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Lee Kyung-min

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South Korea

Almonty Korea Tungsten donates festival winnings to elderly residents

Employees of Almonty Korea Tungsten turned a tug-of-war victory into a donation for elderly residents in a former mining town, handing over all prize money earned at a major regional festival to local welfare programs. The global mining company said Wednesday that about 30 employees participated as representatives of Sangdong-eup in the 59th Danjong Cultural Festival in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, and donated the entire 800,000 won ($531) prize awarded by Yeongwol County to support older residents in the community. The donation was delivered to the Sangdong Community Security Council and will be used for meal support programs for elderly residents living alone and other vulnerable seniors in the area. Almonty Korea Tungsten placed third this year in the festival’s traditional kudzu rope tug-of-war competition after finishing as runners-up last year. The annual event, one of Yeongwol’s best-known cultural festivals, celebrates community unity and wishes for a plentiful harvest. Employees joined local residents in the competition and also volunteered at food stalls operated by the Sangd

May 27, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Almonty Korea Tungsten donates festival winnings to elderly residents
South Korea

Korea overhauls diaspora support as visa applications reach record high

A sweeping consolidation of Korea’s immigration policies has triggered an unprecedented surge in residency status changes among the country’s vast global diaspora, prompting the government to aggressively expand its domestic integration infrastructure. The Ministry of Justice said Wednesday that 36,561 ethnic Koreans living in the country had secured F-4 overseas Korean visas between Feb. 12 and May 12. The rush follows a highly anticipated policy shift earlier this year that streamlined and unified disparate residency qualifications. During that same brief window, a total of 47,632 individuals applied to transition to the F-4 status, with thousands of cases still under review. The rapid influx has exposed long-standing gaps in the state’s resettlement pipeline, prompting immigration officials to pivot from passive oversight to active civic assimilation. To cope with the demand, the ministry announced it will provide direct government funding to diaspora support centers for the first time since the initiative’s inception in 2008. Previously, these local entities operated on pre

May 27, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea overhauls diaspora support as visa applications reach record high
K-pop

Gov’t applauds K-pop acts after historic 11-award haul at AMAs

K-pop artists won major categories at the 52nd American Music Awards this week, prompting Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young to send congratulatory messages Wednesday to BTS, KATSEYE and the singing voices of Huntrix from the animated film "KPop Demon Hunters" for their victories at one of the biggest music award shows in the United States. The haul underscored the genre’s evolution from a regional subculture into a dominant force in the global music industry, marked by both the triumphant return of established icons and the arrival of highly successful cross-cultural experiments. Leading the charge was BTS, the powerhouse boy group that claimed the night’s highest honor, Artist of the Year. The win marks the group's second time taking home the top prize, having made history in 2021 as the first Asian act to do so. Returning to full activities as a complete group this year, BTS also took home trophies for Best Male K-Pop Artist and Song of the Summer for their track "Swim," securing a hat trick. The ceremony also vaulted newer acts into the global spotlight. The multinational girl group

May 27, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Gov’t applauds K-pop acts after historic 11-award haul at AMAs
Companies

Lotte ties retail, hotels, cinemas into one digital pass in ambitious online push

Lotte Department Store is bundling shopping, travel, dining and entertainment into a single online campaign, a move that underscores how Korea’s retail conglomerates are increasingly blurring the lines between commerce and lifestyle platforms. The company said Tuesday that it will run a groupwide promotion called “L.Pass” on its app, Lotte Department Store Mall, from May 28 to June 7, bringing together seven affiliates across the Lotte Group. Participating companies include Lotte Department Store, Lotte Duty Free, Lotte Hotels, Lotte World, Lotte Cinema, Lotte Mart and Lotte GRS, creating what the company described as a unified “omnichannel” experience spanning retail and leisure. At the center of the campaign is a digital funnel that directs users from a single landing page into each affiliate’s promotional offers, designed to encourage cross-platform engagement within the Lotte ecosystem. Customers who enter the L.Pass interface are prompted to select one of the seven affiliates, unlocking targeted discounts and benefits tied to that business unit. On the app, the company is

May 26, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Lotte ties retail, hotels, cinemas into one digital pass in ambitious online push
South Korea

From coffee grounds to animal fat, Korea turns to organic waste to power airplanes

Korea is moving to turn discarded coffee grounds and animal fat into a new type of aviation fuel, launching a major research program aimed at securing supply chains for sustainable jet fuel as global carbon rules tighten. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said last Wednesday that it will formally launch a national research and development initiative focused on producing high-quality biofuels, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), from organic waste generated by the food industry. The state-backed program comes as international aviation emissions frameworks prepare to mandate stricter carbon reduction targets, increasing pressure on airlines and fuel exporters to adopt low-carbon alternatives. To kickstart the initiative, ministry officials hosted an inaugural briefing last Wednesday at Withspace in western Seoul alongside key public agencies and corporate partners, including the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute and industrial developer LTM Metal. Under the program, the government will oversee an investment of 48.7 billion won ($32.3 million) through

May 26, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
From coffee grounds to animal fat, Korea turns to organic waste to power airplanes
Companies

Samsung Electronics brings AI heat pumps to major residential projects across Poland

