Ninety-two students and teachers from 30 countries wrapped up a five-day immersive camp hosted by the Ministry of Education. A group of 92 secondary school students and teachers from 30 countries completed a five-day immersive journey into Korean language and culture, concluding a nationwide youth camp organized by the Ministry of Education. To mark the end of the 2026 International Korean Education Youth Camp, the ministry and the International Korean Education Foundation held a celebratory ceremony Tuesday evening at Sarangjae, a traditional guest house on the National Assembly grounds in Seoul. Running from Friday to Tuesday across Seoul and Incheon, the camp brought together students enrolled in Korean language classes at their home schools. This year’s cohort welcomed its first-ever participant from Mexico, alongside students from Malaysia and Uzbekistan who were recently featured in a KBS documentary aired on Hangeul Day, the Oct. 9 national holiday celebrating the Korean alphabet. During the program, participants engaged in level-tailored Korean lessons leveraging artificial int

A city-run hospital for houseplants? Welcome to modern Seoul. Seoul’s dedicated emergency room for sickly flora has administered 10,886 diagnoses, treatments and house-call consultations since opening its doors in 2023, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday. Nestled inside the Seoul Agricultural Technology Center in Seocho District, the Companion Plant Hospital functions like a full-scale medical center for dramatic greenery. Resident plant doctors diagnose bug infestations and mysterious wilting, prescribing everything from targeted pesticides to emergency repotting. Plants needing intensive care can even be admitted for up to three months of inpatient recovery, while anxious plant parents leave with tailored home-care prescriptions. The hospital often handles high-stakes, emotional cases. In one instance, a resident rushed in a wilting Chinese money tree — the final gift from their late mother. The facility immediately admitted the botanical heirloom into critical care, nursing it back to life. In another success story, a Rhaphidophora tetrasperma — the trendy "mini monst

The Korean Army has temporarily grounded its Apache military helicopters as U.S. authorities began inspections on the fleet over a possible malfunction of their transmission system, an Army official said Tuesday. The grounding of the AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters has been in place since early October, after the Army received a safety advisory from the U.S. military regarding the transmission component, Army spokesperson Capt. Bae Seok-jin said in a press briefing. "As a safety precaution, the Army temporarily grounded the fleet in early October (for the U.S. side) to conduct technical inspections in phases," Bae said. "Operations will resume sequentially based on the inspection results." While routine training flights are paused during the grounding, the helicopters usually stand ready for an immediate operational launch in the event of a contingency. "There are currently no issues with our readiness or operational posture," the Army spokesperson added. Manufactured by Boeing, the Apache helicopters serve as a key asset for air-to-ground defense for the Korean military, which

A special counsel team said Tuesday it suspects a National Election Commission (NEC) employee concealed and forged a vote tally sheet during the election for education superintendent of Gyeonggi Province in June. Investigators were sent to the Gyeonggi provincial election commission and the election commission in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, earlier in the day to execute a search and seizure warrant and verify the suspicions, according to the team led by independent counsel Lee Tae-han. The team suspects the employee of the Gwangju election commission concealed and forged the vote tally sheet, which the local commission sought to cover up, leading to an incorrect final tally. Lee's team has been investigating various suspected irregularities involving the NEC after it was launched in early September to look mainly into what led to the unprecedented ballot shortages in June's nationwide local elections.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday scheduled another deliberation session on former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's appeal on insurrection charges, raising the likelihood of his release when his detention period runs out next week. The top court said it would hold the second deliberation round on Han's appeal on Nov. 19, a day before his six-month detention period expires over his role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid. Given the schedule, Han, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison by an appellate court, is likely to be released when his detention period runs out as it can no longer be extended. Supreme Court proceedings for Han's appeal have been drawn out after the court referred the case to its full bench in August, citing the public's high interest and its historical importance. A Seoul district court sentenced Han to a 23-year prison term in January after convicting him of multiple charges, including playing a key role in an insurrection under Yoon's short-lived declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. An appeals court reduced his sentence to 15 years in May aft

