French novelist Bernard Werber meets Korean readers at Seoul event SEOUL, September 1 (AJP) - A book event with French novelist Bernard Werber was held at the French Embassy in central Seoul on Monday. Co-hosted by the online bookseller platform Yes24 Corp. and publisher The Open Books Co., the event brought together dozens of Korean book lovers through a competitive selection. The event was part of Werber’s visit to Seoul to celebrate the Korean publication of his 2023 novel “Le Temps des Chimères” (“The Age of Chimeras”) last month. The novel portrays a dystopian future destroyed by nuclear war, where a new species called the "Chimères" comes to dominate. Werber said the idea for the book started when he asked if humanity could survive a massive epidemic. “Today we live in a time obsessed with consumption and surrounded by shocking news every day. With this book, I wanted people to step back and think about where we are and where we are going,” he said. The event also gave fans a chance to ask questions, during which Werber stressed his lasting connection with Korea and its people. "South Korea is like a second homeland for me. I often miss Korea when I am in France," said Werber. Asked about the struggles of young Koreans with anxiety and depression, he said they should "try to find happiness" and recommended traveling to new places as a way to gain perspective, noting that "a problem in one place may not seem like a problem elsewhere." Meanwhile, the embassy said on Monday that France has been selected as the guest of honor at next year’s Seoul International Book Fair (SIBF). The embassy also highlighted various literary programs ahead of the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. 2025-09-01 21:52:56

Pyongyang condemns joint statement on cyber threats SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - North Korea on Monday denounced South Korea, the United States and Japan for pledging joint action against its illicit information technology (IT) activities, calling the move a "political farce." In an op-ed carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the foreign ministry accused the three countries of having "recently made public a joint statement full of fabrication under the pretext of coping with the 'cyber threat' from the DPRK ." "Attempt of the U.S., Japan and the ROK to turn cyberspace into a theatre of geopolitical confrontation should not be allowed," KCNA quoted foreign ministry spokesperson Kim Chon Il. Kim criticized recent meetings where Pyongyang’s cyber activities were discussed, including last month’s trilateral talks in Tokyo, the Munich Security Conference in February, and a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in April. He claimed the moves were intended to expand "provocative acts to a new domain with an aim to systematize and institutionalize the collective collaboration to put pressure on a sovereign state and aggravate geopolitical confrontation." He also said it warns the three countries "for their hostile attempt to turn cyber space into a theatre of geopolitical confrontation aimed to threaten the security of our state and infringe upon its sovereign rights." The ministry further said North Korea "will take practical measures to defend its rights and interests" regarding the issue. The North’s criticism came after Seoul, Washington and Tokyo issued a joint statement last week vowing coordinated efforts against Pyongyang’s illicit cyber activities. 2025-09-01 13:11:29

Pyongyang honors fallen soldiers ahead of Kim's Beijing trip SEOUL, August 30 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held a large-scale memorial event for soldiers killed in the war in Ukraine, just days before his expected attendance at a military parade in Beijing next week. According to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the memorial event was held on Friday in Pyongyang to honor troops dispatched overseas. The event came about a week after the unveiling of "the memorial wall" at the ruling party’s headquarters, which displayed photos of more than 100 fallen soldiers. The first memorial event held last week honored about 100 soldiers and this time more than 200 additional names were mentioned. At Friday's event, Kim handed portraits of the dead wrapped in the national flag to bereaved families and said "I once again express my regret about having failed to save the precious lives of our officers and soldiers who fell in the battlegrounds on a foreign land," said Kim. He pledged that he "will take full responsibility for them and train them admirably as staunch and courageous fighters like their fathers." Kim also shared plans to designate a new district in Pyongyang and "will lay the remains of the martyrs" and "erect a monument" there. The repeated memorial events are widely seen as an attempt to ease unrest among soldiers and its people due to the rising number of casualties. However, there is significant speculation that these gestures are intended to highlight North Korea’s sacrifices in the war. As Kim is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at a military parade in Beijing next Wednesday, these moves may aim to secure economic or political rewards from Moscow. The parade that Kim and Putin are going to attend is China’s "Victory Day" parade, which commemorates the end of World War II, following Japan's formal surrender. Meanwhile, the National Intelligence Service reported in April that North Korea’s casualties in the war have reached about 4,700, including 600 deaths. 2025-08-30 17:36:09

