K-Beauty Wave Spreads to Hair Care as Scalp Products Surge
Korean hair product exports rose 33.7% to $403 million in the first eight months of 2026 as scalp care demand surged.
Justice Minister Nominee Quits After 20 Days, Drawing Clashing Reactions
Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won withdrew 20 days after his nomination, with the ruling party respecting the move and the opposition calling it a…
Dentists Say the "333 Rule" of Brushing Misses What Matters
Korean researchers found that brushing each part of the teeth for at least five seconds matters more than the "333 rule" of total brushing time.
Korea, U.S. Pledge to Speed Up Wartime Command Transfer
South Korea and the U.S. pledged to strengthen cooperation to accelerate the transfer of wartime operational control at their KIDD defense talks in Busan.
'Special Force' Returns After 20 Years on Unreal Engine 5
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Presidential Office Respects Kim Seung-won's Withdrawal as Justice Minister Nominee
Korea's presidential office said it respects justice minister nominee Kim Seung-won's decision to withdraw, 20 days after his nomination.
Justice Minister Nominee Kim Seung-won Withdraws After 20 Days
Kim Seung-won, the nominee for justice minister, withdrew from consideration on the 19th, saying "the lives of the people and the success of the government come first." The move came 20 days after his nomination. Kim announced his decision at a press conference at the National Assembly, saying, "After deep deliberation, I have decided to step down as the nominee for justice minister." He then bowed his head and said, "I am grateful to the president for nominating me, and I am truly sorry for failing to meet expectations." "I accept with a heavy heart that I fell short of the public's standards, and I will reflect deeply on my shortcomings," Kim said. He added, "I extend my deepest sympathies to people with disabilities and their families who may have been hurt by this, to those who have devoted themselves to care work, and to everyone I have been connected with." He made clear, however, that he would not abandon prosecution reform or efforts to establish the truth behind the allegations he had raised. "Even if I step down from this post, I will not give up on the truth," Kim said. "I will see the unfinished prosecution reform through to completion." He went on to say, "I will uncover the full picture of the targeted investigations by the political prosecutors under Yoon Suk-yeol and Han Dong-hoon, Han's illegal leaking of investigative secrets, and the fabrication scandal." He added, "I believe this episode itself proves to the public why prosecution reform is necessary." Kim also addressed those harmed by the controversy, saying, "I will work to heal the wounds suffered by people with developmental disabilities, their families and the dedicated care workers as a result of allegations raised without regard for the consequences." He closed by saying, "I will work for the people with a better and humbler attitude, and as a member of a government founded on popular sovereignty, I will do my utmost for the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration."...
Samsung Electronics Union Splits Between Chip and Device Divisions
finance
The labor union at Samsung Electronics (005930) has effectively split along the lines of its Device Solutions (DS) division, which handles semiconductors, and its Device eXperience (DX) division, which handles finished products. Even after an agreement to set performance bonuses at 10% of operating profit, disputes over organizational management, bonus distribution and leadership have persisted, leaving both of the company's two main unions mired in internal conflict. According to the results of the fifth general meeting of 2026, announced on the 19th by the Samsung Electronics branch of the Samsung Group Cho-Gieop Union, a revision to the union charter limiting membership to employees of the DS division passed with 96.3% in favor. Of 51,350 eligible voters, 28,680 took part, with 27,618 voting in favor. As a result, the Cho-Gieop Union, which previously covered members from both the DS and DX divisions, will be reorganized around the DS division. Members belonging to the DX division are expected to be removed from the union under the revised charter. Motions of no confidence against leaders from the DX division also passed by overwhelming margins. The motion against Vice Chair Lee Song-yi passed with 95.7% in favor, and the motion against Gwangju chapter head Lee Won-il passed with 96.2%. Internal conflict within the Cho-Gieop Union came to a head over how to allocate bonus funds and the direction of organizational management. After differing with other unions over the integrated distribution of bonuses drawn from company-wide funds during this year's wage and collective bargaining talks, the union said it would not consider joint bargaining next year and would instead reorganize around the DS division. The infighting deepened as a dispute broke out between Chair Choi Seung-ho and Vice Chair Lee Song-yi. The union claimed that Lee and the Gwangju chapter head had leaked information to outside parties, including transactions with a company run by Choi's father-in-law, and had discussed ways to force Choi out in order to block the DS-centered reorganization. Lee, in turn, released union accounting records and raised questions about Choi's use of membership dues. She argued that mileage and points generated from card payments made by the union may have accrued to Choi personally. In particular, she said there were indications that points generated from the purchase of resort memberships and department store goods had not accrued to the union, and called for verification of the actual accumulation and usage records. Choi countered that the contract with the company run by his father-in-law was decided after comparing prices, quality and delivery schedules across several suppliers, and that he received no personal financial benefit. Behind the conflict lies a shift in the balance between the DS and DX divisions. During wage and collective bargaining talks with management in May, large numbers of DX members left the union, raising the DS share within the Cho-Gieop Union. After Choi won re-election, the DS-centered reorganization gathered pace, intensifying clashes with leaders from the DX division. Donghaeng, the Samsung Electronics union made up largely of DX division members, is also seeing internal conflict spread over its next leadership election. Some Donghaeng steering committee members and delegates asked the Gyeonggi branch office of the Ministry of Employment and Labor to issue a corrective order, arguing that the acting chair had neutralized the steering committee's authority and violated the union charter. Donghaeng plans to hold elections for its next chair and senior vice chair from the 21st through the 28th. Friction has grown, however, because the leadership is pressing ahead with the vote even though motions to form an election management committee and to establish election rules were voted down at a delegates' meeting. The group has asked the labor ministry to reconvene a formal delegates' assembly, hold another vote on the motions and have the steering committee review the agenda. In the DS division, by contrast, the Cho-Gieop Union appears to be tightening its grip. In the election of employee representatives to the company-wide labor-management council held on the 18th, all five DS division candidates recommended by the Cho-Gieop Union, including Choi, won in the five constituencies covering Pyeongtaek, Giheung, DSR, Hwaseong, Cheonan and Onyang....