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Tuesday called on President Lee Jae Myung to veto a recently passed bill on a special counsel investigation into alleged fabricated indictments targeting Lee and others. The PPP made the appeal as they held a general meeting of its lawmakers outside the presidential office, slamming the bill as a measure aimed at canceling all indictments against Lee. "The special counsel bill marks the final step in a project to free Lee Jae Myung from prison," PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok said. "It is a jailbreak bill designed to get Lee, who should be behind bars, out of jail." The legislation calls for appointing an independent counsel to investigate suspicions the prosecution under former President Yoon Suk Yeol fabricated evidence or induced false testimonies to build cases against then opposition leader Lee and others. "We must resume all trials and make Lee face the judiciary's judgment before his crimes are wiped away," Jang added. Rep. Jeong Jeom-sig, the party's floor leader, also warned, "The project to free Lee from prison will only lead to an ear

President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday that Korea will continue to closely cooperate with the U.S. administration following the recent U.S. midterm elections, while also seeking to expand bipartisan support in Congress for issues related to the country and the alliance. Lee made the remarks at a Cabinet meeting after the opposition Democratic Party in the United States won control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives in last week's midterm elections. "After the U.S. midterm elections, many changes are expected to take place in the external environment," the Korean president said, instructing officials to prepare thoroughly for any possible changes. "Utmost attention should be paid to minimizing negative effects from external uncertainties on the domestic economy." "More important than anything would be strengthening and expanding the foundation for cooperation and trust between the two countries from the mutually beneficial perspective," Lee added, calling for efforts to ensure the implementation of bilateral diplomatic and security agreements. The president, in particular,

A joint research team at Sogang University has developed a new strategy for designing optical materials that enable efficient wavelength conversion by effectively arranging three different optically active components within a single crystal. The university said Monday that the findings were published last month in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, an internationally renowned chemistry journal. The research team was led by Ok Kang-min, a professor in the Department of Chemistry, and Jang Joon-ik, a professor in the Department of Physics. Zeng Wei, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Chemistry, served as the study’s first author, while Ok and Jang were co-corresponding authors. Nonlinear optical materials enable the conversion of laser light into light of different wavelengths. They are used in a wide range of applications, including high-performance lasers, precision optical measurements, optical communications and advanced photonic technologies. However, achieving superior optical performance requires more than simply combining components that respond strongly to

A small military drone operated by an Army unit crashed in a park in Gimpo, just west of Seoul, on Tuesday morning, with an investigation under way to determine the exact cause, the Army said. No civilian damage was reported. The unmanned vehicle hit the ground following a suspected communication failure during training and was later retrieved, the Army said in a notice to media. "No casualties or civilian damage have been reported, other than the damage to the aircraft itself," Army spokesperson Capt. Bae Seok-jin said in a press briefing. "The military is currently investigating the exact circumstances and cause of the incident." Bae dismissed speculation connecting the crash to North Korea, saying it occurred during training. Gimpo city officials earlier said military authorities were examining the object to determine whether it may be linked to North Korea.

Chungnam National University held an anti-corruption and integrity pledge ceremony at its Daejeon campus on Friday. University President Kim Jeong-kyoum and more than 100 faculty and staff members attended the event, according to the university. It was organized to raise awareness of integrity among university members and promote a fair and transparent organizational culture. At the ceremony, participating faculty and staff members pledged to abide by laws and principles, carry out their duties with integrity, put the public interest first, prevent corruption and strengthen public trust. They also pledged to take the lead in promoting a culture of integrity in public service. “Integrity is an important value that all university members should uphold in their daily work and everyday lives,” Kim said. “I hope everyone will continue to work together to build a transparent and fair Chungnam National University that earns the trust of its members and the local community through open and accountable administration.” Following the pledge ceremony, faculty and staff members took part in a h

