Journalist

한준구
AJU PRESS Visuals Team
  • Spring gives way to early summer heat
    Spring gives way to early summer heat SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - This year's spring, which had only just begun, has suddenly disappeared, giving way to early summer heat this week, with daily highs hovering above 20 degrees Celsius nationwide. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), temperatures in most parts of Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area soared to 27 degrees Celsius on Thursday, marking one of the warmest levels recorded for April. The unusually high temperatures, compared with seasonal averages, are expected to last through this weekend. 2026-04-16 17:30:42
  • Remembering Sewol classmates, the silence still speaks 12 years later
    Remembering Sewol classmates, the silence still speaks 12 years later SEOUL, April 15 (AJP) -Desks remain as they were—names etched in pencil, jackets draped over chairs, notebooks opened mid-sentence. Time, here, does not move forward. It pauses, deliberately, asking each visitor to look closer. There are shoes that never made it home, ID cards that still carry smiling faces, and letters that were never meant to be final. Each object resists abstraction. This is not a number, not a headline, but 250 students and 11 teachers whose ordinary morning never found its way back. Visitors walk slowly. Some bow their heads. Others reach out, not to touch, but to feel the distance between then and now. The yellow ribbons—faded but persistent—tie grief to responsibility. The Memorial Classroom is not only about remembrance. It is an insistence. That safety is not an afterthought. That systems must answer for failure. That survival is not left to chance, nor to courage alone. The lesson is quiet, but it does not soften. Nothing here asks to be forgotten. 2026-04-16 07:26:35
  • Seoul spring festival turns Han river into a theme park
    Seoul spring festival turns Han river into a theme park SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - Seoul's signature spring festival, the "Seoul Spring Festival," has transformed the Han River into a vibrant cultural hub. Running from April 10 to May 5, the iconic seasonal festival is Seoul's premier culture and tourism event that offers visitors trendy experiences involving K-Beauty, K-Fashion, K-Pop, K-Food, and K-Art all in one place. This year's festival takes place along the Han River, featuring diverse programs including a drone light show, the Wonder Show, a large-scale performance combining traditional Korean music, classical music, dance, and K-pop, a Han River carousel, Han River swings installed on building rooftops, and water playgrounds. 2026-04-14 17:32:28
  • Nobel laureates greet visitors at downtown Seoul bookstore
    Nobel laureates greet visitors at downtown Seoul bookstore SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - Portraits of Nobel Prize laureates line the Sejong-ro entrance corridor at Kyobo Book Centre in Gwanghwamun, offering passersby a glimpse of history's greatest minds. Among the portraits displayed are novelist Han Kang, who won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature, and Kim Dae-jung, South Korea's 15th president and recipient of the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize. The exhibition brings the achievements of Nobel laureates into the heart of the city, making their legacies accessible to daily visitors of one of Seoul's most prominent bookstores. 2026-04-14 13:57:36
  • Soaring fuel costs squeeze fishermen amid prolong Middle East crisis
    Soaring fuel costs squeeze fishermen amid prolong Middle East crisis INCHEON, April 13 (AJP) - South Korea's average diesel price soared to 1,986 won (about US$1.34) on Monday amid the prolonged conflict in the Middle East. Diesel for fishing trawlers now costs around 280,000 won per drum (or 200 liters), up about 60 percent from a month earlier, adding to the financial burden on fishermen. 2026-04-13 17:59:56
  • South Korea gears up for local elections
    South Korea gears up for local elections SUWON, April 13 (AJP) - With just two months left until local elections, large banners have begun appearing across the country, urging voters to cast their ballots. This year's local elections to elect about 4,000 metropolitan mayors, provincial governors and other heads of local governments nationwide are slated for June 3. 2026-04-13 17:49:54
  • Statue honoring wartime sex slavery victims accessible without barricade on Wednesdays
    Statue honoring wartime sex slavery victims accessible without barricade on Wednesdays SEOUL, April 10 (AJP) - A barricade that prevented people from approaching a statue honoring the victims of sexual enslavement during World War II in central Seoul was removed last Wednesday. The statue of an unsmiling girl symbolizing former sex slaves forced to serve Japanese soldiers during the war stands in front of the Japanese Embassy, where victims and their supporters have held protests every Wednesday for decades. It was the first time in about six years that the barricade installed for safety concerns was removed, as police decided to do so during the protesters' gathering hours. Marking the 1,000th weekly protest, the statue was first erected on Dec. 14, 2011, with more statues set up in South Korea and overseas including the one in Glendale, California to spread awareness of Japan's wartime atrocities. 2026-04-10 14:26:17
