Journalist
Yoo Na-hyun유나현
shooting@ajupress.com
PhotographerGeopolitics, Culture, History, People & Photo Journalist
Photojournalist, AJU PRESS (AJP) Covering news, culture and society in South Korea through an Asian perspective.
"Every moment is worth documenting."
Latest by Yoo Na-hyun
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Job fair in Seoul helps young people discover career paths SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - Many job seekers and recent graduates have been flocking to an annual job fair in Seoul this week. The four-day fair, organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOC), kicked off at aT Center in Yangjae, southern Seoul earlier this week and runs through Friday, featuring more than 150 booths. Held under the slogan "Discover Yourself, Open Your Future," the fair offers a wide range of career-related programs including job counseling, mentoring, consultations and lectures to help young people discover their interests and prepare for their future careers. Visitors can also take part in interactive activities and receive expert guidance to learn more about different occupations across various industries. They can also explore an exhibition showcasing 73 award-winning student projects from career-themed competitions. The fair is free and open to all including elementary, middle, and high school students, parents, and teachers, though they must make reservations in advance. Expecting around 40,000 visitors, the SMOC has arranged charter buses for group visitors and strengthened safety measures in cooperation with police and fire authorities. 2026-07-16 18:05:59 -
2026 Korea Drone Expo hosts thrilling match INCHEON, July 15 (AJP) - A drone soccer match takes place during the Drone Soccer Grand Prix at the 2026 Korea Drone & UAM Expo at Songdo Convensia in Yeonsu District, Incheon, on July 15, 2026. 2026-07-15 15:50:43 -
Drone soccer grand prix thrills in Incheon INCHEON, July 15 (AJP) - A Taiwanese player inspects a drone after a match against Hong Kong during the Drone Soccer Grand Prix at the 2026 Korea Drone & UAM Expo at Songdo Convensia in Yeonsu District, Incheon, on July 15, 2026. 2026-07-15 15:48:09 -
Korea drone expo hosts thrilling match INCHEON, July 15 (AJP) - A Taiwanese player inspects a drone after a match against Hong Kong during the Drone Soccer Grand Prix at the 2026 Korea Drone & UAM Expo at Songdo Convensia in Yeonsu District, Incheon, on July 15, 2026. 2026-07-15 15:46:25 -
Incheon hosts thrilling drone soccer match INCHEON, July 15 (AJP) - Hong Kong players compete against Taiwan during the Drone Soccer Grand Prix at the 2026 Korea Drone & UAM Expo at Songdo Convensia in Yeonsu District, Incheon, on July 15, 2026. 2026-07-15 15:44:12 -
Grounded by silence: Waiting for Korea's flying future INCHEON, July 15 (AJP) - The future of Korean aviation spent Wednesday sitting quietly on a launch pad. It was supposed to rise above Songdo's skyline at 10 a.m. Instead, it never left the ground. Long before the scheduled demonstration, spectators, engineers, investors and journalists gathered outside the INU Innovation Center at the University of Incheon. A steady drizzle swept across the flight zone as umbrellas dotted the viewing area, prompting quiet speculation over whether the weather would spoil South Korea's first public flight demonstration of a privately developed urban air mobility aircraft. Then came an unexpected twist. Just before 10 a.m., the rain stopped. The clouds remained low, but the air grew still. Umbrellas disappeared almost simultaneously as camera lenses replaced them. Television crews adjusted tripods. Photographers crouched along the safety barriers searching for the perfect takeoff angle. Smartphones rose above the crowd. At the center of every lens stood a sleek white aircraft developed by Sambo Motors Group, its multiple rotors poised for vertical flight. Nothing happened. Ten minutes passed. Then twenty. Then forty. The aircraft remained perfectly still, its propellers silent against a grey sky. Around it, however, the scene never stopped moving. Engineers repeatedly approached the aircraft, checking instruments before stepping back. Event staff hurried between control stations speaking into radios. Organizers periodically addressed the waiting crowd, promising another update in a few minutes. The audience developed its own rhythm of patience. Some checked weather apps. Others refreshed social media. Several university students who had slipped out between classes lingered for as long as they could before reluctantly returning to campus buildings overlooking the flight site. Professional photographers kept their long lenses trained on the aircraft, unwilling to risk lowering them in case the rotors suddenly sprang to life. They never did. Eventually came the announcement. The demonstration would be postponed until Thursday after radio signal interference prevented a safe flight. Sambo Motors officials said the aircraft had successfully completed earlier demonstration flights in Taean and had flown without incident during rehearsals only a day before. Engineers will analyze flight data before attempting another public flight. Disappointment rippled through the crowd. But few people left immediately. Instead, many walked closer to the aircraft, photographing details that would have disappeared into the sky had the demonstration gone ahead. Children pointed toward the rotors. Engineers answered questions. Visitors circled the aircraft from every angle, examining a machine designed to one day rise above city traffic. Perhaps that was fitting. Urban air mobility is still an industry waiting for liftoff. The technology promises electric aircraft carrying passengers and cargo across cities, supported by vertiports, digital traffic management systems and autonomous flight software. South Korea hopes to begin public UAM services in 2028, following years of government-backed demonstrations. Wednesday's aircraft represented another milestone—the first public appearance of a UAM aircraft developed by a South Korean private company. Nearby, the 2026 Korea Drone & UAM Expo at Songdo Convensia buzzed with optimism. More than 130 companies showcased autonomous drones, AI flight systems, delivery technologies and future mobility platforms. Inside the exhibition halls, the future appeared almost inevitable. Outside, it proved considerably more fragile. A burst of radio interference was enough to keep an aircraft firmly planted on the ground. For one long morning, Korea's flying future never actually flew. Yet hundreds of eyes remained fixed on a motionless aircraft until the very end, as if simply seeing it there—waiting—was enough to remind everyone that every new era of transportation begins not with a routine flight, but with a first attempt. Sometimes, even the waiting becomes part of the journey. 2026-07-15 15:32:26 -
