South Korea, Japan join U.S.-led 'Pax Silica' alliance to secure AI chip supply chains SEOUL, December 13 (AJP) -South Korea and Japan on Saturday joined a new U.S.-led strategic grouping that goes beyond the so-called “Chip 4” alliance, bringing together the core microchip and artificial intelligence supply chain — from critical minerals and energy to chipmaking equipment, design and advanced manufacturing — across the Asia-Pacific and allied economies. The initiative, branded Pax Silica, reflects Washington’s growing push to reinforce a trusted technology bloc amid mounting concerns that China could weaponize its dominance over key materials essential to semiconductor and AI chip production. According to the U.S. State Department factsheet, inaugural meeting was held Saturday in Washington D.C. with officials from Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Australia — countries that collectively host many of the world’s most advanced semiconductor, AI, equipment and infrastructure firms. South Korea is home to global memory chip leaders Samsung Electronics and SK hynix; Japan supplies essential chipmaking materials, precision components and equipment; the Netherlands hosts ASML, the world’s sole producer of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines required for advanced-node manufacturing; Israel is a hub for semiconductor design, cybersecurity and AI software; the United Kingdom plays a central role in chip architecture and advanced research; Singapore serves as a regional manufacturing, logistics and data-center hub; the United Arab Emirates is emerging as a major investor in AI infrastructure and energy-intensive computing; and Australia provides critical mineral resources vital to semiconductor and battery production. Seoul's foreign ministry did not issue a separate statement on the alliance, a low profile reflecting its awkwardness towards the hidden political agenda. Notably absent is India, despite its rising profile in semiconductor design, electronics manufacturing and critical mineral sourcing, underscoring unresolved frictions in U.S.–India relations under the Trump and Modi administrations. Unlike Chip 4, earlier supply-chain coordination efforts focused narrowly on fabrication or export controls, Pax Silica is designed as an end-to-end framework spanning the entire technology stack — from upstream mineral refining and energy inputs to semiconductor design, advanced packaging, AI computing infrastructure and logistics. The State Department described Pax Silica as a “secure, resilient and innovation-driven silicon supply chain” initiative rooted in cooperation among trusted partners, with the explicit aim of reducing coercive dependencies while enabling large-scale deployment of artificial intelligence. While the department did not name China directly, the timing and scope of the initiative coincide with growing alarm in Washington and allied capitals over Beijing’s tightening export controls on rare earth elements and other materials critical to military, semiconductor and electronics manufacturing. China accounts for more than 70 percent of global rare-earth mining and processing capacity, a concentration that U.S. officials increasingly view as a strategic vulnerability in an AI-driven economy. U.S. officials framed Pax Silica as part of a broader shift in economic statecraft, where secure supply chains, trusted technology and resilient infrastructure are increasingly seen as pillars of national power and long-term growth. The initiative responds to rising demand from U.S. partners for deeper coordination on technology and economic security, the recognition that AI will reorganize global value creation, and the need to protect sensitive technologies and critical infrastructure from undue access or control by countries of concern. “AI is reorganizing the world economy,” the State Department said, noting that economic value will increasingly flow through all layers of the AI supply chain — driving demand for semiconductors, energy, advanced manufacturing, data centers, transportation logistics and new markets yet to be created. The name “Pax Silica” draws on the Latin word pax, meaning peace and stability, paired with silica, the compound refined into silicon — the foundation of modern computing chips. U.S. officials likened the concept to earlier geopolitical orders such as Pax Americana, positioning Pax Silica as an economic and technological framework for an AI-driven era. Under Secretary of State Jose W. Fernandez Helberg directed U.S. diplomats in Washington and overseas to operationalize the summit’s outcomes by identifying infrastructure projects and coordinating economic security practices across missions, the department said. 2025-12-13 09:04:48