LG Innotek said Tuesday that its next-generation automotive lighting module, Nexlide C+, has won a CES 2027 Innovation Award, marking the third consecutive year that its Nexlide series has received the recognition. Nexlide is LG Innotek's flexible automotive lighting brand which uses the company’s own optical design, light distribution technologies and advanced materials to enable various lighting designs in a thinner profile. LG Innotek holds more than 700 patents related to surface lighting technology. Nexlide C+ won the recognition with its capability to display two or more three-dimensional images through a single lighting module. For example, the same module can show diagonal patterns when viewed from the left and vertical patterns when viewed from the right, creating different visual effects depending on the viewing angle. The technology can be used in various parts of a vehicle, including taillights, front grille lighting and interior ambient lighting. Nexlide C+ is also less than 3 millimeters thick, allowing it to fit into narrow spaces inside vehicles. LG Innotek said it is t

Shinsegae, the operator of Korea's major department store chain, on Tuesday reported its third-quarter net profit of 119 billion won ($88.5 million), a 146.4 percent jump from a year earlier. The retailer said in a regulatory filing that operating profit for the July-September period increased 64.7 percent on-year to 164.3 billion won. Revenue also inched up 1.2 percent to 1.65 trillion won. The earnings exceeded market expectations. The average estimate of net profit by analysts stood at 84.5 billion won, according to a survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of Yonhap News Agency.

Genesis is stepping up competition in the full-size luxury SUV market with the full-electric GV90, taking aim at German rivals — BMW and Mercedes-Benz — as it seeks to carve out a bigger share of the lucrative high-end segment. The brand unveiled on Tuesday pricing for the GV90, its first full-size flagship SUV, starting at 139.5 million won ($103,000) in Korea. This places the vehicle in a similar price range to the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS, positioning Genesis to compete directly for buyers who have traditionally favored German luxury SUVs. The launch represents a significant test for Genesis, which has spent years building its reputation as a premium brand, but has yet to establish the same level of recognition as BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the upper reaches of the luxury market. The GV90 sets itself apart from its rivals with an all-electric powertrain, along with a focus on rear-seat comfort and advanced technology. It uses a 123.5-kilowatt-hour battery, the largest among Hyundai Motor Group's electric vehicles (EVs), and can travel up to 500 kilometers on a single charge. The

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are expected to face growing pressure on their TV businesses, as rising prices of Chinese-made LCD panels drive up production costs, particularly for low- and mid-range TVs. According to market tracker Omdia, the cash cost of a 65-inch LCD TV open cell is projected to rise from $112 in 2025 to $116.80 this year and $124.55 in 2027, as higher component and material prices increase manufacturing costs. An open cell refers to an LCD panel before the backlight and other components are assembled into a complete display module. Omdia noted that three Chinese panel makers — CSOT, HKC and BOE — sent official letters to their clients outlining plans to raise prices for some panels starting in September or the fourth quarter. According to another market tracker, TrendForce, LCD panel prices have remained flat, with 55-inch and 65-inch panels holding steady at $123 and $173, respectively, in October and November. However, Omdia expects LCD TV panel makers to successfully raise prices in December as “rising costs approach a tipping point.” LG Electronic

The International Women's Forum Korea (IWF Korea) held one-on-one mentoring sessions for local startups in North Jeolla Province on Saturday to help them evaluate their business strategies and prepare for overseas expansion. IWF Korea said Tuesday that it hosted the "Local Startup Value-Up: Local to Global" mentoring program in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. The program was organized as part of the 2026 J-Startup Festa and held in conjunction with the 11th Startup Jeonbuk Entrepreneurship Expo in Jeonju's Hanok Village. It was jointly sponsored by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, North Jeolla Province and the city of Jeonju, with the Jeonbuk Center for Creative Economy and Innovation, the Jeonbuk Business Agency, investment firm Krypton and IWF Korea participating in its organization. The initiative aimed to help local startups leverage regional assets and brands, strengthen their competitiveness as they grow and expand into overseas markets. “Startups based in regional communities can pursue growth with global markets in mind from the very beginning," said Kim Ji-won, organizing co

