As US President-elect Donald Trump assembles his energy team with the aim of expanding oil and gas production in his second term, there may be pressure on allies to import US oil. However, South Korean oil companies, heavily reliant on Middle Eastern suppliers, might hesitate to switch to US crude, industry sources said Monday. Over the weekend, Trump tapped Chris Wright, CEO of Liberty Energy, a natural gas fracking company, as the secretary of energy, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to head

On Monday, main opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was acquitted of subornation of perjury, with the Seoul Central District Court ruling him not guilty of persuading a former mayoral secretary to provide false testimony in his favor. Last year, prosecutors charged Lee with attempting to persuade Kim Jin-seong, who was the secretary of ex-Seongnam Mayor Kim Byung-ryang, through telephone calls to make false testimony in his favor during an ongoing court trial in December 2018 on an election law viol

South Korean cellist Choi Ha-young, next year's Lotte Concert Hall in-house artist, speaks fluent English, Korean and German, reflecting her multicultural upbringing and dedication to learning across several countries. The first prize winner of the 2022 Queen Elisabeth Competition in Belgium, Choi's musical expressions are as richly nuanced and diverse as her linguistic abilities. For next year’s two performances as Lotte Concert Hall’s fifth in-house artist, Choi will pres

K-pop artist and producer Zico marked the 10th anniversary of his debut as a solo artist with concerts at Olympic Hall in Olympic Park, Seoul, on Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday, the venue was filled with Zico’s fans. While some carried his group Block B’s fan lights, most did not, demonstrating that the audience largely comprised fans of his solo career. Zico kicked off the concert with his hit single, “New Thing,” which was an original soundtrack for Mnet’s dance s

A new mural street at Bucheondaehangno in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, features cartoon murals by seven Korean and international artists. Bucheon, home of Bucheon International Animation Festival, collaborated with Korea Manhwa Contents Agency to create murals on a stretch of the street filled with trendy shops, cafes and restaurants. (Korea Manhwa Contents Agency)

The South Korean government on Monday held a memorial to honor the lives and suffering of Korean forced laborers who endured harsh conditions at Sado Island’s gold mines during Japan’s 1910-1945 colonial rule, as relatives of the deceased gathered at the former dormitory where the workers once lived. The decision followed Seoul’s boycott of a Japan-hosted ceremony a day earlier, where Japanese government representative Akiko Ikuina -- who has in the past visited the controversi

South Korea has intelligence that North Korea has suffered losses among its troops dispatched to the war against Ukraine. According to the National Intelligence Service on Monday, North Korean troops have been killed and wounded after they were confirmed to have been deployed in Russia’s Kursk region bordering Ukraine. This is the first confirmation by the South Korean intelligence agency that there have been casualties among the North Korean contingent that entered the war alongside Russi

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won (center right, front row), who doubles as chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Ken Kobayashi (on Chey's right) and other business leaders from both countries pose for a photo during their annual meeting held in Osaka on Monday. The two chambers agreed to strengthen ties in the areas of energy, supply chains and advanced technologies at Monday's meeting. In his opening remarks, Chey stresse

Hyundai Capital Services, the financial arm of Hyundai Motor Group, announced Monday the official launch of its Australian subsidiary, Hyundai Finance Australia, marking its 12th overseas expansion in automotive financing. The new entity will provide tailored financial solutions for Hyundai Motor customers in Australia, offering a wide range of products such as installment plans for new and certified pre-owned vehicles. Among its offerings is the flagship Guaranteed Future Value program, which p

South Korean banks will head to Las Vegas next January for CES 2025, with some set to showcase their latest artificial intelligence-driven financial technologies at the world’s largest consumer electronics event. Among the participants will be Shinhan Bank, returning for a third consecutive year to host its own booth at the global expo. This year, the bank will highlight two of its newest innovations -- "AI Investment Mate" and "AI Branch." "AI Investment Mate,&quo

