HYBE takes legal action against NewJeans agency CEO amid management control feud

SEOUL, April 25 (AJU PRESS) - Entertainment giant HYBE plans to file a complaint Thursday against Min Hee-jin, the CEO of its affiliated label behind popular K-pop girl band NewJeans, on charges including breach of trust. HYBE said this week's audit confirmed that Min had devised plans to take over management control of the subsidiary, ADOR, and break away from the K-pop powerhouse. Auditors secured a computer file from an ADOR executive that showed Min's side con

April 25, 2024

Opinion: Russia's invasion of Ukraine has left the entire region at a heightened risk of radioactive pollution

SEOUL, April 25 (AJU PRESS) - Russia's invasion of Ukraine has put the country's nuclear facilities at considerable risk. For example, on April 7 a drone attacked Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. This attack on the largest nuclear power plant in Europe was a rare instance of a direct assault on a nuclear facility. While both Ukraine and Russia deny responsibility for the drone attack, it's clear that Russia's ongoing invasion has put the site at active

April 25, 2024

Korea reports world's first demonstration of integrated operation of urban air mobility systems

SEOUL, April 24 (AJU PRESS) - A Korean consortium said Wednesday it has successfully demonstrated the integrated operation of urban air mobility (UAM) systems, marking progress in the nation’s plan to commercialize flying taxis by 2025. The K-UAM One Team, consisting of Hyundai Motor, KT, Korean Air, Incheon International Airport Corporation, and Hyundai E&C, conducted the test involving aircraft flight, safety, operational systems and traffic management, in an aviation

April 24, 2024

SNU professor to spearhead Korea's inaugural space agency

SEOUL, April 24 (AJU PRESS) - President Yoon Suk Yeol appointed an aerospace professor at Seoul National University as the inaugural chief to oversee Korea's forthcoming space agency, the presidential office said Wednesday. Yoon Young-bin will spearhead the Korean equivalent of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), called the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA), slated for launch in late May. Obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in

April 24, 2024

HD Hyundai establishes new headquarters for marine energy businesses

SEOUL, April 24 (AJU PRESS) - HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world's largest shipbuilder, plans to launch a new headquarters specializing in marine energy harvesting businesses next month, industry sources said. The company notified staff on Wednesday that the current shipbuilding and marine business division will be split into two segments and the new headquarters for the fast-growing marine energy industry will be established on May 1. The new entity will focus on the c

April 24, 2024

Video streaming services in Korea sharply raise subscription fees

Netflix, TVING and other popular over-the-top (OTT) video streaming services in Korea have increased subscription fees by an average of about 40 percent over the past six months, as the companies are striving to improve the bottom line despite consumer complaints of financial burdens. According to the state-run Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), 55.2 percent of the country’s 52 million population subscribed to paid video streaming services as of December 2023. With the m

April 24, 2024

Korea launches first nanosatellite in New Zealand

SEOUL, April 24 (AJU PRESS) - Korea's first ultra-small cluster satellite was launched into orbit in New Zealand, the Ministry of Science and ICT said Wednesday. Dubbed "NEONSAT-1," the nanosatellite lifted off from a spaceport in Mahia around 8:30 a.m. About 50 minutes after launch, the satellite was successfully separated from American aerospace company Rocket Lab's two-stage Electron rocket. The satellite made initial contact with the ground station at the

April 24, 2024

Pinkfong creates Baby Shark-themed musicals to captivate global fans

SEOUL, April 24 (AJU PRESS) - Pinkfong, the creator of a catchy cartoon song "Baby Shark," will go on a world tour with its musicals, the Korean educational entertainment company said Wednesday. The musical titled "Baby Shark's Big Broadwave Tour" will be showcased in 34 regions in the United States including Iowa, Ohio, Minnesota, and Louisiana. The show is an extension of the animated children's television series "Baby Shark's Big Show!"

April 24, 2024

Opinion: Yoon faces foreign policy challenges after the National Assembly election

SEOUL, April 24 (AJU PRESS) - South Korea's parliamentary election of April 10, 2024, was widely seen as a referendum on President Yoon Suk Yeol's first two years in office. That being the case, the nation collectively expressed its strong disapproval. With a relatively high turnout of 67 percent, voters handed Yoon's conservative People Power Party defeat, with its share of the 300-seat National Assembly dropping from 114 to 108. The opposition Democratic Party ret

April 24, 2024

Opinion: US Supreme Court appears open to Starbucks' claims in labor-organizing case

SEOUL, April 24 (AJU PRESS) - What factors must a court consider when the National Labor Relations Board requests an order requiring an employer to rehire terminated workers before the completion of unfair labor practice proceedings? That's the central question that the Supreme Court considered on April 23, 2024, during oral arguments in the Starbucks Corp. v. McKinney case. The global coffee shop chain is challenging the NLRB, the federal agency responsible for enforcing U.S.

April 24, 2024