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Lee Kyung-min

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South Korea

Korea channeling funds to regional universities to boost local economies

The government will direct new funding to regional universities to better align education, research and employment, the Ministry of Education said Wednesday, as it seeks to turn local campuses into engines of industry-led growth. The ministry's “Regional Talent Development Plan Linked to Growth Engines” program is targeting closer alignment between universities and key industries across five major regions and three special zones. Three flagship national universities will be selected this year for intensive support, including the creation of so-called “brand colleges” that integrate undergraduate and graduate education and research with industry demand. Each school will receive about 100 billion won ($68 million) in additional funding to strengthen its role as a regional education and research hub. The plan calls for industry-led curricula and joint research with companies, alongside new convergence research institutes connecting universities with corporations and public research bodies. To attract top talent, universities will expand scholarships, research opportunities and stipen

Apr 15, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea channeling funds to regional universities to boost local economies
South Korea

New zoo disease rules aim to curb outbreaks across Korea

The National Institute of Wildlife Disease Control and Prevention issued a sweeping set of biosecurity protocols for the country’s 121 registered zoos, Wednesday, in an effort to strengthen defenses against zoonotic outbreaks that threaten both animal populations and public health. The new “Zoo Disease Management Guidelines,” released by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, establish standardized response triggers for the first time. The rollout is intended to tighten what has been a patchwork of local prevention measures, with a focus on limiting cross-species transmission and safeguarding the health of animals in captivity as the risk of wildlife-borne diseases rises globally. The guidelines were developed under the Zoo and Aquarium Management Act and are intended to support zookeepers, veterinarians and related personnel in carrying out their duties more effectively, the institute said. They outline step-by-step actions to take in the event of disease outbreaks, along with practical instructions for routine disease control. The document also includes checklists and

Apr 15, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
New zoo disease rules aim to curb outbreaks across Korea
South Korea

Joseon heritage tour reopens with new focus on young monarch's tragic story

A popular heritage tour through the royal tombs of the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty will return this month with an expanded itinerary, officials said Wednesday, including a newly added overnight route tracing the life and death of King Danjong, the teenage monarch who was overthrown and later killed after a brief reign. The Korea Heritage Service’s Royal Palaces and Tombs Center said its Royal Tombs Eight Scenes program will operate 34 times from April 30 to Nov. 15, marking its sixth year, with guided tours taking participants through eight UNESCO World Heritage-listed Joseon royal tombs, paired with expert commentary and cultural experiences. The program is divided into two sessions, running from April 30 to June 13, and from Sept. 5 to Nov. 15. This year, the organizers have expanded the Path of Danjong course from a one-day itinerary to a one-night, two-day program, reflecting renewed public interest following the film “The King's Warden.” The route traces the tragic story of King Danjong and Queen Jeongsun. The program will accommodate 26 participants per session, with up to 30 pa

Apr 15, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Joseon heritage tour reopens with new focus on young monarch's tragic story
South Korea

Asian scholars condemn US foreign policy as threat to sovereignty

A coalition of Asian intellectuals and civil society activists issued a sharp rebuke of U.S. foreign policy, warning that recent actions signal a dangerous erosion of international law and national sovereignty. The group Asia Without Borders, in a statement Tuesday, said recent developments under the Trump administration — including the military intervention in Venezuela, remarks about Greenland as a purchasable territory and military actions involving Iran — reflect a broader shift toward power-driven geopolitics. The statement was signed by 325 participants, including 260 from Korea and 65 from other Asian countries. The signatures were collected between Feb. 16 and April 6. The group said these actions are not isolated but are part of a wider regression that places national interest above international norms and multilateral cooperation. The coalition warned that such trends risk normalizing what it described as the “commodification of sovereignty” and the “militarization of humanitarianism,” raising concerns that these concepts could reshape global political behavior. At t

Apr 14, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Asian scholars condemn US foreign policy as threat to sovereignty
Others

Korea ranks 3rd globally in key AI models, securing top spot for patents

Korea is strengthening its position among the world’s leading players in artificial intelligence (AI), ranking third in notable AI models released last year and first in patents per capita, according to a new report from Stanford University. The Ministry of Science and ICT said Monday that the AI Index 2026 report from Stanford University’s Human-Centered AI Institute ranked Korea third in notable AI models last year, with five, trailing the United States with 50 and China with 30. The ranking marks a rise from fourth place the previous year, putting Korea ahead of countries such as Canada, France and the United Kingdom, each of which produced one model. Korea also ranked first globally in AI patents with 14.31 per 100,000 people, maintaining its top position for a second consecutive year. Luxembourg came next at 12.25, followed by China at 6.95 and the United States at 4.68. The report also highlighted Korea’s broader adoption of artificial intelligence, ranking the country fourth in industrial robot installations, with 30,600 units. China led with 295,000 units, followed by Japan

Apr 14, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea ranks 3rd globally in key AI models, securing top spot for patents
South Korea

