Site: HMT News (hmt-news.com)
Operator: Lee Myoung-kyu/HMT News (“we”, “us”, or “our”)
Effective Date: 01 September 2025

1. Acceptance of Terms

These Terms and Conditions (the “Terms”) govern your access to and use of our website, newsletters, forms, and any related services that link to these Terms (collectively, the “Services”). By accessing or using the Services, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, you must not use the Services.

2. Changes to the Terms and the Services

We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in law or our business practices. When we make changes, we will post the updated Terms on this page and revise the “Effective Date” above. Your continued use of the Services after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms. We may modify, suspend, or discontinue all or part of the Services at any time without notice.

3. Eligibility and Accounts

You must be at least the age of majority in your jurisdiction to use the Services, and in any case not younger than thirteen (13) years old. You may be able to create an account or subscribe to newsletters. You are responsible for providing accurate information, maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials, and for all activities that occur under your account. You must promptly notify us of any unauthorized access or use. We may suspend or terminate your account at our discretion if we believe these Terms have been violated.

4. Intellectual Property; License to Use the Services

Except for content clearly identified as belonging to others, the Services and all materials published on or through them, including text, graphics, logos, photographs, video, audio, compilations, software, and the selection and arrangement thereof (collectively, the “Content”), are owned by us or our licensors and are protected by applicable intellectual property laws. We grant you a limited, revocable, non‑exclusive, non‑transferable license to access and use the Services for your personal, non‑commercial use, subject to these Terms. Except as expressly permitted by law or these Terms, you may not copy, reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works from, publicly display, publicly perform, republish, download, store, transmit, or exploit any part of the Services or Content without our prior written consent.

5. User‑Generated Content and Acceptable Use

If the Services allow you to post comments, submit materials, or otherwise share content (“User Content”), you are solely responsible for your User Content and for ensuring that you have all rights necessary to share it. You grant us a worldwide, non‑exclusive, royalty‑free license to host, store, reproduce, display, distribute, and otherwise use your User Content for the purpose of operating, promoting, and improving the Services. You agree not to submit User Content that is unlawful, infringing, defamatory, obscene, harassing, hateful, deceptive, or otherwise objectionable; that contains personal data of others without their consent; that contains malware or spam; or that violates any law or the rights of any person. We may, but are not obligated to, monitor, moderate, or remove User Content at our discretion.

6. Editorial Independence; No Professional Advice

The Services provide news, features, and opinion pieces for general informational purposes. While we strive for accuracy, we do not guarantee that the Content is complete, current, or error‑free. Nothing on the Services constitutes legal, financial, medical, engineering, or other professional advice, and you should not rely on it as such. You are responsible for your own decisions and should seek professional advice where appropriate.

7. Third‑Party Links, Services, and Advertising

The Services may contain links to third‑party websites, plug‑ins, tools, or services that we do not control. We are not responsible for their content, policies, or practices. Your use of third‑party services is governed by their terms and privacy policies. The Services may display advertising or sponsorships. Advertisers and sponsors are responsible for ensuring that material submitted for inclusion is accurate and complies with applicable laws. We may work with third‑party ad networks and analytics providers; their data practices are governed by their own policies as described in our Privacy Policy. If we participate in affiliate programs or receive compensation for links or promotions, we will make appropriate disclosures where required.

8. Image Use and Credits

Unless otherwise noted, images on the Services are used under license, public domain or Creative Commons terms, our own photography, or materials provided by contributors and press offices. We do not claim ownership of third‑party images. Images are typically used for editorial purposes. If you believe that any image or other material on the Services infringes your rights, please contact us using the information in Section 17 and include sufficient detail for us to locate and evaluate the material. Where appropriate, we will remove or update the material.

9. Purchases, Donations, and Payments

If the Services allow purchases, subscriptions, or donations, you agree to provide current, complete, and accurate payment and account information. Payments may be processed by third‑party payment providers, and your transactions may be subject to their terms. We are not responsible for errors by payment processors. Unless otherwise stated, fees are non‑refundable to the fullest extent permitted by law. Specific offers or products may be subject to additional terms presented at the point of sale.

10. Privacy and Cookies

Our collection and use of personal information in connection with the Services is described in our Privacy Policy, which forms part of these Terms. By using the Services, you consent to our data practices as described there, including the use of cookies and similar technologies.

