Trump, Xi expected to meet at upcoming APEC summit in Gyeongju

SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - All eyes around the world are expected to be on South Korea's historic city of Gyeongju next month, as U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are both expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. While neither side has been officially confirmed, their attendance at the multilateral gathering scheduled for Oct. 31 to Nov. 1 appears almost certain. During a conference in central Seoul on Wednesday, Act

September 18, 2025

Senior Ukrainian officials visit HD Hyundai for post-war reconstruction talks

SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - A delegation of top Ukrainian government officials visited HD Hyundai's facilities this week to advance collaboration on post-war reconstruction, the company said Thursday. The visit was part of a larger construction machinery training program for Ukrainian officials organized by the Korea Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association and the Korea Construction Equipment Technology Institute. The delegation included key figures like Deputy M

September 18, 2025

Gmarket-Aliexpress merger gets conditional approval from anti-trust regulator

SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has conditionally approved the high-profile merger between an affiliate of Shinsegae Group and Chinese e-commerce powerhouse Alibaba Group's Korean unit. On Thursday, the commission announced its decision to greenlight the merger of Shinsegae affiliate Gmarket and Alibaba's AliExpress Korea, but only under strict conditions designed to prevent the two companies from sharing consumer data and to e

September 18, 2025

OPINION: China keeps 'doing right thing'

SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - Recent surveys by multiple international polling agencies show that global public opinion toward China continues to improve, with the country's image gaining wider recognition around the world. This growing recognition reflects China's commitment to "doing the right thing"

September 18, 2025

Turkish ambassador underscores friendship at Seoul screening of war film Ayla

SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - Turkish Ambassador to South Korea Salih Murat Tamer underscored the enduring friendship between the two countries at a special screening of the film "Ayla: The Daughter of War" on September 17. "Watching the film Ayla together here in Seoul is not just an opportunity to enjoy a movie. It is a special occasion to reaffirm the brotherly bond forged during the Korean War," he said in his welcome remarks. He added, "The people of T&uum

September 18, 2025

PHOTOS: BIFF 2025

SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has officially commenced its 10-day event, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The festival began with an opening ceremony on the evening of Sept. 17 at the Busan Cinema Center's outdoor theater. The outdoor theater, with its 5,000 seats, was completely filled with enthusiastic spectators. A wave of cheers and applause greeted a host of actors and directors as they made their way down the red carp

September 18, 2025

South Korea pushes for easing US rules on shipbuilding cooperation

SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - South Korea's defense procurement chief said in Washington, Wednesday (local time), that talks are advancing with the United States on shipbuilding and defense industry cooperation, including the long-delayed Reciprocal Defense Procurement Agreement, which would allow Korean companies greater access to U.S. contracts. Seok Jong-geon, head of South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), said he is focusing on addressing

September 18, 2025

Discussions 'underway to bring back South Korean workers' amid calls for US visa overhaul

SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - Discussions are reportedly underway to facilitate the return of South Korean workers who opted to "voluntarily" leave the U.S. earlier this month after being detained for about a week in an immigration crackdown in Georgia. Local daily Savannah Morning News reported Wednesday that there are "a lot of discussions about getting them back," quoting Trip Tollison, president and CEO of the Savannah Economic Development Authority, an indepen

September 18, 2025

Naver CEO joins UN Global Compact board

SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - Naver Chief Executive Choi Soo-yeon has been appointed to the board of the United Nations Global Compact, becoming the first Korean to join the sustainability initiative's governing body in 17 years, the Korean internet giant said Thursday. The appointment recognizes Choi's pioneering role in shaping international discourse on artificial intelligence governance and establishing ethical frameworks for AI development across the technology sector, it

September 18, 2025

Fed rate cut opens door for Bank of Korea to loosen policy

SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - The Bank of Korea is widely expected to cut its benchmark interest rate as early as next month, after the U.S. Federal Reserve lowered borrowing costs for the first time in nine months, easing pressure on Korea’s currency and capital markets. The Fed’s decision on Wednesday (local time) to trim its policy rate by 0.25 percentage points to a range of 4 to 4.25 percent narrowed the gap with South Korea’s rate from a record 2 percentage p

September 18, 2025