Kia's EV9 wins multiple global accolades

Kia's latest large full-electric sport utility vehicle, the EV9, is garnering a slew of global accolades, clenching three major awards and several nominations for major North American and World Car of the Year honors. Kia on Sunday announced the EV9's win of the 2024 Danish Car of the Year's Innovation Award from Danske Motorjournalist, Denmark’s Automobile Journalists Association. In Spain, the car was also named the Moveo Car of the Year 2023 by La Vanguardia, gaining reco

MobilityDec. 3, 2023

Seoul City to operate autonomous night bus

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Sunday announced it would launch autonomous overnight buses for a pilot run beginning Monday. The Seoul Autonomous Night Bus pilot run will include two buses that travel 9.8 kilometers between Hapjeong Station in western Seoul to Dongdaemun Station in eastern Seoul between 11:30 p.m. and 5:10 a.m. Starting Monday, the buses will operate at an interval of 70 minutes at each stop across a total of 40 stops, and will pass through the Hongdae neighborhood and th

Social AffairsDec. 3, 2023

Day laborers, low-income earners fear lonely death

Day laborers and low-income earners in South Korea feel that they have a high chance of dying alone and remaining unnoticed for days, compared to peers with regular jobs earning higher incomes, a survey showed Sunday. Those employed and paid daily without a regular job feared they would have an average 41.8 percent chance of suffering a "lonely death," compared to 28.6 percent for those with regular jobs, according to data from a survey by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Af

Social AffairsDec. 3, 2023

Festivals to illuminate Seoul’s winter nights

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced it will hold the first-ever light festival at Songhyeon Green Plaza in Jongno-gu, central Seoul from Dec. 15. The 37,117 square-meter park opened to the public in October 2022 for the first time in 110 years since the Japanese colonial era (1910-1945). Under the theme of “Experiencing Nature in Mysterious Light Garden,” the 2023 Light Festa in Songhyeon will feature six different exhibition spaces, including "Shadow Forest," "

TravelDec. 3, 2023

[Photo News] New Hana

Hana Financial Group CEO Ham Young-joo (center), Vice Chairman Lee Eun-hyung (second from left) and some 300 officials celebrate the group’s 18th anniversary at its headquarters in central Seoul, Friday. During the event, the Hana employees boasted the new slogan "New Hana" to steer the financial giant’s future. Hana promised to take a big step forward, putting importance on a customer-first strategy and corporate social responsibility. (Hana Financial Group)

IndustryDec. 3, 2023

EcoPro, Samsung SDI clinch W44tr cathode supply deal

EcoPro BM, a battery materials manufacturing subsidiary of EcoPro, said Sunday it has forged a deal with Samsung SDI to supply 44 trillion won ($34 billion) worth of cathode materials for electric vehicle batteries. From next year to 2028, the battery materials company is poised to supply high-nickel cathode materials that consist of more than 80 percent nickel to Samsung SDI’s EV battery manufacturing plant in Hungary. EcoPro BM CEO Joo Jae-hwan, Samsung SDI Vice President Kim Ik-hyeon an

MobilityDec. 3, 2023

Incheon Airport traffic nears pre-pandemic levels

Passenger traffic at Incheon Airport has breached 90 percent of pre-pandemic levels as of November, according to the airport on Sunday. The number of international passengers via the airport was 5.35 million in November, equivalent to 91 percent of the monthly average of 5.88 million in 2019. The overall passenger counts from January to November this year amounted to 50.51 million, reflecting a recovery to 78 percent of the 2019 level. Travelers to popular destinations, including Japan, the US

MobilityDec. 3, 2023

'12.12: The Day' surpasses 4m ticket sales on 12th day of release

"12.12: The Day," a historical film depicting South Korea's military coup in 1979, surpassed 4 million ticket sales on the 12th day of its release on Sunday, its distributor said. The accumulated ticket sales of the title topped the 4 million threshold shortly after midnight, the distributor, Plus M Entertainment, said. Since its release on Nov. 22, the film has been rapidly gaining popularity, reaching the 1 million sales mark on its fourth day and 3 million sales mark on the 10t

CultureDec. 3, 2023

S. Korea, Japan to resume high-level economic talks

South Korea and Japan are expected to resume high-level economic talks later this month after nearly eight years of suspension due to tensions over wartime sexual slavery and other rows, diplomatic sources said Sunday. The resumption of the Korea-Japan High-Level Economic Consultation is the latest in a series of measures the two countries have taken amid warming relations in the wake of the resolution of the wartime forced labor issue earlier this year. During a summit in Lithuania's Vilni

PoliticsDec. 3, 2023

Powell notes inflation is easing, downplays discussion of rate cuts

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Inflation is slowing steadily, but it’s too early to declare victory or to discuss when the Federal Reserve might cut interest rates, Chair Jerome Powell said. Speaking at Spelman College in Atlanta, Powell noted that consumer prices, excluding volatile food and energy costs, rose at just a 2.5 percent annual rate in the past six months. That’s not far above the Fed’s 2 percent inflation target. Still, more progress is needed, Powell said. He added, “It