11. Prohibited Activities

You agree not to misuse the Services. Prohibited conduct includes accessing or using the Services for any unlawful purpose; attempting to interfere with or compromise the integrity or security of the Services; using automated means to access the Services without our permission; scraping or harvesting Content or personal data except as permitted by law; impersonating any person or misrepresenting your affiliation; and encouraging or facilitating any activity that would violate these Terms or applicable law.

12. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Services and Content are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis without warranties of any kind, whether express, implied, statutory, or otherwise. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we disclaim all warranties, including any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and non‑infringement. We do not warrant that the Services will be uninterrupted, secure, or free of errors, viruses, or other harmful components, or that defects will be corrected. Your use of the Services and reliance on any Content is at your sole risk.

13. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, we and our affiliates, officers, directors, employees, and agents will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits, revenues, data, goodwill, or other intangible losses, arising out of or related to your use of or inability to use the Services, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. Our total liability for any claim arising out of or relating to the Services shall not exceed the greater of the amount you paid to us (if any) for the specific service giving rise to the claim during the three months preceding the event or one hundred US dollars (US$100). Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for certain damages, so some of the above may not apply to you.

14. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless us and our affiliates, officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or related to your use of the Services, your User Content, or your violation of these Terms or applicable law.

15. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access to the Services at any time, with or without notice, if we reasonably believe you have violated these Terms, pose a risk to the Services or other users, or for any other reason at our discretion. Upon termination, your right to use the Services will cease immediately, but the provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination will survive, including Sections 4, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, and 18.

16. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them or their subject matter are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Korea, without regard to conflict‑of‑law rules. You agree to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts located in Seoul, Republic of Korea (including the Seoul Central District Court) for the resolution of any disputes, and you waive any objection to such jurisdiction or venue on the grounds of inconvenient forum or otherwise. If you are a consumer and mandatory law in your country of residence grants you the right to bring claims in your home jurisdiction, those rights remain unaffected.

Before filing any lawsuit, the parties will attempt in good faith to resolve the dispute through informal discussions for 30 days after written notice. Nothing in this section prevents either party from seeking injunctive or equitable relief to protect its rights or confidential information.

17. Notices; Contact Information; Copyright Complaints

Notices; Contact Information; Copyright Complaints
Notices intended for you may be delivered via email, posting within the Services, or any other method we reasonably select. If you have questions about these Terms, or to send notices or copyright complaints, contact: Lee Myoung-kyu/HMT News, 14-5 Banghakdong-gil, Sillim-myeon, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea, info@hmt-news.com. To help us respond to copyright complaints, please provide sufficient information to identify the material and your rights claim.

18. Miscellaneous

These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and us regarding the Services and supersede any prior agreements on the same subject. If any provision is held invalid or unenforceable, that provision will be enforced to the maximum extent permissible and the remaining provisions will remain in full force. Our failure to enforce any right or provision is not a waiver of such right or provision. You may not assign these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms without restriction. Sections intended to survive termination will survive. Headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation.

19. Editorial Corrections and Updates

We aim for accuracy and correct mistakes promptly when they are identified. Substantive corrections or updates may be noted within the article or in an editor’s note. Requests for correction can be sent to info@hmt-news.com with a link to the relevant page and a description of the issue.

20. Sponsored Content and Affiliate Disclosure

From time to time, we may publish sponsored content or include affiliate links. We disclose such relationships where required and maintain editorial independence over our reporting and analysis. Advertisers and sponsors are responsible for ensuring that their materials comply with applicable laws and regulations.

21. Linking, Framing, and RSS Policy

Non‑deceptive linking to our articles is generally permitted provided that the source is clearly attributed and no intellectual property rights are infringed. Framing or embedding that misrepresents our Content as part of another site or service is prohibited. Automated scraping, crawling, or bulk harvesting of Content, including systematic use of our RSS feeds, is not permitted without our prior written consent. Limited personal, non‑commercial use of RSS feeds with original source links and attribution may be allowed.

22. International Users and Compliance

The Services are accessible worldwide. You are responsible for ensuring that your use complies with local laws where you are located. Access to the Services or certain features may not be legal by certain persons or in certain countries; such access is at your own risk and responsibility.

23. Language and Interpretation

These Terms and Conditions are provided in English only. If any translation is provided for convenience, the English version will control to the extent permitted by law.

24. Trade Compliance and Sanctions

You represent that you are not located in, under the control of, or a national or resident of any country or territory subject to comprehensive embargoes or sanctions, and that you are not a denied or restricted party under applicable export control or sanctions laws. You agree not to use the Services in violation of such laws, including but not limited to those of the Republic of Korea, the United States, the European Union, or the United Kingdom.