Year-end office drinking binges quietly disappear in Korea SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - December used to mean one thing at Korean companies: mandatory year-end dinners, overflowing soju bottles and long nights that spilled into second and third rounds. This winter, that ritual is quietly fading. Rising dining costs and MZ workers' allergy to after-work obligations have thinned corporate calendars, leaving December unusually light — and restaurants unusually empty. At a fried chicken pub near Gwanghwamun, the year-end peak barely registers. On a recent Friday night, a staff member said the owner hadn't even come in. Bookings were that thin. In Myeongdong, Kim, who runs a samgyeopsal (pork barbecue) restaurant, said it doesn't feel like year-end at all. "By early December, these streets are usually so crowded you can barely move," he said, gesturing outside. "But look — it's empty." Next door, the story is the same. "Business is down from last winter," an employee said. "And it's not just restaurants. Even people in real estate say it's slow." Inflation has taken much of the cheer out of the season. According to Statistics Korea, consumer prices rose 2.4 percent year on year in November to 117.2 (2020=100). While housing and public service costs stayed relatively stable, personal service prices climbed 3 percent, with dining-out prices up 2.8 percent — enough to make another round of grilled pork feel like a luxury. The pressure is showing in survival rates. The National Tax Service says the three-year survival rate for 100 major livelihood industries, including food service, has slipped to 52.3 percent, meaning fewer than half of new businesses make it past their third birthday. The figure has been falling steadily since 2022, a sign of cooling domestic demand. But what's happening on the ground is not just about prices. It's also about culture. Company dinners — once treated as an extension of work itself — are losing their grip. A nationwide survey by market research firm Embrain Trend Monitor of 1,000 salaried workers aged 19 to 59 shows how sharply attitudes have shifted since the pandemic. Nearly eight in 10 respondents (79.2 percent) said the overall workplace atmosphere now leans toward avoiding company dinners. Even when they do happen, they tend to end early: 76.2 percent said gatherings wrap up faster than before, and 57.5 percent said evening drinking sessions have increasingly been replaced by lunch-time meals. For many workers, that's a relief. More than 70 percent said the stress of attending company dinners has eased, while 63.9 percent said they feel less pressure — or guilt — about skipping them altogether. Not everyone is celebrating. Regret over the decline in company dinners is strongest among older workers and senior managers. While 60.5 percent of executives in their 60s said they miss the tradition, only 41.1 percent of entry-level employees felt the same. And despite the new "voluntary" label, social pressure hasn't disappeared. Six in 10 respondents (60.7 percent) said that while attendance is technically optional, they still feel they have little choice. Lower-ranking employees, in particular, worry that skipping dinners could still carry consequences. If dinners must happen, many workers now favor a new rule of thumb: "119" — a tongue-in-cheek nod to Korea's emergency fire number. One drink, one round, and home by 9 p.m. Park, 27, who works in the public sector in Seoul, puts it bluntly. "I really don't want to go," she said. "If we have to meet, lunch is enough — and it should be during work hours." Lee Chun-ae, 57, who works at a tax office in Seoul, agrees, with limits. "Once every three months is plenty," she said. "And if there is a dinner, it should end after the first round." For restaurants, the quiet December is painful. For many workers, it feels like progress — proof that the era of endless year-end drinking may finally be over. 2025-12-12 18:30:42

Lee pushes for speedy construction of presidential office in Sejong SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung on Friday expressed hope for the speedy construction of a new presidential office in the administrative city of Sejong, scheduled for completion by 2030, saying he wants to "retire from there." Speaking at a briefing by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Lee expressed hope to expedite its timeline if possible, saying, "Otherwise, I would barely be able to use it." During his election campaign earlier this year, he suggested that he would first move to the current presidential office in Yongsan, then to Cheong Wa Dae, and eventually relocate to Sejong, where most ministerial offices and other government agencies have been moved since 2012 as part of efforts to promote balanced regional development. Kang Ju-yeop, in charge of the construction project, said the current plan requires two years for design and two years for construction, admitting the difficulty of meeting the 2030 target. Lee then clarified that he was simply expressing his wish to expedite the project, cautioning against cutting corners. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-12 18:01:52

World AI Film Festival to debut in Seoul in 2026 SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - The World AI Film Festival will make its Seoul debut in March 2026, bringing together artificial intelligence technology and film as part of its expanding global network. Content planning firm Vision Culture said it will host the World AI Film Festival Seoul 2026 (WAIFF Seoul 2026) on March 6 and 7, 2026, at Lotte World Tower in southern Seoul. The event will be held with official sponsor Lotte and media partner The Korea Herald. WAIFF is an international, network-based film festival that explores the artistic convergence of cinema and artificial intelligence. Founded by France-based Institut EuropIA, the festival has grown into a global platform with editions held in France, Brazil, Japan, China