PHOTOS: Rice transplanting season brings life to countryside SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - By mid-May, the South Korean countryside awakens to the intensive rhythm of "monaegi," the season of rice transplanting. This labor-intensive process, where young rice seedlings are carefully transferred to prepared paddies, unfolds across the rural landscape from mid-May through mid-June. These transplanted shoots, nurtured in the flooded fields, will eventually yield the autumn harvest, beginning in October. 2025-05-13 15:15:46

Samsung's AI-powered vacuum draws praise from global reviewers SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics’ latest foray into the premium home appliance market — the Bespoke AI Jet 400W cordless vacuum cleaner — is garnering positive attention from international technology reviewers, many of whom have highlighted the device’s powerful suction, adaptive AI cleaning features, and versatile accessories. Positioned as Samsung’s flagship cordless vacuum model, the Bespoke AI Jet 400W aims to appeal to consumers seeking high-performance cleaning with smart home integration. The vacuum, introduced last month, received a 4.5 out of 5 rating from the U.K.-based review site Trusted Reviews, which described it as “close to an all-in-one vacuum.” The publication praised its ability to automatically adjust suction based on floor type and cleaning environment, noting its “best-in-class” performance for dust collection and corner cleaning among cordless models tested to date. Another U.K. outlet, T3, underscored five standout features: the HexaJet Motor’s high suction power, improved functionality via AI Mode 2.0, dual battery options offering up to 100 minutes of run time, a clean station that automatically empties the dustbin, and integration with Samsung’s SmartThings app for monitoring usage and cleaning history. In Germany, the testing organization CHIP ranked the product first out of 43 cordless vacuum cleaners, awarding it near-perfect scores in categories including suction performance, battery life, and accessory utility. The publication gave the device an overall rating of “Very Good.” The German tech site Connect also praised the vacuum’s adaptive suction settings, which optimize performance based on surface type to enhance efficiency and conserve battery life. Reviewers noted the usefulness of its real-time battery status display, which tracks remaining power minute-by-minute. The global tech site SamMobile described the unit as “Samsung’s best cordless vacuum,” citing its 400W suction power, lightweight design, and integration with Samsung’s SmartThings platform. It also pointed to the inclusion of AI Mode 2.0 and an all-in-one clean station as key differentiators. 2025-05-13 14:56:22

Hybe chairman Bang summoned to testify in Kakao founder's stock manipulation trial SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - A South Korean court has summoned Bang Si-hyuk, the chairman of Hybe and the creator behind K-pop wonder BTS, to testify as a witness in the ongoing trial of Kakao founder Kim Beom-su over alleged stock manipulation tied to Kakao’s 2023 acquisition of SM Entertainment. According to legal sources on Tuesday, the Seoul Southern District Court issued a subpoena to Bang on May 8. Unless he provides a valid reason for absence, Bang is required to appear in court on June 20. The case centers on charges that Kim conspired with private equity firm One Asia Partners to inflate SM Entertainment’s stock price in February 2023, in order to block Hybe’s public tender offer for control of the iconic K-pop powerhouse. Hybe had acquired a 14.8 percent stake in SM from its founder Lee Soo-man and launched a public tender offer at 120,000 won ($84.8) per share to gain majority control. However, SM’s stock price surged above that level, leading Hybe to abandon its takeover attempt. Prosecutors argue that Kim, who was then leading Kakao’s efforts to acquire SM Entertainment, manipulated the market to keep SM shares above the offer price, thereby disrupting Hybe’s acquisition attempt. Kim is also accused of failing to properly disclose his stake in SM, violating financial market regulations. The prosecution believes Bang and Kim met on February 14, 2023, to discuss the SM acquisition. Bang reportedly asked Kim not to pursue control of the company, but Kim allegedly refused, signaling Kakao’s intent to push ahead with its takeover. Kakao eventually took control of SM by acquiring a 39.87 percent stake through Kakao and Kakao Entertainment, cementing its influence over the agency. Kim was arrested in July 2024 on charges of stock manipulation and violating disclosure requirements. His arrest was based on concerns that he might destroy evidence or flee the country. 2025-05-13 14:17:31