UN OHCHR Seoul Office calls for attention to the victims of North Korean abductions SEOUL, August 30 (AJP) - The UN Human Rights Office in Seoul called for attention to the suffering of victims of enforced disappearances and abductions by North Korea and their families. The office urged attention to the issue to mark the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance, which was observed on Saturday. The day aims to raise awareness of people who have gone missing against their will, highlight the suffering of their families, and call for action to stop such crimes. "Today we stand in solidarity with the victims of this most heinous crime," said James Heenan, the office's representative. "Just as families can never forget their disappeared loved ones, we must never forget their plight nor give up seeking truth and accountability," he added. The office highlighted a 2023 report titled "These wounds do not heal." The report described long-running cases of people who went missing because of actions by the North. These included the detention of its own citizens, the abduction of South Koreans during and after the Korean War, the failure to return prisoners of war, and the kidnapping of Japanese and other foreign nationals, especially women. The report urged North Korea to investigate all cases fairly, find out what happened to the missing, return the remains of those who passed away, and release people detained for political reasons. It further urged Pyongyang to provide effective reparations to victims and their families. "The office underscores the urgent need to uphold the rights of all victims including their families. With many of them now of advanced age, a resolution of this issue is imperative," it added. 2025-08-30 16:07:26

Heat and rain to linger nationwide through weekend SEOUL, August 30 (AJP) - South Korea will face more heat and rain this weekend. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said heat alerts were in effect nationwide and rain warnings were issued for Gyeonggi Province north of Seoul, Gangwon Province in the northeast, and parts of the capital. The Seoul Metropolitan Government closed 29 streams across the city on Saturday morning as a precaution against flooding. Rain is forecast to continue in the capital area and inland Gangwon through the afternoon, before spreading to central and southern regions including Jeolla, Gyeongsang, and the southern island of Jeju. Some northern areas could see downpours of about 30 millimeters per hour, the KMA said. Daytime highs are expected to reach 30 to 35 degrees Celsius nationwide, with high humidity making conditions feel hotter. Heat warnings or advisories remain in effect. On Sunday, showers with strong winds, thunder and lightning are expected to affect most parts of the country. Rain will begin in Jeju before dawn, spread to southern regions in the morning, and reach the capital and central areas by night. The unsettled weather is expected to last until Monday. 2025-08-30 13:33:00

[[K-pop]] New boy band AxMxP set for September debut SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - AxMxP, a four-member boy band, will make their debut in September. The group's agency FNC Entertainment said they will release their first album, "AxMxP," on Sept. 10 and hold a debut showcase in Seoul the same day. The band's name reflects their aim of "amplifying music power" and spreading their voices to the world, inspired by the sound equipment amp. On Thursday, an introductory video was unveiled showing electric currents lighting up the band's name. The vocalist starred in a TV drama about a K-pop band earlier this year, while the guitarist appeared in a supporting role. Both also took part in the drama's ending theme song, which attracted attention. Before their debut, AxMxP performed at family concerts hosted by the agency last year and appeared at a music festival in Seoul this spring. The debut marks the company's first new band in 10 years, following the success of boy bands such as F.T. Island, CNBLUE and N.Flying. 2025-08-29 14:13:20

Impeached ex-president to be tried in absentia as he continues to stall SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - Disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol failed to show up for his trial once again on Thursday, prompting a court to proceed with it in absentia. The Seoul Central District Court said it made the decision because it could no longer afford to delay the trial, saying, "It is difficult to force Yoon to appear in court." Citing health-related reasons, Yoon has been stalling questioning by independent prosecutors as well as a trial over his botched Dec. 3 declaration of martial law and other allegations. After vigorously showing up for earlier hearings to defend himself, he has not appeared since being detained again at a remand prison in early July. Earlier this month, the court had already warned that Yoon would bear any consequences caused by his absence. Separately, earlier in the day, his wife and former first lady Kim Keon Hee appeared for questioning in Seoul, but she reportedly repeated her denial of all allegations. With her detention period set to expire later this week, prosecutors are expected to indict, instead of seeking an extension, as Kim has been uncooperative, citing poor health, despite her occasional appearances for questioning. Kim, accused of receiving luxury bribes, colluding in a stock manipulation scheme, and meddling in candidate nominations during the 2022 by-elections, has been held at a remand prison in southern Seoul since last month. 2025-08-28 17:03:16

