Most Popular
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[AtoZ into Korean mind] Humor in Korea: Navigating the line between what's funny and not
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Yoon seeks rebound, taps 5-term lawmaker as chief of staff
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Medical standoff deepens as doctors reject new med school plan, talks
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[Herald Interview] Why Toss invited hackers to penetrate its system
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[Exclusive] Korean military set to ban iPhones over 'security' concerns
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[Graphic News] 77% of young Koreans still financially dependent
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S. Korean envoys convene to navigate strategy amid Middle East tensions
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Korean, Romanian leaders discuss defense tech, nuclear energy
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North Korea fires several short-range ballistic missiles into sea: JCS
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Samsung, SK hynix investors dump shares on Nvidia crash
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Oriental Brewery to produce beer using self-produced solar energy
Oriental Brewery said on Thursday that it has begun building solar power generation facilities at its beer production bases, a move that could offset over 5,600 tons of carbon footprint each year. Under the beer manufacturer’s decision to join the Renewable Energy 100 initiative, which is designed to encourage the use of solar power, it will become the first corporation to build its own infrastructure to generate renewable energy for self-consumption, the company said. The solar energy g
Aug. 5, 2021
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Thousands of pubs, karaokes disappear amid social distancing
The number of pubs and karaoke parlors has plummeted due to lost profitability from COVID-19 and tough social distancing rules, data from the National Tax Service showed Wednesday. The number of stores registered as pubs across the country stood at 27,840 as of the end of May, according to the tax authority’s survey on 100 key sectors of the self-employed segment. The figure dropped 3,636 or 11.6 percent from last year. The number of stores registered as semi-pubs -- whic
Aug. 4, 2021
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Streaming services and food delivery apps catch on with older generations during pandemic: report
In a further sign of growing popularity of online services, South Koreans in their 50s and 60s are increasingly using streaming services and food delivery apps during this pandemic, a new report has revealed. The findings come after Hana Institute of Finance, a research institution under Hana Bank, analyzed online credit card payment data between 2019 and 2020 to study generational differences in online consumption behavior. Though the use of video streaming services such as Netflix used to
Aug. 4, 2021
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Musinsa to invest W14b in fashion startups within this year
Online fashion retailer Musinsa said Tuesday it would invest a further 14 billion won in fashion startups through its venture capital Musinsa Partners to bring the total investment to 60 billion won within this year. Established in 2018, Musinsa Partners is a joint venture capital firm that has invested some 46 billion won in medium- and small-sized enterprises and startups in the fashion industry. The latest announcement is part of the company’s drive to boost the fashion industry, incl
Aug. 3, 2021
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[Photo News] Starbucks Korea, Mini launch collaboration merch
Starbucks Coffee Korea and auto brand Mini Korea have collaborated to launch three drinks, two food items, six pieces of merchandise and three voucher cards. Under the slogan “We’re different but pretty good together,” the two companies are running a seasonal promotion campaign organized to show respect for diversity, from Tuesday to Aug. 23. (Starbucks Korea)
Aug. 2, 2021
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[Feature] Expensive tastes: Luxury labels create cafes in Korea
Kim Seon-young has never owned anything by Hermes or Dior. But, instead of bags or shoes, she has eaten food and drunk beverages from the luxury brands. Her first taste of luxury was at the Hermes cafe, which she found through Instagram. She then went to the Cafe Dior in February and had a scoop of ice cream and drank iced coffee with her boyfriend. Kim paid 70,000 won ($60) at Cafe Dior, but said it was definitely worth the price. “I wanted to experience something special a
Aug. 2, 2021
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[Newsmaker] Department stores and big supermarkets start QR code scans as cases rise
Department stores and big supermarkets will start requiring customers to scan QR codes or submit to written entry logs to shop starting from Friday in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. The measure was drawn up and confirmed by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on Tuesday as a way to strengthen COVID-19 prevention efforts as cases continue to rise in South Korea. Stores that are bigger than 3,000 square meters are required to adopt a QR entry log system, while
July 30, 2021
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Blue Bottle Coffee arrives in Jeju
US-based coffee roaster and retailer Blue Bottle Coffee opened a store on Jeju Island on Friday. The opening of the ninth location in South Korea also marks the first store to be located outside of Seoul. Dubbed Blue Bottle Jeju Cafe, the new outlet is located in Songdang-ri, Gujwa-eup of Jeju City, on the western side of the island. The newly opened store reflects the regional traits of the island both in the space and on the menu, opting for low walls and a minimalistic interior design with
July 30, 2021
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Nongshim announces price hike for instant noodles
South Korean food and beverage company Nongshim announced Thursday plans to increase the price of its flagship instant noodles including Shin Ramyun by an average of 6.8 percent starting mid next month. Nongshim last hiked ramen prices in 2016. The latest move comes after rival ramen maker Ottogi announced earlier this month its first price hike in more than 11 years. When broken down by brand, Nongshim’s flagship Shin Ramyun will see a 7.6 percent increase in price while the prices of
July 29, 2021
