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    Fried chicken chain bhc expands US footprint with first Virginia restaurant

    Korean fried chicken giant bhc is planting its flag in one of the Washington metropolitan area’s busiest commercial hubs, anchoring its latest push into the United States with its first Virginia location. The chain, operated by Dining Brands Group, said Monday it opened its Arlington location in the Ballston neighborhood of Arlington County, marking its debut in Virginia as the company continues to broaden its North American presence. The restaurant is located near offices, residential complexes, shopping centers and recreational facilities, with convenient access to the Ballston-MU Metro station. The company said the area, which borders Washington across the Potomac River, attracts a steady mix of office workers, residents and visitors, making it a strategic location for growth. The approximately 169-square-meter restaurant offers full-service dining with 32 seats across 15 tables. Its menu has been tailored to local dining preferences, featuring wing- and tender-based combo meals, chicken sandwiches, Crispy Bun sandwiches, cheese balls and fries. Reflecting the popularity of dipping sa

    2 MIN READBy Lee Kyung-min
    Fried chicken chain bhc expands US footprint with first Virginia restaurant
  • Tech & Science

    Science ministry vows $650 bil. investment in AI data centers

    2 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Science ministry vows $650 bil. investment in AI data centers
  • Others

    Korea launches K-Chicken Belt to boost gastronomy tourism

    3 MIN READBy Ko Dong-hwan
    Korea launches K-Chicken Belt to boost gastronomy tourism
  • Companies

    Samsung, partner firms sign agreement for mutual growth

    2 MIN READBy Nam Hyun-woo
    Samsung, partner firms sign agreement for mutual growth
  • Companies

    CU in China: Why South Korean retail giant is adopting 'online first' strategy

    3 MIN READBy SCMP
    CU in China: Why South Korean retail giant is adopting 'online first' strategy
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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.

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Companies

Hyundai Motor Group under mounting strain from delay in tariff cut

Hyundai Motor Group faces a mounting earnings strain amid Korea’s lingering discord with the United States over when to implement their recently agreed-upon 15 percent auto tariff. The delay adds to the growing financial burden of the Korean carmaker, as it is still subject to a 25 percent tariff on cars exported to the U.S. Later last month during a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump, both countries reached a detailed follow-up trade agreement to cut the figure down to 15 percent. At that time, Korea’s presidential office said both countries’ joint fact sheet — which contains a detailed timeline for the tariff cut — would be released in two to three days. The schedule, however, has been protracted for about two weeks for no confirmed reasons. This leaves Hyundai Motor and Kia — which rely heavily on exports to the U.S. — exposed to additional earnings losses as they still face the earlier tariff rate of 25 percent. Korea’s basic stance is to request the U.S. to apply the 15 percent auto tariff retroactively from Nov. 1, but it remains u

Nov 11, 2025By Lee Min-hyung
Hyundai Motor Group under mounting strain from delay in tariff cut
Banking & Finance

Travel cards gain popularity as new foreign exchange investment tool

Choi, an IT startup employee in her 40s, recently began using her travel card not just for overseas trips but also as an investment tool to profit from currency fluctuations. In September, when the won traded at around 1,320 won against the U.S. dollar, she preloaded dollars onto her Travlog card issued by Hana Card. When the rate later rose to the 1,390-won range, she converted the remaining balance back into won, earning about a 5 percent gain. “I used to use my travel card only when traveling abroad, but with exchange rates fluctuating so much lately, I’ve started treating it as a small-scale investment,” she said. “It’s convenient because I can check rates in real time. I’ve even set up alerts in the app so I don’t miss the right timing.” Travel cards are specialized payment tools for foreign currency transactions jointly offered by card companies and banks. They typically waive currency exchange fees or offer preferential exchange rates when converting won into foreign currencies. As the won-dollar exchange rate has become increasingly volatile in recent months, swin

Nov 11, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
Travel cards gain popularity as new foreign exchange investment tool
Tech & Science