Samsung Electronics said Tuesday it has supported 1,000 startups, helping attract a cumulative 2.2 trillion won ($1.6 billion) in investment. Notably, the Korean tech giant selects promising entrepreneurs and startups for its C-Lab initiative, choosing 30 companies this year, the company said. Of the selected startups, 15 are currently conducting technology verification projects with Samsung Electronics, with the company seeking to identify further opportunities for business collaborations. Twelve of the startups are based outside the Seoul metropolitan area, Samsung said. Samsung has operated regional C-Lab hubs in the central city of Daegu and the southwestern city of Gwangju since 2023 to foster regional economic development. At an event held Tuesday at its R&D center in southern Seoul, representatives from six startups took the stage to share their growth stories and examples of business collaboration. One of the startups was Config Intelligence, a two-year-old startup, is developing data technologies to train and deploy artificial intelligence (AI) systems for robots. The company has a

Hanwha Aerospace said Tuesday it has become the first company in Korea to win type approval for a marine hydrogen fuel cell from the Korean Register, the country’s ship classification society. The company said this is only the fifth time worldwide that a classification society has granted type approval to a hydrogen fuel cell for ships. Classification societies are independent bodies that set and enforce technical standards for how ships are built and operated. Type approval certifies that a product meets international maritime standards and the society’s own rules. Without it, a hydrogen fuel cell cannot be installed on ships or on offshore structures such as drilling vessels. To receive approval, the manufacturer must prove both performance and safety in harsh sea conditions. Hanwha Aerospace said its system passed marine environment tests for conditions such as vibration and tilting. It also passed the Korean Register’s review of its manufacturing process and quality control system. Hydrogen fuel cells make electricity from a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, and their only

Lotte Chilsung Beverage said Tuesday it has partnered with Thailand's Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group to expand sales of its beverage and bottled water products in the Southeast Asian country. Under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed with CP Group's retail unit, CP AXTRA, Lotte Chilsung will expand its export product portfolio in Thailand and supply customized products exclusively through CP AXTRA's retail network, the company said in a press release. "This agreement is significant as it lays the groundwork for long-term cooperation with CP AXTRA, which operates a nationwide retail network in Thailand," a company official said. Lotte Wellfood also joined the agreement, with plans to jointly develop products tailored to local consumer preferences with CP AXTRA and expand its presence in the Thai market. CP Group has business interests spanning food production, distribution and telecommunications.

POSCO International, the energy and trading arm of POSCO Group, completed its second liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Gwangyang, cementing its position as Korea's top private natural gas operator and reinforcing domestic supply lines. The company held a completion ceremony Tuesday at the Gwangyang LNG terminal, attended by about 100 people, including government officials, business representatives and executives from POSCO Group. The project cost 949.2 billion won ($700 million) and took 47 months to complete, adding two storage tanks, each with a capacity of 200,000 cubic meters, along with supporting facilities. The development also includes a berth capable of accommodating LNG carriers with capacities of up to 270,000 cubic meters and a separate bunkering berth for vessels of up to 20,000 cubic meters. With the completion of the second terminal, the combined storage capacity of POSCO International's first and second terminals has increased from 930,000 kiloliters to 1.33 million kiloliters, the largest capacity operated by a single private company in Korea. The company said the f

Health care equipment maker Ceragem has won nine CES 2027 Innovation Awards for eight products on Tuesday, marking its fourth consecutive year of recognition and bringing its cumulative total to 30 awards. The company has previously won three awards in 2024, six in 2025 and 12 in 2026. This year’s awards include products designed to meet the health care needs of different age groups, from infants and young children to older adults. The eight award-winning products are: Ceragem artificial intelligence (AI) Wellness Home, Therapier AI Multi Boosting Capsule, Youridm AI Muscle Longevity System, AI Sleep Recovery Pillow, AI Pet Wellness Suite, AI Neuro Focus Office Chair, Senior Wellness Sofa with AI Adaptive Care and AI Sensor Pod & Smart Crib. Ceragem AI Wellness Home, which won an award in the AI category, uses physical AI to analyze users' biometric data and daily routines, assess their health status and automatically adjust connected home environments and health care devices to their needs. The platform brings together connected devices, health data and services to deliver personalize

