Journalist
AJU PRESS Visuals Team
jungu141298@ajupress.com
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Public bike stations close ahead of New Year's Eve bell-ringing ceremony SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) - The Seoul Metropolitan Government will temporarily close 16 public bike rental stations near Bosingak Pavilion from 7 p.m. on December 30 to 8 a.m. on January 1 in preparation for large crowds expected at the New Year's Eve bell-ringing ceremony. The measure aims to ensure public safety and prevent accidents as thousands gather for the traditional event. The bell-ringing ceremony, held at midnight on January 1, marks the end of the year and welcomes the new year with 33 strikes of the Bosingak bell. 2025-12-30 17:55:25 -
Avatar 3 maintains box office lead for 13th consecutive day SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) - "Avatar: Fire and Ash" continued its box office dominance for the 13th straight day, showing strong momentum in its third week of release. According to the Korean Film Council's integrated computer network on December 30, the film attracted 139,110 viewers on December 29 alone, bringing its total audience to 4.175 million. Directed by James Cameron and released in South Korea on December 17 ahead of its global premiere, the film topped the box office from day one. Notably, "Avatar: Fire and Ash" surpassed the 4 million viewer mark in just 10 days, breaking the record previously held by "Zootopia 2" (13 days) for the fastest film to reach this milestone among 2025 releases. With robust advance ticket sales continuing into its third week, the film signals strong prospects for a long theatrical run. 2025-12-30 15:23:46 -
Job security demands shadow S. Korean president's return to Blue House SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - As South Korean President Lee Jae Myung officially commenced duties at Cheong Wa Dae, the celebratory atmosphere was met with immediate domestic pressure as non-regular presidential staff launched a labor protest through the heart of the capital. On Monday morning, members of the Seoul Regional Public Services Branch — a chapter under the powerful Korean Confederation of Trade Unions — convened at Gwanghwamun Square to demand permanent job security guarantees from the incoming administration. Following a press conference, union members began a traditional form of protest involving full-body bows every few steps — traveling from Gwanghwamun Square toward the presidential office. The demonstration highlights a growing rift between the administration’s symbolic return to the historic "Blue House" and the precarious status of the personnel who maintain it. The protesters represent a segment of "non-regular" workers — contractors and temporary staff — who handle essential services within the presidential complex. The march serves as an early litmus test for the Lee Jae Myung administration’s labor policy. During the presidential campaign, Lee emphasized social equity, yet the union claims the current lack of an official employment roadmap contradicts those promises. 2025-12-29 15:31:07 -
PHOTOS: Seoul Illustration Fair highlights growing 'character culture' SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - South Korea’s premier celebration of visual storytelling, the Seoul Illustration Fair, concluded its 11th-anniversary edition on Sunday, drawing tens of thousands to the COEX convention center in Gangnam. The four-day event, which ran from Dec. 25 to 28, featured over 900 artists and more than 1,000 booths. This year’s iteration saw a significant global presence, with approximately 50 international teams joining a diverse roster of domestic creators. As South Korea’s largest illustration event, the fair lived up to its reputation for high demand. Long queues formed hours before the doors opened each morning, with average wait times exceeding 60 minutes during the weekend peak. The exhibition floor was dominated by the "character culture" that has become a staple of South Korean digital communication. Driven by the mainstream popularity of mobile emoticons, over half of the displays featured animal-themed characters and whimsical graphic styles. However, the fair also maintained space for traditional fine arts, showcasing dreamy watercolors and avant-garde conceptual works. Merchandise sales were brisk, with popular artists reporting "sell-outs" of plush toys, keychains, and stationery within the first day. This year’s theme, "Recording is Existence," served as the finale to an annual trilogy of exhibitions. The theme pavilion focused on the visualization of memory and emotion, offering a more introspective contrast to the high-energy marketplace. 2025-12-29 15:14:29 -
Homeless left outdoors in Seoul's deep freeze SEOUL, December 26 (AJP) -A bitter cold settled over Seoul as temperatures fell below zero, pushing the wind chill near minus 17.6 degrees Celsius (0.3 degrees Fahrenheit). Beneath Seoul Station, some homeless people lay on the floor wrapped in cardboard and thin sleeping bags, sheltering under fluorescent lights that never go out. Outside, they huddle inside fragile tents as Arctic air cuts through. The city issued its first freeze warning of the winter and activated round-the-clock monitoring, as forecasters said the cold wave would persist through the weekend. As trains came and went above ground, winter tightened its hold — quiet, relentless, and unevenly felt. 2025-12-26 14:04:50 -
