Luxury hotels and retailers target 'rite rush' as S, Koreans outsource ancestral duties SEOUL, January 18 (AJP) - As the Lunar New Year holiday approaches next month, luxury hotels and major retailers in South Korea are aggressively targeting a niche but rapidly growing market: the "to-go" ancestral rite table. The hospitality industry is capitalizing on a significant cultural shift where families are increasingly willing to pay a premium to outsource the labor-intensive cooking required for the holiday, turning a domestic duty into an affordable service. The ritual, known as "Charye," is a traditional Confucian memorial service held on the morning of the Lunar New Year. Families gather to set a table laden with specific offerings—including meats, fruits, vegetables, and rice cakes—to honor deceased ancestors and seek their blessing for the household's health and prosperity. While deeply rooted in Korean culture, the practice requires days of meticulous cooking and preparation, a responsibility that has traditionally fallen heavily on the women of the household. Recognizing the growing fatigue with these demands, major establishments, including JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square, Fairmont Ambassador Seoul, and The Plaza, have rolled out "Charye To-Go" packages for the upcoming holiday. According to industry reports released Sunday, these sets range in price from approximately 200,000 won ($135) to 600,000 won and offer complete rite tables featuring dozens of required dishes such as "jeon" (pan-fried delicacies), "galbijjim" (braised short ribs), and dried fish, all prepared by professional chefs. The trend has evolved beyond simple convenience to include "star power" marketing. This year, the influence of the hit Netflix cooking competition "Culinary Class Wars" has reached the ritual table, with Mayfield Hotel Seoul launching a premium "Sechan" set overseen by head chef Lee Keum-hee, a contestant from the show's second season. Retailers noted that while sales of these packages dipped slightly after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand has stabilized and is now driven by a loyal customer base seeking to balance tradition with modern lifestyles. This commercialization of the rite is a direct response to the growing economic and social burden of the tradition. Data from the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation indicates that South Korean families must spend an average of 380,000 won at supermarkets to prepare a single Charye table, a cost that continues to rise annually due to inflation. This combination of labor intensity and rising food prices has soured public sentiment toward the ritual, leading many to seek alternatives or abandon the practice altogether. A survey conducted by Sungkyunkwan, the country's oldest Confucian institute, revealed that approximately 56 percent of South Koreans plan to stop holding memorial rites entirely. Respondents cited the "burden of food preparation" and the belief that the practice is "outdated" as primary reasons for opting out. For those unwilling to completely abandon their heritage, the hotel-made rite table has emerged as a compromise, allowing families to maintain the ceremonial form without the kitchen stress. 2026-01-18 10:38:48

Filipino domestic workers in Korea struggle with low pay, study finds SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - Many Filipino domestic workers in South Korea who came under a government pilot program have faced low wages and undervalued care work, according to a new academic study. In a paper published Saturday in the journal of the Korean Association for Immigration Policy and Administration, Lee Mi-ae, a professor at Jeju National University’s Research Institute for the Tamla Culture, examined the experiences of Filipino domestic and care workers employed under a pilot project run by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Employment and Labor. The program brought 100 Filipino housekeepers to Korea to provide child care and household support for dual-income, single-parent and multi-child families. Lee and her research team conducted surveys and in-depth interviews between April and May last year with 21 Filipino workers in their 20s and 30s, along with two interpreters. During the first six months of the program, participants earned an average monthly wage of 1.92 million won ($1,301) before taxes. After deductions for housing, insurance and communication costs, their take-home pay fell to about 1.18 million won, or roughly 51 percent of South Korea’s average monthly wage in 2024, which stood at 3.74 million won. Their hourly wage was set at 9,860 won, 27 to 35 percent lower than that of domestic childcare providers and household workers, whose pay ranges from 13,590 won to 15,000 won per hour. Even under a standard 30-hour workweek, monthly deductions of 470,000 to 520,000 won for items such as housing left many workers with less than 1 million won in net pay. Several respondents also reported being asked to perform tasks beyond their original scope of work. In addition to child care, they said they were expected to clean the house, wash dishes, care for pets and provide English lessons. Lee attributed these problems to the exclusion of migrant domestic and care workers from the policymaking process, saying discussions focused mainly on users’ needs and employers’ interests. “Workers’ experiences and voices must be reflected at every stage of policymaking,” she wrote, calling for stronger labor protections. She also stressed that migrant domestic workers should be allowed to change workplaces without automatically losing their residence status and that their fundamental labor rights be protected. Lee further urged policymakers to move beyond a narrow focus on low wages and re-evaluate the social value of child care and household labor. 2026-01-17 17:49:02

