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South China Morning Post
15 minutes ago
- Climate
- South China Morning Post
South Korean man drowns in flood after telling wife on phone: ‘car being swept away'
A South Korean man was believed to have drowned in his submerged car on Thursday, after he told his wife on the phone that their vehicle was being swept away by treacherous floods caused by record rainfall. Advertisement Rescue personnel discovered the victim, in his 50s, in the South Chungcheong province of Seosan at 6.15am local time. He was later declared dead at a nearby medical centre, the Korea Herald reported. Authorities also responded to other reports of submerged cars in the area, rescuing three people from one vehicle shortly before the dead man was found. The victim reportedly called his wife and told her: 'The car is being swept away.' The province had recorded up to 114.9mm of rain per hour between Wednesday and Thursday, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration, which said the mark was a 'once-in-a-century' record for the month of July. Residents prepare sand bags after flooding caused by record-breaking rains in Seosan, South Korea, on Thursday. Photo: AFP In the same month last year, parts of the country were also lashed by intense rainfall , which authorities at the time said occurred only 'about every 200 years' across three areas – Geumsan in South Chungcheong, Chupungnyeong in North Chungcheong and Gunsan in North Jeolla.
Korea Herald
a day ago
- Automotive
- Korea Herald
LS Electric ramps up Vietnam strategy as ASEAN demand surges
Korean firm highlights power conversion, smart factory solutions at Vietnam's premier electrical industry expo Korea Herald correspondent HANOI, Vietnam — LS Electric presented its advanced electric solutions for sustainable energy transition at Elecs Vietnam 2025, underscoring the growing importance of the ASEAN region as its second-largest market after North America. 'Southeast Asia stands out as a crucial market for us and continues to grow,' said Kim Jong-woo, chief operating officer of LS Electric, during a media briefing at the company's exhibition booth on Wednesday. 'In Vietnam, where we expanded our production facility three years ago, we are now increasing its manufacturing capacity. Our goal in Southeast Asia is to win more local projects by expanding local production capabilities, like we've done in Vietnam.' Highlighting 'K-electricity' as a new buzzword following 'K-food' and 'K-culture,' Kim added that LS Electric aims to strengthen its production, engineering and service maintenance capabilities to drive both organic and inorganic growth in the ASEAN market, which also serves as a strategic export hub for North America and the Middle East. LS Electric was the first among Korean heavy electrical equipment manufacturers to enter Vietnam, making its debut in the 1990s. It has since maintained dominance in the local low-voltage power equipment market, boasting a 45 percent market share as of last year. Tran Viet Cuong, deputy director of Consrich Vietnam, a power distribution panel manufacturer, said his company has maintained business ties with LS Electric for over 20 years, primarily due to its strong brand recognition. 'Although we've also used products from HD Hyundai Electric, LS Electric's Korean rival, which is more competitively priced, LS still has a stronger presence in Vietnam,' Cuong noted. 'LS Electric also stands out for its delivery speed. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, while Japan's Mitsubishi faced production delays, LS maintained efficient operations through its local distribution network.' Building on the trust of its client companies, LS Electric is pioneering the next-generation electric solutions market in Vietnam. This sector is also in line with the Vietnamese government's commitment to expanding power infrastructure as a key driver of economic growth. Notably, the power equipment supplier focuses on 'energy storage systems,' a crucial component for stabilizing the rising power demand. The ESS largely consists of a battery and power conversion systems. 'While battery manufacturers are venturing into the ESS sector, it has traditionally been the domain of electric companies, which are in charge of the PCS to ensure stable management of the power system,' said an LS Electric official. LS Electric's Bac Ninh facility in Hanoi supplies PCS for Samsung SDI's Samsung Battery Box, a utility-scale ESS that is fully contained within a standardized shipping container. LS Electric also looks to provide smart factory solutions, already integrated in its Cheongju plant in South Korea, for Vietnamese manufacturing companies, including real estate developers. Last year, the company signed an agreement to build a smart factory for Becamex's industrial complex in Binh Duong. 'We are already targeting smart factory markets in Europe, particularly Germany,' said another LS Electric official. 'Our solutions enable full automation of the equipment, with facility data being uploaded via (Internet of Things) for monitoring within a digital twin. This setup allows for remote quality inspections and operations. It can improve the efficiency of the equipment by accumulating and analyzing collected data.'
