Journalist
Lee Hugh
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South Korea dispatches chief of staff as Astana readies for regional summit SEOUL, April 09 (AJP) - South Korea sent its presidential chief of staff to Central Asia on Wednesday to secure attendance for an inaugural regional summit, moving to lock in vital energy and logistics access. The diplomatic push bypasses traditional military and economic alliances. Instead, the strategy builds directly on an ideological framework established seven months ago during a global interfaith congress, illustrating how modern statecraft increasingly relies on spiritual backchannels to navigate gridlocked global markets. According to a readout from Akorda, the official website of the President of Kazakhstan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev accepted a formal invitation from Kang Hoon-shik, the special representative for South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, to attend the first Central Asia-South Korea summit in Seoul this September. Securing the inaugural summit The bilateral dialogue highlights a shift in how industrialized economies secure their supply chains. Kang conveyed congratulations regarding a recent constitutional referendum before the discussion pivoted to expanding contacts in the energy and transport sectors. "Your visit is of great importance for the further strengthening of Kazakh-Korean interaction," the Kazakh president told the envoy, adding: "I am confident that through joint efforts, cooperation between our countries will continue to develop steadily." The spiritual groundwork The foundation for Wednesday's agreements was laid last September when delegations from 60 countries gathered for the VIII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. Facing an era defined by hybrid warfare, Astana used the summit to produce the Astana Peace Declaration 2025. The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism operated as a crucial diplomatic vanguard for South Korea. Venerable Jeong-beom, acting on behalf of the order's president, Venerable Jin-woo, offered Seon meditation as a practical foundation for international peace. Venerable Mun-jeong participated in a specialized youth forum. The monastic delegation established the baseline bilateral trust required for subsequent negotiations over hard economic assets. Navigating global markets The September congress deliberately sidestepped theological debates to address the ethical management of artificial intelligence and the moral imperative of combating climate change. The host nation proposed establishing an Interreligious Commission on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. This created a shared humanistic framework that now supports ongoing technological and academic exchanges between the two governments. Embedding these shared values into the broader regional format ensures South Korea's Central Asian strategy is fortified by more than just transactional resource extraction. The synthesis of technological responsibility and cultural dialogue shields the strategic partnership from the volatility of conventional geopolitical rivalries. The IX Congress is scheduled to be held in Astana in 2028. 2026-04-09 10:08:28 -
Seoul SK Falls to Anyang Jung Kwan Jang, Finishes Fourth After Late Free-Throw Misses Seoul SK drew anger from fans after a listless performance in its regular-season finale raised questions about whether the team was trying to lose. On April 8, the final game of the sixth round of the 2025-26 LG Electronics Pro Basketball season was played at Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Arena. SK entered the matchup knowing a win would lock up third place in the regular-season standings, while a loss would drop it to fourth. As results came in from other arenas, the playoff picture sharpened. KCC lost to DB and Sono lost to KT, fixing the standings among those four teams. SK would face KCC in the six-team playoff with a win, or Sono with a loss. With SK trailing KCC in the head-to-head series, a string of puzzling plays followed. Late in the fourth quarter, SK’s Lee Min-seo committed a foul that led to free throws, and SK fell behind 63-62. With about 20 seconds left and the score tied 65-65, Jung Kwan Jang also made an unusual sequence: Kim Se-chang near the halfcourt line appeared to hand the ball to SK, then committed a foul by grabbing an opponent. SK went to the line with a chance to win by making one free throw, but Kim Myeong-jin missed both. SK then allowed a layup at the other end, with defense that did not appear aggressive. SK lost 67-65, finished fourth and will meet Sono in the six-team playoff. Fans criticized the game as looking like an “intentional loss.” SK, which finished first in the regular season last year, ended this season’s regular-season schedule under a cloud of controversy. According to multiple reports, an SK official said, “There was no intention to lose the game on purpose. We did show some disappointing moments at the end, but it wasn’t deliberate.” The KBL said that because five games were played simultaneously on the final day of the regular season, it would first analyze the SK-Jung Kwan Jang game before making a judgment. 2026-04-09 10:06:00 -
