SouthKorea

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  Seoul opens metaverse-based city hall as demonstration to establish metaverse city SEOUL -- Seoul City has created a city hall inside a metaverse, a virtually created world accessible using smart devices or PCs, as a pilot service. Users can visit the lobby of the city hall and the Seoul Mayor's office using their avatars. In November 2021, Seoul unveiled its scheme to provide metaverse-based services in every administrative sector by 2026. Avatar workers will handle various civic complaints and provide virtual tourism experiences such as virtual traditional 2022-05-10
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  S. Korea's homemade medical radioactive isotype 'GE-68' to be exported to US SEOUL -- A medical radioactive isotype called "Germanium-68" produced by a state nuclear energy body in South Korea will be exported to the United States for the first time. The radioactive isotope will be used as a raw material for cancer diagnosis and as calibration sources to maintain the accuracy of radiation imaging equipment such as positron emission tomography. Germanium-68 (GE-68) can be delivered for a long time because about 270 days is required to reduce to half 2022-05-09
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  Global EV race 'Formula E' to be held in Seoul after two years of suspension SEOUL -- Formula E, a city-based single-seater electric car motor racing championship originally scheduled to be held in Seoul in 2020, will finally capture motorsport fans in South Korea in August. The global racing event was suspended for two years due to a coronavirus pandemic. Formula E, officially the ABB Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) Formula E Championship, is sanctioned by FIA, the governing body for auto racing events. Unlike conventional racing even 2022-05-04
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  Seoul to offer useful bicycle-related information through smartphone app SEOUL -- As an effort to popularize bicycles as the city's main transport medium, Seoul will offer bicycle lovers useful information such as the location of nearby bike repair shops and public bicycle parking spaces through a smartphone app. Currently, such information is accessible through Seoul districts' official websites. Seoul has adopted many different programs to encourage the use of bikes. In January 2022, the city partnered with bicycle trading platform operator Wr 2022-05-03
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  Lego-themed amusement park ready for grand opening in S. Korea SEOUL -- The world's 10th Lego-themed amusement park is ready for its grand opening in South Korea, with all opening-day tickets sold out in advance, 11 years after developers launched the idea of turning a lake island into a tourist attraction with full support from local governments. Construction has been delayed due to opposition from civic groups and disputes over how to finance it. The Legoland park in Chuncheon some 75 kilometers (46.6 miles) northeast of Seoul is to off 2022-05-02
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  S. Korea to demonstrate small fishing boat using carbon composite materials SEOUL -- The demonstration of small fishing boats manufactured with carbon fiber-reinforced polymers began in a state project aimed at nurturing the use of homemade carbon fibers and establishing an independent value chain of carbon materials in South Korea. Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP), or known as carbon composite, are extremely strong and light fiber-reinforced plastics. CFRPs are used in an increasing number of high-end products that require stiffness and low weight, 2022-04-29
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  Seoul's public bike rental service becomes popular public transport system SEOUL -- Seoul's public bike rental service called "Ttareungi," also known as Seoul Bike, has become one of the capital city's most popular public transport systems by being used more than 100 million times in about six and a half years since the service was launched in December 2015. The public bicycle rental system is favored by Seoulites who wish to travel short distances of a few kilometers instead of using crowded buses or subway trains. As of April 2022, the 2022-04-27
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  Seoul to build micro hydropower plant near bridge in southeastern district SEOUL -- Seoul will build a 2.5 megawatt-class micro hydropower plant near Jamsil Bridge in southeastern Seoul with an annual capacity of some 14 gigawatt-hours. The power plant can power about 3,440 households annually and reduce about 6,600 tons of greenhouse gases. Micro hydropower plants generate electricity by converting energy generated by the flow of water in streams or waterways using a turbine. More electricity can be produced with a stronger drop and a greater quantity of 2022-04-26
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  Seoul to open pet school for puppies with behavior issues SEOUL -- Seoul will open a school for puppies where they can learn how to behave properly and improve self-discipline through a free, six-month training course. Depending on puppies' behavioral issues, optimized training will be provided so that animals can learn how to fix their destructive behaviors and manage their anxiety and anger. Data released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in 2021 showed that about 26 percent of pet owners have considered givi 2022-04-26
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  Seoul to promote adoption of abandoned animals through special benefits SEOUL -- Seoul will step up efforts to popularize the adoption of abandoned animals by offering pet insurance fees and special pet-related classes. About 39 percent of abandoned dogs and cats were rescued and sent to new families in 2021 and 9.5 percent were euthanized. About 130,000 animals including dogs (about 70 percent) and cats (about 25 percent) are abandoned in South Korea every year. About 55 percent of them were aged one year or less, according to the agriculture minist 2022-04-25
