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Lee Kyung-min

Korea Times AI content 2 team Reporter

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Companies

Samsung bets Galaxy Watch can solve hidden problem in popular weight-loss drugs

Samsung Electronics is teaming up with Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School researchers to study whether its Galaxy Watch can help patients taking popular GLP-1 weight-loss drugs avoid one of the treatment’s most troubling side effects: muscle loss. The Korean technology giant said Thursday that it is conducting a joint study with the Diabetes Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, widely known as MGH, to track physical changes in patients using GLP-1 medications through data collected by the Galaxy Watch8 and Samsung Health platform. As GLP-1 drugs gain explosive popularity worldwide for obesity treatment and chronic disease management, doctors have increasingly raised concerns about side effects including muscle reduction, digestive complications and rapid weight gain after treatment ends. The study will examine whether daily biometric data collected through wearable devices can help patients preserve muscle mass during treatment. Researchers plan to divide 100 adults beginning GLP-1 therapy into two groups. Participants in the experimental group will wear the

May 28, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Samsung bets Galaxy Watch can solve hidden problem in popular weight-loss drugs
Companies

Doosan pairs with Rolls-Royce to enter European nuclear market

Doosan Enerbility has secured a strategic foothold in Europe’s fast-emerging small modular reactor (SMR) market, joining forces with Britain’s Rolls-Royce SMR on nuclear projects that could reshape the continent’s energy landscape. The Korean energy company said Thursday that it had been selected as a strategic manufacturing partner for key equipment in Rolls-Royce SMR projects planned in Britain and the Czech Republic. Under the agreement, Doosan Enerbility will conduct manufacturability reviews for major reactor components, including reactor vessels to be used in the projects. The partnership centers on Rolls-Royce SMR’s planned developments at Wylfa in Britain and Temelín in the Czech Republic, two projects viewed as critical tests for Europe’s push toward next-generation nuclear energy. Established in 2021, Rolls-Royce SMR is developing a 470-megawatt small modular reactor designed to provide stable baseload electricity for at least 60 years. In April, the company signed a contract with Great British Energy-Nuclear, Britain’s state-backed nuclear body, to begin site-speci

May 28, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Doosan pairs with Rolls-Royce to enter European nuclear market
Companies

Kia’s EV3 tops German auto test, sharpening edge in Europe

Kia’s compact electric SUV EV3 has claimed the top spot in a closely watched comparison test by German automotive magazine Auto Zeitung, a victory that could sharpen the brand’s edge in Europe’s increasingly brutal electric vehicle (EV) market. The publication, one of Germany’s most influential car magazines, ranked the EV3 first among five urban crossover EVs after evaluating performance, driving comfort, practicality and cost efficiency. The EV3, equipped with a 58.3-kilowatt-hour standard battery, earned 3,039 points overall, beating Renault’s 4 E-Tech at 2,936 points and BYD’s Atto 2 at 2,928 points. Other vehicles included in the test were the Ford Puma Gen-E and Suzuki e Vitara. The Korean automaker finished first in three of the five categories: body, driving comfort and powertrain. The magazine gave particularly strong marks to the EV3’s real-world driving range, which reached 335 kilometers during testing, the longest distance among the competing models. Auto Zeitung also praised the vehicle’s acceleration, responsive handling and regenerative braking system contro

May 28, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Kia’s EV3 tops German auto test, sharpening edge in Europe
Travel & Food

KTO enlists high-end Japanese outdoor brand to boost regional tourism

Seeking to steer a booming domestic camping market away from the crowded outskirts of the capital region, Korea’s state tourism agency is enlisting private sector muscle to redirect outdoor enthusiasts toward the country's rural provinces. The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) said Thursday that it signed a partnership with Snow Peak Korea, the local arm of the high-end Japanese outdoor brand, to promote safe camping practices and revitalize regional tourism. Under the agreement, the tourism agency will integrate an aggressive safety and public awareness campaign into Snow Peak’s major outdoor events. Over the course of eight scheduled large-scale camping programs — expected to draw roughly 7,000 participants — the agency will provide real-time guidance on preventing carbon monoxide poisoning and handling open flames or portable heating units. Campers who sign a safety pledge and engage with state-run digital information platform "Go Camping" will receive commemorative promotional goods. The broader ambition of the partnership, however, is geographic. Over the past several years,

May 28, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
KTO enlists high-end Japanese outdoor brand to boost regional tourism
Arts & Theater

Korea's new cultural exports are more than just K-pop

Seeking to turn everything from avant-garde contemporary dance to makeup classes into exportable soft power, Korea is launching an ambitious expansion of its global cultural campaign. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced a major scaling up of its “Touring K-Arts” initiative on Thursday, a project designed to transform Korean cultural centers worldwide into launchpads for global cultural showcases. The upcoming push will send 46 distinct cultural and arts programs across 45 cities in 30 countries, a strategy aimed at proving that the country’s cultural influence extends far beyond K-pop and cinema. The initiative relies on a highly coordinated regional touring model. By routing performances and exhibitions sequentially through neighboring regions rather than scheduling standalone events, the ministry significantly cut transportation and airfare costs during its initial trial phase. That trial supported 47 projects across 34 countries, drawing an audience of more than 170,000 people. The expanded roster balances traditional Korean legacy with modern sensibilities. Th