NPS holding in Korean stocks stretches $54 bn Q1 thanks to chip names SEOUL, April 09 (AJP) -South Korea’s National Pension Service, one of the world's largest with 1,540.4 trillion won worth assets under management as of January, saw its value of its holdings in domestic equities stretch by 80 trillion won ($54 billion) in the first quarter thanks to the spikes in memory stocks. According to financial data tracker FnGuide, the NPS stakes in 291 listed companies subject to disclosure with holding ratio of more than 5 percent were valued at 323.76 trillion won as of Tuesday, up 78.55 trillion won from 245.21 trillion won at end-2025 to deliver a return rate of 32.0 percent. The increase exceeded the gain of 69.69 trillion won in the prior quarter. As of Wednesday, the KOSPI was 39.4 percent higher from the end of December, and KOSDAQ 17.76 percent up. Shares of Samsung Electronics have surged around 75.6 percent, and SK hynix 59 percent during the same period. The NPS’ stake in Samsung Electronics remained unchanged at 7.75 percent, but the holding value jumped 63.8 percent to 90.12 trillion won. Its stake in SK hynix rose to 7.50 percent from 7.35 percent, with the value climbing 40.7 percent to 48.99 trillion won. Together, the two accounted for 62.7 percent of the value bump-up for NPS holdings. Other notable contributors included Hyundai Motor, Hanwha Aerospace and Mirae Asset Securities, with the NPS raising its stake in the brokerage by 1.18 percentage points. Portfolio shifts pointed to a growing tilt toward KOSDAQ-listed names. The NPS newly added 22 stocks with stakes of 5 percent or more in the first quarter, while 15 fell below the threshold. Of the additions, 14 were on the KOSDAQ. Daejoo Electronic Materials stood out with a 10.01 percent stake, alongside Vinattech (8.68 percent) and RF Materials (7.43 percent). Among KOSPI additions, Kakao Pay had the largest stake at 6.10 percent. By sector, semiconductors and related equipment led new additions, followed by electrical equipment, biotech, commercial services, and metals and minerals. The number of holdings with stakes of 5 percent or more rose to 276 from 269, while those above 10 percent increased to 37 from 34. Stakes were unchanged in 114 companies, increased in 105 and reduced in 74. HD Hyundai Infracore was among the most heavily sold, with its stake falling below 5 percent from 13.21 percent. The strong first-quarter performance extends a record year for the pension fund. NPS said its fund delivered 231.6 trillion won in investment income for 2025, posting a preliminary return of 18.82 percent — the highest since its inception — and lifting total assets under management to 1,458 trillion won. The annualized return since 1988 stood at 8.04 percent. The 2025 performance outpaced major global peers, including Japan’s GPIF (12.3 percent), Norway’s GPFG (15.1 percent), Canada’s CPPIB (7.7 percent), and the Netherlands’ ABP (–1.6 percent). Domestic equities led returns with a surge of 82.44 percent, driven by an AI-fueled semiconductor rally and policy-driven market optimism. Global equities returned 19.74 percent, while alternative investments gained 8.03 percent. Fixed income also posted positive returns despite rate volatility. As of January, domestic equity investment by the fund represented 21.4 percent of its portfolio. 2026-04-09 09:48:38 -
KAIST researchers and Nobel winner David Baker develop AI protein sensors for cortisol SEOUL, April 09 (AJP) - Researchers in South Korea have successfully used artificial intelligence to design proteins that can detect specific chemicals, including stress hormones, through a collaboration project between the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and 2024 Nobel laureate David Baker from the University of Washington, the prominent South Korean science institute said Thursday. The study demonstrates a way to create functional biosensors from scratch, a process known as de novo design. Unlike previous methods that relied on modifying proteins already found in nature, this artificial intelligence-driven approach allows scientists to build custom proteins for specific tasks, such as medical testing or environmental monitoring. Specifically, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) team created a protein that selectively identifies cortisol, a hormone closely linked to stress levels. By turning this protein into a working sensor, the researchers addressed a long-standing technical hurdle: designing proteins that can recognize small, complex molecules with atomic-level accuracy. The technology could eventually lead to new tools for early disease diagnosis by spotting biomarkers in blood samples. It also has potential applications in the real-time monitoring of air and water quality or the development of more targeted medical treatments. To design the proteins, the team developed an AI model that accounts for how amino acids interact with different chemicals. They tested the model by designing six different types of proteins for various drugs and metabolites, verifying the results through laboratory experiments and crystal structure analysis. Lead researcher Lee Kyu-ri joined the KAIST Department of Biological Sciences in February 2025 after working as a staff scientist in the Baker laboratory in the United States. She now leads her own protein design lab, focusing on creating artificial enzymes, sensors, and RNA-recognition proteins. The research was highlighted during a visit by David Baker to the KAIST campus on Thursday. "This research experimentally proves that we can use AI to design proteins that precisely recognize specific compounds," Lee said. "We plan to expand this technology to various fields such as disease diagnosis and the development of new drugs." The project was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) through the InnoCORE program. This initiative is designed to help South Korean researchers collaborate with global experts on advanced AI technologies. KAIST President Lee Kwang-hyung noted that the collaboration with David Baker resulted in a significant achievement for AI-based protein design. The university currently manages several research units focused on aerospace, manufacturing, and drug discovery under the InnoCORE program. (Reference Information) Journal/Source: Nature Communications Title: Small-molecule binding and sensing with a designed protein family Link/DOI: https://bit.ly/4srcGAi 2026-04-09 09:42:50 -
