South Korea's FX reserves rise for sixth month to $430.7 billion SEOUL, December 03 (AJP) - South Korea’s foreign exchange reserves climbed for a sixth straight month in November, rising by $1.84 billion to $430.66 billion — the highest level since August 2022 — the Bank of Korea (BOK) said on Wednesday. The steady increase follows a five-year low of $404.6 billion recorded in May. The central bank said the latest gain was driven by higher investment returns and an uptick in foreign-currency deposits held by domestic financial institutions. By asset type, securities including government and corporate bonds rose by $1.39 billion to $379.35 billion. Deposits increased by $490 million to $26.43 billion. Gold holdings were unchanged at $4.79 billion. As of end-October, South Korea ranked ninth globally in foreign reserves. China topped the list with $3.343 trillion, followed by Japan, Switzerland, Russia, India, Taiwan, Germany and Saudi Arabia. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-03 08:46:10

Court rejects arrest warrant for PPP's former floor leader SEOUL, December 3 (AJP) - A court denied an arrest warrant for Choo Kyung-ho, the former floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) early Wednesday morning. The Seoul Central District Court rejected the warrant sought by prosecutors over his alleged involvement in disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law debacle in December last year, citing considerable legal disputes surrounding the charges. Choo has been accused of interfering with parliamentary efforts to lift the martial law declared by Yoon on Dec. 3 by repeatedly changing locations to prevent lawmakers from voting for it. The court said Choo has been cooperating with the investigation into the debacle and that there is no risk of flight or evidence tampering. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-03 08:43:44

South Korean brokerages post higher profit in Q3 SEOUL, December 03 (AJP) - South Korean securities firms posted a combined net profit of 2.49 trillion won in the third quarter, up 37.6 percent from a year earlier but down 12.6 percent from the previous quarter, preliminary data from the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) showed on Wednesday. The sector’s average return on equity rose to 2.6 percent from 2.1 percent a year earlier, supported by a rebound in stock markets that lifted commission income. However, higher interest rates weighed on bond trading, dragging overall quarterly profit lower. As of end-September, the industry’s total capital stood at 100.7 trillion won, up 4.2 trillion won over three months. The average net capital ratio increased to 920.2 percent, with all firms comfortably above the regulatory minimum of 100 percent. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-03 08:40:30

Kookmin University professor named among world's top 2 percent food science researchers SEOUL, December 02 (AJP) - Kookmin University said in a recent announcement that Jang Yoon-ji, who teaches in the university's Department of Food and Nutrition, has been listed among the 2025 Top 2% Scientists compiled by Stanford University and Elsevier. The listing evaluates citation indicators and research impact to identify leading scholars across global fields, and the university noted that Jang's inclusion highlights her influence in food safety and food science research. Jang's recent work focuses on global food safety challenges, including the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and foodborne pathogens. She has concentrated on bacteriophage-based technologies that selectively eliminate harmful bacteria while avoiding the broad-spectrum limitations of conventional antimicrobials. Her team has developed powder, hydrogel and antimicrobial film formulations with improved stability and controlled-release features, applying them to food surfaces and packaging materials to explore more precise and environmentally sustainable safety solutions. Her research portfolio includes several projects supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea, such as studies on microbiome shifts and safety assessments related to phage applications in food systems, as well as the development of selective pathogen control using surface-modified carbon dots. With support from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, she is also working on postbiotic formulations tailored to the intestinal environments of older adults and infants. Additional work includes designing phage-control technologies that regulate phages inhibiting beneficial microorganisms during fermentation. These projects contribute to functional materials for vulnerable populations, offer pathways toward antibiotic alternatives and support the development of sustainable food safety technologies across the broader food industry. "It is meaningful to expand the scope of research based on selective microbial-control technologies and to contribute to building sustainable food safety capabilities for both Kookmin University and Korea," Jang said. 2025-12-02 17:47:51

Cold wave advisory issued in Seoul with sub-zero temperatures expected SEOUL, December 2 (AJP) - A cold wave advisory was issued for all 21 districts of Seoul and surrounding areas on Tuesday, just before a new cold snap hit the capital in the evening. Such an advisory is issued when morning temperatures are expected to drop by more than 10 degrees Celsius from the previous day, or at least 3 degrees below the seasonal average, or when the morning low is forecast to remain at or below -12 degrees for two or more consecutive days. Morning temperatures on Wednesday are expected to plunge below zero, with daytime highs remaining low in most areas as chilly winds blow. In collaboration with local districts and relevant agencies, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will maintain 24-hour monitoring and ensure shelters are equipped with emergency and winter essential supplies. To ensure the safety of elderly and other vulnerable people, the city plans to conduct phone checks and in-person visits as needed. 2025-12-02 17:13:32