South Korea's AI-generated games face regulatory hurdles SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - South Korea’s game industry is bracing for heightened regulatory oversight as lawmakers confirm that video games utilizing artificial intelligence will fall under the country’s new Artificial Intelligence Basic Law, set to take effect in January 2026. According to a report released Tuesday by the National Assembly Research Service, games that employ generative AI models are likely to be classified as “AI products,” placing them under a regulatory framework that includes strict disclosure requirements and risk assessments overseen by the Ministry of Science and ICT. The AI Basic Law, enacted earlier this year, requires companies to clearly indicate when AI-generated content is used in their products and to conduct comprehensive evaluations of potential risks. These must be formally submitted to government authorities. Parliamentary researchers concluded that AI-powered non-player characters (NPCs) with natural language capabilities, as well as games with in-game tools that generate content, would fall squarely within the law’s purview. Among the most prominent titles potentially affected is inZOI, a forthcoming life simulation game from Krafton that is currently in early access. The game features AI-generated 3D printing, text-to-image functionality, and video-to-motion tools. Planned integration of natural language processing would likely trigger additional compliance obligations. Even games that utilize AI-generated visuals, music, or graphics during development — regardless of subsequent human modification — could be subject to the law’s provisions. “Even if generative AI results underwent human revision or editing before being used in games, companies would still need to fulfill their obligations under the AI Basic Law if their game qualifies as an ‘AI product,’” the research service noted. The legislation mandates that companies clearly label AI-generated material that could be mistaken for human-created content. This includes visual imagery, audio, and video — core elements in modern game development. The use of widely available tools such as Stable Diffusion, Midjourney, or ElevenLabs’ synthetic voices would likely require additional disclosures, potentially impacting a significant portion of South Korea’s $17 billion gaming sector. The guidance has sparked concerns across the broader creative industry, echoing apprehensions from film, television, and digital content producers who argue that the regulations could hinder South Korea’s competitive edge in global entertainment markets. “As AI rapidly transforms gaming, blurring traditional creative boundaries, we urgently need balanced policies that protect rights while fostering industrial growth,” said Kang Yu-jung, a lawmaker with the opposition Democratic Party. 2025-05-13 14:05:22

Samsung Display unveils next-generation screens at Display Week 2025 SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - Samsung Display is showcasing a suite of advanced display technologies that reflect the company's growing ambitions in next-generation screen innovation at the annual Display Week 2025 exhibition. The event, which continues from Tuesday through Thursday, features several never-before-seen prototypes and refinements to existing display technologies. Display Week, organized by the Society for Information Display, remains a key showcase for cutting-edge visual technologies, drawing researchers, engineers and tech giants from around the world. Among the highlights is a significantly upgraded version of Samsung’s Electroluminescence Quantum Dot (EL-QD) display. The newest iteration reaches a peak brightness of 400 nits — a 50 percent increase from the 250-nit model introduced at last year’s show. Unlike current QD-OLED displays, which use photoluminescence — where light from an OLED source is filtered through quantum dots — the EL-QD emits light directly from red, green and blue quantum dots using electrical signals, eliminating the need for an OLED layer entirely. Samsung Display is also exhibiting its "Sensor OLED Display," which integrates organic photodiodes directly into the OLED panel. This allows for fingerprint recognition across the entire screen, rather than being confined to a designated area. The display can also measure biometric data such as heart rate, blood pressure, stress levels and even detect atrial fibrillation. The technology, featured earlier this year in the journal Nature Communications, is being demonstrated through an interactive “digital dalgona game” that responds to laser light rather than touch. The company is also debuting its highest-resolution OLEDoS (OLED on Silicon) panel to date — a 5,000 pixels-per-inch RGB display with a brightness of up to 15,000 nits. Despite its compact 1.4-inch size, similar to a smartwatch screen, the display boasts a refresh rate of 120Hz and covers up to 99 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut, delivering greater pixel density than even 8K televisions. Samsung is also presenting a 4,200 PPI version with an even more dazzling peak brightness of 20,000 nits, an increase from previous iterations unveiled at SID 2024 and CES 2025. Visitors to Samsung’s booth can explore a range of forward-looking form factors. These include a microLED-based stretchable display, first unveiled last year, now shown creating a 3D topographic map with simultaneous protrusions. Concept devices include the “Flexible Briefcase,” an 18.1-inch foldable OLED panel that transforms into a bag-like form with a handle, and the “Polygon Foldable,” which features a trapezoid-shaped 3.38-inch OLED on the exterior of a flip-style phone. 2025-05-13 13:59:19

