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

Meta, formerly Facebook, said Wednesday it has launched a joint research center with Seoul National University to study extended reality (XR) technology and metaverse policies. The new facility, called XR Hub Korea, is part of Meta’s ”XR Program Research“ which kicked off last year as a collaborative research project with prestigious institutions worldwide. SNU has been participating from the beginning, the company said. The center will help form networks among scholars, and

Construction company Daewoo Engineering & Construction said Wednesday that it has been participating in a community service project to improve the housing environment for descendants of independence fighters. The construction company took part in the project — hosted by nonprofit volunteer organization Habitat for Humanity Korea — by donating 200 million won ($154,621) in February, and repairing seven homes belonging to the descendants of activists who fought against the 1919-1

Italian luxury fashion brand Gucci on Wednesday launched its new “Gucci Pet Collection,” catering to canines and felines that enjoy extravagant lifestyles. The product line is part of a larger collection titled “Gucci Lifestyle,” which was launched in September 2021. The pet attire and accessories are all made from recycled cotton and polyester, and Gucci’s own eco-friendly fabric called Demetra that is made from sustainable, renewable sources. Pet owners can now

Special limited edition medals and banknotes to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by South Korea and Japan, went on sale Monday. Korea Minting, Security Printing & ID Card Operating Corporation (KOMSCO) said the commemorative items were made to wish the South Korean national football team good luck on the upcoming 2022 Qatar World Cup, while serving as a reminder of the national unity Korea experienced during the 2002 tournament. The “FIFA World

South Korean retail and finance company, TGS Holdings, said Thursday that it has produced a TV commercial featuring former professional Go master Lee Se-dol last month. Lee Se-dol, who competed with Google’s artificial intelligence program AlphaGo in 2016 during the peak of his career, signed a contract to become the face of TGS in Novermber 2021. The newly produced commercial introduces TGS’s new smart currency called C-Cash. It is the world‘s first hybrid smart currency t

Posco said Thursday that it kicked off its annual community service event, “Global Model Citizen Week,” on June 14. The 12-day event will have 63,000 Posco employees worldwide participating. It consists of over 1,000 volunteer projects that give back to society, such as helping disadvantaged groups, preserving the ecosystem and supporting welfare centers. As part of the event, Posco Vice Chairman Kim Hak-dong planted red roses and honey tree saplings with other Posco employees at

Line Plus, the global arm of messaging app provider Line Corp., said Monday that it will implement a new work system called “Line Hybrid Work 2.0” in July, which includes guidelines on working remotely from abroad. Starting July 1, Line Plus employees will be able to work remotely from anywhere in the world that has a time difference of less than four hours with Korea, for up to 90 days. This will allow employees to work from the company’s major markets including Japan, Taiw

South Korean petrochemical company SK Geo Centric said Monday that it has started exporting renewable benzene from last week, as part of its cooperation with European firms in creating a regional value chain for renewable chemicals. Benzene is an organic compound used to make plastic, resin and synthetic fiber. It is traditionally produced by processing fossil fuel-based feedstocks. Finnish oil company Neste Corp. provided its Korean counterpart with feedstock made from recycled materials. S

Inspire Entertainment Resort said Tuesday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Futurenet to build a high-end LED signage system in its resort under construction in Incheon, South Korea. The agreement established a consortium between Samsung and the Hyundai Department Store Group’s ICT platform unit, Hyundai Futurenet, on Monday to offer dynamic and futuristic ICT experiences for vacationers. As part of the consortium, Samsung Electronics

South Korean construction company Daewoo Engineering & Construction said Monday that it is developing wearable robots that can be used at construction sites to prevent injuries while maintaining productivity. The company was chosen Tuesday in a contest held by the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement to work in cooperation with local robotics startup WIrobotics and the Korea Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Center to develop a smart work care service involving wearable robots. The