Chip boom drives S. Korea into $100b monthly export club

South Korea's exports surpassed $100 billion for the first time for the month of June, making it only the fourth country in the world to reach the milestone, after Germany, China and the United States. Korea's exports marked $102.25 billion in June, up 70.9 percent from a year earlier, according to preliminary data released by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Fueling June’s performance were semiconductors, which surged 199.5 percent to $44.8 billion, accounting for 43.8 percent of the

2026-07-01 15:23:32:00

From factories to power grids: FAMS maps AI mobility future

The Future AI Mobility Summit 2026 in Seoul on Tuesday presented AI mobility as far more than autonomous vehicles or transport technology, portraying it instead as an industrial ecosystem spanning manufacturing, logistics, energy, data and international cooperation. The summit, held under the slogan "Motion to Emotion," brought together policymakers, executives and researchers from Korea, China, India and the United Arab Emirates to discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping the mobility v

2026-07-01 14:17:40:00

Next generation weighs in on AI mobility

Before the Future AI Mobility Summit 2026 opened in Seoul on Tuesday, students participating in the FAMS Junior Summit shared their views on AI mobility, a technology they believe will reshape not only transport, but everyday life. The program brought together students of different ages for discussions and hands-on experiences related to AI mobility. Participants also took part in an interpretation activity, performed and contributed artwork to the event. For Moon Soo-hyuk, an 11th grader at St.

2026-07-01 14:17:32:00

One in 10 road deaths linked to jaywalking

Roughly one in 10 traffic deaths in South Korea last year involved pedestrians crossing roads outside of designated crosswalks, underscoring the continued risks of crossing away from marked intersections. According to the Traffic Accident Analysis System, operated by the Korea Road Traffic Authority, 234 people died in pedestrian accidents that occurred while crossing roads outside of crosswalks in 2025. This makes up nearly one-tenth of the 2,549 traffic fatalities recorded during the same peri

2026-06-29 14:42:54:00

BTS' Suga reportedly invested in Elon Musk's SpaceX before IPO

Suga of BTS invested in Elon Musk's SpaceX years before its June 12 stock market debut, according to a report published Monday by the South Korean news outlet Edaily. Citing unnamed investment banking sources, Edaily reported that Suga invested through Link Asset Partners, a South Korean venture capital firm invested in the US aerospace company SpaceX. The report said the investment was made sometime before 2022, though it did not disclose the amount. SpaceX's enterprise value was estimated at a

2026-06-29 11:13:01:00

Will virtual taekwondo become the new norm?

Physical contact in taekwondo might become history, as the virtual version of the sport is set to be staged at the upcoming Asian Games. According to industry sources, the Olympic Council of Asia recently approved virtual taekwondo as an official medal sport for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The move marks the first inclusion of a virtual reality-based martial arts. The way virtual taekwondo works differs from existing standards for combat sports. Instead of physically striking each other, the p

2026-06-28 14:33:04:00

South Korea knocked out of World Cup

South Korea's hopes of reaching the Round of 32 at the World Cup ended Sunday. The final blow came when the Democratic Republic of Congo defeated Uzbekistan 3-1 in the final Group K match. Congo finished the group stage with one win, one draw and one loss, earning four points and moving into third place in Group K. The result pushed South Korea down to ninth among the third-placed teams, just outside the eight qualifying spots, with no chance of moving up. South Korea finished third in Group A o

2026-06-28 11:02:37:00

Who is Michele Kang, the Korean American behind Lyon takeover?

Korean American sports businessperson Michele Kang is set to take control of Olympique Lyonnais, the French soccer giant commonly known as Lyon, or OL. According to OL’s website, Eagle Bidco, the controlling shareholder of OL’s parent company Eagle Football Group SA, has agreed to sell an 87.8 percent stake to Kang. She has served as chairperson and CEO of Eagle Football Group and has been CEO of OL since June 2025. Kang is offering $30 million to acquire the stake and will also inject about 71

2026-06-27 16:00:00:00

Man in 'drugged zombie' video released after drug test comes back negative

The man featured in a widely shared social media video who was detained Tuesday on suspicion of drug use was released Wednesday, after the National Forensic Service found no evidence of illegal substance use, police said. The man, who is in his 30s, was captured in the video standing limply with a hunched posture and his arms hanging down as if he were drunk in Gwonseon-gu, Suwon, on Sunday. The footage quickly spread online, with commentators dubbing him the "Suwon drugged zombie." The police,

2026-06-25 11:58:00:00

List of top 5 foods that make us 'unattractive' goes viral

A Korean plastic surgeon’s social media post has gone viral for ranking everyday foods that he says can make the face look “uglier,” not by changing facial structure, but by contributing to puffiness, breakouts and faster skin aging. Ramyeon and salty snacks made the list. But what took the No. 1 spot? According to Dr. Choi Hyun-nam, salty foods such as instant noodles, potato chips and seasoned crackers ranked fifth, with excess sodium linked to water retention that can leave the face looking s

2026-06-23 15:05:06:00