SouthKorea

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  COVID-19 accelerates sales of S. Korea's online grocery products and food delivery services SEOUL -- Amid a coronavirus pandemic, South Korea's online shopping sales of food and grocery products surpassed 2.2 trillion won ($1.8 billion) only in December 2021, up 11.2 percent from a year ago. A total online shopping transaction amount exceeded 18 trillion won and mobile transactions accounted for 73.9 percent of the total online shopping sales. According to Statistics Korea, the national statistical office, the online shopping transaction amount reached 18.4 trillion w 2022-02-07
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  Researchers discover two new peat moss species living in S. Korea's peat bogs SEOUL -- A state-run biological resources research body in South Korea has discovered two new species of sphagnum palustre, commonly known as peat moss, living in peat bogs. The new species will be registered to the National Species List of Korea in late 2022. A peat bog is a wetland that accumulates peat, which is a deposit of dead plant materials. The wetland environment is home to many species of mosses, plants and animals. Peat bogs cover about three percent of Earth's land 2022-02-04
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  Number of commuters using Seoul's subway trains decreases due to remote working SEOUL -- The annual number of passengers using subway trains in Seoul has decreased by about 27 percent due to the nationwide social distancing campaign that prompted people to work remotely at home. Seoul's two largest office business districts -- the southern finance district of Gangnam and the central office district of Jongno -- showed the sharpest decline in the number of daily commuters. Seoul said in a statement on February 3 that the average number of daily subway passe 2022-02-03
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  S. Korea to deploy more electric double-deckers to ease traffic congestion during commuting hours SEOUL -- To help commuters travel more conveniently, South Korea will accelerate the adoption of electric intercity double-decker buses. Currently, there are 20 eco-friendly double-deckers in operation and the transport ministry will deploy 35 more two-story buses by the end of 2022. In 2019, about 1.3 million people commuted from Gimpo, a western satellite city of Seoul, and the western port city of Incheon to the capital city using public transportation including subway trains an 2022-01-28
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  S. Korea to demonstrate information and communication technology-based classes in Serbia SEOUL -- Through a 1.2 billion won ($1 million) state project, South Korea will provide domestic information and communication technologies to Serbia's educational sector, allowing Serbian students to take classes using a smart pad, laptop and other smart equipment. Using smart learning equipment, students can also participate in remote classes and interact with other students on the other side of the world. The Ministry of Education said in a statement on January 25 that the m 2022-01-25
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  Busan Coast Guard develops unmanned cleaning robot for dangerous missions in shallow waters SEOUL -- An unmanned cleaner robot that can be remotely controlled from long range was developed by Busan Coast Guard. The robot can be deployed to dangerous situations with high risks of ship explosions or fire. The unmanned vessel is capable of containing oil spills in shallow waters and transmitting real-time videos. Busan Coast Guard said in a statement on January 24 that the unmanned vessel was deployed to the southern port city of Busan to carry out various missions such as c 2022-01-24
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  S. Korea to adopt deposit system for disposable plastic cups used at cafes and restaurants SEOUL -- In an effort to promote the use of reusable cups and reduce plastic waste, South Korea will adopt a deposit system at cafes and restaurants to charge customers 300 won (25 cents) per disposable cup. Deposit money will be refunded if a customer returns a used cup. Starting with Seoul, South Korea kicked off a campaign in 2018 to gradually ban the use of disposable cups at coffee shops by regulating the use of plastic and paper cups. Shop owners favored using disposable cups 2022-01-24
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  Green vehicles in Seoul increased by 32 percent in 2021 on-year SEOUL -- The number of Seoul's eco-friendly cars including electric and hydrogen cars rapidly increased in 2021. Of some 3.17 million registered cars in 2021, the number of environmentally-friendly vehicles reached 184,898, up 31.7 percent from a year ago. According to data released by the capital city on January 24, about six percent of registered cars in 2021 were eco-friendly -- hybrid, electric and hydrogen vehicles. Hybrid cars increased by 23.08 percent, electric cars sur 2022-01-24
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  S. Korea to adopt 624 hydrogen buses in southern port cities by 2025 SEOUL -- Two southern port cities -- Busan and Ulsan -- and South Gyeongsang Province will adopt a total of 624 hydrogen fuel cell buses in an effort to replace conventional internal combustion engine public city buses by 2025. The Ministry of Environment said in a statement on January 19 that the ministry has signed a cooperation agreement with Busan City, Ulsan City, South Gyeongsang Province and Hyundai Motor to adopt hydrogen buses. State money of up to about 300 million won ($ 2022-01-20
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  Researchers develop method to extract rare earth elements from industrial waste SEOUL -- It's been difficult to selectively recover rare earth elements from industrial waste. Many approaches have been studied, but they used solvents to cause environmental pollution or to recover rare earth elements once. Researchers developed a new solvent-free and eco-friendly method to extract rare earth elements from industrial waste. A research team led by Kwon In-chan, a professor of protein engineering at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, has developed 2022-01-19