WRTN calls for public-private cooperation on AI literacy education

Lee Se-young, CEO of artificial intelligence (AI) platform firm WRTN, on Tuesday called for public-private sector cooperation to improve the education environment for AI literacy among the Korean general public. During the K-AI Literacy Future Education Forum hosted by Rep. Cho In-cheul of the Democratic Party of Korea, Lee stressed that AI literacy has become a key national capability reflecting a country’s competitiveness and social inclusivity. However, he pointed out that there is virtually no publicly supported AI literacy education available to the general public in Korea. “Although Korean workers use AI in their work more frequently than their U.S. counterparts, the actual reduction in working hours is lower in Korea,” he said. “While many people actively use AI in Korea, many are not using it effectively and efficiently, and policies addressing this gap remain insufficient.” The forum was organized to highlight the importance of AI education for the general public, especially for younger generations, to narrow the gap between those who can effectively use AI and those

Nov 11, 2025By Nam Hyun-woo
WRTN calls for public-private cooperation on AI literacy education
Companies

LIG Nex1 honors Thai veterans of Korean War

LIG Group Chairman Koo Bon-sang, fifth from right, along with executives and employees of LIG Nex1, poses with representatives of the Thai-Korean War Veterans Association during a courtesy visit to the organization in Thailand, Monday (local time). Thailand sent 6,326 troops to fight in the 1950-53 Korean War, with 136 killed in action and about 1,200 wounded. The Korean defense company is participating in Defense & Security 2025 in Bangkok. Courtesy of LIG Nex1

Nov 11, 2025By Kang Seung-woo
LIG Nex1 honors Thai veterans of Korean War
Tech & Science

Inside watsonx AI Lab: IBM seeks to navigate AI race with watsonx, AI consulting

NEW YORK — IBM is stepping up its efforts in the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence (AI) industry, led by its watsonx platform and enterprise consulting services. IBM’s latest strategy in AI is encapsulated by watsonx, a collection of products for generative AI, from building to deploying and governing AI models, with comprehensive enterprise consulting. “[For companies to adopt AI in business], there must be platforms that allow their developers to build with AI and need to be able to use various models as well … In order for AI adoption to align with these processes, it needs a platform that connects to business workflows; hence, we introduce products like watsonx Orchestrate,” Kim Yeon-joo, IBM vice president of strategy, global offerings and growth, said during a press tour of AI Lab at the company’s office in Manhattan, Friday. “It’s also crucial to strategize how to implement AI, pilot it and transition to full-scale operations. The consulting division works closely with clients on these aspects of AI adoption, providing both cutting-edge AI technology and co

Nov 11, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee
Inside watsonx AI Lab: IBM seeks to navigate AI race with watsonx, AI consulting
Banking & Finance

Financial firms rush to adopt AI-mediated services for efficiency, accuracy

A growing number of insurers and other financial service providers are adopting artificial intelligence (AI) to meet customer demands, from investment recommendations and overall consulting to insurance design and complaint processing, market watchers said Monday. The shift improves efficiency, accuracy and speed, since AI agents are taking over repetitive, time-consuming or information-heavy tasks previously performed by human employees. The insurance sector in particular is experiencing enhanced, faster services, as the AI-reviewed complex insurance consultations reduce mistakes. KB Insurance has launched an AI complaint resolution assistant whereby recorded customer calls are analyzed to classify complaint types before being referred to relevant procedures and department staff. The self-learning AI continuously improves its accuracy, reflecting consumer and employee feedback entered during complaint handling and processing, thereby enhancing response quality, the insurer said. “The AI-powered consumer service helps speed up the consumer complaint management system, including legal re

Nov 11, 2025By Lee Kyung-min
Financial firms rush to adopt AI-mediated services for efficiency, accuracy
Companies

InterviewK-beauty won’t last without brand philosophy, varied distribution: Taga founder

