Editorial

ED Nuclear energy technology exports

South Korea becoming a preferred bidder to build two nuclear reactors in the Czech Republic is a remarkable, much-needed feat.

ED Rise of 'super energy' firm

SK Group announced the merger of SK Innovation and SK E&S on Wednesday, paving the way for the creation of a "super energy" company with assets surpassing 106 trillion won ($76.5 billion). The boards of the two firms approved the merger during separate meetings, primarily aimed at salvaging SK Innovation’s struggling battery affiliate, SK On. Since its inception in 2021, SK On has suffered continuous financial losses for 10 consecutive quarters, accumulating a deficit totaling 2.6 trillion won. The merger is part of a broader strategy to rebalance SK Group's portfolio.

ED End fossil fuel gamble

On June 3, President Yoon Suk Yeol announced the discovery of up to 14 billion barrels of oil and gas reserves in the deep waters of the East Sea, off the coast of Pohang. This revelation was likely intended to elicit public support, given Korea's heavy reliance on energy imports. However, the announcement has been met with a range of concerns.

ED Minimum wage

In today’s economy, a 10,000-won bill doesn’t stretch very far, whether you’re shopping at the supermarket or dining at a local lunch spot. It’s not uncommon for a simple bowl of Korean cold noodles, or "naengmyeon," to cost more than this amount. For years, the 10,000-won mark has been a psychological threshold, representing the divide between what’s considered cheap and what’s not so cheap.

ED Shocking assassination attempt

ED Like-minded partners for Korea

During a meeting with the representatives of the four Indo-Pacific countries — South Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, known as the “IP4” nations — on Thursday in Washington D.C., President Yoon Suk Yeol delivered a remark that was both timely and important.

ED Find amicable solution

A group of Samsung Electronics union members initiated an indefinite strike on Wednesday, creating concerns about the possible repercussions on the tech giant as a global chip war escalates among rivals including Taiwan, the United States, and Japan. Led by the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU), this is the first strike in the company’s 55-year history, coming after a previous strike from July 8-10 and a planned but altered strike from July 15-19.

ED Rethink North Korea-Russia relations

The June 2024 announcement that North Korea and Russia were upgrading their relationship and entering into a new mutual defense treaty caught many off guard. The move was concerning enough that South Korean National Security Advisor Chang Ho-jin suggested that Seoul would reconsider its long-standing policy of not providing lethal aid to Ukraine. However, Russia and North Korea’s growing partnership is a rational, if disturbing, development in the current geostrategic environment.

ED Deplorable PPP race

The People Power Party's (PPP) leadership selection process is taking a surprising turn ahead of the ruling party's national convention on July 23.

ED Cautious optimism

Boosted by a recovery in the semiconductor industry, Samsung Electronics achieved an operating profit of 10.4 trillion won ($7.52 billion) in the second quarter of this year, constituting an earnings surprise. The figure not only marks a 14.5-fold surge in operating profit from a year ago, it also surpasses the Korean tech giant's earnings for all of last year. It is the first time Samsung posted more than 10 trillion won in operating profit since the third quarter of 2022.