PHOTOS: Thrills on the water SEOUL, August 18 (AJP) - In the heart of Gangwon Province's mountainous terrain, the Naerincheon Stream in Inje stands as a premier destination for thrill-seeking rafters. Widely regarded as a top spot for the sport in South Korea, the waterway is prized for its lengthy and challenging stretches of rapids. During the sweltering summer months, the stream's combination of intense whitewater and picturesque scenery makes it a popular escape for those seeking to combat the oppressive heat. 2025-08-18 15:23:30

Annual joint military exercise with US kicks off SEOUL, August 18 (AJP) - South Korea's annual joint military exercise with the U.S. began on Monday, involving some 18,000 South Korean troops and a similar number of U.S. personnel. Dubbed Ulchi Freedom Shield, the exercise runs until Aug. 28 and includes computer-simulated drills as well as field training to strengthen the two allies' combined defense posture against North Korean threats and other security challenges. Although the overall scale of the exercise remains unchanged from previous years, this year's exercise, the first since President Lee Jae-myung took office in early June, has been scaled down, with about 20 of the 40 planned field training exercises being postponed until September due to a scorching heat wave. Some speculate the scaled-down exercise may also be part of the Lee administration's recent conciliatory gestures toward North Korea. In his speech marking the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day last week, Lee reiterated his willingness to engage with the North, although Pyongyang has continued to snub his repeated overtures. North Korea's defense chief strongly denounced the exercise about a week ago, threatening "negative consequences." In a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency on Aug. 10, North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang-chol called it "provocative moves of clearly showing the stand of military confrontation with the and making another serious challenge to the security environment on the Korean Peninsula and in the region." Along with the exercise, nationwide civil defense drills are also being held this week to ensure preparedness for crises and other emergencies. 2025-08-18 14:28:05

Joint research team uncovers RNA quality control mechanism that slows aging SEOUL, August 18 (AJP) - A joint research team from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST), Yonsei University, and the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) has identified a key protein that regulates the pace of aging by maintaining the quality of ribonucleic acid (RNA). The discovery points to a potential new strategy for treating age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's. The researchers found that a ribosome quality-control protein called PELOTA plays a central role in removing faulty messenger RNAs (mRNAs). While the link between aging and the quality of DNA and proteins has been studied extensively, the role of RNA quality control remained largely unknown. The team demonstrated for the first time that ribosome-based mRNA surveillance directly influences lifespan. Using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, a widely used model for aging research, the researchers showed that overexpressing PELOTA extended lifespan. Without PELOTA, the animals aged faster. The study revealed that ribosome quality control, mediated by PELOTA, is essential for eliminating abnormal mRNAs that can disrupt cellular balance. The study also revealed how PELOTA connects with major cellular pathways. When PELOTA was deficient, the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway became abnormally active, and autophagy, the cell's self-cleaning and recycling process, was suppressed, accelerating aging. By contrast, activating PELOTA helped inhibit mTOR, promote autophagy, and preserve cellular homeostasis. Importantly, the findings were not limited to worms. The team observed similar mechanisms in mice and human cells, suggesting that PELOTA function is evolutionarily conserved. The loss of PELOTA activity was linked to muscle aging and Alzheimer's disease-like pathologies, pointing to potential therapeutic applications. "This study provides strong molecular evidence that RNA quality control is a central part of the aging regulatory network," said Lee Seung-jae of KAIST's Department of Biological Sciences, who led the work. "Our results show that removing abnormal RNAs is critical for maintaining cellular balance and delaying aging." The collaboration was co-led by Seo Jin-su of Yonsei University and Lee Kwang-pyo of KRIBB. The paper, titled Pelota-mediated ribosome-associated quality control counteracts aging and age-associated pathologies across species, was published on August 4 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Doctoral researchers Lee Jong-seon and Kim Eun-ji of KAIST, Lee Bo-ra of KRIBB, and Lee Hye-in of Yonsei University were credited as co-first authors. The project was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea's Leader Research Program. 2025-08-18 13:51:15

