Zyx Technology eyes SE Asia expansion with cutting-edge design software

South Korean design software developer Zyx Technology unveiled its latest products at Automation World Vietnam 2024 held in Ho Chi Minh City, in an effort to expand its business in Southeast Asia, the company said Wednesday. At the event, Zyx Technology introduced its flagship products: its general-purpose design software ZyxCAD, the AI-powered Works and Zyx Designer, and its GIS based Smart Construction Platform. These advanced tools are designed to improve design efficiency and support smart

IndustryOct. 2, 2024

[Herald Interview] Hanwha Life Esports aims high with 2024 LoL Worlds

Hanwha Life Esports completed its David-and-Goliath story and shocked many spectators by defeating Gen.G in the League of Legends Champions Korea Summer finals, winning the title for the first time in September. Not only did HLE upset the team expected to win gold this year, but its victory ended T1 and Gen.G's dominance in the LCK finals, with the two teams having enjoyed a total of five consecutive championship victories since 2022. But Choi “Dandy” In-gyu, the head coach for

More SportsOct. 2, 2024

Food tycoon Paik Jong-won's Theborn Korea pushes toward IPO

Celebrity entrepreneur and chef Paik Jong-won’s yearslong effort to list his food franchise firm Theborn Korea on the country’s main bourse has cleared its first hurdle, yet challenges remain as the fate of the company heavily depends on his fame. Supported by a strong brand lineup and the rising public profile of its CEO Paik, Theborn Korea passed the preliminary review by the Korea Exchange for its initial public offering on Aug. 30, about three months after submitting its applicat

CompaniesOct. 2, 2024

Scalpers using macros to resell Byeon Woo-seok, Lim Young-woong tickets busted

South Korean police have caught scalpers in their 20s and 30s for using macro tools to illegally buy performance tickets for popular stars like Lim Young-woong and Byeon Woo-seok, then reselling them at premium prices. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said on Tuesday that they had apprehended seven individuals, identified as college students, job seekers and soldiers, who used automated macro programs from 2021 until August of this year to snatch highly sought-after tickets and resell them o

Social AffairsOct. 2, 2024

Seoul shares dip for 3rd day amid Middle East tensions

Seoul shares closed lower for the third consecutive day Wednesday as investors sat on the sidelines amid the escalating tension in the Middle East following Iran's massive missile attack against Israel. The local currency fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dropped 1.22 percent, or 31.58 points, to 2,561.69. Trading volume was moderate at 341.9 million shares worth 9.38 trillion won ($7.1 billion), with losers far outnumbering winners at 705 to 177. F

MarketOct. 2, 2024

[Herald Interview] Pappano connects LSO with Korean audiences

On Tuesday night, conductor and pianist Antonio Pappano stood before the Korean audience at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts’ Grand Theater with the London Symphony Orchestra, marking the orchestra's first Korean tour under the new music director. The 64-year-old conductor took the helm of the LSO from Simon Rattle this summer, after leading the Royal Opera House since 2002. Pappano's extensive experience in the opera realm has profoundly influenced his conducting style.

CultureOct. 2, 2024

Define Seoul 2024 to explore simplicity in design

The second edition of Define Seoul, a design and art fair launched by Art Busan, will expand its scale with special exhibitions and more participating galleries in October in the hip Seoul neighborhood of Seongsu-dong. The design art fair was inaugurated last year as an art fair for collectors that integrates fine art and design. The second edition under the theme of “The Meaning of Simplicity: Attitude Towards life in a Rational Era" is curated by designer Yang Teo, who also curated

Arts & DesignOct. 2, 2024

N. Korea may revoke 1991 Inter-Korean Basic Agreement in parliament: Seoul

North Korea may revoke the Inter-Korean Basic Agreement, which has served as a pivotal foundation for the development of inter-Korean relations and efforts toward peaceful reunification for more than three decades, during its parliamentary session scheduled for next week, the Unification Ministry in Seoul said Wednesday. The potential action aligns with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's public declaration that the two Koreas are engaged in relations between "two hostile states" lo

North KoreaOct. 2, 2024

Samsung tightens its belt amid crisis winds

Samsung Electronics, a leading tech giant in smartphones and semiconductors, is seen implementing austerity measures, reducing headcounts and downsizing celebratory events as it falls behind global peers in its core product markets. On Wednesday, Bloomberg reported Samsung Electronics is expected to lay off about 10 percent of its total overseas staff of 147,000, with the latest headcount cut being carried out in its headquarters in Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. The company already

IndustryOct. 2, 2024

Herald chairman becomes head of lay Jogye Buddhists group

Herald Corp. Chairman Jung Won-ju was inaugurated as the president of the Lay Buddhist Association at a ceremony held Wednesday at Jogyesa in Seoul. Some 200 people attended the ceremony held at the main hall, Daeungjeon, of Jogyesa, Jogye’s headquarters. Jung’s inauguration comes as the sect is stepping up efforts to promote its style of meditation, called “seon,” to win over both the domestic public and international followers. Jung echoed the sentiment. “Seon has

