Hankook Tire opens Asia's largest tire test track in Taean

TAEAN - Hankook Tire & Technology opened a tire test track in the western coastal city of Taean, South Chungcheong Province, Wednesday, with an aim to develop innovative tire products to compete against global rivals. Built on 1.26 million square meters of land, the company said the test center called Hankook Technoring is Asia's largest tire test facility.

Webtoon 'Navillera' nominated for renowned Eisner Award

The Korean webtoon, “Navillera: Like a Butterfly,” which tells the heartwarming story of a 70-year-old retiree who pursues his dream of becoming a ballet dancer, was nominated for this year's prestigious Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. The Eisner Awards, presented at the annual San Diego Comic-Con International in July, are referred to as the “Oscars” of the comic book industry.

North Chungcheong governor candidates bet on lake tourism, new subways

Candidates from two major parties running for the North Chungcheong Provincial Governor seat in the June 1 local elections have each come up with a bandwagon pledge to innovate different parts of the region's infrastructure. The ruling People Power Party's (PPP) Kim Young-hwan bet on developing lakes as new tourism bases, while the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) Noh Young-min promised to introduce subway lines in one of the province's biggest cities.

KakaoBank partners with 7-Eleven

KakaoBank has partnered with convenience store chain 7-Eleven for the first time, offering benefits for customers using Moneybox, a savings tool of the digital bank. The online-exclusive bank plans to partner with more business brands in various sectors so as to expand its influence further. Any customers of KakaoBank can register for the “Moneybox with 7-Eleven” partnership initiative through the banking app starting this Wednesday until June 1.

Brokerage firms choose to sell buildings for higher profitability

With the country's real estate prices continuing to soar, major securities firms are choosing to sell their own buildings and remain as a tenant, so they can divert their profits to investment banking or prop up trading to yield higher returns. Shinhan Financial Investment is currently in negotiations with a consortium of IGIS Asset Management and KKR to sell its office building in Seoul's Yeouido financial district, where the brokerage company's headquarters has been located for the past two decades.

Veteran actors receive spotlight on big screen

An array of veteran actors are taking on lead roles in TV shows as well as cinema. While actors like Ko Doo-shim and Kim Hye-ja take on title roles on the small screen, stars like Ahn Sung-ki, Lee Soon-jae and Na Moon-hee are seen playing central characters on the silver screen, proving that “old is gold.” Veteran actor Lee, 87, stars in director Cha Bong-joo's debut feature “Good Morning,” which premiered on May 25.

Former GFriend member Yuju sings on track for drama 'Kiss Sixth Sense'

Yuju, a former member of K-pop act GFriend, has released “My Americano,” a song included in the soundtrack of the new Disney+ series “Kiss Sixth Sense.” Characterized by upbeat tropical sounds and Yuju's velvety voice, “My Americano” hit multiple streaming platforms on Wednesday afternoon. Based on the webnovel of the same name, “Kiss Sixth Sense” is a romance story starring Seo Ji-hye and Yoon Kye-sang.

US forces anger animal rights group for brutally executing stray cats with air gun

More than 10 stray cats have been shot and killed with an air gun by US forces at Osan Airbase, according to a news report from public broadcaster KBS.

D&S Technology showcases latest anti-terrorism devices

D&S Technology participated in the first anti-terrorism policy development seminar, organized jointly by the Korean National Police University (KNPU) and the Korea Institute for Crisis management Analysis (KICA) on Tuesday, where counterterrorism experts discussed ways to defend important national and multi-use facilities.

Mirae Asset, Hyundai Card team up for private label credit card

Mirae Asset Securities will launch a private label credit card (PLCC) by teaming up with Hyundai Card sometime in the latter half of this year. This will mark the first time for a Korean securities company to sign a PLCC partnership with a local credit card business operator. A PLCC is a special credit card issued for customers who want to receive benefits with a certain brand.

Despite Luna fiasco, Wemade set to launch stablecoin

Wemade has reiterated its willingness to issue its own stablecoin despite increasing negative sentiment in the global cryptocurrency industry following the sudden collapse of once-prominent Terra and Luna coins. Chang Hyun-guk, CEO of the local games publisher, shared Tuesday the company's vision to push ahead with its earlier plan to launch the tentatively-named WEMIX Dollar next month.

Justice ministry to dispatch human rights commissioner to immigration detention centers

The Ministry of Justice plans to improve foreign national detainees' human rights at immigration detention centers and immigration waiting rooms at airports. According to a public notice on its push for a partial revision of laws and regulations governing the procedures for detaining undocumented immigrants in custody, Wednesday, a commissioner is to be dispatched to inspect human rights conditions at the facilities.

Gunman kills 18 children at Texas elementary school

A teenage gunman killed 18 young children in a shooting at an elementary school in Texas, Tuesday, in the deadliest U.S. school shooting in years. The attack in Uvalde, Texas - a small community about an hour from the Mexican border - is the latest in a spree of deadly shootings in America, where horror at the cycle of gun violence has failed to spur action to end it.

