Ex-DP lawmaker slapped with travel ban over alleged bribery SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) - Former Democratic Party (DP) lawmaker Kang Sun-woo has been banned from traveling, along with two others, over alleged bribery, police said on Monday. Kang, who recently left the party amid allegations, is accused of accepting 100 million Korean won (US$68,500) from Seoul city official Kim Kyung in return for the DP's candidate nominations for the 2022 local elections. The money was reportedly delivered to Kang's ex-aide, identified only by his surname Nam. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said it imposed the travel bans on the three, citing the seriousness of the case. The travel bans come a day after police raided their homes and offices to investigate how the money was delivered and used. The case emerged after an audio recording was abruptly released a few weeks ago, in which Kang is heard discussing the acceptance of the money with then-DP floor leader Kim Byung-ki, who resigned late last year amid a spate of bribery allegations and other misconduct. The Seoul city official, believed to have handed the money to Kang, was questioned the previous day upon her return to Seoul after traveling to the U.S. shortly after the allegations surfaced. But Kim, who was questioned for just three hours or so because of jet lag, is expected to be summoned again for further questioning. The Seoul city official, believed to have handed the money to Kang, was questioned the previous day upon her return to Seoul after traveling to the U.S. shortly after the allegations surfaced. Her questioning lasted only about three hours due to jet lag, and she is expected to be summoned again. Amid criticism that the investigation was too slow, potentially allowing suspects to destroy evidence, a score of complaints related to the case have been filed so far. 2026-01-12 16:28:39

Korean Air–Asiana union nears; what does it mean for Asiana passengers? SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) - The long-awaited merger between Korean Air and Asiana Airlines is finally approaching completion. But for millions of Asiana passengers, one question matters more than regulatory approvals or aircraft numbers: What happens to my miles, status and benefits? As Asiana is absorbed into Korea's larger flag carrier, its brand, loyalty program and global alliance will all disappear. While the combined airline promises greater scale and efficiency, many frequent flyers fear they may lose hard-earned advantages along the way. Miles: the biggest unresolved issue The most sensitive issue remains mileage integration, now widely seen as the final hurdle to full merger approval. In September last year, Korean Air proposed converting flight-earned miles at a 1:1 ratio, while credit-card miles would be converted at 1:0.82. Consumer groups objected immediately, arguing that the two airlines' mileage programs are not equal in value. Industry estimates put the value of a Korean Air mile at about 21–23 won ($0.02), compared with 17–19 won for an Asiana mile. The gap reflects stricter qualification rules at Korean Air, where elite status requires far more flying. Asiana flyers currently reach Gold status at 20,000 miles, while Korean Air's entry-level elite tier, Morning Calm, requires 50,000 miles. That difference has allowed many travelers to earn a higher status more easily on Asiana. Why elite flyers are worried Under the merger, the two loyalty systems will eventually be combined. That raises fears on both sides: Asiana customers worry their miles and status will be downgraded, while Korean Air elites fear their hard-earned privileges will be diluted if the elite pool suddenly expands. One frequent flyer summed it up online: "If lounge access and upgrades don't expand with the number of elite members, benefits will lose their meaning." To address criticism, Korean Air revised its plan, proposing to keep the two mileage programs separate for 10 years, with no conversion during that period. After a decade, all miles would move under Korean Air's Skypass program. The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) rejected that proposal in December, asking for stronger guarantees on award-seat availability and mileage upgrades — a decision that has pushed final integration further into the future. Alliance change: fewer global perks Another major change is Asiana's exit from Star Alliance in October. The airline will move to SkyTeam, Korean Air's alliance, because airlines cannot belong to two alliances at once. For many Asiana frequent flyers, this is a clear loss. Star Alliance has 25 member airlines, compared with SkyTeam's 19, and offers broader global coverage and lounge access. Korean Air says SkyTeam is sufficient for major routes and that customers will gain better access to its direct flights. Business travelers, however, say the shift reduces flexibility rather than improving it. One brand survives — and it's not Asiana The merger also ends Asiana Airlines as a standalone brand. Korean Air has made clear it will operate the combined carrier under its own name. Last year, it unveiled a refreshed logo and aircraft design, replacing "KOREAN AIR" with a simplified "KOREAN." For Asiana customers, the message is clear: this is not a merger of equals. The physical transition will also take time. Korean Air must repaint 238 aircraft, including 68 from Asiana, by 2027. Each repaint can take up to 15 days and cost nearly 1 billion won, raising questions about cost and disruption during the transition. Bigger airline, lingering doubts Legally, the deal is almost done. Korean Air completed the acquisition on Dec. 11, 2024, after securing approvals in 14 jurisdictions. Once fully integrated, the airline will rank among the world's top ten, with more than 230 aircraft, service to 120 cities and annual revenue exceeding 23 trillion won. At Incheon Airport, it will control about 37 percent of slots, with Asiana moving to Terminal 2 in mid-January 2026 for smoother transfers. Yet analysts say scale alone won't determine success. "If customers feel their loyalty was simply erased, the merger's long-term value will suffer," one industry official said. The question is no longer whether the merger will happen — but whether Korean Air can keep the trust of Asiana’s passengers once it does. 2026-01-12 16:26:34