Idle South Korean youth cost economy billions, study finds SEOUL, August 18 (AJP) - South Korea’s growing population of “discouraged youth” — those neither working nor looking for work — imposed an estimated economic burden of 53.4 trillion won, or about $38.4 billion, between 2019 and 2023, according to a study released Monday. The research, commissioned by the Federation of Korean Industries and conducted by Lee Mi-suk, an economics professor at Changwon National University, found that the annual cost of lost productivity rose steadily from 8.9 trillion won in 2019 to 11.5 trillion won in 2023. The study measured the gap by estimating potential wages that these idle young people could have earned, using the income levels of comparable employed peers. The analysis suggested that discouraged youth would likely have earned about 80 percent of what working counterparts made, with average monthly potential wages rising from 1.55 million won in 2019 to 1.8 million won last year. The number of young people classified as NEET — shorthand for “not in employment, education or training” — climbed from 432,000 in 2019 to 481,000 in 2023. That increase came even as South Korea’s youth population shrank, from 9.66 million to 8.79 million over the same period. By last year, NEETs accounted for 5.5 percent of South Koreans ages 15 to 29, up from 4.5 percent in 2019. They made up nearly 1 percent of the overall population. A growing share of them hold university degrees. Their numbers rose from 159,000 in 2019 to 184,000 in 2023, accounting for 38.3 percent of all discouraged youth. “High-income potential youth falling into idle states are driving significant economic costs,” the report said, noting that while expected wages for NEETs lag those of their working peers, the losses remain substantial. 2025-08-18 13:40:46

Samsung's China semiconductor sales decline while US revenue grows SEOUL, August 18 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics posted diverging fortunes in China and the United States in the first half of 2025, as U.S. sanctions weighed on Chinese demand and American technology companies fueled a surge in semiconductor purchases. Samsung's exports to China fell 11 percent year-on-year to 28.79 trillion won (about $20.7 billion), down from 32.35 trillion won a year earlier. Sales to the United States, by contrast, climbed to 33.48 trillion won, overtaking China for the first time since late 2024, when Beijing’s trade-in subsidies briefly lifted demand. Most of Samsung’s China-bound shipments were semiconductors, including LPDDR memory, NAND flash, image sensors and display driver chips, as well as some high-bandwidth memory products. Its on-the-ground operations in China also flagged. Samsung China Semiconductor, which produces NAND flash in Xi’an, reported revenue of 4.41 trillion won and operating profit of 533.6 billion won — both down from the previous year. Shanghai Samsung Semiconductor, its local sales arm, saw revenue fall to 12.35 trillion won from 15.88 trillion won, with operating profit sliding to 193.8 billion won from 232.2 billion won. Analysts attributed the slump to waning trade-in incentives, sluggish consumer recovery and rising competition from Chinese rivals such as ChangXin Memory Technologies, or CXMT. By contrast, U.S. operations delivered robust growth. Samsung Austin Semiconductor, its Texas foundry, reported revenue of 2.3 trillion won, up 5.6 percent, while operating profit soared 65 percent to 423.8 billion won. Samsung Semiconductor Inc., its U.S. sales subsidiary, recorded a 28 percent revenue jump to 22.72 trillion won. The surge was driven by heavy investment from American technology giants in artificial intelligence servers and data centers, as well as rising demand for Samsung’s foundry services. 2025-08-18 11:16:18

[[K-Pop]] BLACKPINK gears up for November album release amid global tour success SEOUL, August 18 (AJP) - K-pop girl band BLACKPINK is set to release a new album in November, according to YG Entertainment's chief producer Yang Hyun-suk. The announcement came through a video posted Monday on the company's official YouTube channel, where Yang provided updates on several YG artists, including TREASURE and BABYMONSTER. "The BLACKPINK members and their producer have been working very hard to prepare (for a new album)," Yang said, adding: "We hope to have an album out in November. We will do our best to make that happen." The comeback follows the release of BLACKPINK's latest single "JUMP," which dropped on July 11. The song is currently ranked No. 11 on Spotify's weekly global chart. It previously debuted at No. 1 and logged over 44 million streams in its first week, marking the strongest opening for any song on the platform this year. The group is also in the middle of its "Deadline" world tour, which began on July 5 at Goyang Stadium in South Korea. The stadium-only tour has since moved through major cities in North America and Europe, including Los Angeles, New York, Paris, and London. Additional stops are scheduled into early next year, with fans in Asia, Oceania, and Latin America still awaiting their turn. Alongside BLACKPINK's news, Yang shared a major update on TREASURE, a 10-member boy band. describing the group’s upcoming release as a new beginning. "They recently celebrated their 5th anniversary. Member So Jung-hwan appeared on 'Treasure Box' when he was 14 years old, and now all the members have become adults. They have finally entered their 20s," he said. TREASURE's new album, scheduled for release on September 1, will feature four retro-inspired tracks. Yang called it the start of “Act 2,” signaling a shift from their teen-focused image to a more mature and polished identity as a boy group. BABYMONSTER, comprised of seven members from South Korea, Japan, and Thailand, is also gearing up for a comeback. Initially slated for October 1, the mini-album will now be released on October 10 due to delays related to the Chuseok, Korean Thanksgiving Holiday. The title track will be "We Go Up," and the album will include four new songs. According to YG's chief producer, BABYMONSTER recently completed filming their first original content series, "BABYMONSTER HOUSE," which will begin airing in September. 2025-08-18 10:38:46