[INTERVIEW] Defender of inter-country adoptees' rights

If inter-country adoption truly was intended “for the best” of children born in poor countries, why doesn't anyone listen to them when they finally have a voice to say that it wasn't what they wanted? Inter-country adoptees' access to knowledge of their origins is still denied over their biological parents' right to privacy in Korea, a nation that remains as one of the leading “baby exporters” despite being the world's 10th-largest economy today.

Starkey Korea CEO gets Korean War medal on behalf of late father

Starkey Korea CEO Shim Sang-don received a Korea War military medal on behalf of his late father, Shim Eun-taek, who died while fighting in the 1950-1953 war, during a ceremony at Starkey Hall in Seoul, Wednesday.

Deputy CFC chief Gen. Kim tapped to lead Joint Chiefs of Staff

Army Gen. Kim Seung-kyum, the deputy commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC), was named to lead the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the defense ministry said Wednesday, in the first reshuffle of top military officers since the launch of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.

Korea to allow visa waiver at Yangyang airport for int'l travelers from 4 countries

Korea will temporarily allow visa-free entry for group tours from Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia and Mongolia through an international airport in Yangyang, the justice ministry said Wednesday.

Korea not to lift Fukushima seafood import ban for CPTPP entry push: oceans minister

Korea's oceans minister said Wednesday that the country will not lift a ban on imports of seafood from Japan's Fukushima area for the sake of winning Japan's support for the country's push to join a major free trade agreement.

Spy chief nominee says North Korea apparently has no will to denuclearize on its own

North Korea appears to have no intent on giving up its nuclear weapons on its own, South Korea's state intelligence chief nominee said Wednesday.

Korea sets June 15 as 2nd launch date for locally developed space rocket

Korea on Wednesday set June 15 as the second launch date of its homegrown space rocket Nuri, eight months after the first launch failed to put a dummy satellite into orbit.

Suspect in fatal dog attack arrested after yearlong investigation

A dog farm owner has been arrested and indicted on accidental homicide and other charges in connection with the death of a woman who was mauled to death by one of his dogs on the eastern outskirts of Seoul last year, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Tim Burton's iconic world of misunderstood misfits returns to Korea

Tim Burton, the Hollywood mastermind behind films “Beetlejuice,” “Edward Scissorhands” and “Sweeney Todd,” has returned to Seoul with his world of inventive eccentricity and misunderstood yet endearing misfits. “The World of Tim Burton,” held at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in central Seoul as part of its world tour, is the filmmaker's second retrospective showcased in Korea, following the first one held a decade ago at the Seoul Museum of Art.

Corporations' autonomy, creativity create good quality jobs

Companies grow based upon a foundation of autonomy, diversity and flexibility. If there were outdated and irrational regulations that obstruct the market at every turn, it would be difficult for a company's growth engine to function properly and it may be also difficult for companies to create more quality job opportunities.

Over 76% of Koreans support legalizing euthanasia

More than 76 percent of people in Korea support legalizing euthanasia, or physician-assisted suicide, according to a recent opinion poll. A survey by Professor Yun Young-ho at Seoul National University College of Medicine showed 61.9 percent of respondents said they would “strongly agree” to making a law for access to the controversial medical procedure, while 14.4 percent said they would “agree.”

Users of mobile financial services grow over 2 years

Koreans' use of mobile banking and other online financial services increased in 2021 from two years earlier as customers preferred non-contact services amid the coronavirus pandemic, central bank data showed Wednesday.

Population mobility hits 48-year low in April

The number of Koreans who moved to different residences in the country sank to a 48-year low in April amid population aging and fewer housing transactions, data showed Wednesday.

Korea's childbirths drop 4.2% in March

The number of babies born in Korea shrank 4.2 percent in March, data showed Wednesday, pointing to the country's gloomy demographic situation and chronically low birthrate.

Police forward Terraform Labs CEO home trespassing case to prosecution

Police said Wednesday they have wrapped up an investigation into a crypto investor accused of trespassing at the apartment of Do Kwon, co-founder and CEO of Terraform Labs, and sent the case to the prosecution suggesting he be indicted.

Korean Kwon Soon-woo eliminated in 1st round of French Open

Korea's Kwon Soon-woo failed to get past the opening round of the French Open, Tuesday (local time), a year after advancing to the third round of the season's second Grand Slam tournament.

Auditing firms compete to secure rookie accountants

The country's big four accounting firms - Deloitte Anjin, EY Korea, Samil PwC and Samjong KPMG - are competing to hire rookie accountants as demand for accounting services surged following the revision of Korea's external audit law.

Daewoo E&C offers health programs for workers

After the Korean government decided to lift most of the social distancing rules against COVID-19 recently, people's expectations for returning to normal life have been growing. But because so many people became used to night curfews and working from home over the last two years, they are suffering from aftereffects of the pandemic, or the so-called “Corona Blues.”

North Korea's total suspected COVID-19 cases surpass 3 million

North Korea reported over 115,000 new suspected COVID-19 cases Wednesday, with the total number of fever cases surpassing 3 million.