BTS to release fifth full-length album 'Arirang' in March SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - K-pop supergroup BTS will release its fifth full-length album titled "Arirang," drawing its name from Korea's most iconic folk song. According to BigHit Music on Friday, BTS revealed the album title during a live broadcast on fan platform Weverse at midnight, announcing that the album will be released on March 20. Leader RM said during the live stream that the group wanted to incorporate something symbolic of Korea into the album's concept. "We thought it would be meaningful to include something that represents Korea, and the word 'Arirang' came to mind," RM said. "As we're releasing an album after a long time, we felt it could bring together the full range of emotions we've experienced." BTS said the album reflects the group's identity as artists who began their journey in Korea, as well as themes of longing and deep affection rooted in their personal experiences. BigHit Music described "Arirang" as a symbolic title that captures the emotional core the members aim to convey in the new release. "Ahead of their long-awaited comeback, BTS naturally turned their attention to the team’s roots, starting point and inner stories," the agency said. "By exploring universal emotions such as longing and deep love, the album is expected to resonate with listeners around the world." During the live broadcast, the members hinted that the new album would defy expectations. "Each of us has released solo projects, so whatever people expect, it will be different," the group said. "Yet the music still feels distinctly like us." The album marks BTS's first new full-length release in three years and nine months since their 2022 anthology album "Proof." The fifth studio album will feature a total of 14 tracks. Following the album's release, BTS will embark on a new world tour beginning April 9 at Goyang Stadium in Gyeonggi Province. The tour will span 34 cities with 79 shows — the largest in K-pop history — and will feature a 360-degree stage designed to enhance audience immersion. 2026-01-17 15:41:48

Kim Jong-un hails North Korean troops deployed to Russia at Pyongyang youth event SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un praised North Korean troops deployed to Russia, calling their participation something "only young Korean people could do," state media reported Saturday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim made the remarks on Friday while attending a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League at Kim Il Sung Stadium in Pyongyang. "Present here are also young soldiers who have recently defended the dignity and honour of their country in overseas special military operations by displaying the excellence, heroism, self-sacrificing spirit and character peculiar to their fellow people," Kim was quoted as saying. He added that such actions were something only young Korean people could accomplish. Kim also said there were no soldiers in the world who would fight on the battlefield as faithfully as North Korean troops, "expecting no reward or private interest," stressing that the existence of such youth was a source of incomparable pride for the state. He further addressed the significance of marking the youth league's 80th anniversary ahead of the Workers' Party of Korea's upcoming ninth congress. "The 80-year history of struggle of the youth league is being reviewed in the light of socialist ideals, noble patriotism, a passionate sense of justice and a pure spiritual world," Kim said, adding that this had once again elevated the status and prestige of North Korean youth. He went on to say that preparing the next generation and building a future that carries the country's proud past into a glorious present was a historic achievement of the North Korean youth movement that no one else could replace. During the event, Kim awarded the Order of Kim Jong Il, the country's highest state decoration, to the youth league. He personally attached the medal to the league's flag and presented the certificate to its committee chairman. Senior officials, including Choe Ryong-hae, Workers' Party secretaries Ri Il-hwan and Ri Hi-yong, and propaganda chief Ju Chang-il, also attended the ceremony, along with Youth League Chairman Mun Chol. Kim's daughter, Kim Ju-ae, did not appear to be present. The Socialist Patriotic Youth League, North Korea's largest youth organization, was founded in 1946 under the name the North Korean Democratic Youth League. Membership is mandatory for all young people and students aged 14 to 30, with total membership estimated at around five million. 2026-01-17 14:11:51

