PHOTOS: 'Korea Day' marked at Osaka Expo with arrival of historic ship SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - A celebration of Korean culture and history unfolded at the Osaka Expo on Tuesday with the observance of "Korea Day," a designated event by organizers to honor participating nations. The centerpiece of the commemoration was the arrival ceremony and performances highlighting the Joseon Tongsinsa vessel, a historical symbol of diplomatic exchange between Korea and Japan. The ship represents the official envoys dispatched by the Joseon Dynasty's monarch to Japan. The reconstructed Joseon Tongsinsa ship, a project of South Korea's National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage, sailed from Busan on April 28. Its journey included stops at Tsushima Island, Shimonoseki, and Fukuyama before its arrival in Osaka on Monday, culminating in Tuesday's port entry ceremony. The Korea Pavilion at the Osaka Expo is now hosting "Korea Week," a series of events running through May 17. In collaboration with government agencies and private enterprises, the week aims to present a multifaceted view of South Korea's cultural heritage, technological advancements, and industrial prowess to the international audience gathered at the exposition. 2025-05-14 14:46:26

Presidential candidates embrace cryptocurrency as major campaign issue SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - Cryptocurrency has emerged as a central campaign issue, with major presidential candidates pledging sweeping regulatory reforms — including the approval of spot cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs) — ahead of the June 3 election. Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party and Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party have each unveiled ambitious digital asset agendas aimed at expanding access to crypto markets and integrating them more closely into the financial mainstream. Their proposals reflect a broader surge in domestic interest in digital assets, as well as international momentum driven by U.S. policy shifts under the Trump administration. “We will help young people build assets,” Lee wrote in a May 6 Facebook post, outlining plans to legalize spot crypto ETFs and introduce an integrated oversight system for the digital asset market. Kim, for his part, has included ETF approval in a broader initiative to bolster middle-class wealth, listing it as the fifth of his 10 core campaign pledges. He has also floated the possibility of permitting government entities to invest in digital assets — an idea likely to stir debate among more conservative financial policymakers. Financial authorities in South Korea have taken a cautious approach to cryptocurrency, citing concerns about volatility and systemic risk. However, the administration and ruling party agreed in March to consider allowing spot ETFs, signaling a possible shift in the regulatory landscape. Analysts say the move could democratize access to cryptocurrency investment, enabling individuals to trade digital assets through traditional brokerage accounts without the need for dedicated crypto wallets or direct exchange involvement. Within Lee’s campaign, a newly formed Digital Asset Committee met for the first time Tuesday to begin crafting a comprehensive regulatory framework. Topics under review include the treatment of stablecoins, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and security token offerings (STOs). Kim’s party unveiled its own seven-point crypto platform last month, which proposes dismantling the longstanding “one exchange, one bank” policy and establishing clearer legal parameters for business engagement in the digital asset space. Yet the candidates part ways on the question of won-backed stablecoins. Lee supports their creation as a tool to curb capital outflows, a position criticized by Lee Jun-seok of the minor Reform Party, who dismissed the idea as indicative of “a lack of understanding of market realities.” 2025-05-14 11:06:15

SK hynix tops Korea's corporate rankings, surpassing Samsung, Hyundai SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - SK hynix has emerged as South Korea’s top-performing company, overtaking Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor in a prominent annual corporate management evaluation. The memory chip manufacturer claimed the No. 1 position for the first time in six years, earning 622.9 out of a possible 800 points in the latest assessment by CEO Score, a firm that tracks corporate performance. The results were released on Wednesday. Samsung Electronics held steady in second place for a second consecutive year, scoring 596.0 points. Samsung Biologics rose two spots to third with 590.0 points, while Kia remained in fourth place. Hyundai Motor, which topped the list last year, dropped to fifth. SK hynix’s rise was fueled by surging demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which drove record profits in 2024. The company earned particularly high marks in the areas of growth, investment, and financial stability. Now in its ninth year, the CEO Score evaluation assesses South Korea’s top 500 non-financial companies across eight categories, including innovation, global competitiveness, and sustainable growth. Samsung Electronics led the investment category, spending 88.7 trillion won on facilities and research and development last year — more than four times SK hynix’s 21.6 trillion won. Samsung Biologics distinguished itself in the global competitiveness category, outperforming larger rivals in profitability. Although its sales accounted for just 4.1 percent of those of China’s Sinopharm, its operating profit margin was 26.2 percentage points higher. Other companies recognized for excellence across various categories included Kia, shipping firm HMM, game developer Krafton, confectionery company Orion, and renewable energy provider Hanwha Energy. 2025-05-14 11:04:55

N. Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects special military drill SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected a special military drill on Tuesday that included a joint firepower demonstration featuring armored vehicles, anti-tank weapons, and drones, according to state media. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Wednesday that Kim visited a training camp under the capital city defense force, where he observed a demonstration involving various military systems and training officers. During the visit, Kim reportedly expressed strong interest in ensuring that the North Korean military stays in step with modern warfare trends. The inspection underscored Pyongyang’s focus on next-generation weapon development, including localized missiles, drones, and upgraded armored vehicles. Kim described contemporary warfare as “a showdown between military talents and war of commanding officers’ brains,” emphasizing the need for drills to encourage the independence and creativity of military leaders. KCNA also released dozens of photographs showing a range of military hardware -- drones, tanks, anti-tank weapons, and infantry equipped with modern arms. In several images, Kim was seen accompanied by bodyguards carrying a briefcase that resembled a so-called “nuclear suitcase.” 2025-05-14 10:41:05

INTERVIEW: SNU professor explains why Pansori resonates beyond words SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - When Anna Yates-Lu first sat down for a live Pansori performance, she barely understood a word. At the time, she had studied Korean for just six months and couldn’t keep up with the subtitles and the stage at the same time. But that didn’t matter. “The sound alone completely captivated me,” she said in an interview with Aju Press on May 9. “I didn’t need to understand the words. The voice, the gestures, the rhythm. All of it made sense on its own. I was stunned.” Pansori is one of the most expressive forms of traditional Korean Gugak music. A single singer narrates dramatic tales through powerful vocals, stylized gestures, and rhythmic storytelling, accompanied by a drummer who adds both beats and verbal cues. The stories are long, the delivery emotional, and the connection with the audience is part of the magic. In fact, one of the defining features of Pansori is its interactive nature. Audiences are expected to react with Chuimsae, spontaneous verbal exclamations like “Eolsigu!” (“All right!”) or “Jotta!” (“Great!”). These aren’t interruptions, they’re welcomed responses, part of the tradition that helps carry the performance forward. Today, Yates-Lu is an Assistant Professor at Seoul National University’s Department of Korean Music. But her path to Korean traditional music wasn’t a straight one. Originally trained in anthropology and political science in Britain, she encountered Pansori during a master’s program in London. A professor had urged her to attend a performance at the local Korean Cultural Center. “It was a dual concert, with Western classical music in the first half and Pansori in the second,” she recalled. “Song Soon-seop performed the ‘Bird Song,’ and Lee Ja-ram did a battle scene from Jeokbyeokga. I didn’t understand the lyrics, but the sound, the expressiveness, the raw energy, it all made sense.” That performance marked a turning point. “From that moment on, I wrote every paper about Pansori. I had so many questions,” she said. “Eventually, I switched fields entirely.” Still, she acknowledges that many Koreans and non-Koreans alike find Pansori intimidating. “It’s not that Pansori is hard,” she said. “People just don’t know how to listen to it. If you’ve never experienced it live, it’s like trying to appreciate wine without ever tasting it.” She cautions against labeling Gukak as “difficult,” especially in public discourse. “Once people hear that often enough, they start to believe it. Even children,” she said. “But my son listens to Pansori at home. Kids don’t think it is hard unless someone tells them it is.” She believes that engaging young audiences is key to sustaining traditional music. “Start early. Make it fun. Give them the space to explore it without pressure,” she said. “There are amazing educational programs out there. We just need to support them more.” Yates-Lu also emphasized that building an international audience is not only about exposure but about cultivating depth. “We need to take care of the enthusiasts, the manias,” she said. “They’re the ones who go out of their way to study, to travel for performances. Give them something rich, something meaningful.” But she also believes that beginners need a little help. “Keep performances intimate,” she said. “Small theaters, close audiences. Those are places where Pansori really shines. And just five minutes of explanation before the show can make all the difference.” As for how someone with no background should begin? “Start with the voice,” she said. “Don’t worry about the story. Just listen to the timbre, the texture. Let it wash over you.” Then, smiling, she added, “And if nothing else—just say ‘Eolsigu!’ It’s always the right response.” 2025-05-13 17:30:38

