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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
  • Banking & Finance

    Winners of the 22nd Economic Essay Contest

    2 MIN READBy Lee Yeon-woo
    Winners of the 22nd Economic Essay Contest
  • 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
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Tech & Science

Naver to debut agentic AI service Agent N next year

Naver has set a strategic goal of introducing agentic artificial intelligence (AI) for its major services next year, while also expanding its portfolio to assist in the AI transformation of businesses. At Coex in southern Seoul on Thursday, the Korean internet giant outlined its new strategies at DAN25, an annual conference where its affiliates and partner companies showcased their latest updates and shared AI insights with the broader tech industry. “Naver has seen positive signals over the past year as its AI technologies were applied to key services including search, shopping and finance, resulting in higher user satisfaction and sales growth,” Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon said during her keynote speech. “Building on that experience and technological expertise, Naver plans to roll out advanced AI agents across major services, starting with shopping, followed by search and advertising.” As part of the plan, Naver will introduce a shopping agent on Naver Plus Store, its e-commerce platform, in the first quarter of next year, and will expand its AI services the following quarter with

Nov 6, 2025By Nam Hyun-woo
Naver to debut agentic AI service Agent N next year
Companies

LX women's baseball tourney returns for 4th straight year

The 2025 LX Cup Korea Women’s Baseball Championship, the nation’s only corporate-sponsored women’s baseball tournament, will take place at LG Champion's Park and Dream Stadium in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, starting Saturday. Now in its fourth year, the LX Cup is co-hosted and organized by LX Group and the Women’s Baseball Association Korea (WBAK). Launched in 2022, the tournament aims to expand the base of women’s baseball in Korea and provide players with greater opportunities to develop their skills. This year’s edition, which runs to Nov. 16, will be the largest in the tournament’s history, featuring 47 teams and over 1,000 players. Twenty teams in the Champ League, the upper league, and 27 teams in the Future League, the lower league, will compete in a tournament format for the top spot in each division. Admission is free for all games. The opening match of the Champ League on Saturday and the final on Nov. 16 will be streamed live on YouTube. “We hope this tournament will offer players a meaningful opportunity for growth through fair and spirited competition,” said

Nov 6, 2025By Nam Hyun-woo
LX women's baseball tourney returns for 4th straight year
Companies

Korean Air ranks among top 3 airlines for cabin, services in USA Today awards

Korean Air said Thursday it has been ranked one of the world's top three airlines in the 2025 USA Today 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards for its business cabin and in-flight services. In the U.S. awards, the Korean flag carrier ranked second for Best Business & First Class, third for Best Inflight Food and third for Best Cabin Crew, the company said in a press release. It marks the third consecutive year the airline has ranked among the top three in multiple categories, reaffirming its reputation for exceptional service, premium comfort and culinary excellence, the company said. Last year, Korean Air introduced a new Prestige Class business-cabin product featuring lie-flat seats, upgraded in-flight entertainment and enhanced privacy for greater comfort. The airline offers Korean and international cuisine through "modern interpretations" of traditional dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. Signature offerings, such as beef brisket bibimbap and steamed abalone with rice, are paired with a curated wine list developed in collaboration with world-renowned sommelier Marc Almert, accordin

Nov 6, 2025By Yonhap
Korean Air ranks among top 3 airlines for cabin, services in USA Today awards
Tech & Science

Spotify tops 700 mil. users after price hike, accelerates expansion in Korea

Spotify secured a significant milestone this quarter, reaching a total of 700 million monthly active users (MAUs) even after raising subscription prices in key global markets. The streaming company announced its third-quarter earnings on Tuesday (local time), sharing an 11 percent year-on-year increase in MAUs to 713 million. The service’s premium subscribers grew 12 percent from the previous year to 281 million. The company reported quarterly revenue of 4.27 billion euros ($4.9 billion), a 7 percent rise from the same period last year, with operating profit reaching 582 million euros, reflecting a 43 percent surge. Its net income turned positive from the previous quarter’s loss, hitting 899 million euros. The jump in users was driven both by the subscription fee increase and a successful global marketing push, with signups outpacing the company’s expectations. The increased subscription fees have contributed to boosting its revenue. In August, Spotify raised its monthly premium subscription price from 10.99 euros ($12.63) to 11.99 euros across major markets, including Europe, Asia

Nov 6, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee
Spotify tops 700 mil. users after price hike, accelerates expansion in Korea
Companies

Renault Korea, GM Korea in urgent need for new vehicles as sales drop

Renault Korea and GM Korea are under growing pressure to launch new vehicles, as a lack of fresh models has led to a sharp decline in their sales, industry data showed Wednesday. Both companies have long been considered two of the so-called mid-tier automakers in Korea in terms of sales volume, but their positions are now being threatened by fast-rising brands like Tesla and solid sales performance from other conventional German luxury automakers. Renault Korea data shows it sold 7,201 vehicles last month, down 42.2 percent from the previous year. The sharp sales decline is attributable to the carmaker’s sales reliance on the Grand Koleos SUV and the Arkana compact SUV. Renault Korea enjoyed a long-awaited rebound in sales last year, driven by the success of its Grand Koleos hybrid SUV, for which cumulative sales reached 51,000 vehicles as of the end of last month. However, the new model sales effect has since faded just a year after its debut, as evidenced by the automaker’s drop in monthly sales in October. Renault Korea is going all out to spur sales growth with the upcoming launch