  • Stars of The Devil Wears Prada arrive in Seoul to promote sequel
    Stars of 'The Devil Wears Prada' arrive in Seoul to promote sequel SEOUL, April 8 (AJP) - Hollywood stars Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway attended a red carpet event to meet South Korean fans in central Seoul on Wednesday, just weeks ahead of the release of their upcoming film. Their visit to Seoul comes as the sequel to their 2006 hit "The Devil Wears Prada" is scheduled for release on April 29. The sequel reunites the original cast in new roles, as they face new challenges and evolving careers in the fashion industry. It remains to be seen whether the much-anticipated global hit, arriving nearly two decades later, will captivate South Korean moviegoers. 2026-04-08 17:52:12
  • Motorists required to leave their cars once a week as part of energy-saving efforts
    Motorists required to leave their cars once a week as part of energy-saving efforts SEOUL, April 8 (AJP) - Starting from Wednesday, motorists are required to leave their cars at home once a week, depending on the last digit of their license plates, as they are unable to use public parking on certain days. The measure is part of energy-saving efforts amid the prolonged conflict in the Middle East, which has caused global energy supply disruptions as well as soaring fuel prices. Civil servants and staff at public institutions, who have been subject to a similar measure since March 25, are now required to commute by public transportation every other day. But to minimize disruption to daily life, exemptions will be granted in about 30 areas near open-air farmers' markets, major commercial districts, and residential zones. 2026-04-08 17:28:47
  • I tried outdoor yoga — it was freezing, but strangely refreshing
    I tried outdoor yoga — it was freezing, but strangely refreshing SEOUL, April 07 (AJP) - The latest global trend to land in a traditional Korean setting — after BTS turned Gwanghwamun into a stage — is yoga. I had imagined something serene: quiet breathing, sun-drenched calm, flowers in bloom, and that cinematic kind of spring healing. So I signed up for an outdoor yoga session at Namsangol Hanok Village in downtown Seoul on Tuesday morning. Instead, I got windburn. A stubborn cold snap had dragged temperatures close to freezing, and a sharp gust cut through the courtyard, slapping faces and seeping straight through the mat. Within minutes, my fingers were stiff, my shoulders tense, and my optimism fading. Turnout reflected the weather. Only about 30 people showed up for “Seoul Yoga Connect 2026,” an annual event hosted by the Indian Embassy’s Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC) ahead of the International Day of Yoga on June 21. Still, we began. I wobbled into a cross-legged pose, palms facing upward on my knees, softly chanting “ah” to mark the start. The idea was calm. The reality was trying not to shiver. We leaned forward to stretch our backs and hamstrings, then stood to sway side to side, loosening stiff bodies under the pale morning sun. Lying flat on my back was the real test — the cold from the ground hit instantly. We moved through poses: bending legs, lifting hips toward the sky, then curling up to hold both legs while raising the chest. The instructor’s voice stayed calm and measured. My internal dialogue did not. The session, which began at 10:30 a.m., followed brief opening remarks and rolled into three consecutive classes led by instructors from SVCC, Viveka Yoga and the Korea Yoga Association. Gradually, something shifted. Breathing steadied. The wind, while still biting, felt less intrusive. Some participants closed their eyes as sunlight filled the courtyard, settling into a rhythm that seemed to ignore the temperature altogether. “Yoga is beneficial not only physically, but also mentally, spiritually and emotionally,” said Ashish Singh, an SVCC instructor. “It is not limited to posture or physical exercise. Yoga is a journey toward self-realization.” He explained that the focus on breathing helps guide participants toward a meditative state — the ultimate goal. For some, that journey has been long underway. “It has been almost 20 years since I started yoga,” said Moon Yeon-kyung, 62, who attends classes at the Indian Cultural Centre. “It is not just exercise. Yoga is special because it trains both the body and the mind.” “It has helped loosen tight muscles and clear my mind,” she added. By the end, I was still cold — but oddly refreshed. The United Nations adopted the International Day of Yoga in 2015 to recognize its benefits for physical and mental well-being. Since then, it has been marked worldwide with mass sessions and cultural programs. In South Korea, this year’s celebrations will begin on Jeju Island on June 7, followed by Busan on June 13 and Chuncheon on June 27. 2026-04-07 17:02:58