Sunday, May 31, 2026
AJU PRESS ASIA FIRST NEWS AGENCY
Latest
  • Seoul conveys concerns to Washington over Brunson's 'dagger' remarks SEOUL, May 30 (AJP) -South Korea has conveyed its position to Washington over U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson's controversial description of the Korean Peninsula as "the dagger in the heart of Asia," presidential officials said Saturday, after the remarks drew a diplomatic protest from China and reignited debate over the evolving role of the U.S.-South Korea alliance. National
    Seoul conveys concerns to Washington over Brunsons dagger remarks
  • Korea and Japan among hardest hit from Hormuz disruption SEOUL, May 30 (AJP) - South Korea and Japan have emerged as the biggest casualties of the disruption to Middle Eastern energy supplies following the U.S.-Iran conflict, with crude imports plunging as exports from the Gulf nearly halved amid months of turmoil around the Strait of Hormuz. Middle Eastern crude shipments between March and May are projected to fall 48 percent from a year earlier, according to shi
    Korea and Japan among hardest hit from Hormuz disruption
  • BTS rides sold-out North American tour and AMA wins into Busan homecoming SEOUL, May 30 (AJP) -BTS is bringing home a winning streak. The group wrapped up the first North American leg of its "ARIRANG" world tour after drawing 840,000 fans to 15 sold-out stadium concerts, while collecting three trophies at the 2026 American Music Awards in Las Vegas, setting the stage for a highly anticipated homecoming concert in Busan next month. BigHit Music said Saturday that BTS attra
    BTS rides sold-out North American tour and AMA wins into Busan homecoming
  • South Korea to host first Korea-Africa foreign ministers meeting
    South Korea to host first Korea-Africa foreign ministers' meeting SEOUL, May 30 (AJP) - South Korea will host its first standalone Korea-Africa Foreign Ministers' Meeting next week, bringing together representatives from 54 African countries and four regional organizations as Seoul seeks to deepen economic ties, diversify supply chains and strengthen cooperation on global challenges. The three-day gathering, scheduled for May 31 to June 2 in Seoul, comes as governments wor
  • In South Korea, campaigns move indoors
    In South Korea, campaigns move indoors SEOUL, May 29 (AJP) -The streets used to shake. Candidate trucks blaring jingles, jackets every color of the rainbow, rallies spilling across every intersection. Growing up, elections were the noisiest thing Korea did. You knew one was coming before you checked the calendar — you could hear it. That was then. Now, with 4,227 seats on the line &
  • Early voting for local elections gets off to strong start
    Early voting for local elections gets off to strong start SEOUL, May 29 (AJP) - Early voting for the June 3 local elections began across the country on Friday, with turnout already surpassing levels seen in previous elections, as President Lee Jae Myung and other prominent figures cast their ballots. According to the National Election Commission (NEC), voter turnout stood at 7.02 percent as of 2 p.m. on the first day of early voting, up 0.96 percentage points from 6.06 p
  • Koreas memory giants hit new ceiling ahead of visit by their biggest client
    Korea's memory giants hit new ceiling ahead of visit by their biggest client SEOUL, May 29 (AJP) - South Korea's memory-chip giants climbed to fresh records Friday as investors turned euphoric ahead of next week's visit by their biggest customer, Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang, fueling hopes of deeper AI partnerships and new orders for next-generation memory chips. The world's most valuable company's CEO Jensen Huang is set to visit South Korea next week
motionary

AJP Briefing>

AJP Watch>

카이스트

ASIA Insight>

To young Jeju islanders, life does not give tangerines SEOUL, May 29 (AJP) - "Jeju's wind is harsh, but people learn to bend instead of break." The line from the hit Netflix drama When Life Gives You Tangerines celebrates the resilience of people on South Korea's southern island. In reality, however, the wind has become harsh enough to drive many young Jeju residents away altogether. As Jeju recorded a second consecutive year of net population loss, young islanders told AJP that a lack of quality jobs, limited career opportunitie by Lee Jung-woo
To young Jeju islanders, life does not give tangerines
ASIA INSIGHT: What Xis possible visit to Pyongyang would mean for Korean Peninsula ASIA INSIGHT: What Xi's possible visit to Pyongyang would mean for Korean Peninsula SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - Speculation emerged last week that Chinese President Xi Jinping has been preparing to visit Pyongyang to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, possibly before the end of this month or early next month. It comes after Xi hosted U.S. President Donald Trump in Beijing earlier this month, where the two leaders reaffirmed their shared goal of North Korea's denuclearization. Then, barely a week later, Russian President Vladimir Putin also arrived in Beijing. Now Xi is repor

Visuals>

AJP Focus>

South Korea's reckoning with the AI century There is a phrase South Koreans invoke with quiet pride: bbaly bbaly — "quickly, quickly." It describes a national temperament forged in crisis, the same urgency that rebuilt a war-ravaged nation into an industrial titan within a single generation. But urgency alone, as Kwon Seok-jun, a semiconductor scholar at Sungkyunkwan University, recently warned, will not be enough for what comes next. The artificial intelligence age demands not just speed, but vision. South Korea stand
South Koreas reckoning with the AI century
Stock leverage, not typical housing as BOKs policy headache Stock leverage, not typical housing as BOK's policy headache SEOUL, May 29 (AJP) — More than 60 trillion won ($39.9 billion) of leverage tied to South Korea’s stock market frenzy is emerging as a risk factor for both equities and the foreign-exchange market after the central bank all but signaled at least one rate hike in the second half. “While demand curves typically slope downward, heavy debt-fueled investment could reverse that pattern, as forced liquidations are triggered and funds are withdrawn when prices decline,” Bank of

Industry>

South Koreas reckoning with the AI century South Korea's reckoning with the AI century

Market>

Stock leverage, not typical housing as BOKs policy headache Stock leverage, not typical housing as BOK's policy headache

North Korea>

North Korea snubs Quads call for denuclearization North Korea snubs Quad's call for denuclearization

Opinion>

Spiritual Asia: Encountering Korean peoples spirit of heaven in era of AI Spiritual Asia: Encountering Korean people's spirit of heaven in era of AI

AJP Vids

Technology>

South Korean researchers develop virtual simulator for AI servers South Korean researchers develop virtual simulator for AI servers

National>

Early vote surge clouds DP landslide hopes as Korea heads into June 3 local elections Early vote surge clouds DP landslide hopes as Korea heads into June 3 local elections

Lifestyle>

To young Jeju islanders, life does not give tangerines To young Jeju islanders, life does not give tangerines

World>

Seoul conveys concerns to Washington over Brunsons dagger remarks Seoul conveys concerns to Washington over Brunson's 'dagger' remarks
Entertainment Ahn Hyo-seop teams up with Khalid for debut single 'Something Special' SEOUL, May 29 (AJP) - South Korean actor Ahn Hyo-seop has released his debut solo single "Something Special," a collaboration with Grammy-nominated American R&B artist Khalid. The single was released through FANDOM on major streaming platforms on Friday, with Musicow planning to unveil an official music video in June. Musicow is a music equity platform that lets fans co-own royalty revenue from their favorite artists' songs, and FANDOM is its debut project &md
Ahn Hyo-seop teams up with Khalid for debut single Something Special