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  S. Korea to create fund worth about $211 mln to incubate Korean content SEOUL -- South Korea's culture ministry will create a 240.1 billion won ($211 million) fund in 2022 to help content makers produce globally popular content like Squid Game, a Netflix Original drama series that sparked a global phenomenon after it was released in October 2021. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said in a statement on January 17 that 200.1 billion won will be injected into an adventure investment fund designed to support the content-making industry and 4 2022-01-17
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  Seoul demonstrates online shopping mall for 'rehabilitated' bicycles SEOUL -- Seoul City started a "rehabilitation" program for abandoned bicycles by teaming up with a domestic artificial intelligence and blockchain-based bicycle trading platform startup. Through the platform, Seoul can sell some 15,000 recycled bicycles every year. In Seoul, an annual average of about 16,000 abandoned bicycles are collected by local district governments, but they are normally stored in warehouses due to the lack of sales channels. Previously, a monthly av 2022-01-04
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  Southern industrial city to measure air quality using public buses SEOUL -- Through a 500 million won ($423,000) provincial project, the southern industrial city of Gumi will analyze air quality including the density of particulate matter by installing air pollution sensors on public buses and bus stops. The city will set up new environmental policies based on data collected from smart pollution detectors. Particulate matter is microscopic dust particles with various harmful substances including heavy metal and carbon composites. According to the 2021-12-31
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  All expressway service areas to support non-face-to-face orders in 2022 SEOUL -- To help travelers safely enjoy delicious cuisines without the worry of standing in a long line while keeping social distance rules, all expressway service areas will enforce non-face-to-face orders in 2022 so that customers can make an order using smartphones and pick up food when it's ready. South Korea's service areas have a unique food culture where travelers make a stop to grab snacks or meals. People used to wait in the queue to purchase hotdogs, fried potatoe 2021-12-31
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  Seoul wins approval for demonstration of advertising services using public bicycles SEOUL -- Seoul City won government approval to demonstrate outdoor advertising service using a public bicycle's body frame and wheels. Previously, advertisements attached to bicycles were prohibited due to safety reasons. Through the regulation exemption program, business operators will be able to advertise their products using public bicycles. Seoul City was allowed to demonstrate outdoor advertising services using public bikes' parts through a regulatory sandbox policy 2021-12-30
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  Sudden gust of winds foils launch of sounding rocket built by rocket start-up SEOUL -- A sudden gust of winds foiled the launch of a small liquid-propellant sounding rocket designed by South Korea's first rocket start-up, Perigee Aerospace, which hopes to become a pioneer in the country's fledgling private space industry by developing a larger two-stage orbital launch vehicle called "Blue Whale" capable of putting a small satellite into low orbit through collaboration with a state research university. A sounding or research rocket carries 2021-12-29
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  S. Korea demonstrates video information-based online pork carcass auction SEOUL -- South Korea's agriculture ministry started the demonstration of online pork carcass auction to establish a stable non-face-to-face livestock product trade system that will not be affected by pandemic situations caused by a coronavirus or the African Swine Fever. The new auction system will be officially adopted in 2023 after a test run. An online auction is an ecommerce platform where products are sold to the bidder. A pork carcass is normally a half-section of pig con 2021-12-29
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  S. Korea launches 10-year project to nurture microbiome industry by injecting $968.5 mln state fund SEOUL -- The microbiome is the genetic material of all the microbes -- bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses -- that line on and inside the body of animals. Humans are colonized by many microorganisms. Some co-exist without harming humans and others have a mutualistic relationship with their human hosts. Non-pathogenic microorganisms can harm human hosts. In a project involving nine government agencies, the Ministry of Science and ICT said the government would provide full support 2021-12-29
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  State-run nuclear fuel manufacturing company develops ultrasonic-based radioactive material removal technique SEOUL -- Korea Electric Power Corporation Nuclear Fuel, a state-run nuclear fuel manufacturing company, developed a high-performance ultrasonic-based decontamination technique that can remove radioactive uranium from metallic radioactive waste. The technique is especially effective for removing radioactive materials from complex-shaped waste or for safely tearing down nuclear power plants. Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) Nuclear Fuel said in a statement on December 28 th 2021-12-28
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  Nuclear experts allowed to resume research on spent nuclear fuel processing technology SEOUL -- South Korean nuclear experts were allowed to resume research and development on securing basic and original technologies on spent nuclear fuel processing technology after more than two decades of fruitless research that sparked a never-ending debate over how long taxpayers' money should be spent on acquiring unviable technologies. The green light came at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum on December 27. Financial and other support will be provided 2021-12-27