The accumulated number of electric vehicles in South Korea appears to have surpassed the 300,000-mark in July, taking 1.2 percent of the total number of registered vehicles in country, according to a report published by the Transport Ministry on Sunday. The report said South Korea had 298,633 EV registrations as of June. Industry insiders expect this number to have exceeded 300,000 last month. Nearly 70,000 EVs were sold in just the first half of this year, a 73.5 percent rise in sales compar

South Korea’s customs office said Thursday it will launch an online customs declaration platform and an automated customs examination service at Korea‘s major international airports, beginning in August. Travelers entering Korea through Gimpo Airport and Incheon Airport Terminal 2 can now declare designated items through an online app. So far, travelers have been required to fill out a paper form on the plane before landing. The app allows travelers to input personal data by scann

With South Korea’s consumer prices jumping a whopping 6 percent in June from a year earlier, many workers here are contemplating cheaper options, including takeout boxed lunch, instead of eating out. South Korean boxed lunch takeout chain Hansot Dosirak said Tuesday that its sales in restaurants near Seoul’s office clusters rose by 23 percent during lunch hours in June compared to the same month last year. On the back of workers experiencing “lunchflation,” the takeout

GS Engineering and Construction said Monday it has released its annual sustainability report for 2022, introducing its environmental, social and corporate governance-related activities. In the report, the South Korean builder said it had launched its Research Institute for Future Technology in March. Through its continued investment in future technology, GS E&C said it had developed water saving, biogas facility modulation, carbon dioxide to hydrogen conversion, and eco-friendly water desal

Renault Korea Motors is hoping to better cater to customer needs with a service that allows car owners to drop off their vehicles at the automaker’s repair shops anytime, anywhere across the country. The carmaker introduced its “Drop the Keys” service in April, which allows drivers to bring in their cars for check-ups and repair anytime of the week. Local auto repair stores usually close around 6-7 p.m. on weekdays and earlier on Saturdays, while most of them do not operate

Korea Post chief Son Seung-hyun, attended the Kahala Post Group chief executive officers meeting held in Madrid on Thursday, the nation’s postal service provider said. The Kahala Post Group is an international alliance of postal administrations created in 2002 to promote international mail delivery and to carry out strategic projects. It currently has 11 member states. The effects of COVID-19 on international mail, and methods to improve its quality were discussed at the meeting, said K

South Korean cosmetics brand Barenbliss said Friday that it has been working with top researchers to launch its new product line, “Meta Glow Series,” last month. Barenbliss has been operating its own research center, Barenbliss Skinlab, which has the necessary analytical facilities to test product safety and efficacy, the company said. The lab is headed by Yoon Myeong-seok, a professor of chemical and bio-engineering at Gachon University, and the Vice President of Cosmax R&I

JB Financial Group, a Jeonju-based financial holding company, said Thursday it has renamed its subsidiary Mega Investment to JB Investment. The finance company inked a deal to take over Mega Investment from South Korean online educational service provider MegaStudy in May for 48 billion won ($36.5 million). The deal was signed as part of the regional bank’s efforts in diversifying its business portfolio, said JB Financial Group. The newly named JB Investment is a venture investment firm

GS Energy, an energy arm of South Korean conglomerate GS Group, said Wednesday it has renamed its electric vehicle charging subsidiary as GS Connect. The subsidiary is a joint corporation, created by GS Energy and local EV charging firm Gntel. The two companies hold 50 percent of shares each. By stressing its identity as being part of GS Group, the subsidiary said it hopes to expand business and bolster customer trust. The name change also includes the company’s promise to connect with

A 24-year-old office employee surnamed Park stands with his coworker on the sidewalk next to Tehaeranro in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, after leaving a company dinner at midnight on Tuesday. They both whip out their phones to order a cab on two of South Korea‘s most used taxi reservation apps, Kakao T and UT, but have little luck. A few taxis race past them, but are occupied or blinking with a green display that reads “reserved.” “Using a taxi is almost the only way to get home pa

