my timesThe Korea Times
lkm

Lee Kyung-min

Korea Times AI content 2 team Reporter

Value context and insight. lkm@koreatimes.co.kr

Go to EmailGo to URL

Read more

Business

Gov't offers subsidies to shield small businesses from global climate rules

Korea on Monday began accepting applications from small businesses for a new supply chain-focused carbon reduction program, offering funding and equipment support as global climate regulations tighten. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups said companies can apply for the “carbon neutrality facility investment support” program until May 6. A total of 30 firms will be selected. The program offers up to 300 million won ($201,000) in combined support for consulting, market research and the installation of equipment tailored to reduce carbon emissions. Eligible investments include energy-saving systems, emissions monitoring equipment, process optimization technologies using artificial intelligence and renewable energy facilities, such as solar and biogas. Unlike earlier tracks that closed in February, the new “supply chain track” focuses on small firms linked to larger parent companies or primary contractors, reflecting growing pressure across global supply chains to cut emissions. Under the program, applications must be submitted jointly by a lead company and its small business partner.

Apr 13, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Gov't offers subsidies to shield small businesses from global climate rules
South Korea

Korea launches online hub to recruit more international students

The Ministry of Education, in partnership with the National Institute for International Education, launched a year-round online promotion hub and a series of live admissions webinars as part of a broader effort to widen access to information for students considering study in Korea. They said the new promotion hub is available through an online portal, a government-run website established in 2012 for international students. The portal provides information on universities, scholarships, visas and employment in one place, while supporting education fairs, online applications and scholarship notices. It draws about 12 million visits annually. Officials said the promotion hub, which opened Wednesday, replaces last year’s short-term online fairs with a permanent format, allowing prospective students to access information at any time. Universities and local governments can also maintain continuous outreach to potential applicants. The hub is organized into four sections: Korean language training programs offered by university-affiliated institutes; English-track degree programs; junior colleg

Apr 13, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea launches online hub to recruit more international students
South Korea

Korea begins 100-day countdown to UNESCO World Heritage session

Korea on Friday kicked off a nationwide promotional campaign for the 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee session to be held in Busan, releasing an official video and poster 100 days ahead of the country’s debut as host of the event. The campaign, led by the Korea Heritage Service, aims to raise public awareness and build momentum ahead of the July gathering in the southeastern city. The agency said the promotional video highlights the importance of international cooperation in preserving world heritage, while underscoring Korea’s commitment to successfully hosting the global event. The video will also be shown on KTX onboard monitors and display boards at Seoul Station. An accompanying poster reinterprets traditional Korean architectural elements — including wooden pillars, decorative dancheong patterns and roof tiles — in a modern design. The poster will be displayed at 19 major cultural sites, including the National Palace Museum of Korea and the National Museum of Korea, as well as key transit hubs such as Seoul Station and Yongsan Station. The agency will also release a seri

Apr 10, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea begins 100-day countdown to UNESCO World Heritage session
Business

Middle East crisis accelerates momentum for renewables, new report says

Rising energy insecurity following a major military escalation in the Middle East has bolstered the strategic case for renewable energy, even as deep structural hurdles threaten to stall a rapid transition, a new report warns. The analysis, released by the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade, arrives as global oil and gas markets reel from a Feb. 28 strike by the United States and Israel on Iran. The subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz has sent price volatility soaring, forcing a reassessment of energy dependence in Korea and beyond. The report, titled “Will the Middle East war accelerate the transition to renewable energy,” said the crisis has elevated renewables from a climate policy priority to a core pillar of energy security and national resilience. But it said multiple structural constraints are likely to slow any immediate shift. Rising fossil fuel prices are increasing the cost burden of renewable energy investments and straining supply chains, creating what the report describes as a paradox. In the short term, countries may turn to alternative fossil fu

Apr 10, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Middle East crisis accelerates momentum for renewables, new report says
Business

Coupang brings TCL refrigerators to Korea

Coupang, the e-commerce company often described as Korea’s Amazon due to its fast-delivery logistics network, said Friday it will begin selling large-capacity refrigerators from TCL — a major Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer — in Korea for the first time, intensifying competition in the home appliance category. The e-commerce company said the launch marks the first domestic release of TCL refrigerators through its platform, adding to an existing lineup dominated by Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics. The new model features an 814-liter, four-door design aimed at consumers seeking high-capacity storage with flexible compartmentalization. The refrigerator will be available in white and gray. Coupang said the product incorporates TCL’s metal cooling technology to reduce cold air loss and maintain internal hygiene, along with a Pure Air function and three-dimensional air circulation system designed to evenly distribute airflow and provide deodorization. The model also includes a smart digital control panel for one-touch operation and an interior layout with adjustable sh

Apr 10, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Coupang brings TCL refrigerators to Korea
Entertainment