LS Eco Energy, a subsidiary of LS Cable & System, said Tuesday it will begin trial production of samarium metal in December, with the goal of becoming the world's first company to mass-produce the key material for permanent magnets using non-Chinese raw materials. The move is part of the company's efforts to establish a supply chain independent of China ahead of new U.S. restrictions on rare earth materials used in defense applications. According to the company, LS Eco Energy is investing 11.6 billion won ($8 million) to build a samarium metal production facility at its subsidiary LSCV in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The company plans to begin trial production in December before moving to full-scale mass production. The facility's annual output of 240 tons of samarium metal would be sufficient to produce approximately 700 to 1,000 tons of samarium-cobalt (SmCo) permanent magnets. Samarium is a key material for SmCo permanent magnets, which retain their magnetic strength at high temperatures. SmCo magnets are used in aerospace and defense applications, including fighter jets and missiles. St

The language of sexual predators grooming potential victims may look harmless. But spotting their patterns is necessary for protecting underage internet users. “A teenager posts a short video and receives comments such as ‘You’re pretty’ or ‘How old are you?’ These may seem like harmless compliments or signs of interest. But when they are used to build trust and steer the child toward private contact, they can mark the beginning of online grooming,” an official from the National Center for Digital Sexual Crime Response said during a demonstration for reporters Tuesday. Detecting predators' pattern is the next challenge for the center, where artificial intelligence (AI) has already improved its capacity to detect suspected child sexual exploitation material and streamlined the process of requesting its removal. “Because the individual words are not inherently suspicious, keyword searches alone cannot detect the pattern," the official said. "That is why we’re now developing technology that looks beyond isolated words to examine how an exchange unfolds and identify attemp

Korea has adopted an artificial intelligence (AI) system to strengthen detection and removal of online child sexual abuse material, the gender equality and family ministry said Tuesday. The National Center for Digital Sexual Crime Response introduced the AI-powered system in April as Seoul seeks to better counter evolving digital sex crimes in a highly connected country. The center found 96,210 child sexual abuse materials and notified online platforms to remove them between April and September, or about 202.1 cases a day, compared with last year's daily average of 20.8, according to the ministry. The round-the-clock system allows real-time detection of illegal material on online platforms, including social media and random chat apps, reducing the workload on employees at the center who had previously monitored them in person. Once the AI system flags the material, the workers review it before filing removal requests. The ministry said it plans to expand the system to monitor 139 online platforms next year, up from 79 this year, and improve its accuracy through training with the center's

Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam-jung said Tuesday construction will soon resume on the South Korean section of a railway line meant to link the two Koreas. He made the remarks during a seminar in Seoul, as the government seeks to restore the South Korean section of the Gyeongwon Line, which once connected Seoul and North Korea's eastern port city of Wonsan. The last stop now accessible on the southern section is Cheorwon's Baekmagoji in Gangwon Province, and the ministry plans to resume work on the stretch between Baekmagoji and Woljeong-ri Station, the northernmost station on the South Korean side, close to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas. The planned restoration work is aimed at "preparing a path connecting the two Koreas," Kim said at the forum on peace tourism cooperation on the Korean Peninsula. Earlier this year, the ministry briefed the National Assembly on its plan to carry out preparatory work within this year, and to resume construction on the cross-border line next year. Restoration of the line began in 2015 but stopped in May 2016, following North Kore

Police have found 3,565 people suspected of committing real estate-related crimes, with over 2,100 of them referred to the prosecution and 16 formally arrested, police officials said Tuesday. Following its yearlong special crackdown on such crimes that began October 2025, the police referred 2,151 to prosecutors on various charges, including fixing or inflating home prices, and applying for and winning new apartment purchases through fraudulent means, according to the officials. The special crackdown has been extended by one year to the end of October 2027, they said, amid continued government efforts to curb runaway housing prices. Of those exposed in the crackdown, farmland speculation accounted for the largest share at 25.2 percent, or 898 people, followed by 795 people who allegedly used fraudulent means in apartment applications and 726 accused of illegal brokering, such as inflating home prices. Police have frozen 14.79 billion won ($11.02 million) in illegal profits even before formal indictments and notified relevant authorities about 616 people so that punitive administrative ac