Kookmin Univ. project wins gov't backing to engineer food-grade yeast

Kookmin University said Tuesday that the Ministry of Science and ICT had selected a new synthetic biology project aimed at stabilizing future food supplies, backing research to engineer food-grade yeast for precision fermentation. Professor Park Yong-cheol of the university’s department of integrative biotechnology was chosen for the 2026 Basic Research Program’s core research category, overseen by the ministry and supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea. The project focuses on developing a genetic toolkit for Candida utilis, a food-grade yeast, and applying it to produce key food materials through precision fermentation. The initiative aims to establish technologies for the stable domestic production of food ingredients such as proteins and amino acids, while addressing supply instability linked to climate change. Park’s team plans to design modular genetic components to enable genome editing and strain improvement of the yeast, laying the groundwork for scalable and efficient production of food resources. “The goal is to develop core technologies that can ensure a

Apr 14, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Kookmin Univ. project wins gov't backing to engineer food-grade yeast
South Korea

Sejong Univ. researchers claim breakthrough in faster-charging battery tech

Sejong University said Tuesday that a research team had developed a next-generation silicon anode that enables faster charging and longer battery life, a potential advance for electric vehicles and energy storage systems. The team, led by Yang Hyeon-woo and Kim Sun-jae of the department of nanotechnology and advanced materials engineering, developed a freestanding silicon anode that maintains high performance without conventional components like current collectors, binders or conductive additives. The findings were published online April 6 in Advanced Fiber Materials, an international journal with an impact factor of 21.3 — a measure of how often its research is cited — placing it among the more influential publications in its field, according to the university. The researchers at Sejong University introduced a novel electrode architecture that uses carbon nanofibers as a foundational framework, a design intended to overcome the historic fragility of silicon-based components. By engineering precise hydrolysis and condensation reactions directly onto the surface of each fiber, the te

Apr 14, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Sejong Univ. researchers claim breakthrough in faster-charging battery tech
Business

Korean firms give high marks to deregulation despite safety hurdles

A majority of companies in Korea say they are satisfied with the government’s efforts to streamline regulations, even as nearly half cite safety rules as the biggest burden they face this year, a business survey showed. The Korea Enterprises Federation (KEF) said Tuesday that 63.8 percent of 517 companies with 50 or more employees reported being satisfied with the government’s efforts to rationalize regulations, compared to 23.4 percent that said they were dissatisfied. Nearly half of respondents identified safety mandates as their primary burden, specifically citing the Serious Accidents Punishment Act — a contentious law that can hold executives criminally liable for fatal workplace mishaps. Regulation of working hours followed at 25 percent, while 15.5 percent of firms highlighted carbon neutrality and environmental requirements. Asked which regulatory changes they wanted this year, companies called for greater protections for regulators and inspectors in the exercise of their judgment, at 23.8 percent, followed by stricter enforcement of a system to cap regulations at 22.2 per

Apr 14, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korean firms give high marks to deregulation despite safety hurdles
South Korea

1 cup a day: Korea launches nationwide push to cut plastic waste

Korea is spearheading a sweeping national campaign to curb plastic consumption, urging citizens to cut back on single-use items as concerns grow over global supply instability tied to the Middle East conflict, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said. The campaign, which began Monday, runs for six months and calls on the public to adopt simple daily habits, including reducing the use of disposable cups. Officials said if 50 million people each cut one single-use cup, the country could reduce annual household plastic waste by 10 percent. Households in Korea generated about 3.83 million tons of plastic waste in 2023, according to the ministry. The initiative includes a set of nine guidelines aimed at reshaping everyday consumption. These include using reusable tumblers instead of disposable cups, bringing shopping bags, opting for reusable delivery containers or pickup, avoiding plastic straws and utensils, minimizing unnecessary vinyl use, supporting zero-waste stores, purchasing products made from recycled materials and properly separating waste for recycling. Citizens, publi

Apr 14, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
1 cup a day: Korea launches nationwide push to cut plastic waste
South Korea

Researchers in Korea develop high-efficiency solar modules

A team of researchers from Jeonbuk National University, DGIST and Sungkyunkwan University has developed a new type of solar panel that is both highly efficient and eco-friendly. They are professors Sushil Shivaji Sangale, Kwon Sung-nam and Na Seok-in. These solar panels are made from a material called perovskite, which is considered a promising alternative to traditional silicon due to its lower cost and higher efficiency. However, until now, making perovskite solar cells has required toxic chemicals and has been difficult to scale up to larger sizes without losing performance. To solve these problems, the researchers created a new kind of liquid “ink” used to manufacture the solar panels. This ink works like a printable coating that forms the light-absorbing layer of the solar cell. In older methods, a harmful chemical called DMF was commonly used, but the team replaced it with a safer alternative called DMSO. They also added a small amount of iodobenzene, a special ingredient which helps the material form more evenly. One of the most important parts of making solar cells is how th

Apr 13, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Researchers in Korea develop high-efficiency solar modules
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