Korean Firms' Early Gas Field Bets Pay Off Amid Mideast Energy Crunch
finance
With the military confrontation between the United States and Iran showing signs of dragging on and putting global energy supply on alert, warnings of supply disruptions and inventory shortages are also mounting in the liquefied natural gas market. As blockades of key shipping routes overlap with Europe's scramble for winter volumes, attention is turning to Korean companies that moved early to secure stakes in overseas gas fields rather than relying on imports alone. According to the energy industry and foreign media on the 19th, the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran has prolonged shutdowns of major Middle Eastern pipeline operations and maritime navigation. Compounding the situation are the fallout from the strike on Qatar's Ras Laffan gas field, QatarEnergy's extension of its force majeure declaration on supply, and surging power demand from artificial intelligence data centers, pushing the global race for gas to an extreme. Storage facilities in the European Union are reported to be only 65% full, a record low. That is far below the average of recent years, and filling them to the minimum target of 75% alone is estimated to require more than 7 billion euros in additional costs. If Europe turns to aggressive spot purchases ahead of a winter of surging heating demand, a fight over volumes with Asian countries appears unavoidable. Against that backdrop, deals in gas field development projects worldwide totaled $32 billion in the first half of this year, the most in more than a decade. Gas field assets are changing hands at an average premium of 21% above valuations estimated by energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie. With competition for energy intense enough to attach hefty premiums to resource development, early equity investments in Korea, led by SK Innovation E&S, are drawing renewed attention. The leading example is the Barossa gas field project in Australia. SK Innovation E&S entered the venture in 2012 and led the entire development process, from reserve assessment to facility construction. Gas fields typically take more than a decade to move from exploration to commercial production and require large amounts of capital and risk-taking, making the field difficult for private companies to enter. On the strength of its 37.5% stake, alongside Australia's Santos with 50% and Japan's JERA with 12.5%, SK Innovation E&S has secured a stable 1.3 million tons of LNG a year. The real value of the Barossa investment lies in procurement stability. Spot purchases can see costs snowball when market prices spike, but equity-based volumes follow a fixed cost structure regardless of market conditions. Another advantage is that the project secures a stable shipping route outside the Middle East. Australia emerged as Korea's largest supplier from January to July this year, accounting for 28.4% of LNG imports, and cargoes from Australia do not have to pass through the high-risk Strait of Hormuz. An industry official said the Barossa gas field is considered a model case for supply chain diversification and resource security because it is a non-Middle Eastern asset in which a private company took part from the development stage and holds long-term volumes. State-run Korea Gas Corporation has also secured a 5% stake in LNG Canada, bringing in 700,000 tons of LNG a year. Cargoes from Canada's west coast also sail directly across the Pacific, spreading transport risk. Helped by such efforts, diversification of import sources has gained pace. From January to July this year, Korea's LNG imports were led by Australia, followed by Malaysia at 17.8%, the United States at 14.3% and Canada at 8.4%, according to the Korea International Trade Association, while Qatar's share fell to 6.5%. POSCO International recently signed a contract to acquire a gas field in the Marcellus basin of the U.S. Appalachian region for $550 million. On an LNG-equivalent basis, it will directly control about 1 million tons a year. The market sees a strong chance that POSCO International will bring cost-competitive U.S. gas into Korea in the future. Hanwha Aerospace last month established Hanwha Horizon USA, a local U.S. unit tasked with LNG procurement, trading and logistics optimization. After securing a supply source through a long-term LNG purchase agreement with U.S.-based Venture Global, the company plans to supply fuel directly to Hanwha Energy's Yeosu LNG power plant, which begins commercial operation in 2029. An energy industry official said that in a phase where geopolitical conflict and supply chain bottlenecks have become permanent features, simple import contracts alone cannot get companies through a crisis, adding that a preemptive approach that secures both resources and shipping routes, along with value chain expansion, is emerging as the alternative....
