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Lee Kyung-min

Korea Times AI content 2 team Reporter

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K-pop

K-pop idols take on new challenge with YouTube language and culture project

K-pop idols are stepping beyond the stage to explore Korean language and culture through a three-part YouTube series produced by the King Sejong Institute Foundation in collaboration with SBS. The series features popular artists engaging with Korean language learners worldwide through competitions, proficiency assessments and special lessons. The second episode, set for release Saturday at 2 p.m., will feature Ricky of AND2BLE and Mǎ Jingxiang of CLOSE YOUR EYES competing against eight outstanding Korean language learners. The participants were selected from the winners of the 2026 King Sejong Institute Korean Speaking and Writing Contest, which attracted 3,715 applicants from 75 countries and 178 institutions. The episode will also reunite Ricky and Mǎ Jingxiang, who previously competed on the same team in an audition program in 2023. In November, boy group VERIVERY will become honorary Korean language teachers at the King Sejong Institute in Jakarta, Indonesia. The five members will conduct a special class using their own song lyrics, explaining their meanings and introducing useful

Oct 30, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
K-pop idols take on new challenge with YouTube language and culture project
People & Events

Seoul unveils 110 autumn foliage trails spanning 167 kilometers

Seoul is turning its streets, riversides and parks into an open-air autumn gallery, with the city government selecting 110 foliage trails stretching a combined 167 kilometers for residents and visitors seeking fall colors without leaving the capital. The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Friday that its 2026 selection features tree-lined streets, riverside paths, public parks and walking trails, with peak foliage expected from late October through early to mid-November. The routes feature a variety of trees, including ginkgo, zelkova, Yoshino cherry and metasequoia, offering different landscapes across the city. The government divided the 110 routes into four categories: 20 urban walking routes, 19 riverside trails, 28 park routes and 43 walking paths. Among the highlighted destinations are Samcheong-dong Street, Deoksu Palace Road and Itaewon-ro, while visitors seeking waterside scenery can follow trails along Jungnang Stream and Ui Stream. Seoul Forest and Haneul Park are among the recommended parks, while Walkerhill-ro and Hangeulbiseok-gil are highlighted for their walking route

Oct 30, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Seoul unveils 110 autumn foliage trails spanning 167 kilometers
People & Events

Comic icon Snoopy gets Korean makeover for nationwide tourism drive

A familiar face from American comic strips is getting a distinctly Korean makeover as Snoopy dons traditional clothing to welcome international visitors arriving during a 17-day tourism promotion campaign. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Visit Committee will jointly host the 2026 second-half Welcome Week from Friday through Nov. 15, offering foreign visitors travel information, special benefits and cultural experiences at five locations nationwide. The campaign coincides with the 2026 Korea Grand Festival and aims to improve travel convenience while encouraging international visitors to return to Korea. Welcome booths will operate at Incheon International Airport's Terminal 1 arrivals hall now through Nov. 15 and at Jeju International Airport's international arrivals hall from Saturday through Nov. 15. Visitors can receive tourism information in English, Japanese and Chinese, along with travel benefits and opportunities to participate in interactive events. This year's campaign features a collaboration with Snoopy Garden, a theme park in Jeju, bringing characters

Oct 30, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Comic icon Snoopy gets Korean makeover for nationwide tourism drive
Others

Paradise backs campaign to combat youth gambling addiction

As online gambling increasingly draws young people into its orbit, casino operator Paradise is putting its money behind a campaign urging teenagers to find a different kind of excitement — one built around their ambitions rather than bets. Paradise said Friday it had fully funded the production of a youth gambling prevention advertisement in partnership with the Korea Center on Gambling Problems, with the video set to debut on television and online platforms at the end of October. Titled “I play a different game,” the campaign carries a message encouraging teenagers to turn away from online gambling and pursue a wider world of opportunities, dreams and personal potential. The advertisement aims to communicate the risks of gambling in language and imagery tailored to younger audiences while raising public awareness of the issue. The initiative builds on a partnership established in September 2025, when Paradise and the Korea Center on Gambling Problems signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop gambling prevention content for teenagers and expand counseling services tai

Oct 30, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Paradise backs campaign to combat youth gambling addiction
Companies

Samsung, gas safety agency join forces to protect chip operations

Samsung Electronics and Korea Gas Safety Corp. have agreed to tighten safety controls at semiconductor facilities in Korea and overseas, seeking to prevent gas-related accidents and protect production continuity as the country's chip industry expands. The two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding Thursday at Samsung's Pyeongtaek campus, focusing on strengthening gas safety infrastructure at facilities designated as nationally critical semiconductor sites. The agreement calls for closer technical cooperation to stabilize newly built facilities, including inspections of pipeline integrity and verification that gas installations meet safety requirements. Under the partnership, the organizations will conduct regular inspections of facilities and pipelines at new sites, provide training to develop specialized safety personnel and share technical information on gas safety. They also plan to jointly identify regulatory obstacles affecting semiconductor operations and explore ways to improve relevant rules. Another key element involves conducting joint special inspections of gas faci

Oct 30, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Samsung, gas safety agency join forces to protect chip operations
South Korea

