Thekie's energy solutions create user based sustainability

Using an AI-powered IoT system and blockchain technology, Thekie aims to create a future where users can voluntarily participate in reducing energy usage and strengthening environmental sustainability. Developed with its own solutions, the carbon credit market platform Lucia allows users to trade and offset carbon credits. Blockchain-implicated carbon credits assure transparency, providing secure and reliable trading. Users can also explore and participate in diverse crowdfunding that contribu

Nov. 29, 2023

Daehan E&C turns waste into energy

Daehan E&C is a company with over 25 years of experience in environmental technology, tackling the issue of improperly managed waste by turning it into usable energy. “Many countries still do not manage their waste properly, and most of it ends up in landfills. In this process, the waste decays and produces methane gas, which is a major contributor to global warming,” the firm said. The company provides facilities that convert waste into high-quality alternative fuel called Refus

Nov. 29, 2023

Blakstone's clean road system tackles 'heat island'

Korean company Blakstone utilizes smart sensors to tackle the problem of rising temperatures in “heat islands.” Heat islands refer to urban areas that experience higher temperatures than its surrounding regions. As urban structures such as buildings, roads and other infrastructure absorb and re-emit the sun’s heat more than natural landscapes, cities are prone to becoming “islands” of higher temperatures relative to outlying areas. Blakstone’s Clean Road Syste

Nov. 29, 2023

Dongha turns coffee grounds to eco-friendly decks

Dongha, which specializes in resource circulation, is the only domestic company that reuses coffee grounds to make them into decks placed in parks and beaches. Also known as "coffee decks," the products developed by Dongha contain coffee ground content of 51 percent, and the components that are generated when roasting coffee beans -- cafestol and melanoidine -- have been proven to strengthen the quality of its products. While Dongha’s coffee decks officially entered the market th

Nov. 29, 2023

Amogreentech to counter water shortages via no-power purification system

To solve water shortage problems exacerbated by climate change, Amogreentech developed a gravity driven membrane system that can purify water using only a pressure difference with a nanofiber membrane. The system, developed by the Korean advanced material and component firm, boasts a high efficiency. The system's device wastes no excess energy and equipment to install and operate to remove contaminants and waterborne bacteria from the water. The device is easy to maintain with its effective

Nov. 29, 2023

Korea to showcase advanced climate technologies at COP28 Dubai

A total of 16 South Korean climate tech companies, ranging from promising startups to well-established companies, have been chosen to represent the country at the United Nations’ 28th COP28 climate conference, slated for Nov. 30 to Dec. 12 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, according to the Ministry of Environment. Korea will set up a national pavilion, themed “Green Industry for a Sustainable Future,” at the venue and will present various technologies. The 16 companies, represent

Nov. 29, 2023

Korean female scientists struggle with highest gender barrier in world

Female scientists in South Korea struggle with the highest gender barrier in the world, a study revealed Tuesday. Korea scored an average of 4.09 out of 5 in a scale that measures the gap between the effects of marriage, pregnancy, childbirth and child care on male and female scientists, according to a 2022 survey analysis conducted by the Association of Korean Woman Scientists and Engineers. Higher scores indicate that respondents experienced tougher gender barriers. Korea outscored 86 other co

Nov. 29, 2023

City Oil Field converts plastic waste into sustainable solutions

City Oil Field, a Korean company that develops and commercializes technologies for converting waste plastic into quality oil, has set forth to recycle plastic and vinyl in the most environmentally friendly way. The company, officially certified by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, aims to provide both plastic manufacturers and users with safety nets and eco-friendly solutions. Its technology, dubbed “Regenerated Green Oil,” is a groundbreaking innovation capable of signific

Nov. 29, 2023

Eco Creation eyes bold ESG goals with plastic waste management

To tackle problems with conventional plastic, Eco Creation converts waste into renewable energy with its pyrolysis system capable of extracting oil without pre-treatment. Through its plastic waste pyrolysis system installed in its factory in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, Korea’s leading pyrolysis plant operator has succesfully commercialized renewable energy. The system fuels diesel engine generators with pyrolysis oil to produce electricity. Eco Creation is the first among its industry pe

Nov. 29, 2023

SangJinARP eyes top spot in eco-packaging

SangJinARP is an industry leader in producing environmentally friendly prefabricated products. The Korean company boasts some 250 types of such products, including boxes, shelves, bogies (a wheeled framework) and racks for various industries and at home. Responding to the surging demands for eco-friendly products and growing concerns over packaging waste, the company has come up with sustainable solutions. The company has developed its own prefabricated method that does not generate waste throug

