AJU PRESS - ASIA NEWS HUB

Journalist

Abraham Kwak khs@ajunews.com

North Korea 'embraces nascent mobile payment services' SEOUL, August 8 (AJP) - North Korea appears to have embraced nascent mobile payment and digital wallet services. More and more North Koreans are making payments using mobile phones, with cash transactions "becoming increasingly rare," the Choson Sinbo, a mouthpiece for Pyongyang in Japan, reported on Thursday. According to the daily published by the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan or Chongryon, residents in Pyongyang are now able to use their mobile devices to pay at restaurants, stores, and on public transportation, and can also preload money to settle phone bills and other expenses. In a similar development, an online-only bank like South Korea's Kakao Bank and K-Bank, was reportedly launched in October last year. These new trends come after the isolated country seems no longer able to control the widespread use of smartphones, while the outside world is rapidly changing in the era of artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies. However, some suggest that the rise of mobile payments in lieu of cash may actually help the regime tighten its control, given that online transactions are easily traceable. 2025-08-08 14:42:47
[[K-Culture]] Hanbok Expo weaves tradition into four seasons SEOUL, August 7 (AJP) - The vibrant energy of South Korea's four seasons came to life through hanbok, the country's traditional clothing. The 2025 Hanbok Expo, a four-day expo launched on Thursday at COEX in southern Seoul, featured a fashion show that highlighted the elegance of the country's traditional attire through seasonal fabrics. Professor Shim Yeon-ok of the Korea National University of Cultural Heritage, who directed the fashion show, said that the fashion show was designed to restore the seasonal beauty embedded in South Korea's traditional fabrics. The fashion show followed the natural cycle of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, with each section highlighting distinct fabrics, colors, and textures associated with the season. Models walked one by one along a white runway, each wearing hanbok designed to reflect the character of the season. The Spring section featured translucent fabrics like myeongju (silk tabby), saengmyeongju (raw silk tabby), hangra (ribbed gauze), guksa, and sukgosa (patterned simple gauze). With pastel tones and light-permeable materials, the designs conveyed the freshness of spring, embodying youthful beginnings, anticipation, and excitement. While maintaining the traditional structure of hanbok, the collection used harmonious color schemes and thoughtful fabric combinations to enhance the season's refreshing ambiance. The Summer section showcased hanbok with enhanced breathability and lightness through traditional fabrics such as mosi (ramie), sambe (hemp), eunjosa (plain gauze), saenggosa, and other munsa (patterned simple gauze), all known for their cooling properties. The garments were mostly created in light, single-layer formats, ideal for hot weather. The collection captured the freedom and vitality of summer, offering both comfort and layered beauty. The Autumn section of the fashion show embodied abundance and tranquility, using luxurious silks like jinjusa, sukgosa, jamisa, and gapsa in deep hues such as indigo and burgundy. Reflecting the spirit of Chuseok, the country's Thanksgiving, the collection included children’s hanbok worn for festive occasions. Colorful saekdong jeogori (striped jackets), kkachi durumagi (magpie overcoats), and richly patterned textiles expressed the richness of the season. Reconstructed garments based on historical artifacts were presented in subdued tones to enhance the calm and elegant mood of autumn. The Winter section captured the deep, serene spirit of the cold season, presenting garments that embodied both warmth and dignity. Traditional winter fabrics such as neung (twill), dan (satin), yangdan (two-colored damask on satin), and jikgeum (weaves with supplementary golden wefts) were dyed in rich seasonal tones. Additional warmth was provided through fur linings and quilted garments filled with cotton. The finale of the fashion show featured reenactments of historical garments, including a reproduction of a Joseon-era general's bangmyeongpo and a jeogori (short jacket) excavated in Yongin's Yeongdeok-dong, Gyeonggi Province, worn by actors Jung Il-woo and Kwon Yu-ri, drawing enthusiastic applause from the crowd. Among the visitors was Lee Seo-hyun, a woman in her twenties who traveled from Sokcho, Gangwon Province, dressed in hanbok. "I also came last year," she said. "Since then, I've continued attending hanbok-related events and even bought my first daily hanbok from a brand called Daraewon here." Ina from Germany, who was browsing booths at the event with her baby and a friend, said, "I like to wear modern hanbok. I'd love to stay and look around longer." Beyond the runway, the exhibition featured booths showcasing workwear, lifestyle hanbok, and accessories, modern interpretations that all draw from the enduring legacy of traditional hanbok. 2025-08-07 19:28:50
