Stories from Seoul · South Korea

South Koreans are increasingly utilizing early morning hours for self-study and personal development, a practice known as 'Asakatsu'. This trend involves participating in study communities, seminars, and group activities, or engaging in independent research and preparation for work. The focus is on making productive use of the morning, with many finding it a time for clear thinking and concentration. The concept of 'Puchi Hayao-ki', or small, gradual wake-ups, is encouraged as a starting point for adopting these habits.

The 'Seoul Smarts' program on TBS eFM provides information for living in and visiting Seoul. The 120 Dasan Call Center offers assistance in five foreign languages, including English, Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese, for inquiries related to life and tourism in the city. The broadcast also included a segment on air purifiers and humidifiers, suggesting their use for maintaining a comfortable home environment.

A first-time strawberry picking experience was described, with guidance on selecting ripe strawberries. The process involved tasting the fruit, with a suggestion to eat two bites at a time for enhanced sweetness. The segment also included Japanese phrases for 'sleepy' and 'it's no use,' and the Korean phrase 'jinami,' meaning 'by the way' or 'incidentally,' used to add supplementary information.

Samsung Group's J.W. Lee has been assigned to gain management experience at flagship Samsung Electronics. This move follows a period of lower public profile for Lee after previous investigations. His role at the electronics division follows a period where he was not expected to lead a specific company.

Regulators are focusing their investigation on JY Lee following the collapse of Samsung's online commerce platform. Analysis suggests Jay Lee's structure as chief shareholder without an executive position on paper allowed aides and lieutenants to manage operations. This arrangement was reportedly intended to present Lee as a competent leader while maintaining a lower profile. Some shareholders have protested the transaction, alleging Lee benefited from family wealth while others faced losses. While Samsung subsidiaries purchased his shares, investigators found no evidence the transactions were intended to shield him from losses or that prices were unreasonable. New details indicate that Jay Lee held no formal executive position on paper during the period, and shareholders are protesting that Samsung entities purchased failing shares at generous prices to protect his interests.

South Korean researchers have identified a method to reduce the screen crease in foldable smartphones. Previous methods for this conversion were noted for being complex and requiring high facility costs. The sentencing follows an appeal process regarding her criminal conduct. The development aims to address increasing environmental pollution concerns by utilizing recycled materials. The project focuses on creating sustainable materials for household recycling applications. The team utilized a carbon-hole structure with long alkyl chains to reduce entanglement between chains. This modification allows the adhesive to spread more effectively across surfaces. Experimental results show the film effectively blocks ultraviolet light and limits soil moisture loss to approximately 5% over a two-week period. The material demonstrated a 34.4% decomposition rate within five days of application.

The South Korean Navy is developing the Hutou Haidiao B class patrol boat based on the A-class design. The design focuses on overcoming limitations in rapid destruction of enemy core systems during short-range exchanges. The vessel is equipped with two remote weapon stations utilizing 12.7mm caliber heavy machine guns for close-range defense. The 76mm artillery is designed for long-range precision strikes against small high-speed maritime targets. The ship's layout includes specialized weaponry positioned at the rear for enhanced combat flexibility. It lacks anti-ship missiles but maintains sufficient combat strength for its intended patrol missions. The vessel maximizes onboard space for firepower configurations to support infantry combat operations.

Hyundai CEO Jose Munoz announced a commitment to invest $26 billion in the United States over the next four years. This follows a previous investment of $20.4 billion made during the last four-year period. The automaker currently builds approximately 50% of its US vehicle volume domestically. The remaining half is imported at a 15% tariff rate. The company is reportedly focusing on expanding its premium vehicle segment in the US market. Currently, approximately 50% of Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. The move is intended to protect profit margins against uneven electric vehicle demand and tariff costs. The automaker is currently expanding its presence by pushing the premium Genesis brand, hybrids, and SUVs. Domestic production is being utilized to mitigate the 15% tariff rate applied to imported models.

The arrival of spring brings the return of sneezing, coughing, and itching symptoms for many allergy sufferers. Experts advise consulting a doctor if unsure about allergy triggers to manage symptoms effectively.

Samsung legal aide Kim Yong-chul allegedly instructed employees to destroy evidence to protect company leaders. Deleting files is being treated as the priority action. These instructions were detailed in a book regarding time spent at Samsung and subsequent expert interviews. Instructions to employees included downloading documents to hide them or deleting all computer files if time was limited to prevent discovery. Shareholders protested against stock purchases made at generous prices that allegedly protected JY Lee at the expense of the company. Critics argued these moves allowed Lee to benefit from family wealth while undermining his ability to succeed his father. This action follows controversy regarding Samsung companies using corporate funds to purchase failing shares of JY Lee to prevent his personal financial loss.