Mercedes-Benz EV explosion causes fire in apartment garage, injuring 20, damaging 70 cars

SEOUL, August 1 (AJU PRESS) — About 20 people were injured Thursday in a fire caused by the explosion of a Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle (EV) in an underground parking garage of an apartment complex in Incheon, west of Seoul, firefighters said. The incident occurred around 6:15 a.m. in the Cheongna district of the port city, according to the Incheon Fire Department. Closed-circuit television footage showed a white car emitting smoke before exploding into flames, which spr

August 1, 2024

Sweltering heatwave to persist until mid-August

SEOUL, August 01 (AJU PRESS) - Korea has been suffering from sweltering heat and humidity for about a week with temperatures hovering above 35 degrees Celsius. According to a forecast by the Korea Meteorological Administration on Thursday, sultry weather is expected to persist at least through the middle of this month, as the monsoon rains subsided last week, though there will be sporadic showers. With heatwave advisories issued across the country, most parts of the country conti

August 1, 2024

PHOTOS: COEX Aquarium hosts 'Animal Crossing: New Horizons' collaboration event

SEOUL, August 1 (AJU PRESS) - COEX Aquarium in Seoul launched a collaboration event with the Nintendo Switch game “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” on Saturday. The event, running until Oct. 27, features characters from the popular video game throughout the exhibit route. The owl character from the game appears in an educational program to explain marine life at the aquarium. The event also offers a photo zone, sticker gifts, a merchandise shop and other promotional programs.

August 1, 2024

U.S. police adopt Samsung Galaxy Z Flip as body camera

SEOUL, August 01 (AJU PRESS) - U.S. law enforcement agencies are utilizing Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip smartphones as body cameras to enhance public safety, the company said Thursday. The initiative began two years ago in Kimberling City, Missouri, marking the first use of foldable devices for this purpose. Following a successful six-month trial, the program has expanded to police departments in Texas and Arkansas. The Galaxy Z Flip series was chosen for its compact design, high-

August 1, 2024

PHOTOS: Korea exceeds gold medal target at Paris Olympics

SEOUL, August 1 (AJU PRESS) - With nearly a week into the Summer Olympics in Paris, Korea has won six gold, three silver and three bronze medals, ranking sixth in the overall gold-medal count as of Thursday, after China, France, Japan, Australia and England. The country has already surpassed its initial modest goal of winning at least five gold medals, as unexpected medals came in shooting. Following Korea's first medal at this year's quadrennial sporting event which came from shoo

August 1, 2024

Samsung Electronics union continues strike after talks with management collapse

SEOUL, August 1 (AJU PRESS) – Negotiations between Samsung Electronics and its striking labor union ended without agreement Wednesday, dampening hopes of ending the more than 20-day-long walkout at Korea’s largest company. During the three-day talks, the two sides narrowed differences on some issues but failed to reach a final compromise, sources said. The management reportedly offered paid union activity hours, leisure points for employees and a reduction in mandato

August 1, 2024

Hazardous substances found in children's products sold on AliExpress, Shein

SEOUL, August 01 (AJU PRESS) - An investigation by Seoul City has revealed alarming levels of heavy metals, phthalates and other hazardous substances in seven children's products sold on the popular Chinese e-commerce platforms AliExpress and Shein. The city government announced Thursday that, of 25 products inspected, including tubes, goggles and swimsuits, seven items failed to meet domestic safety standards. The safety levels were tested through the Korea Apparel Testing &

August 1, 2024

Local organizations team up to promote tourism in Yeongwol

SEOUL, August 01 (AJU PRESS) - Three local organizations -- a destination marketing organization (DMO), a radio station, and a museum -- have teamed up to promote tourism in the eastern town of Yeongwol, famous for its beautiful scenery of rivers and mountains, Daldal Yeongwol DMO said Thursday. Yeongwol, located about 145 kilometers (90 miles) southwest of Seoul, has long been a key ecological area for indigenous animals and plants in Korea. It is also a mining town, mainly produc

August 1, 2024

Korea's electric vehicle registrations surpasses 600,000

SEOUL, August 1 (AJU PRESS) — Korea's cumulative electric vehicle (EV) registrations have surpassed 600,000 units for the first time in the first half of this year, data showed Thursday. According to the Korea Automobile & Mobility Association (KAMA), EV registrations reached 606,610 by the end of June, a 24-fold increase since official EV statistics began in 2017. The adoption of EVs has accelerated rapidly since 2020, when registrations first exceeded 100,000 un

August 1, 2024

Opinion: Can Olympics survive climate crisis?

SEOUL, August 1 (AJU PRESS) - The 2024 Olympic Games opened on the same week Earth recorded its hottest day ever. A different kind of record-breaking will be animating competitors in Paris, but the climate crisis is making it hard for organizers to keep the tournament on track. A deluge that dumped a month's worth of rain on the opening ceremony and its aftermath strained the city's 200-year old combined sewer system. The resulting discharge of untreated sewage delayed the t

August 1, 2024