Cold wave grips South Korea SEOUL, December 26 (AJP) - Bitter Artic air gripped South Korea Friday, sending temperatures in Seoul and elsewhere well below freezing and triggering widespread weather alerts. The mercury fell to as low as minus 17.6 degrees Celsius (0.3 degrees Fahrenheit) as of 5 a.m. and will stay subzero for most of the day. 2025-12-26 11:26:53 -
PHOTOS: As Christmas arrives, trees light up a fractured world SEOUL, December 24 (AJP) - As Christmas Day arrives, trees are lit across the world. It is a season that calls, however quietly, for peace and harmony — regardless of heartbreak, loss, grievance or conflict — as people mark the birth of Christ in their own idiosyncratic ways. In Rockefeller Center, the annual tree lighting took place on Dec. 3, as it does every year. Thousands of LED lights pierced the Manhattan night, drawing cheers from gathered crowds. But the ritual is far from uniquely American. On Red Square, in front of the historic GUM department store, a lavishly decorated tree stands tall. Russia marks Christmas on Jan. 7 under the Orthodox Julian calendar, yet the festive mood is already in full swing ahead of New Year's Eve on Dec. 31. In downtown Kyiv, an illuminated tree also rises — this year for the third consecutive winter of war following Russia's invasion. 2025 marks another cold season under fire. Yet this year, Ukraine has chosen to officially celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25, aligning with the Western calendar. Even amid sirens and uncertainty, people gathered beneath the lights. Across Europe, similar scenes unfolded. In Old Town Square, visitors browsed Christmas markets on the fourth Sunday of Advent. In Skopje's main square in North Macedonia, families watched a New Year's — and Christmas — tree lighting ceremony. For those observing the Orthodox calendar, the tree remains a symbol of community and continuity. In Lebanon's northern town of Zgharta, a 22-meter-high tree wrapped in 4,500 meters of lights was unveiled on Dec. 6, accompanied by fireworks. Amid tensions across the Middle East, people still came together to switch on the lights. Similar scenes appeared in Krakow's Main Market Square, Vilnius, and Athens' Syntagma Square. Germany's city of Dortmund erected a 45-meter-high tree — one of the tallest in the world. In Nantes, France, crowds gathered around a carousel-shaped tree. Across the Atlantic, Mexico City's Zócalo hosted a sprawling light festival that transformed the historic square. The year 2025 has not been an easy one. Conflicts endured, economies strained, and many lives were weighed down by hardship. Yet when Christmas came, trees went up — in city squares and town centers, across cultures, calendars and borders. Beneath the branches, faces softened into smiles. Under warm lights, even on the coldest winter nights, people stood together. As 2026 approaches, the glow of Christmas trees offers a quiet wish: for more light than darkness, more warmth than fear, and more peace than division. May conflicts find resolution, burdens ease, and laughter return more often. At this moment, in cities across the world, the glowing trees cast their magical spell of hope. 2025-12-24 15:55:22 -
Santa buses return to Busan streets SEOUL, December 23 (AJP) - Santa-themed buses, once a beloved winter tradition in Busan but suspended due to fire and safety concerns, are making a comeback. The Busan Bus Transport Business Association announced Sunday that 10 Santa buses will operate from December 22 through mid-January 2026, reviving the popular seasonal service that had captured citizens' hearts. 2025-12-23 17:20:56 -
President returns to Blue House SEOUL, December 23 (AJP) - The era of the Yongsan presidential office has come to an end after just 3 years and 7 months, with the president returning to the Blue House. President Lee Jae Myung is expected to begin official work at the presidential office around December 28. However, the presidential residence will not be ready until early next year due to ongoing construction work. 2025-12-23 17:20:01 -
South Korea's priciest land for 23rd year SEOUL, December 19 (AJP) - A prime commercial plot in Seoul’s iconic Myeong-dong shopping district has been named South Korea’s most expensive piece of land for the 23rd consecutive year. The 169-square-meter site, currently occupied by a Nature Republic flagship store, saw its officially appraised value for 2026 set at 188.4 million won ($145,000) per square meter. This represents a 4.4 percent increase from the 2025 valuation. The plot has held the top spot in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's annual rankings since 2004. Trailing closely behind the Nature Republic site is a 392-square-meter plot occupied by Woori Bank’s Myeong-dong branch, which ranked second with a 2026 valuation of 187.6 million won per square meter. 2025-12-19 16:20:28