British Princess Anne highlights longstanding bilateral ties at Seoul reception SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) - Britain's Princess Anne, who is on a three-day visit to South Korea, stressed the strong and enduring partnership between the U.K. and South Korea during a reception hosted by the British Embassy in Seoul on Tuesday. The reception, held at the Four Seasons Hotel in central Seoul, brought together government officials, diplomats, business leaders, academics, cultural figures and youth representatives to celebrate the longstanding ties between the two countries. The princess said she was "pleased" to visit South Korea "for the fourth time," adding that each visit had deepened her understanding of the country. She also praised South Korea's rapid development, saying she had been "impressed" by the country's transformation over the years. Highlighting the long-standing ties between the two countries, she stressed the importance of bilateral relations and called for continued efforts to deepen cooperation in various areas including maritime cooperation. As part of such efforts, Anne visited HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' shipyard in Ulsan and toured its facilities earlier in the day. Recalling the late Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Andong in South Korea in 1999, she described it as an example of the longstanding people-to-people ties that underpin bilateral relations, adding that future cooperation should continue to be built on mutual respect, innovation and a willingness to learn from one another. Tuesday night's reception also featured members of K-pop girl group NMIXX, who have been promoting the British Embassy in Seoul's campaign for girls' empowerment. 2026-07-15 09:35:37 -
SK hynix announces ADR IPO pricing SEOUL, July 10 (AJP) - Shares of SK hynix are displayed on an electronic board at Hana Bank’s dealing room in central Seoul on July 10, 2026, after the company announced that it had finalized the initial public offering price of its American depositary receipts at $149 per share, or approximately 225,000 won. 2026-07-10 20:45:51 -
Summer rainy season starts in Korea SEOUL, July 09 (AJP) - Heavy rain fell across the Seoul metropolitan area and other parts of central South Korea on Wednesday as the country entered a period of so-called "monsoon heat," in which the rainy season overlaps with extreme summer temperatures. This year's monsoon arrived later than usual, causing the rainy season and heat wave to coincide. High humidity from persistent rainfall, followed by intense sunshine after the rain clears, is expected to drive the heat index significantly higher in the coming days. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), heavy rain advisories were issued for central regions while heat wave advisories remained in effect for southern areas. KMA also issued this year's first tropical night advisories for parts of North Gyeongsang Province, where nighttime temperatures are expected to remain above 25 degrees Celsius. Rain is forecast to continue across the greater Seoul area and Gangwon Province through Thursday morning before moving northward. As the North Pacific High expands over the Korean Peninsula later this week, hot and humid conditions are expected to intensify nationwide, with daytime highs reaching up to 36 degrees Celsius over the weekend. High humidity is also expected to increase the perceived temperature, while tropical nights are likely to become more widespread. 2026-07-09 17:00:08 -
Korea's first AI-dedicated channel ABC kicks off ...with the help of robot SEOUL, July 08 (AJP) -Artificial intelligence was not just the subject. It was the host. A humanoid robot shared the stage with an ABC news anchor Wedneday as Aju Media Group officially launched ABC (AI Business Channel), South Korea's first television network dedicated to artificial intelligence. The robot co-hosted the ceremony, exchanged remarks with its human counterpart and capped its appearance with a kung fu demonstration, turning the launch into a showcase of how AI is moving from concept to everyday media. An AI-generated video of Aju Media Group Chairman Kwak Young-gil delivered the opening keynote, while Kim Woo-chang, Senior Presidential Secretary for National AI Policy, read a congratulatory message on behalf of President Lee Jae Myung. The ceremony ended with a symbolic launch performance as guests jointly activated the opening of the new channel, followed by a promotional video and a commemorative group photograph. Studio Meta K CEO Kim Kwang-jip later presented how artificial intelligence is expected to reshape broadcasting, content creation and the media industry. With ABC, Aju Media Group expands beyond newspapers, newswire services and digital platforms into television, positioning itself as a multimedia company focused on the AI era. The launch is followed by the AI Ecosystem Innovation Forum on July 9 under the theme "The Birth of a New Media: Industrial Transformation Powered by the AI Ecosystem," and a policy breakfast with lawmakers and government officials at the National Assembly on July 10. 2026-07-08 17:47:21