Snowy Seoul SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) -Snow fell quietly across Seoul on Monday afternoon, drawing tourists and residents alike to pause and capture the softened cityscape. Light snowfall blanketed streets, rooftops and palace grounds, muting the usual rush of the capital and turning familiar landmarks into scenes of winter stillness. Visitors lingered with cameras and phones as flakes drifted down, framing Seoul in a rare moment of calm. The snowfall came amid sharp temperature swings, with morning lows hovering near minus 10 degrees Celsius before daytime highs climbed to around 2 degrees. About 1 centimeter of snow accumulated across the capital, while heavier snow advisories were issued for Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces, where up to 8 centimeters is forecast in inland and mountainous areas. Meteorologists said colder air is expected to return from Tuesday afternoon, pushing Seoul’s morning temperatures back toward minus 10 degrees by midweek. 2026-01-12 16:15:05

The seasonal magic of birch forest in Inje SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) - The celebrated birch forest of Inje, nestled in the mountains of Gangwon Province, has been transformed into a pristine white landscape following a recent heavy snowfall. The Wondae-ri Birch Forest is a testament to decades of careful reforestation. Between 1974 and 1995, approximately 690,000 birch trees were planted across 138 hectares, evolving from a dedicated man-made plantation into one of the region's most iconic natural retreats. Today, the site offers seven distinct trekking trails alongside a variety of forest education and immersion facilities. The heart of the birch groves is located roughly 3.5 kilometers from the forest's main information center. While the trails are designed with gentle gradients that follow the mountain’s contours — making them accessible to hikers of all ages — winter conditions require extra caution. Authorities recommend that visitors wear safety gear, including crampons and hiking poles, to navigate sections of the path that may be slick with ice or packed snow. For families, the forest features a dedicated experience program for children. During the winter season, the forest is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., though hikers are advised that the final entry for the day is strictly at 2 p.m. to ensure a safe return before sunset. 2026-01-12 16:04:44

Hyundai-backed company to launch driverless robotaxi service in Las Vegas SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) - Motional, the autonomous-driving joint venture backed by Hyundai Motor Group, plans to commercialize a fully driverless robotaxi service in Las Vegas later this year. Hyundai Motor said Monday Motional outlined the plan during a media event held Jan. 8 at its Las Vegas Technical Center, where it aims to launch an unmanned autonomous-driving service operating at Society of Automotive Engineers, or SAE, Level 4 by the end of the year. Under the SAE’s six-level framework, which ranges from Level 0 to Level 5, Level 4 — described as “high automation” — allows a vehicle to operate without human intervention under most driving conditions. Motional said it will begin pilot operations early this year to complete final safety and customer-experience validations ahead of a commercial rollout. Both the pilot and the commercial service will be conducted in partnership with a global ride-hailing company. Las Vegas has served as Motional’s longest-running robotaxi testing ground and is considered a demanding environment for validating autonomous-driving systems, given its mix of traffic patterns, road layouts and tourist activity. Chief Executive Laura Major declined to disclose the initial scale of the rollout but said Motional has sufficient vehicles to meet strong demand in Las Vegas and intends to expand service over time. “We plan to expand with Las Vegas as the center,” she said. The company also outlined a longer-term technology roadmap that combines its existing rule-based autonomous-driving systems with end-to-end, or E2E, artificial-intelligence models. Rule-based systems are typically easier to validate for safety but can struggle with rare or unpredictable scenarios. A hybrid approach, Motional said, is intended to improve both safety and operational efficiency. End-to-end systems rely on AI models trained on large volumes of driving data to infer and respond to real-world situations, an approach prominently used by Tesla. Motional also plans to improve its handling of so-called edge cases by integrating multiple machine-learning models — covering perception, prediction and vehicle control — into a single large driving model. Hyundai Motor Group said it will deepen collaboration among Motional, group affiliate 42dot and its autonomous-vehicle platform division, AVP. The automaker is considering linking Motional’s operational data and validation systems from the Level 4 commercialization process with 42dot’s software-defined vehicle roadmap to improve development efficiency in autonomous driving and SDVs. The plan also calls for expanded use of shared data infrastructure and standardized safety evaluation frameworks across the group. “This year, when we begin our first commercial driverless service, is very important for Motional,” Major said. “We are strengthening our capabilities so we can advance the technology and expand the scale of service operations.” 2026-01-12 15:54:05