and South Korea. Each regional edition runs its own competition and jury while remaining linked through a shared international creative community. The inaugural WAIFF was held in April 2025 in Nice, near Cannes, attracting more than 1,500 submissions from 85 countries. About 200 industry professionals and more than 1,000 audience members attended the first edition. Following that launch, Seoul was selected as the festival’s Asian premiere host city for 2026. Cities confirmed to host WAIFF editions in 2026 include Sao Paulo, Kyoto, Wuxi and Seoul, with the Seoul event marking the first WAIFF edition in Asia. WAIFF Seoul 2026 will run a full competition program focused on short-form works created using generative AI technologies. Submissions opened on October 15 through the official website and include four categories: AI short films, AI short series, AI advertising and youth AI films. All entries must involve video works produced using generative AI. In addition to the competition, the festival will feature workshops, panel discussions, ethics forums, and industry exchange sessions covering AI-based content production, education, and collaboration. The jury and honorary leadership lineup includes Marco Landi, former chief operating officer of Apple and chairman of Institut EuropIA; French Academy Award-winning director Claude Lelouch; Emmy Award-winning writer Sarah Lelouch; and internationally acclaimed actress Gong Li, known for her roles in Memoirs of a Geisha and Farewell My Concubine. Winners in each category will receive prize money and sponsorship support, and selected award-winning works will be invited to screen at the main World AI Film Festival event in Cannes in April 2026. WAIFF Seoul 2026 is expected to serve as a platform connecting South Korea’s AI-driven content creators with global film and technology networks. 2025-12-12 17:59:31

Korea beats European powers to rank 7th most powerful country SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) -South Korea ranked as the world’s seventh-most powerful country in 2025, surpassing European heavyweights such as France and Italy, according to the latest CEOWORLD Magazine assessment — a result that highlights the country’s expanding influence, increasingly driven by soft power alongside industrial and strategic strength. The 2025 ranking underscores a central reality of global order: a small group of states continues to set the pace for politics, markets and security. The United States retained the top position with a score of 95.36, followed closely by China (94.86) and Russia (94.81). India (94.76), the United Kingdom (94.56) and Japan (94.31) completed an intensely competitive top six. South Korea placed seventh with a score of 94.18, edging out France (93.55), Italy (93.30) and Turkey (93.30), while Germany ranked lower at 90.40. The clustering of scores reflects how advanced industrial capacity, alliance networks and regional leadership increasingly translate into durable global influence. CEOWORLD’s framework defines “power” not narrowly as military might, but as the capacity to shape global economic and political outcomes across seven attributes: political stability, economic influence, defense budget, weaponry, global alliances, soft power and military strength. Political stability provides regulatory continuity and contract security — prerequisites for long-horizon investment. Economic influence reflects a country’s weight in trade, finance and global demand. Defense budgets and weaponry measure the resources underpinning deterrence and force projection, while global alliances capture a state’s ability to multiply influence through collective security and shared rules. Soft power — cultural reach, education, values and national brand — has emerged as a decisive differentiator, particularly for countries without overwhelming military scale. Military strength, meanwhile, assesses operational readiness, logistics and the ability to sustain deployments rather than headline spending alone. 2025-12-12 17:57:48

OPINION: Why China becomes more popular in 2025 SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - The year 2025 has entered its final month. This year, unilateralism and protectionism have injected greater uncertainty into the world. China, however, has charted a different course. China has remained proactive, winning greater global goodwill through increasing opening up, stronger momentum of innovation, and an ever more appealing culture. This year, surveys conducted by a range of international polling organizations, including Ipsos and Morning Consult, showed that China's global favorability continues to rise. China, once viewed as a "mysterious country in the East," is now perceived as a "cool" nation. More foreigners are visiting China visa-free. More believe that China's technological innovation and high-quality development are an unstoppable trend. More recognize the importance of China's proposals and initiatives to global development and progress. More view China as a stabilizing anchor in an uncertain world. The rising favorability stems from stability and progress. In the face of uncertainty driven by rising protectionism, China has consistently focused on "doing the right things." It has committed to advancing high-quality development and expanding high-level opening up. In the first three quarters of this