From the Scene In series
Stories told from where they are happening.
#Issues
# First-hand
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From the Scene In series
Stories told from where they are happening.
Would you like to subscribe?
Thousands brave bitter cold to mark 1st anniversary of Yoon’s martial law
Thousands packed the street in front of the National Assembly on Wednesday, braving biting winds and subzero temperatures in Seoul to mark the first anniversary of then-President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law decree. Silver thermal blankets snapped in the wind. Protesters wrapped themselves in wool scarves with only their eyes peeking out, yet kept their pickets raised, chanting “End the insurrection!” into the frigid air. Just meters away, rows of police officers in neon jackets and riot gear sto
Dec. 3, 2025 - 18:14:46
Hanwha unveils W100b Jeju satellite megahub
SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island — Hanwha Systems on Tuesday held an official completion ceremony for the Jeju Space Center on the Hawon Techno Campus located in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, signifying the opening of Korea’s biggest private-led satellite manufacturing facility. With an investment of about 100 billion won ($68 million), Hanwha Systems established the Jeju Space Center with a satellite development and assembly bloc, a satellite function and condition testing facility, a satellite assessment clean
Dec. 2, 2025 - 15:00:00
From oil to AI: Inside Kazakhstan’s tech awakening at Astana Hub
ASTANA, Kazakhstan — Inside a brightly lit classroom filled with rows of iMacs, students hunch over their keyboards, with code flashing across their screens. On the other side of the room, another group of students gathers around a whiteboard, sketching innovative ideas and plans for their next AI project. The classroom is part of Tomorrow School, an education program focused on artificial intelligence housed within Astana Hub, the country’s flagship technopark for IT startups. Here, young progr
Nov. 4, 2025 - 11:16:16
S-Oil’s Shaheen project nears finish, fueling petrochemical ambitions
ULSAN — Amid a forest of soaring towers, tanks and tangled metal structures, S-Oil’s sprawling Shaheen complex in Ulsan is fast taking shape — a vivid testament to the company’s determination to transform from a traditional oil refiner into a future-oriented petrochemical powerhouse. From an observation deck overlooking the seventh district of the site, the 9.26 trillion won ($6.47 billion) megaproject appears nearly ready for operation. Cranes still dot the skyline, but the progress is unmistak
Oct. 22, 2025 - 17:00:00
Seoul sets new world record for largest reading relay
Autumn is often called the perfect season for reading in South Korea. This year, the tradition took on a historic scale. Thousands of people gathered Saturday at Gwanghwamun Square, a landmark in central Seoul, to take part in what city officials said was the world’s largest reading relay. To commemorate the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule and promote Korean literature, the Seoul Metropolitan Government — collaborating with the Seoul Metropolitan Library and th
Sept. 29, 2025 - 13:11:25
Seoul begins self-driving shuttle service along Cheonggyecheon
Autonomous shuttles offer glimpse into future of public transportation, yet a bit slow On a street near Cheonggyecheon — a stream in central Seoul — a slick and shiny nine-seater bus moved toward the Cheonggye Plaza bus stop near Gwanghwamun Station on Subway Line No. 5 in central Seoul. However, this wasn’t just any regular bus. Named “Cheonggye A01,” the bus is the country’s first driverless, self-driving shuttle, which began its operations to the public Tuesday. While the city had introduced
Sept. 23, 2025 - 15:19:52
Halal on display: MIHAS 2025 wraps with milestones
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- In equal parts trade forum and cultural celebration, the Malaysia International Halal Showcase 2025 closed with momentum Saturday, surpassing its 4.5 billion Malaysian ringgit ($1 billion) sales target to reach 4.97 billion ringgit. Alongside trade deals, halal-themed activities powered the four-day showcase and set Malaysia’s growing halal economy in motion. The most vibrant hub of the showcase was the expansive halal exhibition floor, where 2,400 booths and exhibitors
Sept. 22, 2025 - 14:55:38
Korean liquors compete for spot at APEC summit's gala dinner table