Malaysia Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- Malaysia Sun
South Korean exporters urge new government for trade policy shift amid US Tariff risks
ANI 14 Jul 2025, 11:31 GMT+10 Seoul [South Korea], July 14 (ANI): South Korean exporters want new government to go for a strategic shift in the trade policy amid U.S. tariff risks, reveals a survey as reported by the Korea Herald. To maximize national interest and enhance industrial competitiveness, 20.7 per cent of 416 trade industry professionals surveyed on June 10-11 chose the implementation of a strategic trade to a report released by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), the most frequently specified task cited under strategic trade policy was an active response to tariff risks posed by the United Hee-chul, executive director of KITA's trade promotion division, said that, 'The trade sector hopes the new administration will establish a stable trade environment, diversify technology-driven exports, and help SMEs shift toward export-led growth.' He further added that, 'We look forward to bold export policies that can overcome US-led tariff risks and rising protectionism to upgrade Korea's export momentum.'The report by KITA further revealed that the level of uncertainty in global trade has intensified in recent years, primarily due to tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on key Korean exports such as steel and automobiles. This whole situation has led companies to ask for fairer export conditions to remain competitive other priorities quoted include fostering AI-powered export industries (9.5 per cent), enhancing trade security enforcement (7.5 per cent), and improving logistics security through increased use of Korea-flagged vessels (7 per cent).On the outlook side, about 43.3 per cent of respondents expect exports to decline by more than 5 per cent this year, while 38.9 per cent anticipate no major change and only 17.8 per cent foresee growth, reflecting a negative export outlook for 71.1 per cent of respondents said they believe an export recovery will not begin until next year or later. (ANI)
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Korea Herald
Family car makes driving fun: Renault Scenic E-Tech
Precise acceleration and braking control reflect the refined characteristics of this all-electric SUV Many family vehicles boast ample space, safety and convenience features, and entertainment options over impressive driving performance, but the all-electric Renault Scenic E-Tech SUV has it all. The Korea Herald tried out the French automaker's sport utility vehicle over a 214-kilometer course on Wednesday, navigating the bustling streets of Seoul before hitting the highways and winding roads of Gyeonggi Province. At first glance, the Renault Scenic E-Tech looks like a younger brother of the Renault Grand Koleos, which made its debut at the Busan International Mobility Show in June 2024. Up close, however, the car looks more like the cool cousin with better style. Measured at 4,470 millimeters in length, 1,865 mm in width and 1,590 mm in height, the Scenic E-Tech has a lower beltline and more elegant silhouette. The front features the diamond-shaped logo of the Losange and sports a high-tech image thanks to the fading rhombus pattern filling up the fake grille. The two arrow-shaped, vertical headlights pointing towards the center give the vehicle a wider appearance. The Scenic E-Tech's unique design continues on the sides of the vehicle, where 20-inch Oracle wheels with Renault's original diamond patterns draw the eye. The most distinguished trait of the interior was the 1.65-square-meter panoramic glass roof. A button above the rear-view mirror allows passengers to choose how much light to let in, or how much sky they wish to see, through the glass roof. The opacity of the glass can be changed both as a whole or in segments. As a family car, the Scenic E-Tech provides 278 mm in legroom and 884 mm in headroom in the second row to accommodate the various needs of different family members. The armrest includes smart device holders, two C-type charging ports and beverage holders for added convenience. On the road, the SUV's regenerative braking with one-pedal function made for simple and effective driving in urban environments. The degrees of braking force were available on five different levels and easy to control thanks to the paddle shifters mounted on the left and right of the steering wheel. The Scenic E-Tech maneuvered through winding roads swiftly and with a firm grip on the ground, proving its excellent cornering capabilities. The vehicle's 12-to-1 steering ratio and 2.34 turns of lock-to-lock steering demonstrated immediate and sensitive responses when turning the steering wheel. After driving the vehicle on eco mode for the first half of the test drive, the vehicle logged a solid fuel efficiency of 6.3 km per kilowatt-hour, far higher than the Korean government-certified efficiency of 4.4 km per kWh. The car is equipped with an 87 kWh battery using LG Energy Solution's pouch-type battery cells. For the second half of the test drive, even from the front passenger seat, the vehicle revealed how effortlessly it can accelerate on open roads and highways. In sports mode, the Scenic E-Tech's interior ambient light switched to red as its acceleration became noticeably more powerful. Test driving the Renault Scenic E-Tech gave the feeling that it may just sell out in a heartbeat despite the lagging EV sales in Korea. The car was surely fantastic, but there is a catch: Renault Korea says it has only prepared 999 units of the Scenic E-Tech for the local market this year, making the EV a very limited edition in the country. The exact price has not been confirmed due to last-minute assessments of government subsidies, but the company expects the price of the electric SUV to start at about 46 million won ($33,400).