World BusinessDec. 3, 2023

Tiger Woods cards 71 in Hero World Challenge

Tiger Woods stumbled out of the gate before finding his footing with four of his five birdies on the front nine to finish 1-under-par 71 after the third round of the Hero World Challenge on Saturday. He's tied for 16th in the 20-man field at even par. Woods said the "touch and feels" of his short game are the most difficult to get back so far. "But when you're chipping off Bermuda like this, and this is probably one of the hardest golf courses we face all year round to

GolfDec. 3, 2023

[New in Korean] Tribute to mothers, daughters in 'Passing Through Winter'

"Passing Through Winter" (a literal translation of the Korean title) By Cho Hae-jin Jakka Publishing Author Cho Hae-jin has unveiled her latest novel, “Passing Through Winter," marking her return to the literary scene after two years. Known for consistently narrating the stories of marginalized individuals, Cho takes readers on yet another poignant journey. The narrative revolves around the protagonist, who, after the heartbreaking loss of her mother to pancreatic cancer, mo

BooksDec. 3, 2023

[New in Korean] Bae Myung-hoon weaves political dynamics into sci-fi set in Martian frontiers

"Mars and I" By Bae Myung-hoon Rabbit Hole In Bae Myung-hoon’s latest adventure into the world of science fiction, the red planet Mars takes center stage. The author of the bestselling novels, “Tower,” “Launch Something!” and “Future Past Tense” has been at the vanguard of the science fiction genre in Korea for the past decade amid its growing popularity. In the compilation of short stories titled, "Mars and I," Bae weaves six tales,

BooksDec. 3, 2023

Suwon Samsung Bluewings suffer 1st relegation in K League football

Suwon Samsung Bluewings were relegated to the second division in South Korean football for the first time in their club history Saturday, following a goalless draw against Gangwon FC at home. Suwon Samsung finished the 2023 K League 1 season in last place with 33 points on eight wins, nine draws and 21 losses, and suffered direct relegation to the K League 2 for 2024. In order to avoid direct relegation, Suwon Samsung had to defeat Gangwon at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, just south of Seoul

SoccerDec. 2, 2023

Concerns over bedbugs rise among pet owners

Concerns over bedbugs are rising among pet owners in Korea following the recent string of reports of the pest spreading here. "I usually enjoy camping with my dog, but lately, with news of bedbugs being found everywhere, I'm refraining from outdoor activities," said Kim, an office worker in his 30s. He expressed concerns about camping with his dog, fearing bedbugs might transfer in such environments. Online forums also reflect pet owners seeking advice on the likelihood of bedbug

Social AffairsDec. 2, 2023

Teacher-writer balances dual identities in 'The World to Protect'

“The World to Protect” is a poignant narrative of a Korean language teacher interwoven with the history of South Korea’s labor movement and pressing issues in public education, written by Moon Kyung-min, a 22-year veteran elementary school teacher. "As a teacher and a novelist, this was a story I had with me for a long time. It was the one I could best tell,” said Moon at a recent press conference in Seoul. “The World to Protect” won the 13th Honbul Liter

BooksDec. 2, 2023

Try Seoul’s cheap, fulfilling street grub at Gwangjang Market

Located in the vibrant area near Jongno 5-ga Station on Subway Line No. 1, Gwangjang Market is Seoul’s flagship marketplace, with a history dating back to 1905 and which still thrives as a popular tourist destination. The market began as a small trading center that brought in goods from nearby regions and grew into a large wholesale market offering a wide variety of goods, including groceries, dried fish and imported and traditional goods, to name a few. Because the eateries inside the lab

FoodDec. 2, 2023

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“12.12: The Day” (South Korea) Opened Nov. 22 Drama/Action Directed by Kim Seong-su The film covers nine hours on Dec. 12, 1979 during a coup attempt by Gen. Chun Doo-hwan (Hwang Jung-min), an officer in the new military. Another commander, Lee Tae-shin (Jung Woo-sung), tries to stop the secret plan. “Five Nights at Freddy'” (US) Opened Nov. 15 Horror/Mystery Directed by Emma Tammi Mike starts working as a security guard at Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria. Spending

FilmDec. 2, 2023

A decade of YouTube and Korea in the World of Dave

In the vast landscape of YouTube, where content creators rise and fall, Dave Levene Jr. stands out as one of the first-generation YouTubers in Korea with over a million subscribers on his YouTube channel, “World of Dave.” Levene’s entry into content creation is a tale of randomness and unexpected viral success. In 2013, a video he posted on his personal Facebook account for his friends to watch went viral overnight, reaching over 40,000 likes and thousands of comments. This unp

Hashtag KoreaDec. 2, 2023

[Weekender] Can't get a date? Try a temple ... or city hall

On a chilly Saturday afternoon, a group of people dressed in Buddhist vests and pants strolled slowly around a pagoda at Jogyesa, making wishes and touring different corners of the Buddhist temple in Jongno-gu, Seoul. What seemed like a customary temple stay turned out to be an unusual affair. The 20 men and women were participating in a “dating” temple stay. They were gathered for the purpose of finding potential romantic partners over the weekend. "Meeting Temple Stay," o

CultureDec. 2, 2023