South Korea urges 50 citizens in Iran to leave as unrest continues SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - The South Korean government said Friday that around 50 citizens are currently staying in Iran, urging them to leave the country as soon as possible amid continuing unrest. According to a joint meeting held Thursday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and overseas missions to assess safety measures in Iran—where violent crackdowns have followed recent anti-government protests—no casualties involving South Koreans had been reported. The meeting was attended by officials from South Korea’s embassies in Iran, Azerbaijan, Israel, Turkmenistan and Türkiye. Iran has been gripped by widespread protests sparked by economic hardship, with authorities carrying out a hardline response using snipers and other security forces. Some estimates suggest that the death toll may range from several thousand to more than 10,000, though the exact scale remains unclear as Iranian authorities have restricted internet access and information flows. Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jin-a said the situation remains highly uncertain due to numerous variables, stressing the need to prioritize citizen safety even at the risk of criticism. "Even if we are criticized for taking excessive precautions, it is preferable to act in a way that minimizes risk," Kim said, echoing remarks previously made by the president. She urged officials to take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of South Korean nationals. Kim also emphasized that a Level 3 travel advisory—recommending departure—has been issued for all regions of Iran, calling on South Koreans in the country to leave as quickly as possible. She further instructed South Korean missions in three neighboring countries to thoroughly prepare all necessary measures to ensure the swift and safe evacuation of citizens in the event of an emergency. South Korean Ambassador to Tehran Kim Jun-pyo said the embassy is checking the safety of all South Korean nationals in Iran on a daily basis and actively encouraging them to depart. "Departures are continuing," Kim said, adding that the embassy is maintaining constant communication with the local South Korean community and regularly reviewing and updating evacuation plans in case the situation deteriorates further. 2026-01-17 11:50:04

U.S. makes clear Taiwan chip tariff deal will not apply to South Korea SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - Washington has made clear that semiconductor tariffs and related exemptions will be set through country‑by‑country negotiations, meaning the criteria agreed with Taiwan will not be copied and applied automatically to South Korea. An administration official said on Friday that the U.S. would pursue "separate agreements for separate countries" when asked whether the semiconductor tariff waiver terms offered to Taiwan would also be granted to South Korea. This suggests that Washington intends to define specific tariff and exemption conditions bilaterally with each major chip‑exporting partner, rather than adopting a single unified standard. President Donald Trump has argued that semiconductor imports have reached a level that threatens U.S. national security and has instructed his administration to negotiate with relevant countries to address this perceived risk through tariffs. Under this approach, Washington plans to negotiate first with countries that export semiconductors to the U.S. and only then impose tariffs, while offering "tariff offset programs" to companies that invest in strengthening the U.S. semiconductor supply chain. Within this framework, the U.S. announced a trade agreement with Taiwan on Thursday that sets out the tariff waiver rules for Taiwanese semiconductor exports. In return for a commitment by Taiwanese firms to undertake $250 billion of direct investment in the U.S., Washington agreed to cut the reciprocal tariff rate on Taiwanese products from 20 percent to 15 percent, aligning it with the rate applied to South Korea and Japan. Previously, South Korea had agreed to $350 billion in U.S. investment and Japan to $550 billion, in exchange for reductions in their respective reciprocal tariffs. The Trump administration also decided that Taiwanese companies establishing new semiconductor production capacity in the U.S. will receive substantial tariff relief. While a new facility is under construction, imports of up to 2.5 times its production capacity can enter the U.S. market without paying the new semiconductor tariffs. After the facility is completed, imports of up to 1.5 times the new capacity can continue to enter tariff‑free. South Korea finalized its trade negotiations with the U.S. at the end of October last year, ahead of Taiwan, and secured assurances that it would not be placed at a disadvantage compared with countries whose semiconductor trade volumes with the U.S. exceed South Korea's. This implies that South Korea is expected to receive conditions at least equivalent to those applied to Taiwan, one of its key competitors, although how this principle will be implemented remains uncertain and is expected to be clarified through further negotiations with Washington. 2026-01-17 11:11:50