year, China's GDP grew by 5.2 percent year-on-year. In the first 11 months, its total imports and exports of goods increased by 3.6 percent year-on-year. China remains steadfast in its commitment in response to external noise and short-term fluctuations. With strategic resolve and confidence, China continues to serve as a key engine of the world economy. To date, China has signed 23 free trade agreements with 30 countries and regions, implemented zero-tariff treatment to cover 100 percent of tariff lines for all 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with it, and announced that it will not seek new special and differential treatment in current or future World Trade Organization negotiations. Meanwhile, its "circle of friends" in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation continues to expand. The world is witnessing ever-growing "China opportunities." With both an inclusive mindset and concrete opening-up measures, Chinese modernization continues to empower global development. The rising favorability also reflects responsibility and commitment. Amid the turbulence and anxiety triggered by the resurgence of unilateralism, China adheres to the right path of peaceful development and win-win cooperation. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. In September, China held a grand military parade in Tiananmen Square, where a range of advanced weapons drew global attention. Chinese President Xi Jinping declared, "The Chinese people firmly stand on the right side of history and the progress of human civilization. We will remain committed to the path of peaceful development, and join hands with all peoples around the world in building a community with a shared future for humanity." At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Tianjin Summit, China put forward the Global Governance Initiative, which has received support from more than 140 countries and international organizations. The initiative, together with another three advanced by China, namely the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilizations Initiative, is working to improve global governance, and promote world peace and development. "China has been a rational, strong and reliable partner," said Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, adding that what China brings is not only stability, but also hope for a sustainable future. The rising favorability is driven by innovation and perseverance. After a month-long trip in China, a reporter from the UK's Daily Telegraph called China a society full of vitality and innovative spirit. By adhering to an innovation-driven development strategy and accelerating the cultivation of new quality productive forces, China has impressed the world with its advances in science and technology. A China committed to innovation is "future-oriented," with strong resilience. It has demonstrated to the world its resolve to face challenges and break new ground, and its unwavering determination to sustain effort, which has earned growing respect and recognition. By upholding openness and cooperation, and sharing the fruits of innovation, China is joining hands with other countries to pursue common development. The rising favorability also draws on China's profound heritage and approachability. 2025-12-12 17:40:20

K-literature pipeline filled with next Han Kang candidates SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - Han Kang's 2024 Nobel Prize has helped revive an almost-dead reading, literature and publishing community. Bookstores have regained life, and this year’s pipeline is rich with hopes of sustaining the Han Kang momentum. AJP introduces three potential post-Han candidates whose translated works have drawn overseas attention after publication and gained critical acclaim through major awards. Chung Bora “My grandfather used to say, ‘When we make our cursed fetishes, it’s important that they’re pretty.’” – from “Cursed Bunny” by Chung Bora. A tale of a rabbit figurine made as a cursed object that brings ruin to three generations of a vicious business family. The revenge of a fox against the human who exploited her. A world consumed by a plague that drives people to eat human flesh. And a woman seeking the man who will become the father of her child conceived without sex. Known for her horror and fantasy fiction, Chung Bora’s work brims with a critical gaze toward gendered violence, capitalism, patriarchy and the social construction of normalcy, as well as inexhaustible imaginative power. Chung, who began publishing fiction in 1998, remained a relatively obscure figure in South Korea until “Cursed Bunny” gained international acclaim. She nonetheless continued to write steadily. Her background is unusual. Chung is both a novelist and a translator of Russian and Polish works into Korean, as well as a professor of Russian language and literature. She studied Russian and English literature at Yonsei University, earned her master’s degree in Russian and East European Studies at Yale University, and received her PhD in Slavic Literature from Indiana University. “Cursed Bunny” was shortlisted for the 2022 International Booker Prize and the 2022 National Book Award for Translated Literature. Rights to the collection have been sold in 22 countries. In 2024, Chung received the Leipzig Book Fair Prize in Germany for this book. The 2023 National Book Award