Boston Dynamics' humanoid robot Atlas has successfully performed a challenging aerial maneuver, jumping into the air, spinning 360 degrees and landing like a figure skater — all while equipped with wheels instead of feet. The robotics company, a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group, released a video Monday showing a wheeled version of Atlas performing a series of demanding movements designed to test the limits of its motors and whole-body control technology. The 2-minute, 50-second video shows Atlas rapidly moving sideways while changing direction on its wheels, executing a full 360-degree spinning jump, balancing on one wheel with the other leg raised and lifting itself off the floor before accelerating forward. The robot successfully completed the 360-degree spinning jump on its first attempt. The achievement followed efforts by the development team to narrow the gap between computer simulations and real-world hardware through a process known as "sim-to-real" transfer. Engineers also used reinforcement learning, a machine-learning technique in which robots improve their performance throu

The largest of three labor unions at Seoul Metro threatened Tuesday to launch a general strike on Nov. 25 unless its demands, including additional staff recruitment and wage increases, are met. Union 1 of Seoul Metro, which operates subway Lines 1-8 and parts of Line 9, issued the warning at a news conference following a meeting of senior union members. The union initially sought a 5.2 percent wage increase but lowered its demand to 3.5 percent in negotiations with management. It also calls for scrapping a plan to cut 2,212 jobs and hiring an additional 1,313 workers this year to address staff shortages. Other demands include state funding for public services and a requirement that all field work be performed by two-person teams. The union said 7,782, or 84.6 percent, of its 9,201 members recently participated in a vote, with 6,715, or 86.3 percent of those who voted, backing the strike plan. Unions 2 and 3 also approved the strike plan, with 80.8 percent and 94.9 percent of their respective members voting in favor. Union 1 said it and Union 2 plan to launch a "work-to-rule" campaign on N

F&F on Tuesday reported its third-quarter net income of 65.9 billion won ($49.3 million), down 34.6 percent from a year earlier. Operating income for the July-September period was 108.4 billion won, down 15.3 percent from a year ago, the fashion and beauty retailer said in a regulatory filing. Sales also backtracked 4.7 percent to 452.1 billion won. The earnings fell behind market expectations. The average estimate of net profit by analysts stood at 96.7 billion won, according to a survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of Yonhap News Agency.

LG Energy Solution has won a CES 2027 Innovation Award for software that can assess the condition and remaining performance of used batteries, marking the second consecutive year the company has been recognized for a software-based solution. The company said Tuesday that its Re.Pulse solution, which assesses the health and remaining performance of used batteries, was named an honoree in the awards' Vehicle Tech and Advanced Mobility category. The system sends specific electrical pulses through a battery, measures changes in voltage and analyzes the data using its proprietary AI model to quickly assess the battery's condition. The company said the assessment will allow operators to determine whether a used battery is best suited for reuse, remanufacturing or recycling, helping get the most value out of each battery. "This CES Innovation Award recognizes the strength of our battery diagnostic technology and software capabilities," a company official said. "We will continue to advance our diagnostic and management technologies to unlock greater value from used batteries and help build a sus

Samsung SDI has won CES 2027 Innovation Award for its prismatic battery solution for uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems. The battery maker said Tuesday that its SDI U8A3-UPS was named an honoree in the awards’ Enterprise Tech category. A UPS is a battery-based backup system that supplies emergency power to critical facilities, including data centers, when the main power supply is unexpectedly interrupted. "This award recognizes the innovation of a critical power solution for the artificial intelligence era," a company official said. "We will continue to lead the market with products that combine the performance and safety our customers demand." The company explained that its solution stands out for its high-power output, high energy density and fire safety. Using lithium manganese oxide prismatic cells, the battery offers high power output and energy density while taking up 33 percent less space than existing products. This allows operators to maintain a stable power supply with fewer battery units. The system is also designed to provide additional power when electricity demand s