Journalist
Han Jun-gu, Kim Dong-young
jungu141298@ajupress.com
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Historic map featuring Dokdo islets to be auctioned next week SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) - Daedongyeojido, a map of the Korean Peninsula, that includes South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo as part of its territory, is slated to go on auction in Seoul next week. According to Seoul Auction in southern Seoul, the hand-colored copy of the map created by famed geographer Kim Jeong-ho will be put up for auction next Thursday, along with about 145 works spanning modern and traditional Korean art, with a combined estimated value of about 10.3 billion won. Divided into 22 foldable sections for portability, the map, known for its detailed depiction of geography, measures roughly 3.9 meters in width and 6.85 meters in length when fully unfolded. "The map has scholarly significance because it includes the islets," said a Seoul Auction staffer, adding that it is historically valuable amid Japan's repeated claims of sovereignty over Dokdo. 2026-05-22 17:45:38 -
Blue zones and EVs: PUBG takes over Seongsu SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) -Seoul’s hip Seongsu district has turned into a real-world battleground — minus the gunfire, but with plenty of blue zones, laser combat and electric vehicles. To mark the eighth anniversary of PUBG Mobile, South Korean game publisher Krafton and Kia launched “Area 8,” an immersive pop-up event stretching across “PUBG Seongsu” and “Kia Unplugged Ground” through May 25. The collaboration transforms parts of Seongsu into a playable extension of the game world, blending PUBG’s survival mechanics with Kia’s EV lineup. At PUBG Seongsu, visitors are greeted by a giant blue-zone air dome modeled after the shrinking combat field familiar to PUBG players. Inside, blue ball pits, obstacle challenges and themed photo zones recreate the tension and chaos of surviving late into a match. Scattered throughout the venue are PUBG props and displays featuring the Kia EV4, turning the electric vehicle into part of the game environment rather than a showroom centerpiece. Nearby at Kia Unplugged Ground, the experience follows the rhythm of a PUBG round itself — landing, looting and combat. Visitors race EV4 RC cars through miniature courses and participate in team laser battles inspired by the game’s firefights, while staff dressed as PUBG’s iconic “Helmet Guy” guide players through missions and activities. The event also turns Seongsu itself into part of the gameplay. A stamp tour linking PUBG Seongsu and Kia Unplugged Ground encourages visitors to move between venues, effectively expanding “Area 8” beyond the walls of the installations and into the neighborhood’s streets and cafes. Rather than presenting cars as static products, Kia’s Kia EV3 and EV4 appear as interactive objects embedded inside PUBG’s universe — part marketing showcase, part urban game map. Staff dressed as PUBG’s iconic “Helmet Guy” character guide visitors through the venues, while Kia EV3 and EV4 models are presented as in-game style objects rather than traditional showroom displays. Visitors can also participate in a stamp tour linking PUBG Seongsu and Kia Unplugged Ground, turning the wider Seongsu area into an extension of the “Area 8” game world. 2026-05-22 16:49:16 -
AWS' annual tech expo in Seoul showcases agentic AI, robotics innovations SEOUL, May 20 (AJP) - The annual tech expo hosted by Amazon Web Services (AWS) kicked off at COEX in southern Seoul on Wednesday, offering a space to experience the latest agentic artificial intelligence (AI) and physical AI technologies. The two-day AWS Summit Seoul brought together companies from various industries including beauty, media, manufacturing, security and robotics, showcasing their AI solutions, drawing more than 50,000 pre-registrations and about 6,000 on-site attendees. Among the highlights are diverse attractions and hands-on experiences including autonomous delivery robots that transport goods on demand, quadruped robots, gripper robots that autonomously recognize and sort types of waste, and AI-powered skin diagnostics. 2026-05-20 17:40:04 -
Digital hermitage exhibition opens at Seoul's Oil tank culture park SEOUL, May 19 (AJP) - A digital exhibition of Russia's Hermitage Museum, considered one of the world's three greatest museums, is being held at the Oil Tank Culture Park in Sangam, Mapo-gu, Seoul. On Monday, May 18, diplomatic envoys from 31 countries, including Russia, visited the exhibition featuring majestic masterpieces created over centuries. Russian Ambassador to South Korea Georgy Zinoviev emphasized, "What I want to stress is that this project is the first attempt in the history of the Hermitage Museum and the first digital exhibition held overseas." About 30 representative masterpieces selected by the Hermitage have been digitally reborn through cutting-edge technology, marking a significant milestone as the first case combining a world-class museum's curation with digital technology. The exhibition employs ultra-precise scanning technology used in the aerospace industry. The digital works faithfully reproduce the original's materiality and three-dimensionality by precisely implementing brushstrokes, canvas texture, and even color layers. 2026-05-19 18:02:06 -
K-Art: Contemporary art in display at SETEC SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) -The '5th Seoul Art Fair (SAF),' diagnosing the present and envisioning the future of Korean contemporary art, opened at SETEC in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The event features 160 gallery and individual exhibition booths with approximately 1,200 artists participating. Beyond a simple exhibition, it presents a new type of art market based on a clear direction of being 'artist-centered.' This year, artists from China, France, Germany, Japan, and other countries have joined to showcase diverse artworks, and a 'K-Art' exhibition promoting the globalization of Korean art is also being held. Visitors can directly communicate with artists, exchange information, and purchase desired works. The fair runs for four days from Thursday, May 14 through Sunday, May 17 at SETEC near Hakdong Station in Daechi-dong, Seoul. 2026-05-16 12:03:08 -
Largest media expo underway in southern Seoul SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - The Korea International Broadcasting, Media, Audio & Lighting Show (KOBA), which kicked off on Wednesday, runs until Friday. Under the theme of "The AI-Awakened Media Era: Content Connects, Creation Evolves, Convergence Opens," the four-day expo reflects the rapid spread of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven technologies in the broadcasting and media industry, such as OpenAI's "Sora," Google's "Veo" and Meta's "Emu Video." About 220 domestic and international companies are participating, setting up about 1,000 booths. Organizers expect more than 40,000 visitors. Major Korean broadcasters and global equipment manufacturers, including Blackmagic Design, Canon, Nikon Imaging Korea, Panasonic and Sony are among the participants. 2026-05-14 16:52:35 -