South Korea to allow visa-free entry for Chinese tourists starting next month SEOUL, August 6 (AJP) - Chinese tour groups will be able to enter South Korea without visas as early as late next month. As part of efforts to boost the tourism industry, the visa-waiver program, which follows China's similar move in November last year, was decided during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok at the government complex in Seoul on Wednesday. The program, which allows short-term visa-free entry for Chinese travelers, is set to take effect on Sept. 29 and will run through June next year. "Once implemented, we expect the program to attract more tourists and help boost domestic consumption," said a government official. South Korea will also ease and expand its current fast-track entry program, which expedites immigration procedures at airports, to include more foreigners and businesspeople attending large-scale international conferences and other events. 2025-08-06 16:38:31
[[K-Film]] Actor Lee Byung-hun among recipients of special award at Toronto film fest SEOUL, August 6 (AJP) - Actor Lee Byung-hun will receive an award at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), which is scheduled to take place in Canada next month. According to organizers of the annual festival, Lee has been chosen as one of the recipients of the Tribute Award, which honors those who have made "outstanding contributions to cinema," along with Mexican-born filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, versatile Japanese writer and producer Mitsuyo Miyazaki, also known as Hikari, and Hollywood actress Jodie Foster. Hailing Lee as a "global sensation," TIFF said Lee "has achieved massive success across film and television in both South Korea and Hollywood," with global hits like "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" (2009) and "Terminator Genisys" (2015). The award will be presented to Lee at a gala event during this year's TIFF, which kicks off its 10-day run on Sept. 4. 2025-08-06 14:11:05
Lee invites former presidents to large-scale inauguration celebration next week SEOUL, August 5 (AJP) - Ex-presidents will be among attendees to a large-scale event in celebration of the inauguration of President Lee Jae-myung, to be held in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul next week, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said on Tuesday. Coinciding the 80th anniversary of the Aug. 15 Liberation Day, the event comes about two months after Lee took office with a low-key ceremony on June 4. Lee had no time to spare for a full transition period as he was elected through a snap election to replace former disgraced President Yoon Suk Yeol who was impeached over his botched Dec. 3 declaration of martial law last year. During a press briefing, Kang said, "Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs Woo Sang-ho is set to deliver invitation letters to guests including former President Moon Jae-in and his wife, as well as former first lady Kwon Yang-sook, the widow of the late President Roh Moo-hyun." Invitations will also be sent to other former presidents and their widows, but Yoon and his wife Kim Keon Hee were excluded as they are currently under investigation over a slew of allegations. The move is part of Lee's efforts to promote national unity through "respect for former presidents and their spouses," according to Kang. Roughly 10,000 citizens including independence fighters against Japanese colonial rule, patriots, war veterans, and residents of the northernmost border town of Goseong in Gangwon Province, will also be invited to the event. 2025-08-05 16:35:26
[[K-Film]] Park Chan-wook's new thriller to open Busan film fest next month SEOUL, August 4 (AJP) - Award-winning director Park Chan-wook's latest film will open this year's Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), which is slated to be held in the southern port city next month. According to organizers of the annual film fest on Monday, "No Other Choice" starring Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin has been chosen as the curtain-raiser for BIFF, which kicks off its 10-day run on Sept. 17, with Lee set to host the festival's opening ceremony. The thriller, based on American writer Donald E. Westlake's novel "The Ax," revolves around a man who believes he has achieved everything in life until he is suddenly laid off and struggles to find a new job to support his family. Park's 12th feature has also been invited to compete at this year's Venice International Film Festival, which runs from Aug. 27 to Sept. 9. Meanwhile, more than 240 films will be screened during BIFF, which marks its 30th anniversary this year, with around 14 films competing for the best Asian film award. The top prize winner will bring the festival to a close on Sept. 26. 2025-08-04 16:56:44
