Firefighters conduct drill in Seoul to prepare for electric bus fires

SEOUL, June 28 (AJU PRESS) - The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Friday that it conducted a fire drill involving 10 fire trucks and seven electric buses at a public bus depot in southern Seoul the previous day. Organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Fire & Disaster Headquarters in collaboration with other administrative bodies including Songpa District Fire Station, Seoul Facilities Corporation, and Seoul Public Garage, the drill was promoted by a recent deadly fire at a lithi

June 28, 2024

Dubai's chocolate bar craze reaches Korea

SEOUL, June 28 (AJU PRESS) - Dubai's thick chocolate bar has suddenly become a sough-after dessert in Korea. Young Koreans, who have developed a taste for foreign desserts, are now turning to this Middle Eastern snack. Until May, there were no searches for keywords like "Dubai chocolate" on Google Trends, but they have instantly become one of the most searched keywords since early June. The latest craze comes after the whirlwind frenzy for tanghulu, a Chinese candie

June 28, 2024

Korea to assume chairmanship of Minerals Security Partnership next month

SEOUL, June 27 (AJU PRESS) - Korea will assume the chairmanship of the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), with Second Vice Foreign Minister Kang In-sun as the chairperson, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday. MSP is an international initiative aimed at ensuring a stable and diversified global supply chain for critical minerals essential for sectors such as semiconductors, batteries, and clean energy. Securing stable global supply networks is a crucial task for Korea, a

June 27, 2024

Korea's largest int'l book fair kicks off in southern Seoul

SEOUL, June 26 (AJU PRESS) - Korea's largest international book fair kicked off its five-day run at COEX in southern Seoul on Wednesday. The annual Seoul International Book Fair (SIBF), now in its 66th year, brings together publishers, authors, and book lovers from Korea and around the world. Hosted by the Korean Publishers Association (KPA) under the sponsorship of the Korean Publishing Foundation, this year's fair offers over 450 programs including lectures and exhibiti

June 26, 2024

Seoul mayor unveils controversial plan for towering patriotic flagpole

SEOUL, June 26 (AJU PRESS) - Seoul plans to erect a 100-meter flagpole in Gwanghwamun Square by 2026 to hoist a giant national flag, serving as a new national symbol to inspire patriotism. Conservative Mayor Oh Se-hoon unveiled the plan on Tuesday during a meeting with Korean War (1950-53) veterans at City Hall, commemorating the 74th anniversary of the conflict's outbreak. City officials said the envisioned pole will display the country's largest national flag, or Taege

June 26, 2024

Korea's first transgender soldier laid to rest at national cemetery amid controversy

SEOUL, June 25 (AJU PRESS) - Korea's first-ever transgender soldier was buried at the National Cemetery in Daejeon on Monday. Some 60 activists gathered to protest her burial there, arguing her service did not qualify her to be laid to rest in the cemetery. Byun Hee-soo, who killed herself in 2021 after being forcibly discharged from the military, made headlines in Korea, a country known for its conservative stance on controversial LGBT issues. Born male in 1998, Byun enliste

June 25, 2024

Death toll in battery factory fire rises to 23 as another body found

SEOUL, June 25 (AJU PRESS) - One more body was found on Tuesday after a fire at a lithium battery factory in Hwaseong, south of Seoul the previous day. The retrieved body, believed to be a worker who had remained missing, raises the death toll to 23 from the massive fire that erupted at battery maker Aricell's three-story building in Gyeonggi Province at around 10:30 a.m. on Monday. The cause of the fire remains unknown, but witnesses said that battery cells exploded on the sec

June 25, 2024

Event honors veterans on Korean War anniversary in Daegu

SEOUL, June 25 (AJU PRESS) - An event commemorating the 74th anniversary of the Korean War was held in Daegu on Tuesday. About 1,300 participants including President Yoon Suk Yeol, military brass, government officials and distinguished foreign guests gathered in the southeastern city to honor the sacrifices of war veterans and their families. Hosted by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the annual event to remember the 1950-53 Korean War took place outside of Seoul for t

June 25, 2024

KAI signs deal for mass production of Korea's homegrown jet fighters

SEOUL, June 25 (AJU PRESS) - Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) signed an agreement with the government to commence mass production of South Korea's homemade fighter jet, the KF-21, the nation's sole aircraft maker said Tuesday. The contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), valued at 1.96 trillion won ($1.41 billion), calls for the production of 20 KF-21 units to be delivered starting in 2026. "The KF-21 will serve as a true symbol of self-re

June 25, 2024

Veteran recounts harrowing memories on Korean War anniversary

SEOUL, June 25 (AJU PRESS) - Tuesday marked the 74th anniversary of the 1950-53 Korean War. The war was triggered by North Korea's surprise attack on South Korea at dawn on June 25, 1950, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives. Although an armistice signed in 1953 halted three years of fighting, the demilitarized zone (DMZ) still separates the two Koreas along the 38th Parallel. Of over one million Korean war veterans, only 37,953 are alive as of May 2024, according to the Mini

June 25, 2024