Renowned conductor Chung Myung-whun named music director of Italy's La Scala SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - Renowned South Korean conductor Chung Myung-whun has been appointed as the next music director of Italy’s prestigious Teatro alla Scala in Milan, marking the first time an Asian musician will hold the position in the opera house’s 247-year history. La Scala announced the appointment on its official website on May 12 (local time), stating that Chung will succeed current music director Riccardo Chailly and begin his term in 2027, serving until February 2030. The 72-year-old maestro has previously held key conducting positions with major orchestras including the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Korean Broadcasting System Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. Chung’s relationship with La Scala dates back decades. In 2016, he conducted Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra as part of the theater’s international opera tour at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. In March 2023, he was named the first honorary conductor of La Scala’s resident orchestra, the Filarmonica della Scala. La Scala is expected to announce its full 2025–2026 season later this month, which will include 13 operas and 7 ballets, though details regarding new productions and repertory works have yet to be disclosed. A new tour of Asia featuring Chung and the Filarmonica della Scala is also reportedly in the works. Founded in 1778, La Scala is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world. With its rich history of premiering works by composers like Verdi and Puccini, and its legacy of performances by opera legends such as Maria Callas and Luciano Pavarotti, the theater is considered a global symbol of excellence in opera and classical music. 2025-05-13 10:51:13

Korea, Malaysia resume FTA talks to close gap in key areas SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - South Korea and Malaysia are set to resume negotiations this week in Kuala Lumpur as the two nations seek to advance their bilateral free trade agreement. The talks, scheduled from Tuesday through Thursday, mark the sixth round of negotiations since the process resumed in March 2024. The South Korean delegation is headed by Kwon Hye-jin, the country’s chief trade negotiator from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Malaysia’s team is led by Sumadi Balakrishnan, senior director at the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry. Officials from both sides say momentum has been building. Since last August, the two countries have held five formal rounds and several intersessional meetings, culminating in a significant breakthrough last month. The April 8–11 talks closed gaps in 10 key areas, including goods and services trade as well as broader economic cooperation. This week’s discussions will focus on eight major topics, notably rules of origin, while revisiting earlier negotiations on trade in goods and services. Both nations have now tabled their respective offer lists, laying the groundwork for more detailed bargaining. The stakes are high for South Korea, which is seeking to strengthen its foothold in Southeast Asia amid shifting trade dynamics in the region. While April exports to ASEAN countries totaled $94.4 billion — just $14.4 billion shy of exports to China — South Korea’s shipments to ASEAN outpaced those to China in February and March. “Establishing a bilateral FTA with Malaysia, a promising market within ASEAN, will significantly enhance our companies’ global competitiveness and help mitigate uncertainty,” Kwon said in a statement. 2025-05-13 10:40:08