judges called “Cursed Bunny” “eerie, unsettling, and wildly imaginative, delving into the crevices of the psyche and the fissures of society, excavating tales that range from the uncanny to the downright horrifying,” describing it further as “thrilling and thought-provoking.” Her 2024 work “Your Utopia” was shortlisted for the Philip K. Dick Award, one of the world’s three major science fiction honors. Chung became the first Korean writer to be nominated and the only translated work among the six finalists. “Your Utopia” was published in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and India, and was selected by Time magazine as one of its “Books of the Year” in 2024. Kim Choyeop An android, fitted with synthetic skin indistinguishable from that of a human, decides to replace it once again with metal. The story of a member of an alien species born with two distinct selves in one body. SF author Kim Choyeop, one of South Korea’s most prominent contemporary writers, also has a striking background. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry from Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), often called “the Caltech of Korea” and one of Asia’s top science and technology institutions. Kim is also hearing-impaired. She made her debut in 2017 at the age of 24, winning both the Grand Prize and a Special Award in the short and mid-length fiction categories at the Korean Science Literature Awards. Her short story collection “If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light” and her novel “The Greenhouse at the End of the Earth” have each sold over 200,000 copies in Korea. Rights to “If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light” have been sold to Japan, China, Taiwan and Spain, while “The Greenhouse at the End of the Earth” was acquired for over two million yen by major Japanese SF publisher Hayakawa at the time of release. The book has been sold to publishers in six countries and is set for film adaptation. Reports last year revealed she had signed a multimillion-dollar deal with a U.S. publisher. The short story “Spectrum”, from “If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light”, is being adapted into an SF film directed by “House of Hummingbird” filmmaker Kim Bora. Kim is a prolific writer. In 2021 alone, she published four books, including her second short story collection “The World We Just Left Behind”, the micro-fiction collection “Planetary Language Bookshop”, and the full-length novel “The Greenhouse at the End of the Earth”, which was first released as a limited edition for members before general publication the following year. She also wrote the nonfiction book “Becoming Cyborg”, exploring the relationship between disability and technology. Online bookstore Aladin named her “Author of the Year” in 2021 based on a poll of publishers. Cheon Seon-ran A romance between a lonely human and a vampire. A post-apocalyptic world ravaged after the invasion of an alien species, half-goat and half-demon. SF writer Cheon Seon-ran made her debut in 2019, winning the Grand Prize in the novel category of the Korean Science Literature Awards. Her best-known work, “A Thousand Blues” (2020), is a science fiction novel set in South Korea in 2035. In a near future where humanoid robots have become commonplace, a jockey robot named Coli — born with a cognition chip by chance — sacrifices itself for Today, a racehorse whose cartilage is crumbling. The story follows Coli as it meets three women and explores themes of friendship and coexistence among humans, robots and animals. Critics have praised the novel for its warmth and empathy. “A Thousand Blues” has sold more than 200,000 copies in Korea. Publishing rights have been sold to more than ten countries, including the United States (Penguin Random House), Germany, the UK, Japan, Taiwan and China. The novel is also being adapted into a Hollywood film. “A Thousand Blues” has been optioned by Warner Bros. Pictures, the global studio behind the “Harry Potter” and “Dune” series. While the precise value of the deal has not been disclosed, reports indicate that Cheon will receive between 600 million and 700 million won ($406,000–$474,000) for the adaptation rights. 2025-12-12 17:34:23

Seoul taps sovereign funds to bankroll AI and next-generation tech SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - South Korea launching three-digit-billion-dollar government-sponsored growth fund investing AI and next-gen technology companies through equity and projecting financing is working on a separate wealth fund to systematically groom non-listed unicorn darlings. During a televised policy briefing to President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol outlined plans for a fund modeled on Singapore’s Temasek and Australia’s Future Fund. The vehicle, he said, would support large-scale projects in AI and semiconductors and pursue more aggressive equity investments than traditional policy funds. “By benchmarking Singapore’s Temasek, we aim to expand into proactive equity investment,” Koo said, signaling a shift from Korea’s long-standing preference for indirect or credit-based industrial support. In theory, South Korea already has a sovereign wealth fund. The Korea Investment Corporation (KIC), established in 2005 under former President Roh Moo-hyun and modeled on Singapore’s GIC, manages part of the country’s