gettyimagesbank With a hegemonic war over semiconductor production and distribution being waged, Korea, home to two memory chip giants Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, is responding by aiming to become a world-leading chip powerhouse by 2030.   In May, President Moon Jae-in unveiled his “K-semiconductor” blueprint to firmly place Korea within the world’s largest semiconductor supply chain – for both memory and system chips – by 2030 in cooperation with local chip com

News that the Samsung Group’s heirs pledged to donate late Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s vast art collection to state-run museums made headlines both inside and outside the country in late April.   The National Museum of Korea (NMK) and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) became the biggest recipients of the donation. The NMK received some 21,600 works and the MMCA nearly 1,500 pieces.   Now, the long-awaited exhibitions showcasing the creme de la c

A page of "Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon." Courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration “Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon,” a valuable 15th century handbook of the Korean alphabet “Hangeul,” designated as National Treasure No. 70, will be sold as NFTs (non-fungible tokens). The announcement came recently from the Kansong Art Museum in Seongbuk District, Seoul, which holds an original copy of the manuscript in its collection.   This will be the first time that one of Korea’s National Treasur

gettyimagesbank Q.  Does Korea have shelters to help people escape excessive heat?   A.  Yes, there are shelters that offer relief from the scorching heat during the summer.   Low-income and marginalized people are usually the most vulnerable to extreme summer weather. Heat waves create unbearable conditions for people living in housing that lacks air conditioning.   Local municipalities run special summertime shelters. They open air-conditi

Radio France journalist Nicolas Rocca. Photo by Choi Won-suk ● Living in Seoul as a foreign correspondent gives a rare opportunity for self-fulfillment, says Radio France journalist Nicolas Rocca. ● Global media’s focus has expanded beyond the typical Samsung and North Korea pieces to K-pop, K-dramas and South Korea’s pandemic response. French radio journalist Nicolas Rocca likens reporting on South Korea to peeling an onion. You need to keep removing layer after

Underground shopping mall in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul. Korea Times file ● Affordable underground shopping malls and shops are replacing dark, dingy tunnels in Korea. ● Some underground spaces were originally intended as emergency bunkers against North Korean air raids. Underground spaces in large cities are typically perceived as dark, dingy places that people use as shortcuts to their destinations.   But in Korea, underground spaces are home to gl

Government 24's character "GoodPy” that provides virtual assistant services. Courtesy of Ministry of the Interior and Safety The government has been implementing more convenient and contact-free administrative services by combining AI and other Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies with government systems.   The move is in line with the Moon Jae-in administration’s Digital New Deal policy that was one of the two pillars of the Korean New Deal stimulus package unveiled by