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Lee Kyung-min

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Business

HD Hyundai, India to build joint shipyard in maritime push

HD Hyundai is accelerating its strategic expansion into the South Asian maritime sector through a new agreement with the Indian government, a move aimed at establishing a joint shipyard and deepening industrial ties between the two nations. The Korean shipbuilding giant announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding in New Delhi, Monday, with India’s NSHIP TN and the Sagarmala Finance Corporation. The partnership is designed to facilitate large-scale infrastructure planning and the eventual creation of a joint venture for vessel construction. The collaboration marks a significant escalation in HD Hyundai's regional ambitions, shifting from local state-level discussions to a broader national framework. NSHIP TN, a special-purpose entity supported by the central government in New Delhi, is tasked with coordinating the policy support and investment incentives necessary for the project. By involving the Sagarmala Finance Corporation, the initiative gains the institutional backing required to navigate the complexities of India's domestic manufacturing regulations and maritime logi

Apr 21, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
HD Hyundai, India to build joint shipyard in maritime push
South Korea

Education ministry exports vocational playbook to West Africa’s fast-growing economies

A delegation of more than 30 education officials from across West Africa arrived at Korean campuses and vocational centers this week as part of an expanding initiative to export a specialized model of work-linked training to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies. The Ministry of Education said Monday that it is hosting 31 experts from Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone under the third phase of the “Better Education for Africa’s Rise,” or BEAR III. The program, a tripartite collaboration involving UNESCO and the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training, represents a pivot toward long-term human capital development in the region. The weeklong agenda focuses on the "school-to-work pipeline," a hallmark of the domestic industrial strategy that assisted the nation's own rapid economic transformation. Officials noted that the initiative has already reached 14 African nations, supporting 81 institutions and tens of thousands of students through curriculum development tailored to specific labor market demands. Field visits emphasize practical

Apr 21, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Education ministry exports vocational playbook to West Africa’s fast-growing economies
South Korea

Instinct to flee fire can be fatal, officials warn

As fire safety officials in Korea grapple with a surge in residential and industrial disasters, a surprising new directive is emerging, as officials say the instinct to flee blindly may be more lethal than the fire itself. The warning follows a string of tragedies, including a devastating blaze last month at an auto parts factory in Daejeon that killed 14 workers, and a persistent rise in high-rise apartment fires that has challenged the nation’s emergency protocols. According to data released by the National Fire Agency Tuesday, a situational evacuation strategy is essential to reducing casualties. Agency analysis reveals that approximately 39 percent of recent fire fatalities occurred during the evacuation process, rather than from the initial blaze. Notably, many of these victims were overcome by smoke while attempting to flee apartments and other places that were not actually on fire, highlighting how stairwells can quickly transform into deadly chimneys. The statistics are sobering. Between 2023 and 2025, roughly 9,300 apartment fires resulted in 115 deaths and 1,148 injuries. A r

Apr 21, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Instinct to flee fire can be fatal, officials warn
South Korea

Low-energy path to bioplastics emerges from discarded wood

Korean researchers have discovered a way to transform common forest debris into a key ingredient for high-performance plastics, a development that could significantly reduce the environmental toll of the packaging and automotive industries. By using a new, low-energy method to process discarded wood, scientists at the National Institute of Forest Science achieved an efficiency rate of 99 percent in creating a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based chemicals. The process, which operates at room temperature using light and electricity, offers a potential blueprint for a green manufacturing sector that relies on trees rather than fossil fuels. The process centers on converting hydroxymethylfurfural — a compound derived from wood under high temperature and pressure — into FDCA, or furandicarboxylic acid, a key building block for next-generation bioplastics. Traditionally, that transformation requires substantial energy input and harsh chemical conditions. The Korean team, however, used a photoelectrochemical catalyst, powered by a combination of light and low-voltage electricity, t

Apr 21, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Low-energy path to bioplastics emerges from discarded wood
Entertainment

Sumi Jo joins SM to launch 40th anniversary album

In a move that signals a blurring of the lines between classical music and global pop culture, world-renowned soprano Sumi Jo signed an exclusive recording contract with SM Entertainment. The partnership, announced through the company’s classical imprint, SM Classics, positions Jo as the label’s first exclusive artist and serves as a strategic cornerstone for the firm’s expansion into the international classical market. The deal arrives as Jo prepares to mark her 40th anniversary with the release of a new album, "Continuum," slated for May. The 11-track project is framed not merely as a retrospective, but as a bridge between the rigorous traditions of the operatic stage and the slick, contemporary sensibilities of the Seoul music industry. In a statement, Jo characterized the work as a "culmination and a new beginning," featuring a repertoire that ranges from previously unrecorded coloratura arias to modern compositions that defy easy categorization. The album also leans into the collaborative spirit of the K-pop era. It features a duet with Suho, the leader of K-pop boy band EXO,

Apr 21, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Sumi Jo joins SM to launch 40th anniversary album
South Korea