foreign-exchange reserves. Born out of lessons from the 1997 Asian financial crisis, KIC’s mandate has been conservative by design: to safeguard and reinforce foreign-currency assets through overseas investment. Koo’s proposal would mark a clear departure. The envisioned fund would add a domestic investment portfolio, channeling capital directly into Korean AI, chip and next-generation technology companies — a role KIC has never played. Uncertainty over execution Despite the political signaling, the contours of the new fund remain opaque. Its scope, target investments, funding sources and staffing have yet to be clearly defined, and even within the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MOEF), clarity appears limited. “We can only confirm that the New Growth Policy Division is currently responsible for the fund’s composition,” a MOEF official said on condition of anonymity. KIC, for its part, has not been consulted. A KIC official said the institution has received no notice of any expanded mandate or involvement. One idea floated by Koo involves allowing majority shareholders to pay inheritance taxes with listed shares rather than cash. The approach would ease liquidity pressure on business heirs while enabling the state to accumulate and actively manage equity assets. How such shares would be pooled, governed or deployed, however, has yet to be spelled out. Governance remains another unresolved issue. Unlike Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, where Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman wields direct authority, or Temasek, which operates under Singapore’s Ministry of Finance with a clear legal and managerial structure, it is still unclear where a Korean sovereign growth fund would sit within the bureaucracy — or how insulated it would be from political cycles. Sustainability is a further concern. Previous administrations launched policy funds that were later dismantled or downsized. The Lee Myung-bak government’s “Resource Diplomacy Fund,” aimed at securing overseas energy and natural resources, was wound down after heavy losses. The Park Geun-hye administration’s “Unification Fund” and the Moon Jae-in government’s “K-New Deal Fund” were likewise shelved as political priorities shifted. The latest proposal also overlaps with initiatives already underway. Earlier Thursday, the Financial Services Commission launched the National Growth Fund, appointing FSC Chairman Lee Eog-weon, Mirae Asset Group Chairman Park Hyun-joo and Celltrion Chairman Seo Jung-jin as co-chairs of its steering committee. Formed hastily in mid-December, the fund is set to reach 150 trillion won ($101.8 billion) over five years, split evenly between government-guaranteed bonds and private capital. Of that total, 30 trillion won is earmarked for AI and 21 trillion won for semiconductors. A deliberation committee is expected to finalize next year’s operational plan later this year. Whether Seoul’s renewed interest in sovereign-style investing results in a durable Temasek-like institution — or becomes another short-lived policy experiment — will hinge on governance, continuity and the government’s ability to clearly define how this new vehicle fits into Korea’s already crowded landscape of growth funds. 2025-12-12 17:33:53

PHOTOS: Get early taste of Lunar New Year holiday at COEX SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - Festive Gift Fair opened on December 10 at COEX in Seoul, running through December 13. Organized by Messe E&D and Korea Food Service News, the fair features diverse gift sets including health products, agricultural and marine products, household goods, and food and beverages. Visitors can purchase items directly at the event, and various sampling opportunities make the experience particularly engaging for attendees. This year's fair emphasizes value-for-money products in response to prolonged inflation. NH Nonghyup Hanaro Mart participated with premium fruit, Korean beef, seafood, and food gift sets, with many exhibitors offering special discounts up to 67% off. Admission is 10,000 won, with free entry for advance registration. Operating hours are 11:00-18:00 daily, closing at 17:00 on the final day. 2025-12-12 17:27:58

PHOTOS: Pet fair underway in Seoul SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - The three-day "Christmas Seoul Pet Show" opened in Seoul on Dec. 12, showcasing a rapidly expanding companion animal market driven by the trend of "pet humanization" in South Korea. The event, which runs through Dec. 14, aims to promote the respect of companion animals, emphasizing their growing status as full-fledged family members in the country. This shift in perception — where pets are increasingly treated like human children — is accelerating demand across the pet care economy. The fair features a comprehensive range of products and technologies from across the pet-related industry, including premium feed and treats, essential household goods, furniture, fashion, and various services. Many attendees brought their pets to the venue. Visitors were seen testing specialized feeds and treats to match their pets' specific preferences and trying on bespoke clothing and accessories. Interactive areas, including experience zones and event spaces for photo opportunities with pets, were also a highlight for the pet-owning families. 2025-12-12 17:26:21