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AI LENSJustice Minister Nominee Kim Seung-won Withdraws After 20 Days
Kim Seung-won, the nominee for justice minister, withdrew from consideration on the 19th, saying "the lives of the people and the success of the government come first." The move came 20 days after his nomination. Kim announced his decision at a press conference at the National Assembly, saying, "After deep deliberation, I have decided to step down as the nominee for justice minister." He then bowed his head and said, "I am grateful to the president for nominating me, and I am truly sorry for failing to meet expectations." "I accept with a heavy heart that I fell short of the public's standards, and I will reflect deeply on my shortcomings," Kim said. He added, "I extend my deepest sympathies to people with disabilities and their families who may have been hurt by this, to those who have devoted themselves to care work, and to everyone I have been connected with." He made clear, however, that he would not abandon prosecution reform or efforts to establish the truth behind the allegations he had raised. "Even if I step down from this post, I will not give up on the truth," Kim said. "I will see the unfinished prosecution reform through to completion." He went on to say, "I will uncover the full picture of the targeted investigations by the political prosecutors under Yoon Suk-yeol and Han Dong-hoon, Han's illegal leaking of investigative secrets, and the fabrication scandal." He added, "I believe this episode itself proves to the public why prosecution reform is necessary." Kim also addressed those harmed by the controversy, saying, "I will work to heal the wounds suffered by people with developmental disabilities, their families and the dedicated care workers as a result of allegations raised without regard for the consequences." He closed by saying, "I will work for the people with a better and humbler attitude, and as a member of a government founded on popular sovereignty, I will do my utmost for the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration."...
Samsung Electronics Union Splits Between Chip and Device Divisions
finance
The labor union at Samsung Electronics (005930) has effectively split along the lines of its Device Solutions (DS) division, which handles semiconductors, and its Device eXperience (DX) division, which handles finished products. Even after an agreement to set performance bonuses at 10% of operating profit, disputes over organizational management, bonus distribution and leadership have persisted, leaving both of the company's two main unions mired in internal conflict. According to the results of the fifth general meeting of 2026, announced on the 19th by the Samsung Electronics branch of the Samsung Group Cho-Gieop Union, a revision to the union charter limiting membership to employees of the DS division passed with 96.3% in favor. Of 51,350 eligible voters, 28,680 took part, with 27,618 voting in favor. As a result, the Cho-Gieop Union, which previously covered members from both the DS and DX divisions, will be reorganized around the DS division. Members belonging to the DX division are expected to be removed from the union under the revised charter. Motions of no confidence against leaders from the DX division also passed by overwhelming margins. The motion against Vice Chair Lee Song-yi passed with 95.7% in favor, and the motion against Gwangju chapter head Lee Won-il passed with 96.2%. Internal conflict within the Cho-Gieop Union came to a head over how to allocate bonus funds and the direction of organizational management. After differing with other unions over the integrated distribution of bonuses drawn from company-wide funds during this year's wage and collective bargaining talks, the union said it would not consider joint bargaining next year and would instead reorganize around the DS division. The infighting deepened as a dispute broke out between Chair Choi Seung-ho and Vice Chair Lee Song-yi. The union claimed that Lee and the Gwangju chapter head had leaked information to outside parties, including transactions with a company run by Choi's father-in-law, and had discussed ways to force Choi out in order to block the DS-centered reorganization. Lee, in turn, released union accounting records and raised questions about Choi's use of membership dues. She argued that mileage and points generated from card payments made by the union may have accrued to Choi personally. In particular, she said there were indications that points generated from the purchase of resort memberships and department store goods had not accrued to the union, and called for verification of the actual accumulation and usage records. Choi countered that the contract with the company run by his father-in-law was decided after comparing prices, quality and delivery schedules across several suppliers, and that he received no personal financial benefit. Behind the conflict lies a shift in the balance between the DS and DX divisions. During wage and collective bargaining talks with management in May, large numbers of DX members left the union, raising the DS share within the Cho-Gieop Union. After Choi won re-election, the DS-centered reorganization gathered pace, intensifying clashes with leaders from the DX division. Donghaeng, the Samsung Electronics union made up largely of DX division members, is also seeing internal conflict spread over its next leadership election. Some Donghaeng steering committee members and delegates asked the Gyeonggi branch office of the Ministry of Employment and Labor to issue a corrective order, arguing that the acting chair had neutralized the steering committee's authority and violated the union charter. Donghaeng plans to hold elections for its next chair and senior vice chair from the 21st through the 28th. Friction has grown, however, because the leadership is pressing ahead with the vote even though motions to form an election management committee and to establish election rules were voted down at a delegates' meeting. The group has asked the labor ministry to reconvene a formal delegates' assembly, hold another vote on the motions and have the steering committee review the agenda. In the DS division, by contrast, the Cho-Gieop Union appears to be tightening its grip. In the election of employee representatives to the company-wide labor-management council held on the 18th, all five DS division candidates recommended by the Cho-Gieop Union, including Choi, won in the five constituencies covering Pyeongtaek, Giheung, DSR, Hwaseong, Cheonan and Onyang....
