Ex-President stalls probe, seeks injunction against detention

SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - Disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol has refused to comply with questioning over his botched martial law debacle late last year. Independent prosecutors on Wednesday once again failed to bring him in for questioning related to his Dec. 3 declaration of martial law, following two previous attempts, as Yoon, who has been detained at a remand prison in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province since last week, continues to stall, citing health reasons. Yoon, who claims he

July 16, 2025

[K-Tech] Hanwha brings 3D printing to US shipyard in push for LNG, naval market share

SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - Hanwha is rolling out advanced 3D printing technologies at Philly Shipyard, part of a sweeping plan to transform the historic U.S. shipbuilding site into a hub for high-value commercial and military vessels. Hanwha Ocean and Hanwha Systems, which jointly acquired the Philadelphia-based facility in 2023, have begun deploying metal additive manufacturing processes to fabricate complex components directly on-site — a shift that marks a departure from trad

July 16, 2025

South Korea gears up for APEC summit in Gyeongju this fall

SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - South Korea is ramping up its preparations for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, scheduled for October in the southern historical city of Gyeongju. President Lee Jae-myung has sent invitation letters to the leaders of all 20 APEC member countries including Canada, China, Japan, Russia, Viet Nam and the U.S. for the first major multilateral summit since his inauguration early last month, his office said on Wednesday. Shortly after taking o

July 16, 2025

Honduran diplomat's immunity revoked over alleged sexual harassment in Busan

SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - A Honduran diplomat, who has been booked for allegedly harassing and assaulting another man in South Korea, has been stripped of his diplomatic immunity by his home country. The Honduran Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that it revoked his diplomatic protections due to what it cited as "a serious incident," adding that he should face "legal consequences" if any wrongdoing is found. The ministry further stated that the diplomat's pa

July 16, 2025

[K-Tech] LG challenges OpenAI, Alibaba with new hybrid AI model, EXAONE 4.0

SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - LG AI Research on Wednesday unveiled what it calls South Korea’s first hybrid artificial intelligence model, EXAONE 4.0, a system that fuses large language processing with advanced reasoning capabilities. The release marks LG’s fourth major AI launch in as many months, as the company escalates efforts to compete with global players like OpenAI, Anthropic, Alibaba, and Google. EXAONE 4.0 integrates two distinct AI functions — a large lang

July 16, 2025

[K-Tech] LG CNS ventures into insect farming using AI-powered breeding technology

SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - South Korean IT solutions provider LG CNS has begun construction on an artificial intelligence-powered insect farming complex in Gangwon Province. The groundbreaking ceremony for the facility — billed as an “insect smart factory” — was held Wednesday in the city of Chuncheon, with Gangwon Province Governor Kim Jin-tae and LG CNS Executive Vice President Kim Hong-keun in attendance. The factory will use advanced automation and AI-driv

July 16, 2025

North Korea hails UNESCO listing of Mt. Kumgang

SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - North Korean state media on Wednesday reported the country’s recent inclusion of Mt. Kumkang on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The news coverage came about three days after the decision was made at the international body's annual gathering in Paris over the weekend. The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) hailed the decision, saying that the country's scenic mountain was recognized for its "exquisite harmony of cultural tradition

July 16, 2025

Korea moves to establish renewable-powered industrial zone

SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - South Korea is intensifying efforts to establish industrial zones powered primarily by renewable energy, part of a broader strategy to align with international sustainability standards and accelerate the country's corporate energy transition. On Wednesday, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy convened the first meeting of a new task force at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in central Seoul. The group, composed of senior officials from

July 16, 2025

TRAVEL: Haeinsa Temple's Tripitaka Koreana and Janggyeong Panjeon, treasures of UNESCO heritage

SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - Haeinsa Temple, located on Mount Gaya in Hapcheon, South Gyeongsang Province, welcomes about 3,000 international visitors each year through its templestay program. Although it sits in a relatively remote area, Haeinsa continues to attract foreign travelers drawn by two extraordinary treasures: the Tripitaka Koreana, often called a global miracle, and the remarkable wooden hall that preserves it, the Janggyeong Panjeon. The canon was produc

July 16, 2025

New Zealand Embassy marks 10 years of free trade deal with South Korea

SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - SEOUL — The New Zealand Embassy in South Korea on Tuesday released a video series to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Korea–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, highlighting a decade of growing trade and cooperation between the two countries. The embassy said that the agreement, which came into force in 2015, has more than doubled trade between South Korea and New Zealand. Today, South Korea stands as New Zealand’s fifth-la

July 16, 2025