North Korea tests tactical ballistic missile with cluster bomb warhead, state media says SEOUL, April 9 (AJP) - North Korea has conducted tests of a "tactical ballistic missile" equipped with a "cluster bomb warhead," state media reported on Thursday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, the tests were conducted over three days earlier this week to "verify the combat reliability of the mobile short-range anti-aircraft missile system." It added that the surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missile "tipped with a cluster bomb warhead, can reduce to ashes any target" within an area of 6.5 to 7 hectares with high-density strikes. The missile appears to be a KN-23-series, North Korea's main short-range ballistic missile, similar to Russia's Iskander-type missiles. "There was a firing for testing the maximum workload of engine using low-cost materials," KCNA said. Earlier, the Joint Chiefs of Staff here said it detected an unidentified projectile fired from an area near Pyongyang toward the East Sea on Tuesday, followed by several short-range ballistic missiles fired from Wonsan, Kangwon Province the next morning, and then one more ballistic missile into the East Sea about six hours later. The projectile fired earlier in the week disappeared shortly after launch, leading the JCS to determine that it failed. KCNA also revealed a test of an "electromagnetic weapon and carbon fiber bomb," describing them as special strategic assets to be combined with "various military means," which may have been conducted on Monday, since the JCS detected the tests on Tuesday and Wednesday only. With no mention of the country's leader Kim Jong-un, he apparently did not observe these tests. 2026-04-09 09:34:03 -
Korea Heritage Service Finds Ramses II Name on Ramesseum Temple Pylon in Egypt The Korea Heritage Service and the Korea National University of Cultural Heritage said on 9 that they have made major academic findings during a restoration project at the pylon gate of the Ramesseum Temple in Luxor, Egypt, including the discovery of a cartouche bearing the name of Ramses II. The work is part of the Korea Heritage Service’s official development assistance project, titled “Capacity building for sustainable cultural heritage tourism resource development in Luxor, Egypt.” A cartouche is an oval enclosure used in ancient Egypt to set apart and emphasize a pharaoh’s name, which otherwise would be written in a line of hieroglyphs. The discovery was confirmed during an excavation survey on the north side of the pylon. Investigators also identified multiple layers spanning from the period when the pylon was built through modern times, securing materials that help reconstruct how the Ramesseum was built and altered over time. A French research team previously found a cartouche of Ramses II while excavating the temple’s innermost sanctuary, but this is the first time one has been discovered at the pylon, the agencies said. Hisham El Leithy, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the newly found cartouche differs in form from those previously identified and is expected to provide an important clue for determining the construction sequence of structures within the Ramesseum. He also said researchers confirmed a carved stone element bearing a new place name that supports the extent of Ramses II’s territorial expansion. The Korea Heritage Service and the university said they also identified soil layers that could help estimate how stone was transported and how the structure was built, providing baseline data for restoring the pylon to its original form. A temporary protective shelter is now being installed, and once completed, dismantling and full-scale restoration of the pylon are expected to accelerate. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-09 09:21:06 -
Isabelle Huppert, Lee Hye-young to read from Han Kang novel at Avignon Festival Nine South Korean performing arts works have been selected for the official “IN” program of the 80th Avignon Festival. The festival’s organizing committee said on April 8 (local time) that nine works by seven Korean companies will be presented in the official lineup at venues across Avignon, France, from July 4 to 25. It will be the first time Korean works have been officially invited since 1998’s “Désir d’Asie,” about 28 years ago. A staged reading based on Han Kang’s novel “I Do Not Bid Farewell” will be performed at the Cour d’Honneur of the Palais des Papes, one of the festival’s signature venues. The production is a joint project of the Avignon Festival and the Seoul Performing Arts Festival (SPAF) and features French actor Isabelle Huppert and South Korean actor Lee Hye-young. It is also scheduled to be presented at SPAF in October. Italian director Daria Deflorian’s new work, “The dolore terrible e l’amore,” also draws on “I Do Not Bid Farewell” and is set to premiere at the festival. Three works by playwright Gu Ja-ha, the first Asian recipient of the International Ibsen Award, will also be staged. They include “Cuckoo” and “A History of Korean Theater,” two