by some 3.4 million people in 2022. The area near the Blue House, the former presidential

December 27, 2023

[INTERVIEW] Saudi Arabian envoy anticipates S. Korea's greater influence in Saudi's smart city construction project

SEOUL -- Saudi Arabian Ambassador to South Korea Sami M. Alsadhan anticipates greater influence from South Korea's private sector in the Middle Eastern country's mega smart city construction project. Currently, a consortium led by Samsung C&T, a Samsung Group unit specializing in trade, investment and construction, and Hyundai E&C, a major builder affiliated with South Korea's Hyundai auto group, is involved in building "NEOM," a smart city powered by rene

December 27, 2023

Hourly wage of female S. Korean workers surveyed to be about 70% of level of male workers

SEOUL -- The hourly wage of South Korean female workers surveyed to be at about 70 percent of the level of male workers, data released by the labor ministry showed. The wage gap between female and male workers continued to narrow for the last decade and the employment rate gap has also narrowed. On December 27, the labor ministry and family ministry jointly released the first edition of an annual report about the economic activities of women and ways to prevent female workers from

December 27, 2023

Korean ginseng chicken soup 'Samgyetang' approved for exports to EU

SEOUL -- South Korea has concluded negotiations with the European Union on quarantine and hygiene standards for heat-treated poultry products including Korean-style ginseng chicken soup called "Samgyetang." The country's agriculture ministry plans to achieve $20 million in exports of heat-treated poultry to 27 European nations. Samgyetang, which uses a young chicken filled with garlic, rice, scallion and spices, ginseng and jujube, has been consumed as a healthy food.

December 27, 2023

'Parasite' actor Lee Sun-kyun found dead in car, sparking suicide speculation

SEOUL -- Actor Lee Sun-kyun, globally well-known for his role in the Academy Award-winning film "Parasite," directed by Bong Joon-ho, was found dead in his car after facing a series of allegations of illegal drug use. Despite three summons by law authorities for investigation, he tested negative for drugs. According to police, the 48-year-old actor was found dead in his car at a park in Seoul's central district of Seongbuk at about 10:30 a.m. (0130 GMT) on December 27.

December 27, 2023

About 98% of S. Koreans aged 6 and more use smartphones: survey

SEOUL -- About 98 percent of South Koreans aged six and more own a smartphone, a survey showed. More than half of smartphone users use 5G-based communication services. 5G communication service was first commercialized in South Korea in early 2019. Some parts of existing 3G and 4G networks are being used by the state and private corporates for the operation of emergency communication networks and for industrial uses such as vehicle-to-everything (V2X) networks that connect smart cars

December 26, 2023

G-Dragon to donate 300 mln won for establishment of foundation against drug abuse

SEOUL -- South Korean singer Kwon Ji-yong, known by his stage name G-Dragon, will donate 300 million won ($231,570) to set up "JusPeace," a foundation to combat drug abuse. The 35-year-old artist, who was put under a drug investigation, has been cleared of all charges, and the police have officially closed the case. Along with Lee Sun-kyun, who gained global recognition after appearing in the Oscar-winning film "Parasite," directed by Bong Joon-ho in 2019, G-Drag

December 26, 2023

S. Korea to demonstrate virtual map to prevent falling accidents at construction sites

SEOUL -- To protect construction workers from falling accidents, South Korea's state-funded agency will demonstrate a digital map system with information on risk factors at construction sites such as damaged rooftop materials. Construction workers can check various types of risk elements through the digital twin-based solution before climbing up the building. A digital twin is a virtual replica of an object or infrastructure. It is often used as a testing environment for new pro

December 26, 2023

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