OPINION: When lies go global, humanity must return to its oldest truths SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - Humanity is living through a paradox of its own making. Never have we been more technologically advanced, more interconnected, or more capable of instant communication across borders. And yet never has truth felt so fragile, so easily displaced by falsehood, manipulation, and manufactured belief. Fake news, pseudo-religions, counterfeit journalism, and demagogic politics have fused into a single ecosystem of deception—one that now threatens not only democratic governance but the moral architecture of civilization itself. This is no longer a national problem. It is not an American problem, a European problem, or an Asian problem. It is a civilizational one. The modern infrastructure of falsehood runs on global platforms—most notably YouTube and other social media networks—whose algorithms reward outrage over accuracy, repetition over verification, and emotion over evidence. Lies now travel faster than facts not because they are truer, but because they are more profitable. What began as tools of connection have become accelerants of division, radicalization, and social decay. Yet for all its technological novelty, this crisis is not new. Humanity has confronted the corrosive power of falsehood before—and long ago recorded its conclusions. Two to three thousand years ago, the foundational religious and philosophical texts of civilization converged on a single insight: societies collapse when truth is abandoned. Buddhism identified false speech and malicious language as among the gravest moral offenses, not because they offend etiquette, but because they poison the mind and unravel communal trust. Confucian philosophy warned that when words lose their proper meaning, governance itself becomes impossible. The Abrahamic traditions placed truth at the heart of divine order, treating false testimony not as a private sin but as a public crime against justice. Different civilizations, different theologies—one shared conclusion. Lies are not merely errors; they are structural threats. What distinguishes our moment is scale. Falsehood is no longer episodic or local. It is industrialized, monetized, and globalized. Pseudo-religions exploit spiritual anxiety. Pseudo-journalism imitates the form of reporting while hollowing out its substance. Pseudo-politics thrives on grievance, conspiracy, and spectacle rather than governance. Together, they form a shadow civilization that mimics legitimacy while corroding it from within. This is why appeals to “platform self-regulation” or isolated national laws are no longer sufficient. The problem has outgrown them. Just as humanity eventually recognized that weapons of mass destruction, climate change, and pandemics required coordinated international responses, so too must we now accept that systemic disinformation demands a global framework. What is needed is not censorship, but responsibility. Not suppression of dissent, but protection of reality itself. At this juncture, the world would do well to consider a coordinated, multilateral mechanism—something akin to a United Nations–level response—dedicated to confronting organized disinformation and predatory pseudo-movements that exploit digital platforms. Such a body would not police opinion, but establish shared standards of accountability, transparency, and algorithmic responsibility. It would recognize that when platforms profit from deception at scale, they cease to be neutral intermediaries and become consequential actors in global stability. In this emerging conversation, South Korea occupies a position of quiet but unusual relevance. Korea is not a military superpower. It does not dominate global finance, nor does it impose ideological blocs. Yet it is a country shaped by some of the most intense contradictions of modern history: colonization, national division, war, authoritarianism, and rapid democratization—followed by one of the world’s most advanced digital societies. It has lived through ideological extremism and learned, at great cost, what happens when truth is subordinated to power. Equally significant is Korea’s civilizational inheritance. The founding ethic of Korean civilization—Hongik Ingan, often translated as “to broadly benefit humanity”—is neither sectarian nor nationalistic. Rooted in the ancient Dangun tradition, it is a moral principle that predates modern religion and anticipates modern humanism. It does not seek dominance, but harmony; not conversion, but coordination. In contemporary Korea, multiple religions—Buddhism, Christianity, Catholicism, Confucian ethics, and indigenous traditions—coexist with relatively limited sectarian violence. This pluralistic equilibrium is neither accidental nor trivial. It offers a living example of how divergent belief systems can