Journalist

박세진
Abraham Kwak
  • Lee Jae-myung wins Democratic Party nomination with record vote share
    Lee Jae-myung wins Democratic Party nomination with record vote share SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) - Lee Jae-myung has officially been named the Democratic Party (DP)’s presidential candidate after winning an overwhelming majority in the party’s primary, setting a new record for the highest vote share in its history. In the final primary vote held at Kintex Center in Goyang on Apr, 27, Lee secured 89.77 percent of the total ballots, decisively defeating his rivals Kim Dong-yeon and Kim Kyung-soo, who garnered 7 percent and 3 percent, respectively. Lee’s victory solidifies his position as the leading figure of the DP and reflects strong internal support as the party seeks to regain the presidency in the June 3 election. It also marks the highest percentage ever achieved by a Democratic Party nominee in a presidential primary. The nomination comes at a critical time for South Korea, with the political landscape still reeling from the impeachment and removal of former President Yoon Suk Yeol earlier this month. Lee, who previously ran for president in 2017 and 2022, now faces the challenge of consolidating broader public support amid heightened political tensions. The Democratic Party plans to officially register Lee as its candidate with the National Election Commission in the coming days. 2025-04-27 18:02:13
  • SeoulTech strengthens academic ties with Kazakhstan through high-level visit
    SeoulTech strengthens academic ties with Kazakhstan through high-level visit SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) - To promote broader South Korea–Kazakhstan collaboration in education and research, a delegation from Seoul National University of Science and Technology (SeoulTech), led by President Professor Kim Dong-Hwan, visited Kazakhstan’s Korkyt Ata Kyzylorda University (KKU) from Apr. 16 to 18. One of the key highlights of the trip was a meeting between Professor Kim and Nurlybek Nalibayev, Governor of the Kyzylorda Region. Both sides discussed opportunities to expand cooperation not only in higher education but also in fields such as agricultural processing, food industries, tourism, renewable energy, waste management, and lithium research in the Aral region. Kim emphasized SeoulTech’s intention to establish a startup incubator in the region, implement academic mobility programs, train IT specialists, and strengthen joint research initiatives in line with regional needs. During the visit, Kim also met with officials from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education, including Rauza Mendaliyeva, Director of the Department of Internationalization, and Beibitkul Karimova, Chair of the Board and Rector of Korkyt Ata Kyzylorda University. Discussions focused on the expansion of dual-degree programs and reviewing the progress of collaborative initiatives in AI architecture and data management, where 100 students are currently enrolled under government scholarships. As part of the academic exchange, Professor Kim delivered a public lecture titled "IT and AI Trends in Korea" at the School of Artificial Intelligence, offering students insights into South Korea’s digital transformation and the global AI landscape. Vice Provost for International Affairs Professor Kim Tae-hee also delivered a keynote presentation at the Republican Seminar, a national educational forum attended by senior officials from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Education, quality control departments, school principals, and technical college directors, highlighting prospects for AI research and workforce development between Kazakhstan and Korea. The SeoulTech delegation also engaged with promising students from several elite secondary schools, including 200 students from Nazarbayev Intellectual School, 100 students from Bilim-Innovation Lyceum, and 25 students each from Murager School and School No. 125, underscoring the growing interest in fostering future digital leaders. A major milestone in SeoulTech’s cooperation with Kazakhstan is the establishment of the School of Artificial Intelligence at Korkyt Ata Kyzylorda University, launched in November 2023. The project was made possible with the support of South Korean National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, former Chair of the Kazakhstan–Korea Friendship Association. Speaker Woo’s visit to Kyzylorda and the AI School in October 2024 underscored the high level of inter-parliamentary and institutional commitment between the two countries. 2025-04-27 16:24:29
  • Inje wildfire contained after 20 hours, 73 hectares of forest scorched