Lee meets religious leaders to seek advice SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung on Monday asked major religious leaders to help unite South Koreans as social conflict and divisions deepen. At a luncheon meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul with leaders of South Korea's seven key religious orders including Buddhist monks, Catholic priests, Christian pastors, and others, Lee said, "As many people feel, conflict, hatred, and hostility in our society seem to have increased." He added that the president's most important job is to bring people together, but "even though I'm trying, there are many limits." Lee asked them to do more so that people can "live hand in hand" with harmony and inclusion, saying that the essence of religion is to practice love. He added that he would take their advice to heart and do his best to move the country toward a society where people "reconcile, forgive, and embrace one another." Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said the New Year's gathering was held to seek wisdom and advice from the religious community. 2026-01-12 15:39:54

US Navy ship arrives in Busan for repair work by HJ Shipbuilding SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) - HJ Shipbuilding & Construction said Monday that the 40,000-ton U.S. Navy logistics support ship USNS Amelia Earhart arrived at its Yeongdo shipyard in Busan, marking the start of the company’s first maintenance, repair and overhaul, or MRO, project for the U.S. Navy. The South Korean shipbuilder secured the MRO contract in December from the U.S. Navy Supply Systems Command, or NAVSUP. The vessel is assigned to the Military Sealift Command. The Amelia Earhart measures 210 meters in length and 32 meters in width. HJ Shipbuilding said the ship is capable of supplying up to 6,000 tons of ammunition, food and dry cargo, along with 2,400 tons of fuel, to major U.S. Navy vessels, including combat ships. The company said it will begin full-scale work this month, including inspections and maintenance of onboard equipment and facilities, and plans to return the ship to the U.S. Navy in March. With the deal with, HJ Shipbuilding became the third South Korean shipbuilder — after Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries — to perform MRO work for the U.S. Navy. The company estimates the global naval MRO market at about 79 trillion won annually, with the U.S. Navy accounting for roughly 20 trillion won of that total. HJ Shipbuilding said expectations for the domestic shipbuilding industry are rising following approval by the Trump administration of the MASGA project, a South Korea-U.S. cooperation initiative, and the U.S. Navy’s “Golden Fleet” plan, which aims to counter China’s expanding naval capabilities. The company also pointed to the U.S. Defense Department’s adoption of a Regional Sustainment Framework, or RSF, which seeks to improve efficiency and turnaround times by leveraging allied shipyards in the Indo-Pacific for MRO work previously conducted in the United States. HJ Shipbuilding said it plans to use the Amelia Earhart project as a foothold to sign a Master Ship Repair Agreement, or MSRA, with the U.S. Navy. Such an agreement would allow the company to expand its MRO business beyond logistics vessels to include combat ships and frigates. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-12 15:18:06

Commuters advised to brace for disruptions as unionized bus workers' strike looms SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) - Unionized bus workers in Seoul are holding last-minute talks on Monday, just a day before their planned strike. The eleventh-hour talks come after the workers issued an ultimatum for a strike slated for Tuesday, following a series of previous discussions that failed to narrow differences. The main point of dispute is whether bonuses should be included in their wages. Rejecting an offer of a 10-percent increase in wages, the workers have been demanding that bonuses be calculated as part of their wages, arguing that it is not a bargaining issue but a legal requirement based on a Supreme Court ruling in December 2024. They also said the proposed offer would effectively cut their pay, claiming it is an attempt to avoid a legally required 12.85 percent increase, which takes previously unpaid allowances into account. The union added that a strike is inevitable as long as management continues to evade responsibility while ignoring the court's ruling and the Ministry of Employment and Labor's corrective orders. With about 7,400 buses operating across Seoul, failure to reach an agreement could cause major disruptions starting with the first buses on Tuesday. The union had previously threatened strikes in May and November last year, but called them off at the last minute. To ease disruptions and minimize commuters' inconvenience, the Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to expand subway services and provide free shuttle buses linking to major subway stations across all 25 districts by deploying around 670 public and private vehicles. In preparation for a possible prolonged strike, the city is also considering asking public agencies and private companies to delay working hours by one hour to help reduce rush-hour traffic. 2026-01-12 14:47:14