Nov. 29, 2023

AI robots to aid English education in Seoul schools

Robots powered by artificial intelligence will aid English education in five elementary and middle schools in Seoul starting in March 2024, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said Wednesday. The English tutoring robots will aid students in brushing up their English language knowledge, conversation skills and pronunciation. For students struggling academically, the robots will provide a customized education service, enabling them to learn the language at their own pace. The education offi

Nov. 29, 2023

Overprescription of diet pills lead to drug charges

South Korean police said Wednesday that it is investigating two doctors on suspicion of overprescribing anorexiant, abuse of which can be prosecuted as a drug crime. According to the Chungnam Provincial Police Agency, overseeing the police activities in South Chungcheong Province, a 50-year-old private practitioner and his 59-year-old partner is being questioned by police on possible violation of the Narcotics Control Act and the Medical Service Act. The suspects allegedly prescribed 10 female p

Nov. 29, 2023

Ham, sausage consumption may increase risk of diabetes: study

Individuals who consume large amounts of ultra-processed foods such as ham and sausages may be at a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, a study showed Wednesday. Korea University’s Division of Health Policy and Management discovered a link between ultra-processed foods and Type 2 diabetes after studying 7,438 test subjects between ages 40 to 69 living in Ansan and Anseong of Gyeonggi Province over a time span of around 15 years. Research was conducted from 2001 to 2019. Of all ultra

Nov. 29, 2023

Drug addiction treatment to be covered by national insurance

Starting in the first half of 2024, people who have an addiction to illegal drugs in South Korea will be able to have their rehabilitation expenses covered by the National Health Insurance plan, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Wednesday. Previously, only those with a court order were given such health insurance coverage. However, from next year, every person “subject to treatment protection” will have health insurance coverage. People “subject to treatment protection&

Nov. 29, 2023

Why pediatricians are opening dermatology clinics in Korea

After 20 years of service, Dr. Kim, a pediatrician in Gwangju, closed her pediatric clinic in July due to financial challenges and Korea's dwindling population of children. Instead, she opened a new clinic that primarily treats skin problems, chronic pain and mental health issues. Kim is not alone. One in 10 pediatric clinics in Seoul has closed in the past five years, according to a recent report released by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Doctors in essential fields su

Nov. 29, 2023

Jeju Island leads ‘workation’ trend, attracting nearly 10,000 visitors

About 10,000 people have visited Jeju Island for a “workation,” data showed Wednesday, highlighting a growing trend among workers in South Korea. A workation blends the concepts of work and vacation, often involving remote work from holiday destinations. The island's provincial government said that 9,760 visitors rented private facilities for workation purposes this year. When accounting for companies operating work stations on Jeju Island for similar purposes, the total number

Nov. 29, 2023

Hotel chief fined for safety violation in Itaewon tragedy trial

Seoul Western District Court on Wednesday handed down a fine of 8 million won ($6,200) to the chief of the Hamilton Hotel, holding him responsible for an illegal structure next to the hotel is thought to have exacerbated last year's deadly crowd crush in Itaewon, Seoul. The owner, identified by his surname Lee, has been charged with violating South Korea's Building Act by adding a structure to the hotel building without a proper permit. The structure resulted in the alley adjacent to

Nov. 29, 2023

Cargo ship submerged off S. Korea's southwestern coast; no crewmen found

A cargo ship believed to be Chinese submerged in waters off South Korea's southwestern coast Wednesday, the Coast Guard said. The Mokpo Coast Guard said it received a report at around 7:28 a.m. that the 200-ton ship was sinking in waters off Gageo Island, 422 km southwest of Seoul. However, it later said the ship submerged at a 45-degree starboard angle. The Coast Guard is investigating whether there were any attempts at illegal entry into South Korea, citing no crewmen were found on the sh

Nov. 29, 2023

Criminal procedures for foreigners in Korea

As of the end of September, the number of short-term and long-term foreign residents in Korea was 2.5 million, accounting for 4.89% of the total population of 51.37 million. It is anticipated that as of 2023, South Korea will be one of the first multicultural countries in Asia as the proportion of foreign citizens is soon expected to exceed 5% of the total population, according to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development standards. At this juncture, a better understanding on crimina

Nov. 29, 2023

Apgujeong Rolls Royce hit-and-run victim dies after 4 months in coma

The victim of a high-profile car crash involving a driver suspected of being under the influence of illicitly prescribed drugs has died, after four months in a coma. The victim, a woman in her 20s identified by the surname of Bae, had been on life support since August, when she was hit by a vehicle driven by the suspect while walking along a sidewalk in Apgujeong, southern Seoul. The suspect, a 28-year old man identified by the surname of Shin, is believed to have been under the influence of nar

Nov. 28, 2023