Number of first-grade elementary students in 2024 to drop 12.4% on-year: report

SEOUL -- The number of first-grader elementary students in South Korea is projected to fall to 357,771 in 2024, down 12.4 percent from 2023, state data showed. Due to the country's significantly decreased fertility rate, the number of children entering elementary schools could fall to less than 300,000 in 2026. South Korea is currently facing a severe aging trend, with about 30 percent of its population expected to be aged 75 and older by 2073. The nation's fertility rate in

December 4, 2023

S. Korea braces for impact for China's second export regulations on industrial urea

SEOUL -- South Korea will hold emergency meetings to discuss and prepare for the impact of a second aqueous urea solution shortage crisis after China has shut down the customs process for industrial urea material, just before the products are loaded onto carrier ships. Previously, Beijing stopped exports of urea, vital for the production of aqueous urea solution in 2021, bringing a crippling shortage of products that are critical to the operation of cargo trucks and factory machiner

December 4, 2023

Seoul's education affairs head encourages teachers to nurture students as global citizens

SEOUL -- At a lecture attended by public school teachers and instructors involved in private education, Seoul's education office chief Cho Hee-yeon encouraged audience to nurture students as global citizens. During his speech at a graduate school in eastern Seoul, Cho stressed the importance of such education, pointing out that South Korea should prepare for global challenges. "We must transform our students into global citizens in the third phase of education revolution ag

December 1, 2023

[OPINION] President Biden's Sensible Step Regarding China

KENOSHA -- President Joe Biden’s meeting in November with China’s leader Xi Jinping in Woodside California is important for symbolic and more substantive reasons. Xi

December 1, 2023

Naver scores highest annual webtoon sales record in Japan in 2023

SEOUL -- South Korean web service giant Naver has scored the company's highest-ever webtoon sales in Japan, the home of manga (Japanese-style comic books) and anime (Japanese-style animated cartoons), by surpassing 100 billion yen ($6.1 billion). Webcomics, well-known by the name of webtoons, originated in South Korea in the early 2000s. Web service giants Kakao and Naver are the top players in the global market which is growing at an annual average growth rate of some 40 perc

December 1, 2023

S. Korean President to visit Dutch firm ASML to upgrade semiconductor supply chain cooperation

SEOUL -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is set to visit the headquarters of ASML, a Dutch manufacturer of chip-making equipment, to strengthen semiconductor supply chain collaboration. The Dutch company is the sole maker of extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) machinery, which is essential for producing physical chips from silicon wafers. The EUV technique allows the production of smaller and more powerful semiconductor chips. The technique enables chipmakers to have the abil

December 1, 2023

World-class choreographer Lia Kim to incubate artists at LA-based K-pop agency   

SEOUL -- Lia Kim, a South Korean choreographer who trained girl band Girls' Generation and rapper Jay Park, has become chief performance officer at Taitan Content, the first K-pop agency based in the United States. The 39-year-old dancer will nurture global artists at the Los Angeles-based entertainment company. Kim has served as a choreographer and instructor for various artists at three entertainment powerhouses in South Korea -- SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment, and JYP Ent

December 1, 2023

S. Korea approves reopening of livestock markets thanks to no extra reported cases of lumpy skin disease

SEOUL -- The South Korean government has approved livestock market operators to reopen their markets and resume the trade of cattle after about one month since the country's livestock disease control tower temporarily stopped all cattle trades and closed livestock markets to prevent the spread of lumpy skin disease. Animal disease specialists predict that the cold weather slowed down the movement of bloodsucking carrier insects. Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a viral infection th

December 1, 2023

Danish firm Orsted wins state approval to build offshore wind farm near western port city of Incheon

SEOUL -- Danish power company Orsted has won state approval to establish an offshore wind farm, about 70 kilometers (43 miles) off the coast of the western port city of Incheon. The wind farm would be South Korea's largest offshore wind-generated power plant with a generation capacity large enough to power some one million households annually. Orsted currently operates 28 offshore wind farms with a total generation capacity of 8.9 gigawatts across the globe. The company partnere

November 30, 2023

Seoul to adopt robot tutor for English speaking class in 2024

SEOUL -- To help young students improve their English speaking skills, Seoul will provide robots that can engage in one-on-one conversations in English. Starting in March 2024, the artificial intelligence-based assistant teacher will correct students' pronunciation and offer personalized education for those who need extra help. According to Cho Hee-yeon, superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the municipal education office is currently working with a priva

November 30, 2023