K-pop singer AleXa to join popular concert tour hosted by US radio show

SEOUL -- Alexaundra Christine Schneiderman, an American singer and dancer better known by her stage name AleXa, will join a popular annual concert tour hosted by a United States-based online radio station. The 26-year-old will showcase her performances with global artists including Jamaican-American reggae rapper Shaggy and Big Time Rush, an American boy band. AleXa received immense popularity in May 2022 for winning an American TV channel NBC's music competition called "Ameri

October 25, 2023

LG Chem opens research center in Georgia to incubate new researchers

SEOUL -- In a bid to develop new technologies related to next-generation batteries, bioplastics, and recycled materials, South Korea's major chemical company LG Chem has opened a research center in Georgia, the United States. LG Chem said that the company opened the "North American Innovation Center" in Georgia and signed a memorandum of understanding with the Georgia Institute of Technology to cooperate in the development of new technologies. According to the world&#

October 25, 2023

SK Signet supplies $4.2 mln worth of ultra-fast EV chargers for US ridesharing service operator

SEOUL -- SK Signet, an electric vehicle charger manufacturer affiliated with South Korea's conglomerate SK Group, has supplied its 400 kilowatt-class electric vehicle chargers to Revel Transit, a New York-based ridesharing service operator. The South Korean EV charger maker has received $4.2 million through the supply deal. However, details of the deal were not disclosed. Revel will install the chargers in various regions in New York and California. Revel operates EV charging stati

October 25, 2023

President Yoon to engage in summit meeting with Qatar's Emir

SEOUL -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol will meet Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani during a two-day state visit to the Middle Eastern country. The two leaders will discuss cooperation in various sectors including defense, agricultural, cultural, and investment sectors. Yoon arrived in Qatar on October 24 for his state visit schedule designed to boost economic ties between South Korea and Qatar. The South Korean government had said that it would focus on seeking coopera

October 25, 2023

Naver wins $100 mln digital twin project in Saudi Arabia

SEOUL -- South Korea's largest portal operator Naver has secured an order worth $100 million to build virtual replicas of Saudi Arabian cities including Riyadh, Mecca, and Medina. The Middle Eastern country will use the digital twin platform to create urban infrastructure and test disaster situations, such as flooding. A digital twin is a virtual clone of an object or an infrastructure. Digital twins are frequently used as testing grounds for new technologies or other elements

October 24, 2023

French-style bakery brand Tous Les Jours opens first store in Canada

SEOUL -- Tous Les Jours, a French-style bakery brand run by a food service unit of South Korea’s CJ Group, has opened its first store in Canada. The food company plans to operate 1,000 Tous Les Jours stores in North America by 2030. Tous Les Jours is currently operating more than 400 stores in foreign countries including the United States, China, Indonesia, and Mongolia. In August 2023, the bakery brand launched its 100th store in the U.S. The franchise operator aims to run 120 s

October 24, 2023

S. Korea's youth population to significantly decline: report

SEOUL -- Recent data released by South Korea's legislative agency showed that young people aged 0 to 14 could decrease by 49.6 percent to about 3.18 million in 2040 from 6.32 million in 2020. The state agency predicted the population based on the assumption that the total fertility rate would remain at 0.7 babies per couple between 2026 and 2040. South Korea is experiencing a significant aging phenomenon, with about 30 percent of its population expected to be aged 75 and older

October 24, 2023

Sudden spread of Lumpy skin disease puts S. Korean cattle farms on high alert

SEOUL -- The sudden, unexpected spread of lumpy skin disease in the southwestern parts of South Korea has put the country's agricultural ministry and cattle farmers on high alert. This is the first time South Korea faced the infectious disease with a morbidity rate of 37.9 percent and a mortality rate of 4.2 percent. Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a viral disease transmitted by blood-feeding insects such as flies, mosquitoes, and ticks. When a cow is infected with the virus, the a

October 23, 2023

Green hydrogen bus start operation in southern resort island Jeju

SEOUL -- A green hydrogen-based commuter bus has started its operation in South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju. The eco-friendly bus is currently taking commuters on a 29-kilometer-(18-mile)-long route from Hamdeok, a tourist hotspot in the northeastern area of Jeju, to a forested park area in the north-central region, and back. Green hydrogen is a type of hydrogen fuel that does not use any fossil fuel during its manufacturing process. It uses electrolysis to split water a

October 23, 2023

Samsung SDI to provide EV batteries for Hyundai auto group

Seoul -- South Korea's major battery maker Samsung SDI has partnered with Hyundai auto group to supply electric vehicle batteries for seven years starting in 2026. An EV installed with SDI's P6, a box-shaped battery pack, can charge more than 80 percent of its battery capacity in just ten minutes. The battery maker will provide the prismatic battery packs for Hyundai EVs released in the European market. Samsung SDI is currently developing P6 and plans to start its mass producti

October 23, 2023