A special tasting event featuring traditional Korean alcoholic beverages was held Friday in Seoul, ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit set for Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The event, hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs at a hotel in Seoul, brought together officials from APEC member economies, including diplomats based in Korea, to sample and vote on a toast beverage for the summit’s gala dinner. A total of 12 candidates we
Sept. 22, 2025 - 11:03:29
Why Perplexity built a low-key coffee shop in Seoul’s most upscale district
There's almost nothing about Cafe Curious that suggests it was created by a Silicon Valley AI startup. Located in Cheongdam-dong, one of Seoul’s most upscale neighborhoods, the space opened on Sept. 3. From the outside, it looks like just another sleek coffee shop with glass doors, dark stone walls and a small sidewalk sign. The name Curious appears modestly on the corner of the building. But this is not a typical cafe. It's the first physical location operated by Perplexity, the generative AI c
Sept. 16, 2025 - 08:30:00
From AI tarot to K-pop trainee role-play, SKT’s new Seongsu hub courts Gen Z
SK Telecom is bringing back its T Factory experience zone, with a new location opening Friday in one of Seoul's trendiest neighborhoods, offering a mix of AI-powered installations, K-pop trainee role-play and pop-up cultural events. The venue is surprisingly large given its location, tucked discreetly into a backstreet in Seongsu-dong. The space is more than twice the size of its Hongdae predecessor, covering 2,150 square meters across three floors and an annex. SKT said the zone reflects its de
Sept. 4, 2025 - 13:29:03
Kim, Jang advance to runoff in People Power Party leadership race
CHEONGJU, North Chungcheong Province — The main opposition People Power Party is set to hold a runoff vote to determine its next leader, as former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo and Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok emerged as the two finalists for the party’s leadership election Friday. The party did not disclose individual rankings or vote shares, only announcing that Kim and Jang had secured the top two spots among four candidates. Reps. Ahn Cheol-soo and Cho Kyoung-tae were eliminated. The first round of vo
Aug. 22, 2025 - 18:38:34
K-beauty at speed: Inside Olive Young’s urban fulfillment hub
The country that gave the world K-beauty is not only a leading beauty maker but also a master of delivery, reaching customers within hours, often within just one. At the forefront of this delivery revolution is CJ Olive Young, Korea’s largest beauty platform, whose online marketplace, connected to a nationwide network of 1,300 stores, is powered by a same-day delivery service, Oneul Deurim. This reads as both “today’s delivery” and “today’s dream,” as “derium” sounds similar to “dream” in Englis
Aug. 21, 2025 - 14:23:19
Typhoon winds, silent roads: Hyundai Motor reveals future of EV testing
HWASEONG, Gyeonggi Province -- Hyundai Motor Group on Wednesday unveiled its latest electric vehicle innovations at the Namyang R&D Center in Gyeonggi Province, with a focus on breakthroughs in aerodynamics, thermal management and ride comfort. A standout reveal was the “Aero Challenge car,” a prototype EV designed to achieve world-leading aerodynamic performance. Comparable in size to the Ioniq 6 sedan, the vehicle has already recorded a drag coefficient of 0.144 — beating the previous record o
July 24, 2025 - 10:58:41
LS Electric targets 50% output boost at Vietnam plant
HANOI, Vietnam ― LS Electric aims to boost production capacity by 50 percent to $60 million at its facility in the city of Bac Ninh, just east of Hanoi, Vietnam, by expanding output for battery control panels and electrical protection devices. This strategic initiative is part of LS Electric CEO and Chair Koo Ja-kyun’s commitment to Southeast Asia, the world's second-largest market for electric power systems after North America. “(On July 14,) Koo approved the construction project for a three-st
July 21, 2025 - 15:11:41
Inside PUBG Seongsu: Krafton’s new flagship in Seoul
A gaming and lifestyle hub has opened its doors in the heart of Seongsu, Seoul's burgeoning cultural district, welcoming not only gaming fans but nearby residents and the wider community as well. PUBG Seongsu is a multifaceted cultural space dedicated to Korean gaming company Krafton’s blockbuster shooter, PUBG: Battlegrounds. The venue, which operated as a pop-up space since last summer, is housed in a repurposed former leather factory that once supplied military goods. It has since been transf
July 13, 2025 - 14:38:36