share a civic space without annihilating one another. For that reason, Korea is uniquely positioned to serve not as an enforcer, but as a convener. One can reasonably imagine an International Commission on Disinformation and Pseudo-Movements, headquartered in Korea, operating in cooperation with United Nations structures. Its mandate would be narrow but essential: to study systemic disinformation networks, propose global norms for platform accountability, facilitate cross-border cooperation, and anchor modern policy debates in the ethical insights humanity has already agreed upon for millennia. Such an institution would not dictate belief. It would defend the conditions under which belief remains meaningful. Critically, this effort must be grounded not only in technology and law, but in moral memory. The ancient texts were right: truth is not optional infrastructure. It is the load-bearing pillar of social order. When truth collapses, everything built upon it—democracy, trust, coexistence—follows. The choice before humanity is stark. We can continue treating disinformation as background noise, trusting that markets or platforms will self-correct. Or we can acknowledge that we are facing a systemic threat to shared reality—and respond accordingly, with humility, coordination, and resolve. History suggests that civilizations do not fall because they lack innovation. They fall because they lose their ability to distinguish truth from falsehood, meaning from manipulation. The knowledge to prevent that outcome is already in our possession. It was written down thousands of years ago. What remains is the courage to translate ancient wisdom into modern structures—and the will to act together, before the lies finish their work. 2026-01-17 10:13:53

Giant rice cake prepared by locals ahead of Lunar New Year SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - Merchants and other participants gathered to make giant rice cakes at an event held at an open-air market in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province on Friday, about a month ahead of the Lunar New Year's Day. The charity event was arranged to distribute the chewy rice cakes to those in need. South Koreans traditionally start the New Year by eating a soup made with these rice cakes, known as "tteokguk," to wish for health and longevity. 2026-01-16 17:59:19

U.S. TSMC deal signals more deal-making for Seoul and pledges from chipmakers SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - In the tariff deal Seoul and Washington signed last October, South Korea was promised it would not be treated less favorably than Taiwan. But Taiwan’s newly secured tariff exemptions tied to expanded U.S. investment are now forcing Seoul and Korean chipmakers back to the negotiating table with fresh offers. Taiwan’s tariff outcome has been closely watched in Seoul, given the scale of its semiconductor trade with the United States. In last year’s negotiations, South Korea secured a “most-favored treatment” clause, ensuring that any future U.S. semiconductor tariff arrangements with third countries would not place Korea at a disadvantage. That assurance is now being tested. While South Korea and Japan previously agreed to cut reciprocal tariffs from 25 percent to 15 percent in exchange for pledges of $350 billion and $550 billion in U.S.-bound investment, respectively, Taiwan has tied tariff relief more directly to semiconductor capital expenditure. President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued a proclamation imposing additional tariffs of up to 25 percent on certain high-performance artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors on national security grounds, putting major chip-producing countries, including South Korea, on alert. According to the White House, the measure targets advanced AI chips used across 16 critical infrastructure sectors—such as data centers, defense, communications and energy—but does not apply uniformly. Instead, it is limited to products exceeding specific thresholds for logic operation performance and memory bandwidth, a structure widely interpreted as a “pinpoint tariff” aimed at top-tier accelerators such as Nvidia’s H200 and AMD’s MI325X. The proclamation also carves out broad exemptions for chips used within the United States, including those destined for domestic data centers, research and development, startups, consumer and industrial applications, and the public sector. Analysts say the design effectively shields most U.S.-bound supply while functioning as a de facto export tariff, particularly on shipments to China. Seoul moved swiftly. On Thursday, the government convened emergency meetings with Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, both key suppliers of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) to Nvidia and AMD. Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo extended his stay in Washington to assess the situation, while the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held an emergency task force meeting chaired by Minister Kim Jung-kwan. “We must closely examine our response efforts, continue monitoring the situation, and communicate closely with the industry to thoroughly analyze the potential impacts,” Kim said. The pressure intensified hours later when Washington finalized a trade agreement with Taiwan. Under the deal, mutual tariff rates were lowered from 20 percent to 15 percent. In return, Taiwan pledged up to $500 billion in U.S.