Probe into martial law debacle likely to hit snag as ex-PM avoids arrest SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - Independent investigators probing disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law debacle are likely to face a setback in their inquiry after former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo avoided arrest on Wednesday. The Seoul Central District Court rejected a request for an arrest warrant for Han, citing that there is "room for legal dispute" over his alleged role in the debacle late last year, which eventually led to Yoon's ouster from office in April of this year. The court also dismissed prosecutors' concerns that he might destroy evidence. Prosecutors had sought Han's arrest on charges of dereliction of duty, perjury, and document falsification, believing that he conspired with Yoon and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun to prepare documents related to Yoon's Dec. 3 declaration of martial law. Han, who initially denied all allegations, claiming he only learned of Yoon's plan to declare martial law during a late-night cabinet meeting that day, recently admitted he was aware of it after CCTV footage and other evidence emerged. Han reportedly insisted through his lawyers that he did not collude with Yoon, arguing that the urgently convened cabinet meeting lasted only a few minutes, leaving him no time to object to Yoon's plan. Among the former cabinet members, Kim and ex-Interior Minister Lee Sang-min have been arrested on related charges and are currently detained at separate remand prisons. Prosecutors are now weighing whether to file another request for an arrest warrant against Han. 2025-08-28 11:25:14

North Korea again denounces Lee over denuclearization SEOUL, August 27 (AJP) - North Korea on Wednesday again denounced President Lee Jae Myung, dismissing remarks he made earlier this week during his trip to the U.S. In an op-ed carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), it said Lee insulted North Korea by describing it as a "poor but fierce neighbor" while talking about the North's denuclearization, which it claimed "showed his true colors as a hypocrite to the whole world." Lee said the previous day that South Korea will "modernize" its bilateral alliance with the U.S. to "counter" any provocation while working closely with the U.S. to engage in talks with North Korea for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, during a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies after wrapping up his first summit with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. Calling his remarks about denuclearization a "sheer sophism," it further criticized Lee, saying he "did not hide his real intention and revealed his true colors as a confrontation maniac," just 80 days after taking office. "It is a daydream for the ," it blasted. Stressing its strong resolve not to give up its nuclear arsenal, it added, "We once again remind him of the fact that our position as a nuclear weapons state is an inevitable option that correctly reflects the hostile threat from outside and the change of the structure of the world security dynamics." The state media also criticized Lee's recent "three-stage denuclearization" proposal, calling it a "naive dream." Just days ahead of his trip to the U.S., Lee proposed the idea that would freeze North Korea's nuclear and missile programs as a first step, eventually leading to permanent denuclearization through a phased reduction. Lee has shown a series of conciliatory gestures toward North Korea despite the North's snub of his overtures. 2025-08-27 11:03:40

Hardliner elected new PPP leader as party still grapples with Yoon's fallout SEOUL, August 26 (AJP) - Hardline lawmaker Jang Dong-hyeok was elected as the new leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Tuesday. Jang garnered about 220,000 votes or 50.27 percent in a neck-and-neck runoff at the National Assembly in Seoul, narrowly defeating another staunch conservative and former presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo, who earned about 217,000 votes. The two-term lawmaker's win comes as a surprise as he has been vehemently opposed to the impeachment of disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his Dec. 3 declaration of martial law, unlike two other candidates Cho Kyoung-tae and Ahn Cheol-soo, who dropped out of the early stage of the race while insisting on distancing the party from Yoon. Rejecting calls to apologize for Yoon's martial law debacle, Jang even openly expressed his intention to meet with Yoon, who has been detained at a remand prison in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province. With Jang at the helm of the PPP, an even rockier road seems to lie ahead, making the already faltering party even more floundering. It remains to be seen whether he can unify the party, which is divided by deep internal rifts over Yoon's ouster, while also regaining public support ahead of next year's local elections. 2025-08-26 16:32:53