SK Earthon expands resource development in Southeast Asia SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - SK Earthon, the energy resource development unit of SK Innovation, is ramping up its presence in Southeast Asia, with Vietnam emerging as a focal point in the company’s ambition to become a global player in oil and gas exploration. The company is pursuing a “clustering strategy” in Vietnam, a country estimated to hold 4.4 billion barrels of oil and gas reserves. The approach echoes SK Earthon’s long-running operations in Peru, where it has built a substantial energy portfolio since the 1990s. SK Earthon entered Vietnam’s resource development sector in 1998 and has since built a foothold in the Cuu Long Basin, a region off the country’s southern coast known for its hydrocarbon potential. The company currently holds interests in one production block (Block 15-1), one under development (Block 15-1/05), and two exploration blocks (16-2 and 15-2/17). Block 15-1, SK Earthon’s flagship Vietnamese asset, is expected to produce an average of 3,300 barrels per day in 2025, based on the company’s equity share. It ranks as the second-largest producing block in Vietnam by cumulative output. Additional development in the basin is planned for later this year. “Based on stable production from Block 15-1, and as output from the other three blocks comes online, we expect Vietnam to serve as a reliable cash-generating business," said Roh Jung-yong, who oversees SK Earthon’s Southeast Asia operations. SK Earthon is also widening its footprint across the broader Southeast Asian region, with active projects in Indonesia and Malaysia — two of the area’s largest oil producers. In Malaysia, the company acquired operating rights in 2022 to Block SK427 off the coast of Sarawak and secured the adjacent Ketapu block last year, creating new development synergies across connected fields. In Indonesia, SK Earthon was awarded two new blocks in a government auction last year. The company is currently finalizing contractual details and is expected to make a formal announcement in the coming weeks. 2025-05-13 17:07:41

DP's presidential candidate maintains lead in polls after campaign kicks off SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - With less than a month remaining until next month's presidential election, Lee Jae-myung, the presidential nominee of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), maintained a big lead in the latest poll released Tuesday. Pollster Hangil Research conducted a survey of over 1,500 voters nationwide shortly after last Sunday's deadline for candidate registration and found that Lee led the race with 49.5 percent of support, more than 10 percentage points ahead of Kim Moon-soo, the presidential nominee of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) who earned 38.2 percent. Kim was followed by Lee Jun-seok of the minor centrist New Reform Party who earned 5.7 percent. Other remaining candidates received a combined total of just 1.5 percent, while about 3.1 percent said they supported none, and 1.9 percent were undecided. In terms of party preference, some 42.5 percent of respondents favored the DP while 36.8 percent supported the PPP. Some 9.9 percent of respondents chose not to support any party. The poll was conducted using an automated response system with randomly-selected mobile phone numbers. 2025-05-13 16:33:33

Kang Ha-neul's crime thriller draws over 3 million viewers SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - Filmmaker Hwang Byeong-guk's latest crime thriller has attracted over 3 million moviegoers in about a month since its release in mid-April, according to its distributor, Plus M Entertainment. "YADANG: The Snitch," starring Kang Ha-neul and Yoo Hae-jin, became the first R-rated South Korean film to reach the milestone in about six years, following the 2019 action thriller "The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil," which was released shortly before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. With the overall absence of hit domestic films, the crime thriller's box-office feat was boosted by a surge in theater attendance during its third week of release, as many viewers flocked to cinemas during the long holiday weekend, which included Children's Day, Buddha's Birthday, and the makeup holiday earlier this month. The film, which revolves around a broker who profits by providing drug-related intelligence to investigative agencies, is soon expected to become the most-watched film of this year, surpassing award-winning director Bong Joon-ho's sci-fi blockbuster "Mickey 17," which has drawn 3.1 million viewers so far since its release in late February. 2025-05-13 16:11:28

PHOTOS: Candidates court TK voters in crucial campaign stop SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - As the presidential race intensifies ahead of the June 3 election, candidates from major parties took their campaigns to the conservative heartland of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province (known as the TK area), Tuesday, the second day of official campaigning. Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party candidate, began a series of rallies in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, before proceeding to Daegu, Pohang, and Ulsan. Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party campaigned in Ulsan and Busan, aiming to galvanize support in the Yeongnam region. Meanwhile, Lee Jun-seok, representing the Reform Party, campaigned in Daegu and later had lunch with students at Kyungpook National University. 2025-05-13 15:53:31

Kim Sae-ron's posthumous film set for release later this month SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - The late actress Kim Sae-ron's posthumous film is set for release later this month. Directed by Lee Seong-jong, "Guitar Man" deals with the story of a once-promising but now aimless guitarist struggling to navigate a rapidly changing world. Isolated and cynical, he begins to rediscover hope after joining a live-club band where he meets a female keyboardist. Currently serving as the CEO of dental-care provider Sungwon Pharmaceutical, the versatile director not only stars in the lead role but also composed the film's soundtrack, which underscores its theme of offering solace to those enduring hardship. Much attention has been drawn to the upcoming film which was filmed last fall and is scheduled to hit local theaters on May 30, as many fans remain bewildered by Kim's sudden death early this year. The young actress had apparently struggled with financial difficulties after being caught driving under the influence in 2022 and was allegedly involved in an inappropriate relationship with actor Kim Soo-hyun. The 24-year-old, best known for her role in the 2010 hit action thriller "The Man from Nowhere," shocked the nation when she was found dead of apparent suicide at her home in eastern Seoul in February this year. 2025-05-13 15:27:12