South Korea

Chosun Ilbo | English | News | Nov. 26, 2025 | Accidents

A U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone crashed off the coast of Gunsan, South Korea, on the morning of November 24th while conducting a routine mission. The drone belonged to the 431st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron stationed at Kunsan Air Base and had been operating on the Korean Peninsula for about two months since its deployment in September. No civilian casualties or property damage were reported, and the cause of the crash is under investigation.

The MQ-9 Reaper, valued at approximately 44 billion Korean won (30 million USD) per unit, is an unmanned reconnaissance and attack aircraft known for its advanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. It can conduct long-duration missions day and night, using synthetic aperture radar and infrared detection at altitudes up to 50,000 feet, even in adverse weather.

The MQ-9’s deployment on the Korean Peninsula is part of the U.S. commitment to regional security and is intended to support joint South Korea-U.S. missions. It is believed to monitor North Korea as well as China’s growing presence in the West Sea and Yellow Sea. Military sources indicated the crash resulted from a loss of control during the mission, with no evidence suggesting North Korean GPS jamming caused the incident.

Korea Development Institute | English | AcademicThink | Nov. 26, 2025 | UndeterminedDemographics

The study analyzes the relationship between time preference and age in South Korea, identifying a U-shaped pattern where time preferences are lowest between ages 45 and 50. It incorporates both theoretical review and empirical survey data to support its findings.

Educational attainment significantly influences time preferences. College graduates exhibit lower and more consistent time preferences across age groups compared to individuals with a high school education or less. Similarly, life insurance policyholders and those with high financial literacy display lower and more stable time preferences.

These findings challenge the traditional economic assumption that time preferences are fixed and exogenous. The study advocates for life-cycle targeted policies that address savings, education, financial practices, and information provision, emphasizing the endogenous nature of time preferences and the need for customized policy approaches.

LG화학, '전고체 배터리' 상용화 핵심 기술 개발

ZD Net Korea | Local Language | News | Nov. 26, 2025 | UndeterminedTech Development/Adoption

LG Chem announced on November 25, 2025, that it has developed a technology that significantly enhances the performance of solid-state batteries by uniformly controlling the particle size of the solid electrolyte, a critical component of these batteries. The research, published in Advanced Energy Materials, was conducted jointly with Professor Tae-Seop Song's team at Hanyang University and is seen as a major step toward the commercialization of solid-state batteries.

Solid-state batteries replace the liquid electrolyte found in conventional lithium batteries with a solid electrolyte, which offers safety and high energy efficiency benefits. However, non-uniform particle sizes in the solid electrolyte can create gaps within the battery cell, leading to performance degradation. LG Chem’s new spray recrystallization method produces uniformly sized spherical electrolyte particles by spraying the electrolyte solution into fine droplets and evaporating the solvent, improving lithium-ion movement and reducing internal gaps.

The uniform electrolytes created by this method adhere better to the cathode material, resulting in about a 15% increase in basic battery capacity and a 50% increase in high-rate discharge capacity, a critical metric for high-power device applications. LG Chem intends to use this technology to accelerate solid electrolyte development and push further toward solid-state battery commercialization.

Shin Hak-cheol, LG Chem's Vice Chairman, highlighted the achievement as a resolution of a core challenge for commercializing solid-state batteries and stated the company’s commitment to strengthening its competitiveness in next-generation battery technologies and leading the global market.