Aju Media Group and Vision Culture sign partnership for WAIFF Seoul 2026 SEOUL, December 02 (AJP) - Aju Media Group and Vision Culture signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Tuesday to form a strategic partnership for the successful hosting of the “World AI Film Festival (WAIFF) Seoul 2026.” The signing ceremony was held at Aju Media Group’s headquarters in Jongno-gu, central Seoul. The event was attended by Aju Media Group Chairman Kwak Young-gil, President Lim Kwu-jin, Vision Culture Chairman Byun Jun-yeon, and WAIFF Seoul Chair Lee Catalina. Under the agreement, Aju Media Group will serve as the official media partner for “WAIFF Seoul 2026,” which is scheduled to take place in March next year. The two sides will cooperate across several areas, including production and coverage of WAIFF Seoul-related content, media support for the opening and awards ceremonies, promotion and reporting through domestic and international media channels, joint planning of programs, interviews, and on-site documentation. WAIFF is an international, network-based film festival that explores the artistic fusion of film and artificial intelligence. It was established by Institut EuropIA in Nice, France, and has expanded into a global event hosted in France, Brazil, Japan, China, and South Korea. The first edition of WAIFF took place in April this year in Nice, near Cannes. It received more than 1,500 film submissions from 85 countries, drawing around 200 festival officials and over 1,000 attendees. 2025-12-02 17:10:50

Asian markets mixed on yen carry trade fears as KOSPI outperforms SEOUL, December 02 (AJP) - Asian equity markets were mixed on Tuesday as investors weighed the growing risk of a yen carry trade unwind sparked by rising expectations of a Bank of Japan interest rate hike. Korea’s KOSPI stood out as the region’s strongest performer, drawing sizable foreign inflows even as most other Asian benchmarks stalled or slipped. The Korean won strengthened slightly to 1,468.9 per dollar, up 2 won from the previous session, supported by foreign capital moving into Seoul’s markets and a renewed push by financial authorities urging exporters and institutions to convert dollar earnings into won. Still, analysts noted that Korea’s M2 money supply growth remains higher than in other major economies, suggesting that currency stabilization will require more time and potentially further policy measures. The KOSPI jumped 1.9 percent to 3,994.93, briefly approaching the psychologically significant 4,000 line as investors repositioned amid heightened volatility in Japan. Monday’s trade data, which showed a surplus, added momentum. Foreign investors bought 1.21 trillion won ($800 million) in Korean equities, while institutions purchased 393 billion won. Retail investors sold 1.58 trillion won, locking in recent gains. Large-cap technology stocks led the advance. SK hynix climbed 3.72 percent to 558,000 won, reclaiming the 550,000-won level for the first time in weeks. Samsung Electronics added 2.58 percent to 103,400 won, consolidating its hold above the symbolic “100,000-Electronics” threshold. Carmakers, which had slumped the previous day, rebounded sharply: Hyundai Motor rose 4.52 percent to 266,000 won and Kia gained 4.19 percent to 117,000 won. Shipping stocks also surged following the latest trade data, with Pan Ocean up 11.17 percent, Korea Line rising 9.04 percent, and Hyundai Glovis climbing 3.93 percent. Japan’s Nikkei 225 ended largely flat at 49,303.45, giving back early gains as BOJ tightening expectations solidified. Financial stocks climbed on the prospect of higher rates, with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group up 2.46 percent. But analysts cautioned that a full-scale unwind of yen-funded carry positions could trigger broader market stress. Japanese industrial and robotics names were notable gainers. Fanuc rose 6.51 percent, and Yaskawa Electric advanced 4.67 percent, reflecting optimism that the export downturn may be bottoming and capital expenditure could soon pick up. Exporters that had benefited from yen weakness, including Toyota, retreated, with the automaker falling 1.2 percent. Taiwan’s TAIEX mirrored Korea’s strength, closing 0.81 percent higher at 27,564.27, led by TSMC, which gained 1.42 percent. MediaTek, after a sharp rally in recent days, slipped 2.08 percent on valuation concerns. Mainland Chinese markets remained among the region’s weakest as investors assessed the potential impact of a BOJ rate hike on regional liquidity. The Shanghai Composite fell 0.42 percent to 3,897.71, and the SZSE Component declined 0.68 percent to 13,056.70. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index, which touched 26,264 earlier in the day, pared gains to trade 0.14 percent higher at 26,067 as of 4:40 p.m. 2025-12-02 17:06:45