    Inje wildfire contained after 20 hours, 73 hectares of forest scorched SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) - A wildfire that broke out in Inje, Gangwon Province, was brought under control after nearly 20 hours, authorities said Sunday. The Korea Forest Service and firefighting officials confirmed that the main flames were extinguished by around 9 a.m. Sunday. Crews remained on-site with six helicopters, 105 personnel, and 11 firefighting vehicles to tackle any remaining embers and monitor the area for flare-ups. The fire damaged an estimated 73 hectares (180 acres) of forest. With the situation stabilized, 254 evacuees from Inje County who had taken shelter in local gymnasiums were able to return home. Thirty residents from 19 villages in nearby Yangyang County also returned safely. Traffic restrictions that had been imposed on sections of the Seoul-Yangyang Expressway were lifted. According to the Gangwon Regional Headquarters of Korea Expressway Corporation, traffic resumed around 8:25 a.m. Sunday, along both the 35-kilometer (22-mile) stretch between Yangyang Junction and Inje Interchange and the 73-kilometer section between Donghongcheon Interchange and Yangyang Junction. Officials noted that the fire had triggered a "Level 2" wildfire alert, which is issued when the anticipated damage covers 50 to 100 hectares (123 to 247 acres), the average wind speed is between 7 and 11 meters per second (16 to 25 miles per hour), and full containment is expected to take between 10 and 48 hours. The blaze started around 1:18 p.m. Saturday in a wooded area near the Sangnam 7 Tunnel on the Seoul-Yangyang Expressway. Fortunately, no casualties or damage to buildings were reported. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire. Early findings suggest human negligence may be to blame, as the blaze began near a residential and pension complex and quickly spread after igniting close to a pile of rocks. 2025-04-27 15:40:03
  • S. Korean military notifies N. Korea about unintentional gun discharge at front-line guard post
    S. Korean military notifies N. Korea about unintentional gun discharge at front-line guard post SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) - South Korea’s military has notified its North Korean counterpart about an unintentional gun discharge at a front-line guard post last week. The military said it immediately used loudspeakers to notify North Korean soldiers that the discharge was accidental. The accidental machine gun discharge occurred at a front-line guard post (GP) along the central section of the border, military authorities confirmed on Sunday. According to the South Korean military, the incident took place around 6 a.m. on Apr. 23 at a GP operated by a unit stationed in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province. A soldier on guard duty accidentally fired a single live round from a K6 machine gun while conducting a weapons check. The bullet penetrated the post’s protective shield and was fired in the direction of the North. However, the military believes that the projectile’s velocity decreased after breaking through the barrier and that the round ultimately landed within South Korean territory. Immediately after the incident, South Korean forces issued a broadcast message to North Korea to explain that the gunfire was accidental. A military official stated, "There have been no unusual movements detected from the North Korean military following the accidental discharge." 2025-04-27 14:53:46
  • Voice phishing scams cause over 300bln won damage in 1Q 2025
    Voice phishing scams cause over 300bln won damage in 1Q 2025 SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) - Voice phishing crimes in South Korea have surged in the first three months of this year, with damages more than doubling compared to the same period last year. The National Police Agency urged the public Sunday to be extra cautious. Between January and March this year, police recorded 5,878 cases of voice phishing, up 17 percent from the same period in 2024. Losses totaled 311.6 billion won ($216.5 million), about 2.2 times higher than a year earlier. The average amount stolen per case also jumped sharply, reaching 53 million won. Crimes involving scammers posing as government agencies made up 51 percent of all cases. Victims in their 50s and older accounted for 53 percent of the total, a reflection of how digital scams are increasingly targeting older age groups. That share has been growing steadily, from 32 percent in 2023, to 47 percent last year. The police said that while scammers use various tricks, many of the scams begin the same way -- by getting victims to install a malicious app on their smartphones. Once installed, these apps steal personal information, which criminals then use to impersonate public institutions and pressure victims into compliance. In one common tactic, scammers convince victims they have been implicated in an identity theft case. Victims are then instructed to buy a new phone and install a so-called “security app,” which is actually malware allowing remote access. Other scams involve sending unsolicited credit cards and urging recipients to contact fake consumer protection centers. Again, a ploy to install malicious apps. Scammers also use bait text messages with fake notices about funeral announcements, traffic fines, health check-up results, or overseas card payments. These messages often contain links designed to trick users into downloading malware. The police investigators said the fake websites and apps were extremely sophisticated. They were able to steal basic personal information such as name, phone number, device model, and telecom carrier, while also recording calls, remotely controlling devices, and tracking victims’ real-time locations. Also, criminals hijacked about 80 phone numbers legitimately used by the Financial Supervisory Service, prosecutors, and police. This allowed scam calls to appear on victims' phones as if they were coming from trusted institutions. This was made possible by what authorities describe as “forced receive” and “forced dial” apps—malicious tools that intercept incoming and outgoing calls without the user’s knowledge. 2025-04-27 10:25:36