Nov 6, 2025By Lee Min-hyung
Renault Korea, GM Korea in urgent need for new vehicles as sales drop
Companies

Genesis BBQ expands its US fried chicken market to 33 states

Major fried chicken franchise Genesis BBQ has expanded into its 33rd U.S. state with the opening of a new store in South Carolina. Its latest expansion underscores the company’s continued growth across the southeastern United States. The move is part of the company’s broader initiative to establish a presence in all 50 states. Two BBQ stores have opened in South Carolina — one in Indian Land and another in Greenville. BBQ Chicken's Indian Land location is a 39.66-square-meter restaurant with 12 seats. Located near the border between North and South Carolina, the site is strategically positioned to attract customers from both states, according to the company. BBQ Chicken's Greenville location is a takeout-only store situated near Greenville Downtown Airport and Bob Jones University, an area with heavy foot traffic. BBQ said it selected South Carolina for its new locations because of the stable economy and strong population base. The state’s population reached 5.47 million last year, up 90,000 from the previous year — the 10th-highest growth rate among U.S. states in 2024. The av

Nov 6, 2025By Ko Dong-hwan
Genesis BBQ expands its US fried chicken market to 33 states
Companies

Hanwha chairman presents symbolic gifts to Eagles after runner-up finish

Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn has presented orange-colored mobile phones to 60 players, coaches and staff members of the Hanwha Eagles, in recognition of their dedication throughout the season after the baseball team finished as runner-up in the 2025 Korean Series. The Daejeon-based team advanced to the championship series for the first time in 19 years. “I sincerely congratulate the Eagles on their Korean Series runner-up finish and send my heartfelt applause to the players who gave their all until the very end of the competition,” Kim said Tuesday. Kim, the team’s owner, praised the club’s achievement as a meaningful milestone. In 1999, when the Eagles last won the Korean Series, he shared tears of joy with the players. “The sweat they have shed on the path to second place will become a solid stepping stone for tomorrow’s championship,” he said. “I look forward to seeing the Eagles fly even higher.” Kim, 73, made headlines whenever he visited the club's baseball stadium, attending six games this year and nine last year. His active engagement with the team and fa

Nov 5, 2025By Lee Min-hyung
Hanwha chairman presents symbolic gifts to Eagles after runner-up finish
Banking & Finance

Hwang Ki-yeon appointed to head Eximbank in internal promotion tradition

The Export-Import Bank of Korea (Eximbank) said Wednesday that its Senior Executive Director Hwang Ki-yeon has been appointed as the bank's 23rd president. Hwang is an in-house expert who joined the bank in 1990. Since then, he has held key positions, including head of the service industry finance department, the human resources department and the planning department. It is also notable that he has experience leading the Inter-Korean cooperation department, which is expected to play a greater role under the Lee Jae Myung administration. Since 2023, he has served as executive director, overseeing risk management, digital finance, development finance, and government-commissioned fund operations. He holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Jeonbuk National University and a master’s degree in Information Management from KAIST. Eximbank officials say Hwang is respected for his leadership and strong communication skills. His broad experience across banking operations — as well as his insight into the era of artificial intelligence — is also widely recognized. This marks th

Nov 5, 2025By Lee Yeon-woo
Hwang Ki-yeon appointed to head Eximbank in internal promotion tradition
Tech & Science

LG Display CEO urges innovation, unity to build lasting competitiveness

LG Display CEO Jeong Cheol-dong expressed confidence that the company could achieve full-year profitability, citing a strong rebound with an operating profit of 431 billion won ($297.7 million) in the third quarter. During CEO On Air, the company’s town hall meeting in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Friday, the CEO shared the company’s third-quarter earnings and strategies to strengthen its competitiveness. “It has become highly likely that we will turn a profit for the full year,” Jeong said, adding the result reflects meaningful improvements in quality, safety, cost innovation and customer satisfaction. “These results were achieved thanks to everyone’s hard work.” Emphasizing the importance of securing a competitive edge that is difficult to replicate, he proposed a framework for the company’s unique strengths to serve as the foundation for sustainable growth. He explained that the model represents technology (T), cost (C), quality (Q), delivery (D) and relationship (R) — the key pillars that will define LG Display’s lasting competitiveness. “Q, D and R are the fundam

Nov 5, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee
LG Display CEO urges innovation, unity to build lasting competitiveness
Banking & Finance

SME loan defaults surge, yet banks forced to lend more

Korea's small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are sinking deeper into debt as weak domestic demand prolongs the economic slowdown into its second year. Yet banks, responding to government calls for "productive finance," continue to increase corporate lending even as delinquency rates rise, industry officials said Wednesday. According to the Industrial Bank of Korea's management report, the bank's delinquency rate rose to 1 percent in the third quarter of 2025 — the highest level since the first quarter of 2009, during the height of the global financial crisis. SMEs account for about 80 percent of the bank's total lending. Major commercial banks are facing similar strains. Reports from the four major lenders — KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, and Woori — showed that the average SME loan delinquency rate stood at 0.53 percent in the third quarter of 2025, the highest since the first quarter of 2017, when it reached 0.59 percent. The overall rise in SME loan delinquencies across the banking sector this year largely stems from weak domestic demand, leaving more companies struggling to s

Nov 5, 2025By Lee Yeon-woo
SME loan defaults surge, yet banks forced to lend more
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