Experts debate diplomatic strategies amid shifting global landscape at seminar in Seoul SEOUL, May 12 (AJP) - A number of lawmakers and experts gathered in Seoul on Monday for a seminar to discuss diplomatic strategies and security measures amid a rapidly shifting global political landscape. Hosted by Aju Business Daily, the seminar was held in Yeouido, where participants engaged in a heated debate over strengthening the alliance with the U.S. in response to North Korea's continuous development of its nuclear weapons program as well as other global challenges since President Donald Trump began his second non-consecutive term in January this year. Kim Geon of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) called for an even stronger alliance with the U.S. "In an era where global uncertainty grows and competition deepens, it is crucial to clearly analyze where we stand and where we are headed, and to establish strategies to swiftly cope with challenges," he said, adding, "At the core of this should be our alliance with Washington." The diplomat-turned-lawmaker also emphasized the importance of "concerted diplomacy" in collaboration with the government, businesses, academics, and citizens. Another PPP lawmaker, Yoo Yong-won, suggested tactics for approaching Trump. "Some call Trump a 'rugby ball' because he often takes unpredictable bounces. But as these cases accumulate, we may be able to anticipate some of his moves." Stressing the need for a strategic approach when dealing with Trump, the military reporter-turned-lawmaker also shared his past experience covering the American president's first photo-op with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore in 2018, where the former real estate tycoon persuaded Kim with his vision of turning the isolated country's Wonsan into an international tourist spot. Veteran lawmaker Park Jie-won of the main opposition Democratic Party, who opened the seminar, pointed out that the country is facing a major crisis across all areas. "Both internally and externally, a strong tempest is expected to bring a sea of change, but we will turn this crisis into an opportunity," he said. Kim Jun-hyung, a lawmaker from the minor Rebuilding Korea Party founded by disgraced former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, said he has been working closely with Park and other fellow lawmakers to devise measures to effectively respond to the challenges posed by the new Trump administration. "Given the unprecedented nature of the current U.S. administration, we should come up with innovative strategies, rather than simply reiterating the importance of the bilateral alliance as we did in the past, since that approach is no longer effective," he warned. 2025-05-12 17:40:08

US, China agree to roll back tariffs, pause trade war SEOUL, May 12 (AJP) - The United States and China announced Monday that they had reached a preliminary agreement to reduce and temporarily suspend a series of reciprocal tariffs, marking a significant step toward de-escalating a trade conflict that has rattled global markets for weeks. Following a weekend of closed-door negotiations in Geneva, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the two countries had agreed to a 90-day pause on implementing new tariffs, with both sides committing to reduce existing levies by a combined 115 percentage points. “We had very productive talks, and I believe the venue — here in Lake Geneva — added great equanimity to what was a very positive process,” Bessent told reporters. Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, who led Beijing’s delegation, described the discussions as “in-depth” and “candid.” Under the terms of the agreement, U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports will be reduced to 30 percent from the current 145 percent. In turn, China will lower its tariffs on American goods to 10 percent. In a statement released by China's Commerce Ministry, officials said both sides were committed to taking coordinated steps to implement the agreement. The ministry also indicated that China would suspend or remove certain non-tariff retaliatory measures imposed on the U.S. since April 2. The latest talks marked the first high-level, in-person negotiations on trade between the two countries since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House and revived his aggressive trade agenda. The Trump administration has blamed China for what it describes as decades of unfair trade practices and, earlier this year, imposed sweeping tariffs that reignited tensions between the world’s two largest economies. While Monday’s announcement offers a temporary reprieve for businesses and investors, analysts cautioned that a 90-day window may be too short to resolve deeper structural disagreements. Still, the move was welcomed by markets, with major indices in Asia and Europe climbing on hopes of a thaw in bilateral trade relations. 2025-05-12 17:16:34

SK Telecom reports slight dip in profit, reaffirms customer data safeguards SEOUL, May 12 (AJP) - South Korea’s largest wireless carrier SK Telecom reported a marginal decline in net profit for the first quarter of 2025, as increased corporate taxes offset gains from its expanding artificial intelligence businesses. The company said Monday that net income for the three months ending in March fell 0.1 percent to 361.6 billion won ($258.3 million), compared with 361.9 billion won during the same period a year earlier. The decrease was attributed to higher tax expenses following the expiration of special depreciation provisions. Despite the dip in profit, operating income rose 13.8 percent to 567.4 billion won, buoyed by robust demand in the company’s artificial intelligence divisions — including AI data centers and enterprise-focused AI transformation services — as well as continued strength in its fixed-line segment. Revenue for the quarter edged down 0.5 percent to 4.45 trillion won, from 4.47 trillion won a year earlier. Separately, the company addressed ongoing fallout from a major data breach disclosed in April, which compromised universal subscriber identity module (USIM) data for its entire user base. SK Telecom, which serves roughly 25 million subscribers — about half of South Korea’s mobile market — has been under scrutiny as it works to rebuild customer trust. In response, the company has intensified its fraud detection efforts, raising its monitoring system to the highest alert level. It also began automatically enrolling eligible users in its USIM card protection program and is offering free USIM replacements. As of May 11, 1.47 million users had completed the replacement process. 2025-05-12 16:42:28