Kia to unveil PBV at Germany's IAA SEOUL, September 10 (AJP) - Kia will unveil its large electric purpose-built vehicle (PBV) at this year's IAA Transportation, which kicks off in Germany next week. The automaker said Thursday that it will showcase the PV7 for the first time during the biennial trade show, which runs from Sept. 15 to 20 in Hanover, marking its second appearance since announcing plans to enter Europe's PBV market in 2024. Kia will display three variants of the PV7 at its 1,531-square-meter September 10, 2026

Oil surge, rate fears pull KOSPI below 7,000 SEOUL, September 10 (AJP) - South Korean stocks turned lower shortly after Thursday's opening bell as oil prices above $100 a barrel and rising U.S. Treasury yields outweighed gains in selected chip and financial shares. The benchmark KOSPI fell 1.66 percent to 6,934.42 as of 10:07 a.m., extending its decline after briefly climbing to an intraday high of 7,072.79 earlier in the session. The index later fell as low as 6,929.13, dropping back below the 7,000 mark. Selling by fo September 10, 2026

Korea targets Chinese tour demand for regional travel push SEOUL, September 10 (AJP) - South Korea will bring Chinese travel agencies to meetings with Korean tourism officials this week as part of a push to send more Chinese visitors beyond Seoul, the culture ministry said Thursday. The first Korea-China travel industry exchange will be held in Incheon on Thursday, followed by a regional tourism briefing and business-to-business travel market in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, on Friday. The program is hosted by the ministry and organ September 10, 2026

'AI for All' starts work at SK Telecom SEOUL, September 10 (AJP) - SK Telecom set out to build an artificial intelligence assistant that books the hospital slot, files the government form and pays the bill in one conversation, one of three such services South Korea has commissioned. Partners across eight fields joined the launch at the carrier's T Tower headquarters in central Seoul on Thursday. Areas spanned from education, finance, to public administration and welfare checks on older people living alone. The ann September 10, 2026

PM orders preemptive measures to secure crude oil supplies SEOUL, September 10 (AJP) - Prime Minister Han Seong-sook on Thursday ordered officials to secure crude oil supplies in advance amid renewed tensions in the Middle East, citing concerns over possible supply disruptions. Speaking at an emergency meeting at the government complex in central Seoul, Han said South Korea has secured enough crude oil to cover more than 90 percent of last year's volume through October, leaving no immediate concerns about domestic supply. But she ca September 10, 2026

Dozens of foreign envoys evade punishment through diplomatic immunity SEOUL, September 10 (AJP) - Some 49 foreign diplomats assigned to South Korea have effectively avoided punishment for their involvement in criminal or other offenses over the past five years due to diplomatic immunity. According to data submitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to a parliamentary committee on Thursday, 10 cases were reported in 2022, followed by 13 in 2023, 10 in 2024, 13 in 2025 and three in the first seven months of this year. These cases ranged from traffic September 10, 2026

One crew member found dead in Pohang, with five still missing SEOUL, September 10 (AJP) - A crew member who went missing after a tugboat capsized off Busan last week has been found dead on a beach in Pohang, coastguards said on Thursday. His body was discovered around 8:50 a.m. the previous day by a sanitation worker on a beach in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, after apparently being swept ashore. It took more than 12 hours to confirm his identity through digital forensic analysis of a cellphone and smartwatch found with the body, alo September 10, 2026

Actress Lee Na-young attends photo call Lee Na-young (actress) poses at a photo call held at Casa Damiani Cheongdam in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, September 9, 2026. September 9, 2026

Actress Lee Na-young attends photo call Lee Na-young (actress) poses at a photo call held at Casa Damiani Cheongdam in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, September 9, 2026. September 9, 2026

Silvia Grassi Damiani, vice chair of Damiani, attends photo call Silvia Grassi Damiani (vice chair of Damiani) poses at a photo call held at Casa Damiani Cheongdam in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, September 9, 2026. September 9, 2026