Taga’s founder and CEO believes the global popularity of Korean cosmetic products isn’t sustainable, noting that most brands lack a clear philosophy to appeal to international consumers. In addition, Korea’s retail distribution channels are concentrated on just a few major platforms such as CJ Olive Young and Coupang, offering limited choices for both consumers and sellers. Seo Dong-hee completed Taga’s cosmetics lineup in November 2023 and launched sales last year. The Seoul-based company now ships to 19 countries, with a 20th on the way. Despite his short career, he has quickly developed a talent for appealing to international consumers, guided by a simple philosophy: Everything Taga makes must eventually return to the earth in a biodegradable state. For Seo, it is hard to find an active Korean beauty brand with a philosophy as clear and compelling as that of Taga’s. The 48-year-old CEO said most Korean brands remain caught in a marketing skirmish, relying on specific ingredients and promoting them as rejuvenating elixirs. While that strategy may succeed domestically, he wa

Nov 11, 2025By Ko Dong-hwan
K-beauty won’t last without brand philosophy, varied distribution: Taga founder
Tech & Science

Korea Water Cluster to host special session on next-generation water tech at KIWW

The Korea Water Cluster, a government-supported industrial complex in Daegu, will host a special session on next-generation water management technology on Thursday during Korea International Water Week (KIWW) 2025 at EXCO in Daegu. The industrial cluster is a government agency dedicated to building infrastructure and supporting businesses related to the water industry, organized under the Korea Environment Corp. The session is co-organized with academic communities including the Korean Society of Civil Engineers and the Korean Society of Water and Wastewater. The session aims to share the latest research outcomes and application cases of innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in the field of water management. Participants will discuss strategies for sustainable water technology innovation in response to the global climate crisis. International institutions, including the University of Michigan and Singapore’s National Water Agency, will present cutting-edge developments such as AI-based hybrid water management and digital transformation technologies

Nov 11, 2025By Jhoo Dong-chan
Korea Water Cluster to host special session on next-generation water tech at KIWW
Companies

Hyundai Motor to provide electric buses for Bali's eco-friendly transit

Hyundai Motor said Tuesday it has been selected as the supplier for an Indonesian electric bus project on the resort island of Bali. The company said its quality competitiveness, after-sales service program and experience in eco-friendly public projects were recognized by the project organizers. Under the agreement, Hyundai Motor will provide 10 County Electric minibuses to Bali, which plans to operate the vehicles as part of its public transportation network. In April, Korea's Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Indonesian government to collaborate on transforming Bali's transportation system. As part of the initiative, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) led the bidding process for the electric bus supply project in August. "It is meaningful that we will provide electric buses to Bali, a destination visited by many tourists from around the world," Kim Sung-nam, head of Hyundai Motor's Asia-Pacific regional headquarters, said. "We plan to help build environmentally friendly transportation systems in major cities across Indo

Nov 11, 2025By Yonhap
Hyundai Motor to provide electric buses for Bali's eco-friendly transit
Companies

Court declares WeMakePrice bankrupt

A Seoul court on Monday announced the liquidation of e-commerce platform operator WeMakePrice, two months after terminating the company's rehabilitation proceedings. WeMakePrice, along with its then sister company TMON, entered court-led rehabilitation proceedings in July last year, after they struggled to make payments to vendors due to liquidity issues. The Seoul Bankruptcy Court in September this year terminated the proceedings for WeMakePrice as it failed to submit a rehabilitation plan. According to industry sources, the bankruptcy of WeMakePrice will affect some 108,000 people and their financial damage is estimated at 600 billion won (US$413 million). The company's total assets were tallied at 48.6 billion won, while its debts reached 446 billion won. The value of its ongoing concern was set at 223 billion won, while its liquidation value stood at 13.4 billion won. WeMakePrice has sought for a swift acquisition to pay off its liabilities but has struggled to find a buyer. Meanwhile, TMON was acquired by grocery delivery platform Oasis Corp. in June after the court approved its rehabi

Nov 10, 2025By Yonhap
Court declares WeMakePrice bankrupt
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