Clean protest rolls through Seoul as climate activists bicycle to National Assembly SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - Civic group members staged a bicycle protest on Tuesday urging the National Assembly to promptly revise the Carbon Neutrality Act. The Climate Constitutional Petition Group held a press conference in front of the Constitutional Court in Seoul announcing a 'Climate Bicycle March from the Constitutional Court to the National Assembly' before beginning the march. In August 2024, the Constitutional Court ruled that the Carbon Neutrality Act violated the principle against insufficient protection by failing to include specific carbon reduction plans for 2031~2049, ordering the National Assembly to revise it by February 2026. However, the National Assembly has still not completed the revision despite exceeding the deadline. Civic groups criticized the National Assembly for prioritizing political logic over protecting citizens' basic rights, urging prompt implementation of revisions in line with the Constitutional Court's decision. 2026-05-13 17:16:17 -
Arnault family tours Seoul luxury landmarks as Korea cements status as key LVMH market SEOUL, May 12 (AJP) -Bernard Arnault, chairman of luxury conglomerate LVMH, toured South Korea’s leading department stores Monday in his first visit to the country in three years, underscoring Korea’s growing importance to the global luxury industry even as demand slows elsewhere. The billionaire chairman began his Seoul itinerary at Shinsegae Department Store Main Branch, where he briefly spoke with executives and Louis Vuitton officials before entering “The Reserve,” home to “Louis Vuitton Visionary Journey Seoul,” the brand’s largest such space worldwide. Accompanying him was Delphine Arnault, daughter of Bernard Arnault and chief executive of Christian Dior, along with other senior LVMH executives. The delegation later toured Lotte Department Store Main Branch, Lotte Department Store Jamsil Branch and Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam Branch, inspecting flagship boutiques including Louis Vuitton, Dior, Loro Piana and Bulgari. Industry observers viewed the trip as a high-level inspection of one of the world’s most resilient luxury markets. South Korea has emerged as a crucial growth driver for global luxury houses, powered by younger consumers and strong spending among affluent Gen Z and millennial shoppers despite a broader slowdown in China and other major markets. 2026-05-12 15:08:14 -
Nami Island turns into an island of fairytales SEOUL, May 11 (AJP) -Under canopies of fresh spring leaves and tree-lined paths washed in soft May sunlight, families wandered through Nami Island this weekend as the 2026 Nami Island International Children’s Book Festival transformed the popular riverside retreat into a sprawling storybook playground. Held under the theme “Romance,” NAMBOOK 2026 opened on May 1 and runs through May 17, blending literature, art and performance across the island’s open-air stages and wooded walkways. The 17-day festival has drawn children clutching picture books, parents pushing strollers and young readers sprawled across lawns with books in hand. At the Eco Stage and Free Stage, the rhythmic sounds of percussion troupe Mulove echoed through the island as children gathered around performers, some swaying to the music while others sat cross-legged on the grass. Nearby, children’s choirs filled the spring air with songs as visitors paused beneath towering metasequoia trees to watch. Inside the UNICEF Lounge, pages of world literature came alive during multilingual reading sessions featuring illustrated books from around the globe. Children listened intently as presenters introduced stories from different cultures before joining hands-on activities inspired by the readings. At the Daloreum Art Playground, one of the festival’s busiest corners, children crowded around a massive community banner for the “Draw a Face—Together, We Connect” program, carefully sketching self-portraits into blank oval spaces. The growing collage of colorful faces stretched across the canvas like a collective portrait of the festival itself. Elsewhere, mime artists entertained passersby along winding footpaths while outdoor reading spaces offered quieter moments away from the crowds. Children leafed through books beneath the shade of trees as ferry arrivals continued to bring waves of visitors onto the island throughout the day. The Nami Book Fair, titled “Some Bookstore,” also featured domestic and overseas publishers showcasing illustrated children’s books, independent titles and art publications, adding to the festival’s atmosphere of literary exploration. Already one of South Korea’s most popular family spring destinations, Nami Island takes on a particularly festive atmosphere during NAMBOOK, where literature blends with performance, nature and play. Admission to the festival is included with regular island entry, while most programs remain free for visitors. 2026-05-11 17:08:48 -
Flower market bustles with shoppers on Parents' day SEOUL, May 08 (AJP) -In South Korea, spring does not fully arrive until the carnations appear. Every year on May 8, families across the country celebrate Parents' Day, a national observance dedicated to honoring both mothers and fathers. Streets fill with bouquets wrapped in pink paper, flower stalls spill over with red carnations, and schoolchildren clutch handmade pins and handwritten letters on their way home. The carnation has become the defining symbol of the holiday — a flower associated with gratitude, sacrifice and respect. Red carnations are traditionally given to living parents. The tradition reflects South Korea’s deep-rooted Confucian culture, where filial duty remains one of society’s strongest values even as family structures rapidly change. Unlike many Western countries that separate Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, South Korea merged the celebrations into one holiday in the 1970s to emphasize family unity. In the days leading up to May 8, flower markets in Seoul become some of the busiest corners of the city. Vendors work through the night assembling corsages and bouquets as office workers and students rush to buy gifts before trains and highways fill with holiday travelers heading to their hometowns. 2026-05-08 15:55:49