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Orion’s accumulated revenue in Russia surpasses W1tr
Orion, a South Korean confectionery company widely known for Choco Pie, said on Thursday its cumulative revenue had reached 1 trillion won ($873 million) in Russia. The trillion-won threshold was broken after the company racked up 50.6 billion won in sales for the first six months combined this year, following the precedents in China and Vietnam. Efforts to create localized new products, as well as a wide range of biscuits and its popular Choco Pie, tapped into Russia’s dessert culture a
July 29, 2021
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South Korean instant noodle exports hit record high
In a sign of growing popularity, revenue from South Korean instant noodle exports reached a record high of 368.7 billion won ($319 million) during the first half of this year, according to data from the Korea Customs Service. The figure broke the previous record of $302.8 million set the same time one year ago and was up 5.8 percent. When broken down by country, China was the largest importer of South Korean instant noodles where $68.13 million worth was sold. The US was the second-largest m
July 26, 2021
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Businesses get mixed signals amid heat waves, toughest social distancing rules
South Korean businesses across all industries are undergoing an unprecedented double whammy of scorching temperatures and the toughest-ever social distancing rules under the COVID-19 pandemic. Companies in different sectors appear to be showing mixed reactions to what could be the most difficult season, as they are not only concerned about aggravating working conditions for employees, such as the latest government control on power consumption and more stringent virus prevention measures, but a
July 21, 2021
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Sales of Hite Jinro soju triple in Thailand
Sales of Hite Jinro’s soju products in Thailand reached $1.55 million in the first half of 2021, up 210 percent from the corresponding period last year, said the South Korean liquor maker on Wednesday. Hite Jinro is the longtime provider of some of the oldest soju brands in South Korea, including Jinro, Chamisul and, recently, Jinro Is Back. Since its pledge to globalize soju in 2016, the liquor maker has made various efforts to expand soju’s presence in the Southeast Asian coun
July 21, 2021
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Lotte Food aims to double canned ham exports
South Korean food company Lotte Foods is expanding the exports of its canned ham products with a goal of doubling the profit from ham exports this year, the company said Tuesday. Lotte Foods said it achieved $9.4 million from exporting a total of 1,111 tons of canned ham in 2020 -- accounting for almost half of the country’s total ham exports at 2,249 tons in the year. As of June this year, the company had exported 921 tons of its canned ham products, accounting for 51 percent of the
July 20, 2021
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E-Land Group appoints younger CEOs in push for online sales
E-Land Group said on Monday that it has appointed two new CEOs for its fashion and food affiliates E-Land Retail and E-Land Eats. An Young-hun, a 40-year-old who has led overseas business in China and Europe since joining the company in 2007, will lead the retail arm of E-Land Group. Having helped raise womenswear brand E-Land’s annual revenue to some 400 billion won ($348.8 million) in China, he was also promoted to become chief human resources officer earlier this year. Hwang Sung-yu
July 19, 2021
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Emart24 introduces unmanned alcohol vending machine
Emart24 is introducing an artificial intelligence-based alcohol vending machine that would support its fully unmanned operation of convenience stores, the company said Sunday. Installed at its store headquarters in Seongdong-gu in Seoul, the machine looks like a drink refrigerator and requires customers to scan a QR code issued from a mobile app to verify their age before making purchases. Payment is only deducted after the customer takes out the alcoholic beverage from the fridge and close
July 18, 2021
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Ottogi to hike instant noodle prices by 12%
South Korean food manufacturing company Ottogi announced on Friday it will raise its instant ramen prices by an average of 11.9 percent from next month. The company cited rises in ingredient prices, including flour and palm oil, as well as the increasing labor costs as reasons behind the decision. The decision to hike the ramen prices comes more than 13 years after the company‘s last price rise back in April 2008. Jin Ramen, one of the Ottogi’s flagship instant noodle products, w
July 16, 2021
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Over 1 in 3 delivery workers in 20s and 30s, CJ Logistics says
More than 1 in 3 of delivery workers of CJ Logistics, the industry’s largest, are in their 20s and 30s, the company’s data showed Thursday, contrary to the popular perception that couriers come from older generations. Some 8,100 delivery workers fall under the age groups, accounting for 37 percent of some 22,000 delivery workers. The findings are based on an analysis of its staff during the first half of this year. Once considered a “job for older men,” the company exp
July 15, 2021
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CU opens convenience stores in Mongolian int'l airport
South Korea's major convenience store chain CU said Thursday it has launched two stores in a new international airport in Mongolia as part of efforts to boost its presence in the country. CU said the company has become the first South Korean convenience store chain that has established outlets in the New Ulaanbaatar International Airport. The sole international airport in Mongolia, which opened on July 1 and is also known as Chinggis Khaan International Airport, is about 50 kilometers from the
July 15, 2021
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More convenience stores close after midnight amid rising labor costs
More South Korean convenience stores are staying closed or going cashierless in the hours between midnight and early morning -- a trend industry insiders say is being pushed by a rise in labor costs. According to industry sources, the number of GS25 stores closed between midnight and 6 a.m. accounted for 16.4 percent in 2020, up 2.8 percentage points from 13.6 percent in 2018. Just over 1 in 5 7-Eleven stores are opting to remain closed in the early hours, an increase from 2018 when the figure
July 14, 2021