Four more South Koreans evacuated from Iran amid escalating conflict with Israel SEOUL, June 20 (AJP) - Four more South Koreans were evacuated from Iran to neighboring Turkmenistan amid a deadly conflict in the Middle East, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday. They joined about 30 other evacuees including their Iranian family members, who had arrived in the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat via a land route the previous day, with transportation assistance and consular support provided by South Korean diplomatic missions there. "With Iranian airspace closed due to escalating military tensions, the government facilitated overland evacuations for South Koreans to ensure their safety," the ministry explained. According to government authorities, around 25 South Koreans have also been evacuated from Israel to Jordan, as tens of thousands of foreign nationals are rushing to flee the region after Israel's surprise attack on Iran last week, which has led to retaliatory strikes and intensified airstrikes. About 100 South Koreans are estimated to reside in Iran, mostly in the capital area of Tehran, while around 500 live in Israel. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump is contemplating whether to strike Iran's nuclear facilities. In a statement read aloud by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, he said he would make a decision "in the next two weeks," adding, "There's a substantial chance of negotiation that may or may not take place with Iran." Iran has vowed to retaliate if the U.S. decides to strike. 2025-06-20 11:07:19

Number of single-person households continues to grow SEOUL, June 19 (AJP) - An increasing number of South Koreans are opting to live alone. According to a report released by Statistics Korea on Thursday, the number of single-person households surpassed 8 million last year, up a whopping 616,000 households from a year ago. Those who live alone are increasingly likely to be employed, with some 5.1 million having jobs, up 426,000 from the previous year. By area, Gyeonggi Province had the highest number of employed single-person households at 1.23 million, followed by Seoul with about 1.06 million and South Gyeongsang Province with 312,000. Among single wage earners, 31.9 percent earned between 2 million won and 3 million won per month (US$1,450 to $2,200), while 25.3 percent made between 3-4 million won and 2.1 percent more than 4 million won. Meanwhile, the number of dual-income households stood at 6.09 million, accounting for nearly half of all married households or 48 percent, a slight decrease from the previous year. The proportion of dual-income couples was largest among married households in their 30s at 61.5 percent, followed by 40-somethings at 59.2 percent. 2025-06-19 17:27:39

North Korea to resume int'l film festival this fall after pandemic hiatus SEOUL, June 19 (AJP) - North Korea is expected to resume its only international film festival this fall after a six-year hiatus, amid signs that the isolated country is gradually reopening its borders to the outside world. The Pyongyang International Film Festival (PIFF) will kick off its week-long run on Oct. 22, organizers said on Thursday. Launched in 1987 and held every two to three years, the festival became an annual event in 2018 but was suspended indefinitely after its last one in 2019 due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. The resumption of the festival comes after the Pyongyang International Marathon was held in April for the first time in six years, drawing over 500 participants including 200 foreign runners. The country is also reportedly preparing for the grand opening of the Wonsan and Kalma coastal tourist zone in Kangwon Province, one of leader Kim Jong-un's pet projects, as he apparently aims to boost the country's tourism industry as a source of hard currency for his regime. Capitalizing on these developments, Koryo Tours, a British travel agency based in Beijing, was quick to offer festival-themed package tours as an official partner of the festival. Tourists will be able to watch films and take part in sideline events, with their itinerary also including several points of interest in Pyongyang. According to an ad posted on the tour agency's website earlier this week, films from around the world will be screened at about a dozen cinemas in Pyongyang and other rural areas. But it added, "Films from Japan, South Korea, and the USA have been barred from the festival since it began in 1987. That policy remains unchanged today." 2025-06-19 14:20:14

Rosé's catchy track becomes longest-running K-pop song on Billboard Hot 100 SEOUL, June 18 (AJP) - Rosé, a member of girl group BLACKPINK, has set a new record as her viral hit "APT." becomes the longest-running K-pop song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song remained at No. 24 for the second straight week on the U.S. main singles chart released on Tuesday, extending its streak to 34th consecutive week, breaking the previous record of 33 weeks set by Jimin, a member of K-pop juggernaut BTS with his solo track "Who." "APT.," a catchy song in collaboration with pop star Bruno Mars, debuted at No. 8 on the chart upon its release in October last year and has since gone viral worldwide. Meanwhile, BLACKPINK will resume their activities with a two-day concert in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province in July before embarking on a world tour. 2025-06-18 16:35:03

North Korean leader meets Russian security chief to 'discuss additional troop deployment' SEOUL, June 18 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has held talks with Russia's top security official in Pyongyang to discuss ways to further strengthen military cooperation between the two countries, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Wednesday. According to KCNA, Kim met with Russia's Security Council secretary Sergei Shoigu the previous day, who made his third visit to the isolated country in just three months, following his previous trip about two weeks ago. The two discussed "immediate cooperation and long-term plans" based on a mutual defense treaty signed by Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Pyongyang in June last year, with Kim vowing to "unconditionally support" Moscow "within the range of the treaty between the two countries." They also apparently discussed additional deployment of North Korean troops to Russia to assist its war in Ukraine. North Korea reportedly plans to send about 6,000 military personnel including construction workers and deminers to rebuild damaged infrastructure, according to the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. Over 10,000 North Korean troops are estimated to have been deployed to Russia since October last year, although North Korea denied the deployment for several months before admitting it last spring. Meanwhile, the South Korean government expressed "serious concerns" over North Korea's plans to send additional troops and slave labor abroad, calling it a "clear violation of UN Security Council sanctions," and also urged Pyongyang to "immediately halt" illegal military cooperation with Moscow. 2025-06-18 14:32:30