Waning West-centric voice in media means opportunities for Asian narratives SEOUL, December 02 (AJP) - The waning influence of Western-centric narratives in global media presents a critical opening for Asian news platforms to assert their own voice, said Sohn Jie-ae, visiting professor at Ewha Womans University and former CNN Seoul bureau chief, at a forum in Seoul on Tuesday. Citing a recent New York Times column, Sohn said the United States' global narrative has grown "incoherent" and its brand "toxic," arguing that the shift marks a historic moment for Asian journalism. "This is not a vacuum, but an opportunity — a moment when alternative voices must be heard. And opportunity comes to those who are prepared," she said in her keynote address at AJP's forum, "The Era of Extremes and Polarization in Digital Transition and the Role of Media." While Asian media institutions have matured, Sohn said global news flows still overwhelmingly reflect Western framing. "As many countries withdraw correspondents, we depend on Reuters, AP and CNN. We learn about our neighbors not through their media, but through Western reporting," she said, contrasting the region's lived realities — from Hong Kong fires to Southeast Asian flooding — with the U.S.-centric top pages of leading Western outlets like The Washington Post. Sohn recalled watching Korea's democratic transformation unfold — from pro-democracy protests to the trials of former presidents and the elections of former dissidents Kim Young-sam and Kim Dae-jung. "In 1985, we marched without fully knowing what we wanted, except a country where we could shout and protest freely. CNN broadcast that process to the world, and through those events the world saw Korean democracy at work," she said. After leaving CNN, Sohn served as government spokesperson and later led Arirang TV, navigating tensions between journalistic independence and representing a national perspective. "There were fierce debates between those who insisted we could never air negative news about Korea and those who said credibility requires standards," she said, noting that the newsroom eventually found a realistic middle ground. Similar dilemmas, she added, face Asian platforms including Singapore's Channel News Asia, China's CGTN, the Philippines' Rappler and Hong Kong's South China Morning Post. Sohn outlined three strategies for AJP and emerging Asian newsrooms: Be Smart, Be Bold and Know Your Region. Journalists must be anchored in ethics yet willing to innovate, she said, pointing to Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster's collaborations with Google and Samsung as an example of bold thinking in the generative AI era. She also underscored the importance of regional fluency. "AJP is only one year old, but Asia is a young region. China, Japan and Southeast Asia remain key markets. Young Koreans and young Asians must know their region — and show they are part of it." 2025-12-02 16:53:23

C-democracy, or political participation through wagering, sprouts in polarized Korea SEOUL, December 02 (AJP) - "C-democracy" — where wagering meets political motive — is emerging in South Korea, as bets on former president Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment odds illustrate how fandom-driven political participation is evolving into fortified camps amid deepening polarization, a media scholar said at a forum in Seoul. "The fandom-engaged, interest-based model of democracy is shifting into a fortress-centered one — a fragmented, hybrid structure marked by ideological defense," said Park Han-woo, a professor of media and communication at Yeungnam University, speaking at AJP’s first-anniversary forum titled "Extremism, Polarization and the Role of Media in the Digital Transition." Park contrasted today’s digitally driven rallies with the hierarchical and closed protests under the 1970s–80s military regime. Contemporary participation, he noted, spans K-pop–style collective action seen in impeachment demonstrations, seniors expressing political views through YouTube, and teenagers mobilizing both online and on the streets through smartphones, livestreaming and social media. "Modes of participation are diversifying across generations," he said. Drawing on Australian media scholar Axel Bruns’s framework, Park pointed to a broader shift toward "individual publics," "issue publics," and "networked publics." These digitally connected groups can accelerate information flow, he said, but also amplify distortion and misinformation. The impeachment period revealed the interplay of "strong publics," capable of organized political action, and "weak publics," driven more by emotional affiliation. Both can broaden democratic debate, Park said, but also heighten social conflict. A new layer is emerging in the form of what Park describes as "financialized publics," a concept from his recent research. Studying overseas users who place bets on Korean political outcomes through the blockchain-based prediction platform Polymarket, Park found that political messaging often diverged from actual wagering behavior. "Emotional expression is intense, but financial risk-taking moves on a separate track," he said, calling this a new hybrid of political and economic participation. Park warned that rising news avoidance, algorithm-driven information consumption, and deepening emotional polarization are creating conditions in which "even basic facts fail to gain consensus." Trends such as election denial and the spread of conspiracy theories, he noted, have become visible in both South Korea and the United States. With democratic norms under strain, Park emphasized that rebuilding public trust is essential. He called for transparent communication, stronger civic empathy, and institutional structures that can bridge increasingly segmented publics. "Media must help rebuild trust at a moment when traditional value systems are shaking," he said. 2025-12-02 16:49:36

More subway workers threaten strike SEOUL, December 2 (AJP) - More subway workers are expected to go on strike next week if their demands for increased staffing are not met. The Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union (KPTU), which operates Line 9, separately from Seoul Metro (which manages Lines 1 through 8), held a press conference in Seoul on Tuesday, threatening a potential partial strike on Dec. 11. The action would maintain train schedules but involve operational slowdowns such as delayed door closures, reduced train speeds, and refusal to perform non-essential tasks. KPTU's union members say last year's agreement to hire more than 55 additional staff has not been fulfilled. They argue that insufficient staffing leads to a higher risk of accidents. Meanwhile, unionized workers of Seoul Metro have launched a similar strike, with a full-scale walkout planned for Dec. 12. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-02 16:30:49