Series

Decision time for Korea’s next-gen destroyer program

The Korean Next-Generation Destroyer, or KDDX, program, has been pushed back once again, dampening the country’s roadmap to strengthen its naval forces and letting the fight between its top two shipbuilders -- Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries -- intensify. The KDDX, a 7.8 trillion won ($5.5 billion) project to build six 6,000-ton-class next-generation Aegis-equipped destroyers, was supposed to have a conclusion on who will build these state-of-the-art warships using homegrown technol

Deadline met, but vision missed: S. Korea's underwhelming show at Expo 2025 Osaka

Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, officially opened on April 13. As part of the international media, I had the opportunity to get an early look at several national pavilions on April 9. While many countries were still busy fine-tuning the details of their exhibits, South Korea’s pavilion stood out for its preparedness. As local media proudly reported, it was one of the few that met the official deadline and appeared fully ready to welcome visitors. According to local reports, only eight of the 47 count

Reporter's Notebook: Which art fairs will survive these challenging times?

The Korean art market is struggling amid adverse economic conditions. The harsh atmosphere was palpable at the past two art fairs in April -- Galleries Art Fair and Art OnO -- and similar concerns loom over the upcoming Art Busan. A gallerist I met at Galleries Art Fair, which ended on Sunday, said people seem to believe the price of art “will be cheaper tomorrow than it is today,” a sentiment also seen regarding the stock market. Galleries Art Fair is the oldest fair in the Korean art market, l