Soundtrack for K-pop anime reclaims No. 2 spot on Billboard 200 albums chart SEOUL, August 4 (AJP) - The soundtrack for Netflix's hit animated film "KPop Demon Hunters" has climbed to No. 2 again on the Billboard 200 albums chart for this week, the American music chart said Sunday. The album, which was released on June 20, rose one spot from the previous week to return to its earlier peak on the chart after spending about six weeks in the top five since its debut at No. 8. The 12-track album, which includes hit songs like "Golden," "Soda Pop" and "Take Down" was made for the 100-minute film directed by Korean Canadian Maggie Kang, who wanted to create a story rooted in her Korean background and heritage by blending traditional mythology with K-pop. Also in the top 10 was K-pop boy band Tomorrow X Together (TXT)'s latest album, "The Star Chapter: Together," which debuted at No. 3, their seventh top-10 entry. 2025-08-04 11:22:07
[[K-Pop]] IVE to drop new album late this month SEOUL, August 1 (AJP) - K-pop girl group IVE will release a new album later this month, their agency Starship Entertainment said Friday. Slated for release on Aug. 25, the album, dubbed "IVE Secret," is expected to feature songs with summer vibes, although no details have been disclosed. To create buzz ahead of its release, a teaser poster was also unveiled, featuring six members holding various props such as a tumbler, an animal-shaped object, and a toy gun, piquing curiosity about the album. The upcoming album comes in about six months since their latest album "IVE Empathy," which came out in February. All five of their previous albums have sold over a million copies each. Meanwhile, the sextet will perform at a concert in Los Angeles later this week, which is part of an annual K-pop event that tours worldwide. 2025-08-01 16:26:58
All tours suspended as Cheong Wa Dae undergoes renovation ahead of Lee's move-in SEOUL, August 1 (AJP) - Public access to the former presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul was halted on Friday as renovation work begins ahead of President Lee Jae-myung's move-in to the compound. Lee, who took office in early June in the wake of the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched Dec. 3 declaration of martial law, was unable to immediately use the compound due to the need to enhance security and overhaul facilities and has been temporarily working at his predecessor's office in Yongsan. The massive construction work is expected to take several months and be completed by the end of this year at the earliest, with visits and other tour programs remaining suspended during the period. Ahead of Friday's complete closure, public access had already been limited since mid-July, allowing only those with bookings to look around outdoor areas, which prompted many to flock there, leading to a surge in the number of visitors. Once complete, a partial reopening is up in the air, with no concrete details decided yet. Nestled in the sylvan foothills of Mt. Bukak and surrounded by splendid gardens, the palatial compound was often seen as a symbol of excessive presidential power, with its secluded location creating the impression that presidents were distant from the public both physically and in other ways. That led Yoon to open the compound to the public on his first day in office and to hastily relocate his office to a nondescript government building in Yongsan in May 2022. 2025-08-01 15:51:15
Seoul sees record number of sleepless nights in July SEOUL, July 31 (AJP) - With unbearable, scorching heat showing no sign of abating, Seoul saw a record number of tropical nights this summer, when the mercury refuses to fall below 25 degrees Celsius after dark. Tropical nights in Seoul have persisted for 22 days this month, the longest stretch of sleepless nights for July since weather observations began in 1908, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said Thursday. The previous record was 21 days set in July 1994. Seoul is not alone in enduring hot temperatures, as a heat wave warning or advisory has also been issued for most parts of the country, with daytime highs hovering between 31 and 37 degrees Celsius almost every day, causing heat-related casualties. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), nearly 2,800 people have been taken to emergency rooms nationwide with heatstroke, dehydration, or exhaustion since mid-May. Among them, 13 patients have died, more than triple the number recorded during the same period last year. 2025-07-31 17:10:07