BIGBANG returns to Coachella stage as 20th anniversary tour looms

BIGBANG will return to the global spotlight this weekend, taking the stage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival as the K-pop group begins what it is calling a 20th anniversary celebration that could lead into a wider world tour. The group is scheduled to perform Sunday and again on April 19 in Indio, California, appearing on the festival’s Outdoor Theatre stage for roughly 60 minutes each set, organizers said. The performances come as anticipation builds for the group’s first major festival appearance in years, with fans expecting a setlist that draws heavily from its catalogue of global hits, including “BANG BANG BANG,” “FANTASTIC BABY” and “WE LIKE 2 PARTY.” The K-pop group said in a statement that the Coachella appearance represents “a symbolic stage marking another beginning,” adding that it prepared the performance with a renewed sense of purpose and a focus on reconnecting with global audiences through music. The festival sets are widely viewed as a launch point for future international activity, including a potential global tour tied to the group’s

Apr 10, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
BIGBANG returns to Coachella stage as 20th anniversary tour looms
South Korea

Korean researchers link gut microbes to chronic liver disease

Researchers in Korea have identified a specific mechanism by which gut bacteria drive the progression of chronic liver disease, a discovery that may lead to the development of a noninvasive diagnostic tool to replace painful biopsies. The study, led by Kwak Min-jin, a professor at Kookmin University, uncovers how the delicate interplay between microbes and the liver influences metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH. By mapping this “gut-liver axis,” the team found they could not only track the severity of the progressive condition — which often leads to cirrhosis or liver cancer — but also potentially suppress its development. The findings were published in Pharmacological Research, an international journal in pharmacology. The researchers said they tracked changes in gut microbiota using animal models and found that Romboutsia hominis increased as the disease progressed, worsening fat accumulation and inflammation in the liver through tumor necrosis factor signaling pathways. By contrast, Akkermansia muciniphila and extracellular vesicles derived from the bact

Apr 10, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korean researchers link gut microbes to chronic liver disease
South Korea

Korea, Finland deepen strategic economic, security ties

Yeo Han-koo, Korea’s minister for trade, met Friday with Ville Tavio, Finland’s minister of foreign trade and development, to coordinate responses to global trade disruptions and expand cooperation in advanced industries, officials said. They reviewed joint responses to a rapidly shifting global trade environment and discussed ways to strengthen economic and security ties — with a focus on supply chain stability and high-tech collaboration — during talks held at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, officials said. Building on trust established under the Korea-European Union Free Trade Agreement, the two countries agreed to elevate ties to a more strategic and comprehensive partnership, expanding beyond trade and investment to include emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence and resource recycling. Both sides also said they shared concerns over rising geopolitical tensions and the spread of protectionism, which have heightened global economic uncertainties. They agreed on the need for closer cooperation among countries that support open markets, and said they would continue close

Apr 10, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea, Finland deepen strategic economic, security ties
South Korea

Korea to tighten oversight of international students with sweeping inspections

Korea will launch joint government inspections on universities’ management of international students, officials said Thursday, as authorities move to overhaul oversight from admissions to long-term residency. The Ministry of Education said it will conduct on-site inspections with the Ministry of Justice in April and May, examining the full lifecycle of international students, from recruitment and academic support to employment and visa compliance. The inspections will target universities where submitted data requires verification, institutions involved in past controversies related to international student management, and schools suspected of excessive enrollment of international students relative to capacity. The education ministry said it will select four universities each in the first and second half of the year for detailed reviews. Officials said the review will focus on the appropriateness of admissions, Korean language education and student support, attendance and academic management, and compliance with visa regulations. Authorities said serious violations, including document f

Apr 9, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea to tighten oversight of international students with sweeping inspections
Business

LG unveils multimodal AI model that outperforms global rivals

LG AI Research introduced EXAONE 4.5, a multimodal artificial intelligence (AI) model designed to understand and reason across both text and images, marking a significant step in the company’s push to expand its proprietary AI ecosystem. The new model integrates a self-developed vision encoder with a large language model into a single system, forming a vision-language model capable of processing complex documents such as contracts, technical drawings and financial statements with a high degree of accuracy. According to LG AI Research, EXAONE 4.5 outperformed competing models, including those from OpenAI and Alibaba, across a range of benchmarks measuring visual understanding and reasoning. The model recorded an average score of 77.3 across five STEM-related evaluations, surpassing GPT-5 mini, Claude Sonnet 4.5 and Qwen3 235B. Across 13 evaluation metrics — including general visual understanding and document-based reasoning — the model also exceeded the performance of GPT-5 mini, Claude Sonnet 4.5 and Qwen3-VL, the company said. In coding performance, EXAONE 4.5 scored 81.4 on the L

Apr 9, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
LG unveils multimodal AI model that outperforms global rivals
previous page
3536373839
next page

Top 5 stories

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.