Samsung Electronics is moving deeper into Europe’s low-carbon housing market, supplying artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled heat pump systems and integrated building management software to a large-scale residential development spanning four Polish cities. The company said Tuesday that it will provide high-efficiency heat pump solutions and its SmartThings Pro platform to a multifamily housing project led by Polish energy provider Ekopark. The development covers about 2.5 million square meters and includes roughly 370 residential buildings across Białystok, Przeworsk, Nakło and Bielsk Podlaski, all in eastern and southeastern Poland. Samsung said the deployment reflects rising European demand for electrified heating systems as governments tighten emissions targets and expand subsidies for low-carbon technologies. The company will supply its DVM S2 outdoor heat pump units, which include an “Active AI” function designed to learn from real-time environmental conditions and optimize energy use. The system is paired with DVM Hydro Unit indoor modules that can deliver hot water and heat

May 26, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Samsung Electronics brings AI heat pumps to major residential projects across Poland
Companies

Van Leeuwen ice cream opens in southern Seoul for Korean debut

A New York-born ice cream brand favored by global celebrities is set to make its debut in Korea this summer in Seoul’s Gangnam District, as premium dessert competition intensifies in one of Asia’s most closely watched food retail markets. A Twosome Place, the Korea-based cafe operator, said Tuesday that it will officially launch Van Leeuwen in Korea and open its first store near Gangnam Station, a major transit and commercial hub served by Subway Line 2 and the Shinbundang Line. The brand, founded in 2008 as a yellow ice cream truck in New York, has built its reputation on a “less is more” philosophy centered on high-quality ingredients and French-style ice cream enriched with extra egg yolks. Van Leeuwen said its signature vanilla bean flavor uses Madagascar bourbon vanilla and has been widely praised in the United States as one of the best versions of the classic flavor. Other offerings planned for the Korea launch include Sicilian pistachio made with nuts grown near Mount Etna and Earl Grey tea ice cream infused with bergamot and cream. The company said it avoids artificial add

May 26, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Van Leeuwen ice cream opens in southern Seoul for Korean debut
South Korea

Seoul turns 2026 color ‘Morning Yellow’ into everyday fashion, lifestyle goods

Seoul is bringing its official city color into daily life with a new line of products that stretches from stationery and fashion accessories to eco-friendly home goods, turning a branding campaign into a citywide lifestyle push. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday that it is launching 13 products inspired by “Morning Yellow,” the city’s designated color for 2026, through partnerships with 11 companies including Noroo Paint, KCC, LG Chem and Monami. The color, unveiled in December 2025, was drawn from the yellow glow of Seoul’s morning sunlight and follows previous city colors Sky Coral and Green Aurora. City officials said the project was designed to make Seoul’s visual identity more visible in residents’ everyday routines through commonly used items such as towels, hats, bags and pens. Noroo Paint and KCC released standardized paint products and color books featuring Morning Yellow, allowing the color to be applied consistently across public spaces and consumer products. A promotional “Color Sound” video produced by Noroo Paint, combining imagery and sound insp

May 26, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Seoul turns 2026 color ‘Morning Yellow’ into everyday fashion, lifestyle goods
South Korea

Seoul expands arts subsidies to cultivate new generation of theatergoers

Seoul is expanding financial subsidies for the arts, betting that heavily discounted access to theater, classical music and dance will cultivate a new generation of theatergoers while shielding small performing arts groups from economic headwinds. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday that it will expand two municipal initiatives — the Seoul Youth Culture Pass and the Spring Day of Performance program — designed to eliminate the financial barriers that often insulate high culture from adolescents and young adults. Under the centerpiece Youth Culture Pass, residents aged 21 to 23 are eligible for an annual stipend of up to 200,000 won ($152) to spend on plays, musicals, traditional Korean music and museum exhibitions. Since its introduction in 2023, the voucher system has funded admission for roughly 100,000 young citizens, according to city data, which noted a domestic satisfaction rate of 87.2 percent this year. Municipal officials intend to scale up the program next year by transitioning to a rolling application process, extending expiration dates and widening the applic

May 26, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Seoul expands arts subsidies to cultivate new generation of theatergoers
South Korea

Korea expands Latin American footprint with advanced farm tech tests in Bolivia

Korea is turning to Bolivia’s rugged farmlands to test a new generation of export-ready agricultural machinery, betting that tractors built for the Andes could unlock wider markets across Latin America. The Rural Development Administration said Tuesday that it has begun joint research and development with Bolivia’s National Institute of Agricultural and Forestry Innovation to create customized farm machinery tailored to local agricultural conditions. The project also involves the Korea Agricultural Machinery Industry Cooperative and Korean exporters seeking to expand into emerging overseas markets. Last month, the two agencies signed a technology cooperation agreement that lays the groundwork for jointly developing tractor attachments designed specifically for Bolivian farms. Officials said the initiative marks a shift from traditional technical assistance programs toward export-linked research based on local agricultural infrastructure and field data. The Rural Development Administration said the partnership will cover the full development process, including machinery design, local f

May 26, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea expands Latin American footprint with advanced farm tech tests in Bolivia
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