Seoul converts underused section of subway station into sports lounge

Seoul has turned an underused underground subway concourse into a recreational hub where outdoor runners can change clothes and store gear before hitting nearby riverside trails, while park golf enthusiasts can play indoors regardless of the weather. The facility — the ninth in a municipal network curiously named "Fun Stations" — opened Friday on basement level 1 of Shinmokdong Station on Line 9, offering direct access to the adjacent Anyangcheon stream running paths. The facility, located near exits 1 and 2 on the station's basement level, features a 213-square-meter runner support area and a 228-square-meter indoor park golf center equipped with six screen-based hitting bays. The runner facilities include three changing rooms for men and women each, along with 14 lockers in each section, and are available free of charge. Lockers cost 3,000 won ($2.10) for four hours, while vending machines offer running essentials such as shower wipes and energy gels. The runner support area operates from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., covering subway service hours. The indoor park golf center operates from 8

Oct 30, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Seoul converts underused section of subway station into sports lounge
Companies

Dongwon launches AI-powered tuna vessel with drone technology

Dongwon Industries, Korea’s leading seafood conglomerate, has deployed a state-of-the-art 2,000-ton fishing vessel equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) and aerial drones to track tuna schools and enhance crew safety in the South Pacific. The company held a launch ceremony for the Danuri at Dadae Port in Busan Thursday afternoon, with about 200 people attending, including Oceans and Fisheries Minister Hwang Jong-woo, Dongwon Group Chairman Kim Nam-jung and Dongwon Industries CEO Park Sang-jin. Built with an investment of more than 50 billion won ($35 million), the vessel brings advanced technology to nearly every stage of tuna fishing, from locating schools to preserving the catch. Danuri carries two drones designed specifically for fish detection, capable of taking off and landing automatically while the vessel is moving and flying at speeds of up to 120 kilometers per hour. Footage captured by the drones is analyzed in real time by AI systems in the vessel's control room, while three-dimensional sonar and radar help crews identify fish schools and improve fishing efficiency. The

Oct 29, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Dongwon launches AI-powered tuna vessel with drone technology
Others

Yongsan opens English library for kids combining AI tech, interactive exhibits

A new children’s library in central Seoul is pairing English books with artificial intelligence (AI), interactive exhibits and cultural activities in an effort to make language learning feel less like a lesson and more like an adventure. Yongsan District said Thursday that Dongbinggo English Library for Children opened Wednesday on the first floor of Onnuri Youth Center in Dongbinggo Neighborhood Park, offering children a dedicated space for reading, language development and hands-on learning. The 389.74-square-meter facility includes a children’s reading room, program rooms and a waiting area for parents, along with a digital aquarium and interactive content designed to extend children’s experiences beyond the pages of books. About 80 people, including Yongsan District Mayor Kim Gyeong-dae and local residents, attended the opening ceremony, which featured a project briefing, congratulatory remarks, unveiling of the library sign and a tour of the facility. The library offers English-language books, along with programs tailored to different reading levels and activities intended to

Oct 29, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Yongsan opens English library for kids combining AI tech, interactive exhibits
People & Events

Changyeong Palace brings its history to life through smartphone audio guides

Visitors to Changyeong Palace can now explore its royal history through their smartphones, with a new audio guide offering stories of the historic site in multiple languages and making its cultural heritage more accessible. The Changyeong Palace Management Office, part of the Korea Heritage Service’s Royal Palaces and Tombs Center, launched the service Thursday in partnership with Shinhan Bank, a corporate supporter of cultural heritage preservation. Visitors can access the guide by scanning QR codes on information boards at Honghwamun, the palace’s main gate, and at major points along the grounds. The codes connect users to Shinhan Bank’s Beautiful Shinhan website, where audio commentary is available in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese, alongside sign-language videos for visitors with hearing disabilities. The service combines basic explanations of the palace’s history and architecture with dramatized accounts of historical events, offering visitors a more engaging way to understand the site. Professional voice actors, along with actors Kim Young-min and Kim Hyun-joo, lend t

Oct 29, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Changyeong Palace brings its history to life through smartphone audio guides
People & Events

Seoul market festival draws 50,000, generates $82,000 in sales

A two-day celebration of Seoul’s traditional markets drew about 50,000 visitors and generated 110 million won ($82,000) in sales, offering merchants a rare chance to reach new customers and showcasing how neighborhood commerce can become a destination for food, culture and nightlife. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Thursday that the 2026 Seoul Market Fair, held Saturday and Sunday around Cheonggye Plaza, marked the return of its signature traditional market expo after a seven-year hiatus. The festival brought together 38 businesses from traditional markets and neighborhood shopping districts across the city, including Namdaemun Market in Jung District and Baengnyeon Market in Gangbuk District, alongside emerging commercial areas such as Syarosu-gil in Gwanak District and Hoegirang-gil in Dongdaemun District. Organizers divided the event into daytime and evening programs, inviting visitors to shop for local specialties during the day before returning for street food, live music and nighttime performances beside Cheonggyecheon. Stalls offered everything from tteokbokki, grilled ch

Oct 29, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Seoul market festival draws 50,000, generates $82,000 in sales
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