Neighboring private schools in Seoul connect through exchange classes SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - Primary students from two private schools in southern Seoul had a special opportunity to interact through a series of classes as part of a two-day event last week. Fourth to sixth-grade students from the British international school Dulwich College Seoul and the country's oldest Catholic school Gyeseong Elementary School, took turns visiting each other's campuses for a day. More than 180 students immersed themselves in a variety of extracurricular classes and hands-on activities designed to foster cultural awareness and promote mutual understanding. Located next to each other in Seoul's affluent Banpo-dong, south of the Han River, the two neighboring schools connected for the first time through these classes last Friday and Saturday. On the first day of the event, Dulwich students visited Gyeseong, where they rotated through classrooms dedicated to traditional Korean instruments, learning how to play janggu (hourglass-shaped drum), gayageum (zither), and haegeum (two-string fiddle). They were also given a chance to explore traditional Korean dance through samgomu (dynamic three-drum dance) and talchum (lively mask dance). "Playing three drums at the same time was more difficult than I thought, but it was really interesting," said one Dulwich student who gave samgomu a try after observing a tutorial with fascination. Another Dulwich student from India, who had a chance to play the gayageum, expressed curiosity about the unfamiliar instrument and exclaimed, "The sound was beautiful." The following day, participants from the two schools switched places, with those from Gyeseong visiting Dulwich, where they watched intercultural performances by foreign students and tasted an assortment of exotic delicacies and culinary specialties from around the world. The two-day event was part of a program run by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education since 2021 aimed at connecting schools and students, providing opportunities for interaction and cultural exchange. Jane Smith, the head of the primary school at Dulwich, said that the school has participated in the program since last year, explaining that the program is valuable for its students, who "come from around 46 countries," as it allows them to "learn about Korean culture in an immersive way" through interaction with the local community. "By exchanging with peers from the local school community, students gain insight into different cultures and learn to see the world new perspectives," she added. 2025-06-17 17:42:19

South Korea heightens travel advisory for Iran SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - South Koreans are advised to avoid travel to Iran as its conflict with Israel further escalates, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday. The ministry heightened its travel advisory for all of Iran with immediate effect, urging South Koreans currently in the country to "leave as soon as possible." It also advised those planning to travel to the Middle Eastern country to cancel or postpone their trips. Several areas there had already been under travel bans, but the latest advisory has now been expanded to cover the entire country. The ministry added that it will "continue to closely monitor the situation and implement necessary measures to ensure the safety of South Korean expats there." The advisory comes less than a week after Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran last Friday, leading to retaliatory strikes and escalating military tensions in the region. About 100 South Koreans are estimated to reside in Iran, with most living in the capital area of Tehran. No casualties involving South Koreans have been reported so far. 2025-06-17 16:11:43

ENHYPEN's latest album on course for another Billboard 200 top-10 entry SEOUL, June 16 (AJP) - K-pop boy band ENHYPEN's latest album is poised to debut at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart later this week, marking their fifth consecutive top-10 entry on the American chart. Billboard, which makes preliminary calculations based on album sales in the U.S. , streaming, and online downloads, said on Sunday that "Desire: Unleash" by the septet is on the verge of becoming their "fifth top 10" on the chart for the week ending June 21, with over 100,000 copies already sold. Released on June 5, their sixth mini-album, which ranks just behind country pop singer Morgan Wallen's "I'm the Problem" and American rapper Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter VI" on the chart, contains eight tracks, mostly upbeat dance songs. ENHYPEN's latest five albums including their previous one "Romance: Untold" have all made the top 10 of the chart so far, proving their growing presence in the global music scene. 2025-06-16 16:05:14

Lee's nominee for senior post bows out over allegations SEOUL, June 13 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung on Friday accepted the resignation of a key nominee who had come under fire over several allegations. Oh Kwang-soo, Lee's pick for senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, stepped down less than a week after his nomination, becoming the first top-level government official to resign since Lee took office on June 4. Amid mounting controversy over hidden real estate dealings involving his wife along with a suspicious loan taken out under a borrowed name, Oh tendered his resignation the previous day, expressing regret and embarrassment. Lee's prompt acceptance appears to be intended to prevent any disruption, given that the post is responsible for vetting high-ranking public officials and overseeing law enforcement agencies, which require strict ethics and moral integrity. Kang Yu-jung, a spokesperson for the presidential office, said in a briefing, "Lee is expected to name his successor as soon as possible." 2025-06-13 11:05:15

Kim Jong-un sends message to Putin to coincide with first anniversary of military pact with Russia SEOUL, June 12 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a congratulatory message to Russian President Vladimir Putin as Moscow marked "Russia Day," state media reported on Thursday. The Russian national holiday, which celebrates the 1990 declaration of the country's sovereignty during the Soviet era, is observed annually on June 12. In the message reportedly delivered the previous day by North Korean Ambassador to Russia Sin Hong-chol, Kim called Putin his "dearest comrade" and praised the bilateral ties between the two countries as a "genuine relationship between comrades-in-arms and between allies," according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency. The friendship between Pyongyang and Moscow has been "further cemented" through the comradeship "the two countries have forged at the cost of their blood," Kim was quoted as saying. He also added his country would "always stand with" Moscow. After several months of silence, Pyongyang earlier this year admitted for the first time that it had dispatched troops to Russia to support its prolonged war in Ukraine, following the two countries' signing of a mutual defense treaty during Putin's visit to Pyongyang in June last year. The message was delivered just a week ahead of the first anniversary of the treaty. Meanwhile, railway services linking Pyongyang to Moscow and Khabarovsk, which were suspended due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, are scheduled to resume next week, fueling speculation that Kim could visit the Kremlin sometime later this year. Kim traveled by train to meet Putin in Vladivostok in 2019 and again to Russia's main spaceport Vostochny Cosmodrome in 2023, although he does not appear to have inherited his father's morbid fear of flying. 2025-06-12 15:50:25