May 28, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea's new cultural exports are more than just K-pop
Others

Korea eyes Latin America as next frontier for booming arms exports

Korea’s defense industry is turning its attention toward Latin America, where rising security concerns and military modernization campaigns are opening new opportunities for exporters eager to expand beyond Europe and the Middle East. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday that it held a government-business meeting focused on expanding Korea’s presence in the Latin American defense market and strengthening cooperation between public agencies and private companies. The meeting was chaired by Choi Jun-ho, director general for Latin American and Caribbean affairs, and included officials from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and the Korea Research Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement. Executives from major defense-related companies including HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Korean Air, Korea Aerospace Industries, Hyundai Rotem and LIG Defense & Aerospace also attended. Participants discussed changing security conditions across Latin America, where governments are increasingly seeking to strengthen border control, public security and military readine

May 27, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea eyes Latin America as next frontier for booming arms exports
South Korea

Seoul battles loneliness with festivals, bingo

Seoul is offering citizens points, festivals and even bingo cards in an ambitious attempt to tackle one of urban life’s most stubborn modern problems: loneliness. Beginning Thursday, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will launch the first round of its 2026 “365 Seoul Challenge,” a citywide participation program designed to encourage residents to leave their homes, reconnect socially and build healthier daily routines through outdoor and community activities. Under this year’s slogan, “Let’s Go Outside and See the Sun,” participants can choose from 31 challenges ranging from park workouts and walking trails to visits to the Seoul International Garden Show and Han River festivals. City officials say the initiative has become one of Seoul’s signature anti-isolation policies after early surveys showed measurable changes in participants’ behavior and emotional well-being. Seoul residents age 14 and older are eligible to join the program, with registration opening at 9 a.m. Thursday through the official challenge website. Participants can create personalized bingo boards by se

May 27, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Seoul battles loneliness with festivals, bingo
South Korea

New garden path winds from Gyeongbok Palace to Cheong Wa Dae

A once traffic-heavy corridor in central Seoul is being transformed into a tree-lined walking route designed to pull visitors out of cars and into the rhythm of the seasons. Jongno District said Wednesday that it completed a 4.3-kilometer roadside garden project linking areas around Gyeongbok Palace, Samcheong-ro, Hyoja-ro and Cheongwadae-ro. The project, developed over three years at a cost of 346 million won ($230,000), was designed to create a pedestrian-friendly green corridor where tourists and residents can experience seasonal landscapes while walking through some of Seoul’s most historically significant neighborhoods. District officials said the effort focused on blending urban greenery with historic surroundings near Gyeongbok Palace and Cheong Wa Dae. Old flower beds and aging planting areas were renovated, while plants of varying heights were arranged to create layered garden scenery along the streets. Hanging flower pots were also installed at pedestrian eye level to make flowers and greenery more visible throughout the route. The section along Cheongwadae-ro was renovated bet

May 27, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
New garden path winds from Gyeongbok Palace to Cheong Wa Dae
South Korea

Korea expands free hiking gear rentals across national parks

Hikers heading into Korea’s rugged national parks this summer will no longer need to arrive fully equipped, as the government sharply expands a free safety gear rental program aimed at preventing mountain accidents before they happen. The Korea National Park Service said Wednesday that it had expanded its free hiking equipment rental service to all 20 mountain-based national parks across the country, up from 12 parks last year. Beginning this month, the service added eight more parks, including Naejangsan, Gayasan, Juwangsan, Sobaeksan, Wolchulsan, Byeonsan and Taebaeksan. Geumjeongsan will begin rentals in July. The initiative allows visitors to borrow nine types of hiking safety equipment free of charge, including hiking boots, trekking poles, backpacks, knee protectors, emergency kits, crampons and hot packs. The program was first introduced as a pilot project at Bukhansan National Park in 2021 to reduce accidents caused by unprepared hiking. In 2024, it expanded to six urban-area national parks after being selected as a public service initiative by the Finance Ministry. Another six pa

May 27, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea expands free hiking gear rentals across national parks
Companies

Pizza Hut’s new Korea operator taps female CEO to rebuild struggling brand

Pizza Hut’s new operator in Korea is betting that a veteran field executive with decades of restaurant experience can revive one of the country’s most recognizable pizza chains after years of financial turmoil and franchisee strain. PH Korea said Wednesday that it had nominated Kim Jung-eun, a former executive vice president overseeing sales operations at Pizza Hut Korea, as its first CEO ahead of the company’s official launch on Sunday. PH Korea was jointly established by Wintergold and K-Clavis Investment Management to operate the Pizza Hut franchise business in Korea. The company said Kim’s appointment reflected a strategy centered on rebuilding trust with franchise owners and restoring the brand’s competitiveness in the crowded food delivery and dining market. Kim has spent 23 years in the food and beverage industry, including at Outback Steakhouse Korea, where she built a reputation as an operations specialist with extensive frontline experience. She began her career managing restaurant operations before moving into broader leadership roles overseeing sales and new business

May 27, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Pizza Hut’s new Korea operator taps female CEO to rebuild struggling brand
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