Korea Herald
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Korea Herald
Volvo XC90 returns with upgraded infotainment, refined comfort
Swedish carmaker Volvo's XC90 sport utility vehicle, one of the most popular luxury family car models in South Korea, has made a grand return with its upgraded, customer-centric infotainment systems and enhanced ride quality. Building on the success of the S90 sedan, the XC90 became the second bestselling Volvo vehicle in the Korean market last year, with 1,616 units sold, representing 10.7 percent of the total sales volume. Although sales saw a slight dip due to the anticipation of a new model release this year, Volvo Cars Korea anticipates a rebound in sales for its flagship SUV. The Korea Herald had the chance to check out the new XC90 during a 140-kilometer media test drive across Seoul and Incheon. On highways, the seven-seater SUV shows impressive chassis control. It leverages its air suspension with active chassis technology to minimize vibrations on bumpy roads, ensuring a smooth and composed driving experience. Included as a standard offering in the Korean launch model, this feature can be adjusted through the driving mode control unit displayed on the center screen. With only two driving modes — standard and off-road — the XC90 might seem to lack the dynamic drive of a sports mode. However, the gasoline-based B6 mild-hybrid powertrain, a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a 48-volt hybrid system provide smooth acceleration, particularly on high-speed sections. Despite reported improvements to the hybrid system in the B6 engine, the car displays slight jerkiness during sudden acceleration and braking, highlighting the structural limitations of a hybrid system. One of the most significant upgrades is the infotainment system, which features the TMap Mobility service for navigation using Korea's top-tier map data, along with the artificial intelligence driving assistance system, 'Aria.' Drivers can easily interact with the system by saying, 'Aria, show me the way to work,' or 'Aria, turn on the AC,' as the AI is also capable of managing climate control settings. In partnership with Naver Whale browser, the vehicle offers diverse entertainment features such as YouTube, Tving, Coupang Play, Instagram, Facebook, Naver Webtoon and e-books. These infotainment services are accessible via a free-standing 11.2-inch center display, which also alerts drivers when a car in the adjacent lane moves into their blind spot. The 360-degree camera system provides real-time visuals of the surrounding environment on the screen. The redesigned exterior comes with new matrix LED headlights and updates to details such as the front bumper, fenders and bonnet, creating a harmonious blend with Volvo's next-generation electric vehicles while emphasizing its flagship presence. The new Iron Mark logo, with the brand's first diagonal mesh pattern on the front grille, is available in bright (chrome) or dark (black high-gloss), highlighting its robust and stylish image. Inspired by modern Scandinavian living rooms, the car's cabin uses high-quality materials, including nappa leather seats, to deliver maximum comfort. The horizontal dashboard integrates a new vertical air vent design, paired with textiles made from 100 percent recycled polyester and wood decor. The center console has additional storage space and more convenient wireless smartphone charging. The new Volvo XC90 boasts the lowest starting price of 99.9 million won ($72,700) in Korea compared to other global markets.