Leaders of South Korea and Malaysia forged a strategic partnership on Monday to bolster cooperation in trade, the defense industry, clean energy and critical materials as they eye the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year. This came as President Yoon Suk Yeol received Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on the occasion of his official visit to South Korea. It was a Malaysian leader's first visit in five years. During the talks Yoon expressed anticipation that their "bilatera

Hyundai Mobis, an auto parts manufacturer under Hyundai Motor Group, is looking to expand relations with Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD in an apparent move to diversify its profit sources outside of Hyundai and Kia. According to industry sources Monday, a group of Hyundai Mobis officials visited BYD’s headquarters in Shenzhen last month. Currently, Hyundai Mobis supplies steering parts to BYD, the No. 1 EV maker in China. During the visit, sources say, the two companies discussed ways

Despite Dongduk Women’s University temporarily halting its plans to transition into a coeducational institution, the aftermath of student protests continues to fuel controversy as alleged employment discrimination and damage compensation claims take center stage. The dispute sparked an online backlash, with discriminatory posts targeting graduates of women’s universities appearing on anonymous forums like Blind, a workplace discussion app. Users claiming to work in human resources at

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was acquitted Monday of charges of suborning a former mayoral secretary to make false court testimony in his favor. The Seoul Central District Court delivered the ruling just 10 days after it sentenced Lee to a suspended one-year prison term in a separate case involving election law violations. The acquittal is expected to partially ease the legal challenges faced by Lee, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, ahead of his anticipated run in the next

Posco International, the trading and energy arm of Posco Group, announced Monday that its local subsidiary has completed the first gas processing plant in Queensland, Australia. In April 2022, Posco International acquired Senex Energy together with Hancock Prospecting. It aims to triple Senex's annual natural gas production from 20 petajoules to 60 petajoules, enough to produce approximately 1.2 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas. Senex Energy has initiated commissioning tests for

As the year draws to a close, many South Koreans have named exercise and dieting as their top year-end resolutions, according to survey results Monday. The survey, conducted by Karrot Market, South Korea’s largest community marketplace platform, between Nov. 12 and 17, asked users what they most want to achieve before the year ends. The result showed that 39.5 percent of respondents identified exercise, health and dieting as their main priorities. Popular goals included walking for two hou

A massive flag depicting a human eye was unveiled near the venue of an international negotiation forum on plastics, which opened in Busan on Monday. Created and hoisted by the international non-profit organization Greenpeace, the "#WeAreWatching" flag aims to deliver a powerful message: global citizens are closely observing the discussions on solutions to end plastic pollution, the group said. Designed in collaboration with Swiss artist Dan Acher, it incorporates portraits of 6,472 ind

This winter, family comedy “About Family” is set to leave moviegoers feeling warm and fuzzy with its unique blend of humor and emotion. Directed by Yang Woo-seok, known for “The Attorney” and “Steel Rain,” the film invites viewers to rediscover the value of family. Set in 2000, the story follows Moo-ok (Kim Yoon-seok), the gruff yet successful owner of a popular dumpling shop in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Having amassed a fortune through generations of hard work, Moo-o

Kumho Tire’s European branch president Cho Nam-hwa (right) and Hawks Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Saltzman hold a jersey to mark Kumho’s new sponsorship of the Atlanta Hawks. This partnership gives Kumho prominent exposure at the team’s State Farm Arena. With roots in Georgia, where it runs a factory and logistics hubs, Kumho also plans to support local communities with volunteer events and youth outreach programs. Fans can expect exciting extras, too, like autograph session

Samsung SDI is charging ahead to claim a bigger slice of the electric vehicle battery market, bolstered by new supply agreements, upcoming product launches and accelerating demand for EVs, particularly in Europe. One of the company’s latest moves is expanding its supply with Audi. Samsung SDI recently began supplying batteries for two of Audi’s EV models, the E-Tron 50 Quattro and E-Tron Sportback 50 Quattro, which previously used batteries from LG Energy Solution. Of the 14 Audi EV