Korean Firms' Early Gas Field Bets Pay Off Amid Mideast Energy Crunch
finance
With the military confrontation between the United States and Iran showing signs of dragging on and putting global energy supply on alert, warnings of supply disruptions and inventory shortages are also mounting in the liquefied natural gas market. As blockades of key shipping routes overlap with Europe's scramble for winter volumes, attention is turning to Korean companies that moved early to secure stakes in overseas gas fields rather than relying on imports alone. According to the energy industry and foreign media on the 19th, the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran has prolonged shutdowns of major Middle Eastern pipeline operations and maritime navigation. Compounding the situation are the fallout from the strike on Qatar's Ras Laffan gas field, QatarEnergy's extension of its force majeure declaration on supply, and surging power demand from artificial intelligence data centers, pushing the global race for gas to an extreme. Storage facilities in the European Union are reported to be only 65% full, a record low. That is far below the average of recent years, and filling them to the minimum target of 75% alone is estimated to require more than 7 billion euros in additional costs. If Europe turns to aggressive spot purchases ahead of a winter of surging heating demand, a fight over volumes with Asian countries appears unavoidable. Against that backdrop, deals in gas field development projects worldwide totaled $32 billion in the first half of this year, the most in more than a decade. Gas field assets are changing hands at an average premium of 21% above valuations estimated by energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie. With competition for energy intense enough to attach hefty premiums to resource development, early equity investments in Korea, led by SK Innovation E&S, are drawing renewed attention. The leading example is the Barossa gas field project in Australia. SK Innovation E&S entered the venture in 2012 and led the entire development process, from reserve assessment to facility construction. Gas fields typically take more than a decade to move from exploration to commercial production and require large amounts of capital and risk-taking, making the field difficult for private companies to enter. On the strength of its 37.5% stake, alongside Australia's Santos with 50% and Japan's JERA with 12.5%, SK Innovation E&S has secured a stable 1.3 million tons of LNG a year. The real value of the Barossa investment lies in procurement stability. Spot purchases can see costs snowball when market prices spike, but equity-based volumes follow a fixed cost structure regardless of market conditions. Another advantage is that the project secures a stable shipping route outside the Middle East. Australia emerged as Korea's largest supplier from January to July this year, accounting for 28.4% of LNG imports, and cargoes from Australia do not have to pass through the high-risk Strait of Hormuz. An industry official said the Barossa gas field is considered a model case for supply chain diversification and resource security because it is a non-Middle Eastern asset in which a private company took part from the development stage and holds long-term volumes. State-run Korea Gas Corporation has also secured a 5% stake in LNG Canada, bringing in 700,000 tons of LNG a year. Cargoes from Canada's west coast also sail directly across the Pacific, spreading transport risk. Helped by such efforts, diversification of import sources has gained pace. From January to July this year, Korea's LNG imports were led by Australia, followed by Malaysia at 17.8%, the United States at 14.3% and Canada at 8.4%, according to the Korea International Trade Association, while Qatar's share fell to 6.5%. POSCO International recently signed a contract to acquire a gas field in the Marcellus basin of the U.S. Appalachian region for $550 million. On an LNG-equivalent basis, it will directly control about 1 million tons a year. The market sees a strong chance that POSCO International will bring cost-competitive U.S. gas into Korea in the future. Hanwha Aerospace last month established Hanwha Horizon USA, a local U.S. unit tasked with LNG procurement, trading and logistics optimization. After securing a supply source through a long-term LNG purchase agreement with U.S.-based Venture Global, the company plans to supply fuel directly to Hanwha Energy's Yeosu LNG power plant, which begins commercial operation in 2029. An energy industry official said that in a phase where geopolitical conflict and supply chain bottlenecks have become permanent features, simple import contracts alone cannot get companies through a crisis, adding that a preemptive approach that secures both resources and shipping routes, along with value chain expansion, is emerging as the alternative....
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Korean hair product exports rose 33.7% to $403 million in the first eight months of 2026 as scalp care demand surged.
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