Hankook Tire & Technology, the world’s sixth-largest tire-maker, said Friday that it has started supplying its tires for high-performance sedans and sports cars of the so-called “German Big 3”: Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi. The tire-maker will supply its Ventus S1 evo Z tires to BMW’s X3 M and X4 M models, while also supplying its Ventus S1 evo 3 and Winter i cept evo 2 tires to Audi’s RS lineup. Multiple SUVs of the Mercedes-Benz AMG lineup, including GLC an

South Korea’s food expiration labeling system is set to change for the first time in 38 years, starting January, under a new policy measure to reduce food waste. The revised bill on the food labeling and advertising act that passed last August replaces the current “sell-by” dates with “use-by” dates. Sell-by dates denote the time period in which a retailer must get its products off the shelves, while use-by dates tell consumers up to what point a product can be sa

South Korea’s Finance Ministry is set to announce a legal revision bill next week that includes tax deductions on movie tickets and a raise to the tax exemption for company meal plans for middle-class workers.  Under the current tax law, the government offers a 30 percent tax cut on cultural expenses for middle-class workers whose annual salary is less than 70 million won ($53,300). Eligible workers can receive up to 1 million won in tax deductions for book purchases, museum tickets,

Card spending surged more than 20 percent in May compared to the same month last year, according to data from the Credit Finance Association of Korea (CREFIA). CREFIA said Monday in a report that total card spending, including credit, debit and corporate cards, amounted to 99.3 trillion won ($76.3 billion) in May, when COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. This is a 20.7 percent increase from the 82.3 trillion won spent in May 2021. During the same period, the value of personal card spending so

South Korean imported car dealer Han Sung Motor said Friday it has launched nonfungible tokens (NFTs), digital documents and digital warranty for its certified used car customers. The digitalization of the auto dealer’s documents is a step towards following the global trend of going online, communicating with younger generations, and creating “fandom,” said Han Sung Motor. The NFTs will contain pictures, videos and texts that certify ownership of the digital warranty for sec

South Korea’s home appliance brand Coway was named one of the “Best Korean Brands 2022” by global management consulting firm Interbrand. Interbrand has announced top 50 Korean brands since 2013. This year’s recognition marks the eighth consecutive year that Coway has been named among 50 best South Korean brands. Coway’s rank, which was placed at 27th last year, jumped up three levels to 24th. Coway’s brand value enjoyed a 5.6 percent year-on-year increase a

Oriental Brewery, South Korea’s largest beer maker, said Tuesday that it has launched a campaign to stop drunk driving. As part of the campaign, the brewery said it has equipped 20 of its distribution trucks with sensor maker Sentech Korea’s ignition interlock devices. The ignition interlock device uses a breathalyzer to measure the driver’s blood alcohol levels. The device inhibits cars from starting if alcohol levels are above threshold, preventing drunk driving. Current

South Korea’s National Police Agency appears to be preparing for the worst, as recent plans indicate the deployment of robot patrol dogs and body strengthening power armor within 30 years. The plans were part of a police policy outline obtained by Yonhap News Agency on police use of robotics, artificial intelligence and advanced mobility technologies, and extending operations to the metaverse. According to the policy outline, the national police force plans to deploy self-piloting robots

When a person dies, a will provides instructions on where and to whom their property, possessions and asset go. But what happens to the things they leave behind that only exist online? A local platform operator said Sunday that it had been working with law firms on a bill that would define the type of digital assets subject to inheritance, the range of disclosure and eligibility. Demand for people to be able to keep photos and texts left behind by deceased loved ones has been growing, but the

South Korean health and beauty retailer CJ Olive Young said Thursday its sales of men’s cosmetic products in the first half of this year increased 24 percent compared to the same period last year. The retailer saw a 130 percent increase in the basic skin care category, which includes toners and lotions. In the cosmetics category, foundations and color lip balms were the most-sold items, according to company data. Data also showed that in-person purchase of cosmetics among male customer