CultureOct. 2, 2024

Temperatures drop by more than 10 C as fall officially begins

Following nationwide rain Tuesday, South Korea experienced chilly fall weather Wednesday morning, as temperatures dipped by up to 10 degrees Celsius compared to the previous day accompanied by strong winds, said the Korea Meteorological Administration. According to the KMA, the influx of cold air from the northwest and strong winds resulted in Wednesday morning lows 5 C to 10 C lower than the previous day in the central region, comprising the Greater Seoul area -- Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Pro

Social AffairsOct. 2, 2024

Egnis partners with Oklahoma for Xolution's resealable can business

Lifestyle brand developer Egnis announced Wednesday that it began partnership with the Oklahoma government in hopes to expand its German subsidiary Xolution's resealable can business in the US. The business agreement signing ceremony held Tuesday at The Shilla Seoul, was attended by Park Chan-ho, CEO of Egnis, Evan Brown, executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce’s Economic Development, Growth and Expansion division and Marc Von Rettberg, CEO and managing director at X

IndustryOct. 2, 2024

Blackpink’s Rose to release 1st solo LP ‘Rosie’ in December

Rose, a member of the iconic K-pop girl group Blackpink, is set to release her first full-length solo album more than eight years after her debut. The Black Label, the singer's agency, announced Wednesday that Rose's first studio album “Rosie” would be released Dec. 6. The title of the album, "Rosie,” is Rose's nickname. The album is expected to reflect the singer's identity, generating expectations that she would share her personal stories and experien

K-popOct. 2, 2024

AI textbook bubble could burst, expert warns

In a move toward digital education, South Korea is set to introduce artificial intelligence-powered textbooks into its schools starting in March next year. This initiative, which will begin with third and fourth graders in elementary schools and first-year students in middle and high schools, has sparked mixed reactions. Some view it as a true "education transformation," or even a "revolution," others simply as a new tool. Neil Selwyn, a professor at Monash University in Melb

Social AffairsOct. 2, 2024

Diablo 4 sells for under 1,600 won, possibly due to error

A handful of South Korean gamers were treated to an unintended limited-time offer for the popular computer game Diablo 4 on Wednesday, when its publisher inexplicably put it on sale for 1,575 won ($1.20) for less than an hour in the wee hours of the morning. The short-term price for the standard edition of the action role-playing game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment was posted at the company's Battle.net website some time before 3 a.m. It reverted to its initial price of 6

Social AffairsOct. 2, 2024

KT&G showcases flagship tobacco brands at global duty-free expo

South Korea's leading tobacco company KT&G said on Wednesday that it is showcasing its top duty-free products at the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes, France, to strengthen its presence in the international duty-free market. The company is displaying its premium brands such as Raison, Bohem and Esse -- the world’s bestselling ultra-slim cigarette -- while emphasizing its global business performance at its booth installed at the event from Sept. 30 through Oct. 3. M

CompaniesOct. 2, 2024

North Korean trash balloons cross border day after Seoul military parade

North Korea once again sent another wave of balloons carrying trash toward the South on Wednesday, the day after a massive military parade was held in Seoul to commemorate the Armed Forces Day. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said at around 5:19 a.m. that North Korea was flying objects believed to be trash balloons, which may move toward Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province given the wind direction. The JCS advised residents of the affected areas to be wary of falling objects an

DefenseOct. 2, 2024

Will trot bring a breath of fresh air to K-pop?

As K-pop continues its significant expansion in the global market, another genre has been surging rapidly in the domestic music industry: Trot. Following the remarkable success of some trot singers, major K-pop powerhouses are diving into the unexpected combination of trot and K-pop. Trot -- part of the Korean popular music scene since the 1930s -- is a genre characterized by lively rhythms and abundant use of vibrato, the lyrics often catering to the sentiments of the older generations, However

PerformanceOct. 2, 2024

Minho of SHINee to hold first-ever solo concert

Minho of SHINee will hold a stand-alone concert, his first in 16 years. According to SM Entertainment, Minho will host the "Mean: of my first" on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 at Korea University's Hwajeong Gymnasium in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. This will be the singer's first solo concert since his debut with SHINee 16 years ago. Minho released his first solo track with the physical single "Heartbreak" in December 2021, followed by his first EP "Chase" in December 2022. I

K-popOct. 2, 2024

Hanwha Qcells sells 142 MW solar power project in Washington

Hanwha Solution’s Qcells, the solar energy division under Korean conglomerate Hanwha Group, has sold a 142 megawatt solar photovoltaics project to Washington state’s largest utility company Puget Sound Energy, Hanwha Qcells said Wednesday. Hanwha Qcells highlighted that the sale of the solar power project signifies optimizing the profit structure by selling the developmental assets and securing a turnkey contract for the services of engineering, procurement and construction, or EPC.

CompaniesOct. 2, 2024