Musinsa expands Shanghai footprint with 3rd store in Xuhui

Musinsa, the Korean fashion unicorn that has come to embody Seoul’s street style, is expanding its physical presence in China, opening a sprawling flagship boutique in Shanghai’s Xuhui District on Friday — a move that underscores its push into one of the city’s most competitive and culturally influential retail corridors. The new outpost, branded under the company’s private-label casual wear line, Musinsa Standard, is situated within the Xin Liu Bai YOUNG complex on Hengshan Road. It marks the platform's third brick-and-mortar location in the Chinese financial hub, following high-profile openings on Huaihai Road and Nanjing East Road. Together, the trio of stores forms what executives describe as a “strategic offline map,” a deliberate attempt to link Shanghai’s disparate consumption hubs into a cohesive brand ecosystem. The choice of Xuhui reflects a classic retail strategy: capturing the "historical-contemporary" nexus. The neighborhood is a leafy enclave where colonial-era architecture meets modern high-rises, attracting a demographic of affluent, trend-conscious you

Apr 21, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Musinsa expands Shanghai footprint with 3rd store in Xuhui
South Korea

Researchers at Jeonbuk Nat'l Univ. reveal how ultrafine carbon particles glow

Researchers led by professor Kim Hee-dae of Jeonbuk National University have identified the mechanism by which graphene quantum dots — ultrafine carbon particles — emit light, a finding that is drawing international attention within the scientific community. The study, titled "Multichannel Photoluminescence of Graphene Quantum Dots Across Femtosecond to Cryogenic Timescales," was published in Small, a leading peer-reviewed international journal focused on nanoscience and nanotechnology published by Wiley, a global publisher of scientific and academic research founded in 1807. In this study, the team examined how these minute particles emit light over ultrashort timescales — on the order of femtoseconds — and at extremely low temperatures, finding that the quantum dots can produce light through multiple distinct mechanisms. Using advanced instrumentation, the researchers were able to closely track the flow of energy within the particles, providing new insight into the processes that generate light. The findings could help inform the development of next-generation technologies, in

Apr 20, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Researchers at Jeonbuk Nat'l Univ. reveal how ultrafine carbon particles glow
Business

Samsung executive to head world’s premier display standards body

Korea has secured a pivotal role in shaping the future of display technology, with a Samsung Display executive elected to lead a key international standards body. The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) said Monday that Lee Chang-hee, chief technology officer of Samsung Display, has been elected chair of the IEC TC 110. IEC is short for International Electrotechnical Commission. IEC TC 110 oversees international standards for next-generation display technologies, including OLED and flexible displays, where competition among major economies such as Korea, China, Japan and the United States has intensified. Lee’s selection marks the first time Korea has assumed the top leadership role of the committee, despite previously leading seven of its nine working groups. China had held the chair position for nine years, expanding its influence over both standard-setting and market development. Korea Agency for Technology and Standards said it had nominated Lee last year and led a coordinated campaign with industry groups to secure support from member countries. Lee was selected afte

Apr 20, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Samsung executive to head world’s premier display standards body
South Korea

Modern pilgrimage takes visitors to lonely grave of deposed monarch

The tragedy of a teenage king whose brief reign and lonely exile in the 15th century have gained renewed attention thanks to a recent film is being reinterpreted as a cultural pilgrimage. The Korea Heritage Service said Monday it will host a series of guided tours in May through the rugged landscapes of Yeongwol, retracing the legacy of Danjong, the sixth monarch of the Joseon Dynasty. The five-part program seeks to move beyond dry historical records, offering a sensory immersion into the sites of the boy king's banishment. Participants will be led through the pine-shrouded river bend at Cheongnyeongpo, where the 16-year-old Danjong lived under house arrest, and Jangneung, the royal tomb that serves as his final resting place. Expert commentators are tasked with contextualizing the political upheaval that saw the young king deposed by his uncle. In a bid to broaden the narrative for global audiences, a special session scheduled for May 21–22 will host international participants and heritage ambassadors in collaboration with the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea. Korea Heritage Service

Apr 20, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Modern pilgrimage takes visitors to lonely grave of deposed monarch
Companies

Theborn Korea uses searing Sichuan seasoning to capture Tokyo’s palate

Theborn Korea, a major Korean restaurant franchisor and food distribution company founded by celebrity chef and entrepreneur Paik Jong-won, is making a calculated push into Japan’s fast-growing "mala" market — a spicy, tingling seasoning blend originating from Sichuan cuisine — by opening a specialty restaurant in Tokyo tailored to local tastes. The company said Monday it has launched Mala Baek, a Korean-style mala soup restaurant, in Shin-Okubo, a district known as a hub for Korean culture. The move comes as interest in Korean-style mala dishes gains traction among younger consumers in Japan, prompting the company to position its first outlet in a neighborhood frequented by fans of Korean food and entertainment. The restaurant introduces what the company is calling “K-mala,” offering variations of the spicy flavor tailored to Japanese preferences. Its signature mala soup features a broth based on beef bone and chicken, delivering a cleaner and more savory profile than the heavier, spice-forward Chinese style. The menu also includes spicy dumplings and crispy sweet and sour por

Apr 20, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Theborn Korea uses searing Sichuan seasoning to capture Tokyo’s palate
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