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  Seoul upgrades commercial district analysis service to help small business operators SEOUL -- Seoul has upgraded its big data-based commercial district analysis service so that business operators and people who are preparing to launch their business can better analyze their business surroundings and market demands. Users will receive a range of data including rental costs, average sales per store and survival rates. Seoul's "Our Village Store Business Trend Analysis Service" was launched in 2015 to help small business owners review various factors be 2022-04-25
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  Seoul to analyze why elderlies find it hard to use digital kiosks SEOUL -- Seoul has partnered with a domestic digital kiosk maker to analyze the reason why old people find it hard to use unmanned ordering machines. A new standardized user interface will be developed based on the analysis and surveys. Digital kiosks are widely adopted at South Korean restaurants because shop owners cans save operating costs. The ordering machine with a large touch screen display 2022-04-22
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  Seoul to popularize reusable containers through partnership with major food delivery operators SEOUL -- In an effort to reduce plastic waste generated by disposable delivery food containers, Seoul will accelerate the adoption of reusable food containers by expanding service areas. Through a four-month pilot project involving some 100 popular restaurants that began in a southern district in October 2021, the capital city found that the rate of consumers choosing reusable dishes over disposable containers has increased by 30 percent every week. According to data released by th 2022-04-22
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  Seoul to demonstrate AI livelihood monitoring service for senior single households SEOUL -- Seoul will provide an artificial intelligence-based livelihood monitoring service for middle-aged and older people who live alone. The care robot service will help people to become emotionally stable by asking them how they are faring. The robot will also monitor people's health conditions and notify human caregivers in case of an emergency. Smart AI livelihood monitoring service is designed to provide personal monitoring and care services for lonely residents. The car 2022-04-19
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  Seoul to run bicycle safety classes to nurture safe urban riding culture SEOUL -- Seoul will issue certificates to those who pass written and performance tests after attending special bicycle safety classes. Certified Seoulites will receive discount benefits when they use a public bike rental service called "Ttareungi" operated by Seoul. The capital city government has prepared the certification program to increase people's bicycle safety awareness and accelerate the popularization of the city's public bicycle rental service. Ttareung 2022-04-18
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  COVID-19 restrictions disappear in S. Korea except mask mandate SEOUL -- All COVID-19 restrictions such as a midnight business hour curfew for restaurants, cafes and karaoke bars are disappearing in South Korea, except a mask mandate, as health authorities reported a steady fall in the number of infected people from a high of more than 620,000 about a month ago. From April 18, South Korea will enforce a policy of living with COVID-19 by lifting restrictions on business hours and private gatherings, despite a warning from the World Health Organiz 2022-04-15
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  Seoul to demonstrate smart safety management technology at construction sites SEOUL -- Seoul will demonstrate smart safety management systems including remote construction site monitoring technology at urban construction sites with a high risk of safety accidents. According to government data, 458 people died at construction sites in 2020 and about 51 percent of fatal accidents were caused by falling. Smart safety management detects many different safety risk factors in advance using internet of things (IoT) sensors and artificial intelligence (AI). Since Fe 2022-04-14
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  S. Korea to demonstrate drone control tower system for special operations including blood pack delivery SEOUL -- South Korea will demonstrate a drone traffic control tower system to accelerate the use of drones in various fields including the maintenance of facilities and the emergency delivery of blood packs in urban areas. The demonstration of the "K-Drone" system is aimed at testing the efficacy of operations with high potential for commercialization. Drones are used to inspect the structural integrity of facilities such as chimneys and the substructure of bridges, or fo 2022-04-13
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  Maritime research body to lead government project for modular underwater structure SEOUL -- A maritime research body will lead South Korea's five-year state project to install a modular underwater structure that allows three people to stay at a depth of 30 meters for 30 days. It would be Asia's first submarine space demonstration module with separate spaces for research, residence, a data center and an underwater chamber. The Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) said it has been selected by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries 2022-04-13
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  Seoul to recruit dog owners as local neighborhood watchmen SEOUL -- Seoul will demonstrate a local community security service program in which dog owners can participate as a local neighborhood watch group. A total of 100 servicemen will patrol their neighborhood to monitor criminal activities and safety hazards such as a fire while walking their dogs. According to a survey conducted by South Korea's rural affairs ministry, about 6.3 million households are keeping at least one kind of pet as of December 2020. The domestic pet market ha 2022-04-12