-focused support—$250 billion in direct investment by firms such as TSMC and another $250 billion in government-backed credit guarantees. The agreement also grants Taiwanese chipmakers significant tariff exemptions tied to U.S. production. During construction of semiconductor plants, output volumes up to 2.5 times installed capacity will be tariff-free, while after completion, tariff-free treatment continues for volumes equivalent to 1.5 times capacity. South Korea’s earlier agreement with Washington explicitly promised “treatment no less favorable than Taiwan” for its semiconductor sector. Political reactions in Seoul ranged from unease to concern. Song Jae-bong, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party who sits on the National Assembly’s trade committee, said, “We are still trying to grasp the full situation, as the head of the trade negotiation bureau has not yet returned from the U.S.” Kang Seung-kyu of the People Power Party warned that the timing was troubling. “With a $20 billion cash investment in the U.S. already on the table and exchange rate volatility creating turmoil, it’s worrying that the White House has issued another proclamation like this,” he said. Independent lawmaker Kim Jong-min said the intent behind Washington’s move was clear. “The purpose of this proclamation seems to be to push firms to build more factories in the U.S.,” he said, adding that “honoring the promise that Korea will not be treated less favorably than Taiwan is critical.” Experts say the tariffs reflect Washington’s broader industrial strategy. Cho Dong-jun, professor of political science at Seoul National University, said, “The answer is obvious: it means ‘produce in the United States.’” He added that while the policy aims to rebuild U.S. manufacturing, “even if semiconductor factories are built in America, there will be no one to work in them,” warning of inefficiencies driven by domestic politics. Cho Sung-hoon, an economics professor at Yonsei University, said the proclamation serves dual purposes: “populist political motivation and an attempt to increase tariff revenue by exploiting America’s dominant position.” Others emphasized the strategic nature of semiconductors. Heo Jung, professor of economics at Sogang University, said chips are classified in the U.S. as a national security industry and are central to the AI race. “Trump likely targeted them as part of U.S. efforts to control China’s access to advanced technology,” he said. For now, the direct impact on Korean firms may be limited. KIEP researcher Kim Hyuk-jung noted that the proclamation’s annex focuses on logic semiconductors rather than memory. “Korea primarily exports memory modules to the U.S., while Taiwan exports far more logic-based products,” he said. Still, analysts warn the longer-term implications are clear. As Trump expands product-based tariffs and links exemptions to concrete investment pledges, Korea’s export-driven semiconductor industry is likely to face mounting pressure to commit more capital to U.S. production—testing both the limits of alliance politics and the durability of last year’s “most-favored” promise. 2026-01-16 17:56:30

Few babies, big business: Baby Fair at COEX SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) -South Korea has one of the world’s lowest birth rates, but when it comes to babies, the country remains serious. The 2026 Momsholic Baby Fair, one of Korea’s largest exhibitions dedicated to pregnancy, childbirth and childcare, opened Thursday at COEX Hall A in southern Seoul. The fair runs through Jan. 18, bringing together about 500 booths operated by some 200 companies from Korea and overseas. Despite shrinking family sizes, the exhibition hall was filled with expectant parents, young couples and families browsing products that span the full arc of early life — from pregnancy care and delivery essentials to infant nutrition, early childhood education programs and children’s room interiors. One dedicated zone, dubbed the “Good Sleep Project,” focused on rest, recovery and healing for parents and babies alike. Organizers said the event is designed to offer practical, hands-on information for expectant and first-time parents, while also easing financial pressure by enabling direct transactions between companies and consumers, often at discounted prices. The fair unfolds against the stark demographic reality facing South Korea. The country’s total fertility rate — the average number of children a woman is expected to have over her lifetime — stood at about 0.80 from January to October last year, among the lowest in the world. Yet inside COEX, the mood was less about decline than determination: strollers rolling past crowded aisles, product demos drawing small audiences, and parents-to-be comparing notes on how to prepare for a future that, for them at least, is already on the way. 2026-01-16 17:51:57