parts of his Hamartia trilogy, and “Haribo Kimchi.” The works were previously shown at SPAF in 2023 and 2025, respectively. Other invited productions include the audience-participation piece “Material,” part of “Elephants Laugh” directed by Lee Jin-yeop; “Island Story” by Creative Vaki, directed by Lee Kyung-sung, set against the backdrop of the Jeju 4.3 incident; “1 Degree Celsius” by choreographer Heo Seong-im’s Heo Project on the climate crisis; “Gin: Yeonhui Deconstruction Project I” by Liquid Sound, directed by Lee In-bo, blending traditional performance with contemporary dance; and Lee Ja-ram’s “Snow, Snow, Snow,” a pansori adaptation of a Tolstoy short story. During the festival, Arts Management Support Center will host a tentative event titled “K-Stage Rendezvous” at the Cloître Saint-Louis, the festival’s main hub. More than 50 performing arts professionals, programmers and critics from around the world are expected to attend to explore collaboration, co-production and distribution opportunities with Korean artists. The center will also support participation in “Transmission Impossible,” a residency and training program for young artists, aimed at strengthening skills and expanding international exchange opportunities for the next generation, including university and graduate students in arts majors. Kim Jang-ho, head of the Arts Management Support Center, said the organization will “introduce the global potential of Korean arts through collaboration across genres, including literature and visual arts,” and will work to expand international distribution of Korean performing arts through platforms such as SPAF and the Seoul Art Market (PAMS). The festival also selected Korean as its guest language, the first time an Asian language has been chosen. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-09 09:00:00 -
'Salmokji' Tops Box Office on Opening Day With Best Horror Debut Since 2021 The horror film ‘Salmokji’ opened at No. 1 at the box office on its first day in theaters, according to industry data. The film follows a production crew that heads to a reservoir for a reshoot after an unidentified figure appears on a road-view image, only to encounter something lurking in the dark, deep water. According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated ticketing network, ‘Salmokji’ drew 89,912 moviegoers on its opening day, April 8, bringing its cumulative audience to 116,825. The figure topped the same-day daily box office totals for ‘The Man Who Lives With the King’ and ‘Project Hail Mary.’ Its opening-day turnout was the strongest for a horror release since ‘The Medium’ in 2021, and it also surpassed the 76,003 opening-day audience reported for ‘Project Hail Mary.’ Audience response has remained positive, with ‘Salmokji’ posting a 91% score on CGV’s Egg Index, a rating based on verified viewers. ‘Salmokji’ is now playing in theaters nationwide.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-09 08:54:15 -
Actress Seonu Yongyeo Says Cheongdam-dong Land Bought for 8 Million Won Is Now Worth 10 Billion Won Actress Seonu Yongyeo revisited the site of a home lot she once bought in Seoul’s Cheongdam-dong neighborhood. A video titled “Seonu Yongyeo’s Cheongdam building revealed for the first time, price up 1,000 times in 50 years” was posted Tuesday on the YouTube channel “Sunpung Seonu Yongyeo.” In the video, Seonu said she had lived in an apartment in Banpo before deciding she wanted to live on land and bought a house in Cheongdam-dong. She said the property was a 99-pyeong rectangular lot with a 27-pyeong house, but that her husband sold the entire parcel when the family moved to the United States. The land was purchased in the 1970s for 8 million won, but is now said to be worth about 10 billion won — about 1,250 times higher over roughly half a century. Seonu also recalled an episode from years ago when she tried to buy 2,200 pyeong of land near a court in Gangnam, and spoke about her connection with fellow actor Eom Aengran. “I’m fine. I’m rich,” she said. “My heart is rich, so there’s nothing to envy.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-09 08:39:43 -
Suwon Museum of Art Expands Accessible Viewing for Deaf and Blind Visitors Gyeonggi Province’s Suwon Museum of Art said Thursday it is running exhibition-viewing programs for deaf and visually impaired visitors as it pursues a “barrier-free museum that everyone can enjoy.” The museum has provided sign-language interpretation videos for exhibitions since 2020 and has produced braille leaflets for visually impaired visitors since 2023, it said. For its current collection exhibition, “Blanc Black Panorama,” the museum planned and produced sign-language interpretation videos. Starting this year, it will significantly increase the share of on-screen exhibition explanations in those videos, expanding them so not only deaf visitors but also the general public can follow artwork descriptions more comfortably and intuitively. The videos will be available from April 17 on the museum’s official YouTube channel and Naver TV. In June, the museum plans to offer an on-site sign-language tour for members of the Suwon branch of the Gyeonggi chapter of the Korean Association of the Deaf. For visitors with visual impairments, the museum has prepared audio guides and braille leaflets for use in the galleries. Director Nam Ki-min said the museum will further improve accessibility through a range of content development and facility upgrades aimed at a barrier-free museum for all residents.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-09 08:39:15