6 biz groups to spend KRW 312T to create high-tech hub in SE area: President Lee Jae Myung on July 3 gives a congratulatory speech at a public briefing in Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, on his administration's vision for the high-tech industrial development of the southeastern region of Yeongnam. (Cheong Wa Dae) By Aisylu Akhmetzianova Six domestic conglomerates have collectively pledged KRW 312 trillion in investment in the Yeongnam region, which spans Busan, Daegu, Ulsan, and the provinces of Gyeongsangbuk-do and Gyeongsangnam-do, to advance cutting-edge; 2026.07.08

5 changes to life in Korea that take effect in year's second half: An integrated high-speed rail app set for launch next month will allow ticket reservations for the high-speed trains KTX and SRT. (Korea Railroad Corp.) By Xu Aiying Changes in sectors like transportation, administration and finance will take effect in the second half of this year. The following are five that will affect the foreign community in the country. Integrated app for both high-speed rail services The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport next month will launch an integrate; 2026.07.08

Food, fun and a fantastic time: 4 summer festivals to hit in Korea: These scenes from last year's Daegu Chimac (Chicken and Beer) Festival are from July 2-6, 2025. (Daegu Metropolitan City) By Lee Dasom Daegu Chimac (Chicken and Beer) Festival The Daegu Chimac (Chicken and Beer) Festival, now in its 14th year, is one of the nation's leading summer festivals, drawing huge crowds of hungry domestic and international visitors every year. For seven straight years since 2020, the event was designated a "culture and tourism festival" by the Ministry of Culture, Sp; 2026.07.07

Incheon hosts RoboCup, world's top AI-robotics competition: Robots on July 3 play a soccer game at this year's RoboCup held at the convention center Songdo Convensia in Incheon's Yeonsu-gu District. By Margareth Theresia Photos = Park Daejin RoboCup, the world's largest artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics competition, on July 2 kicked off at the convention center Songdo Convensia in Incheon's Yeonsu-gu District. Launched in 1997, the annual event is the world's largest research platform for AI and robotics under the goal of forming a fully auton; 2026.07.07

Team achieves 10-layer stacking of ultra-thin semiconductor chips: These illustrations demonstrate the stable stacking method of uber-thin semiconductor chips developed by a joint research team of Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) and the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology. (POSTECH) By Charles Audouin A joint research team has developed a stable stacking method of over 10 layers of ultra-thin semiconductor chips, each a fifth the thickness of a human hair, that raises integration density to four times that of high-bandwidth memory (; 2026.07.07

No visa fee for group visitors from 6 nations extended to Dec. 31: The waiver of visa fees for group tourists from six countries -- China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, India and Cambodia -- will be extended until year's end. Shown is a rainy day at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul's Jongno-gu District. (Korea.net DB) By Jeong Euiseok The waiver of visa fees for group tourists from six Asian countries will be extended until year's end, something that is expected to attract more travelers amid the global boom in Hallyu (Korean Wave). The Ministry of Justi; 2026.07.07

[World Heritage candidates] ⑤ Naganeupseong Walled Town: Busan in July hosts the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. To mark this occasion, Korea.net introduces six of the country's 12 tentative candidates for World Heritage status. This panoramic view of Naganeupseong Walled Town in Suncheon, Jeollanam-do Province, presents the well-preserved landscape of a Joseon Dynasty town within a stone fortress with a circumference of 1,140 m. By Lee Jihae Photos and video = Park Daejin A place in the low-lying plains of Suncheon, Jeol; 2026.07.07

Korea ranked record-high 6th on OECD's central gov't trust list: The country ranks sixth in public trust in the central government according to a survey by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Shown is the financial neighborhood of Yeouido in Seoul's Yeongdeungpo-gu District. (Seoul Tourism Organization) By Koh Hyunjeong The country's public trust in the central government is among the highest in the world. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety on June 30 said Korea placed sixth among 38 countries in this year's Survey on Drivers o; 2026.07.07

Monster milestone: June sets monthly export mark of USD 102.25B: Exports in June surpassed USD 100 billion for the first time to set an all-time monthly record. Shown is Singamman Pier at Busan North Port in Busan's Nam-gu District. (Busan Port Authority) By Kim Seon Ah Exports in June surpassed the milestone of USD 100 billion for the first time in setting a monthly record high. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources in a report released on July 1 on import-export trends in June and the first half of the year said overseas shipments last month rose; 2026.07.07

Assistance worth USD 10B to help displaced people in Gaza, Egypt: Heo Jeong-gu (from left), director general of international and inter-Korean affairs at the Korean Red Cross, Ambassador to Egypt Kim Wan-joong, Egyptian Minister of Social Solidarity Maya Morsy and Egyptian Red Crescent CEO Amal Emam on June 29 in Cairo, Egypt, pose for a group photo at the launching ceremony of a support project for displaced Palestinians in Gaza and Egypt. (Korean Embassy in Cairo) By Yoo Yeon Gyeong Humanitarian assistance worth USD 10 million (KRW 15.4 billion) will go to; 2026.07.07

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