OPINION: The end of tariffs is not the end of risk The possible judicial dismantling of Donald Trump’s so-called “reciprocal tariffs” has been greeted by parts of the global market with cautious relief. The assumption is straightforward: fewer tariffs mean less friction, smoother trade flows and a calmer world economy. But that assumption risks mistaking the removal of a symbol for the resolution of a problem. Tariffs were never the core issue. Uncertainty was. Trump’s tariff policy, controversial as it was, represented only one instrument in a broader political strategy. To frame its collapse as a definitive defeat misunderstands the nature of Trump-style governance. His approach has relied less on any single policy tool than on the creation of leverage through unpredictability. If one legal pathway closes, others may open. What matters most is not whether tariffs survive, but whether economic actors come to believe that U.S. policy itself has become fundamentally unstable. China’s response illustrates this point. Beijing is unlikely to interpret the weakening of U.S. tariffs as a clear victory. The center of gravity in U.S.–China tensions has already shifted away from trade balances toward technology, finance, supply chains and alliances. For China, the critical question is not whether exports receive a short-term boost, but whether the global policy environment becomes more predictable. In that sense, the end of tariffs may change the terrain, but it does not end the contest. For South Korea, the dilemma is particularly acute. Commitments to invest in the United States are no longer purely economic calculations; they are embedded in diplomatic and security relationships. Canceling such commitments is not a realistic option. What remains possible is a recalibration of timing and scale. Slowing execution is not a retreat but a rational response to heightened uncertainty. Yet prolonged hesitation carries risks of its own, potentially distorting long-term corporate strategies and investment planning. Domestic American politics adds another layer of complexity. Legal challenges against Trump may weaken him in the eyes of some voters, but they can also reinforce loyalty among his core supporters. Framed as an institutional conspiracy, judicial scrutiny can deepen polarization rather than resolve it. The result is a political environment in which policy reversals become more likely, not less. From a global economic perspective, the disappearance of tariffs does not automatically revive investment. Businesses fear volatility more than they fear taxes. When companies suspect that today’s policy relief could be followed by tomorrow’s restrictions, postponement becomes the rational choice. Investment slows, hiring hesitates and growth loses momentum—not because tariffs are high, but because the future is opaque. The collapse of reciprocal tariffs, then, should not be mistaken for the return of stability. It may instead mark the beginning of a more ambiguous era, one in which the instruments of pressure evolve even as underlying uncertainty intensifies. Markets do not require perfect policies; they require predictable ones. In a world where tariffs fade but volatility persists, the real test for the global economy still lies ahead. *The author is the President of Global Economic and Financial Research Institute (GEFRI) and AJP columnist. 2026-01-12 14:41:13

K-Pop Demon Hunters claims double "golden" at Golden Globes SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) - Harvesting last year’s syndrome K-Pop Demon Hunters has finally reached the moment awards seasons are meant to deliver: recognition catching up with momentum. At the 83rd Golden Globe Awards held on Jan. 11 in Los Angeles, Netflix’s animated feature claimed two of the night’s most coveted prizes — Best Animated Motion Picture and Best Original Song – Motion Picture for its breakout hit “Golden.” It was a rare double victory, neatly completing a trajectory that began on streaming charts and playlists last year. Directed by Korean-Canadian filmmaker Maggie Kang alongside Chris Appelhans, K-Pop Demon Hunters became the first animated feature led by a Korean director to win a Golden Globe. Blending K-pop idol culture with supernatural fantasy, the film follows a fictional girl group juggling global stardom with the task of protecting the human world from dark forces — a premise that could have remained niche, but instead proved strikingly universal. The soundtrack functioned as the film’s real-world engine. “Golden,” performed by the fictional group HUNTRIX and sung by Korean American artist EJAE, topped major music charts last year, crossing from fandom-driven success into the mainstream. At the Golden Globes, the song prevailed over heavyweight contenders from films such as Avatar: Fire and Ash and Wicked: For Good, confirming that its popularity was not a fleeting algorithmic spike but a work with staying power. EJAE’s acceptance speech gave emotional clarity to the film’s arc. She spoke of spending nearly a decade chasing her dream of becoming a K-Pop idol, only to face repeated rejection. “I thought my voice wasn’t good enough,” she said. Music, she explained, became a way to endure closed doors — and now, unexpectedly, a way to help others do the same. The message resonated beyond the room: rejection as redirection, persistence as craft. The numbers behind the film explain why the awards felt overdue rather than surprising. Released globally on Netflix in June 2025, K-Pop Demon Hunters ranked No. 1 on the platform’s global weekly chart for nine consecutive weeks and remained in the Global Top 10 for more than six months, according to Netflix data. Few animated titles — or films of any genre — have sustained that level of visibility without theatrical saturation. With Golden Globe trophies in hand, K-Pop Demon Hunters now heads into the Grammy and Oscar races, extending its "golden" momentum across major global awards. 2026-01-12 14:27:23