[[K-Tech]] Korean battery firms pour billions into research despite idle factories SEOUL, August 18 (AJP) - South Korea’s top battery makers are stepping up investments in research and development, even as their plants sit partially idle and competition from China intensifies. In recent reports, LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI and SK On disclosed sharply reduced factory utilization rates for the first half of 2025. LG Energy Solution’s operating rate dropped to 51.3 percent, down from 73.6 percent in 2022. Samsung SDI reported 44 percent, while SK On came in at 52.2 percent. The slowdown reflects a sluggish recovery in global demand for electric vehicles and the mounting pressure from Chinese rivals. The Korean trio’s combined global market share fell 5.4 percentage points from a year earlier, to 16.4 percent, according to the Seoul-based market research firm SNE Research. Yet the companies are spending more than ever to stay ahead. LG Energy Solution invested 620.4 billion won, or about $446 million, in R&D in the first six months of the year — its largest half-year outlay since its founding in 2020. That figure amounted to 5.2 percent of revenue, up from 3.1 percent last year. Samsung SDI, which is targeting mass production of solid-state batteries by 2027, spent 704.4 billion won on research, slightly above last year’s level. Its R&D budget equaled 11.1 percent of sales, the highest ratio among the three Korean firms. Still, the gap with China is widening. CATL, the world’s biggest battery maker, invested roughly $1.4 billion in R&D in the first half alone — more than the three South Korean companies combined. To respond, the Korean manufacturers are reorganizing their research arms. SK On rebranded its battery research institute this month to emphasize next-generation technologies. LG Energy Solution shifted its technology center from the chief executive’s office to its chief technology officer, consolidating authority under a dedicated research head. Samsung SDI also renamed its production and equipment R&D center, underscoring its focus on solid-state and other advanced batteries. 2025-08-18 10:03:44

Upbit operator fined $165 million for tax evasion SEOUL, August 17 (AJP) - South Korea’s largest cryptocurrency exchange operator, Dunamu, has paid more than 22 billion won, or about $165 million, in back taxes after authorities accused the company of tax evasion — adding to the regulatory pressures already weighing on the firm. Dunamu, which runs the Upbit trading platform, disclosed that the Seoul Regional Tax Office levied 22.6 billion won in corporate and related taxes following an audit. The investigation, led by the office’s International Transaction Bureau, began in February, and the penalty notice was issued on June 30. The company has since paid the full amount. The sum represents about 23 percent of Dunamu’s second-quarter net profit of 97.6 billion won. The tax penalty comes as Dunamu is also fighting sanctions from financial regulators. In February, the Financial Intelligence Unit ordered the company to suspend part of its operations for three months, issued a reprimand to its chief executive, Lee Seok-woo, and sanctioned nine employees. The FIU accused Dunamu of facilitating nearly 45,000 crypto transactions with 19 unregistered overseas virtual asset operators that had failed to comply with mandatory reporting requirements under South Korea’s anti–money laundering law. Regulators also said the company had violated obligations related to customer verification and transaction restrictions. Dunamu has challenged the measures in court, which has temporarily suspended enforcement of the sanctions while the case proceeds. 2025-08-17 15:38:45

[[K-Tech]] Samsung emerges as alternative to TSMC with landmark Tesla, Apple deals SEOUL, August 17 (AJP) - Just six months ago, Samsung Electronics’ foundry unit was mired in uncertainty. Hemorrhaging nearly 2 trillion won, or about $1.5 billion, in annual losses and struggling to attract clients, the division’s very survival was in doubt. Now, a pair of blockbuster deals with Tesla and Apple has jolted the business into a new trajectory. Samsung announced last month that it had secured a $16.5 billion contract with Tesla to produce advanced artificial intelligence chips — its largest single foundry order since the unit was established in 2017. Apple has also tapped Samsung to manufacture image sensors for iPhones, in a contract widely believed to be worth billions. The agreements underscore not only Samsung’s technical capabilities but also the shifting dynamics of global trade. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the real value of his company’s agreement was “several times” the disclosed figure, while Apple’s Tim Cook hailed a partnership that he said would pioneer “innovative chip manufacturing technology” for the first time worldwide. Analysts say success in delivering on these orders could reposition Samsung Foundry as a growth driver for the company, overtaking its dominant memory business, which has faltered in the high-bandwidth memory market. Geopolitics played a decisive role. Beginning this month, the Trump administration is imposing sweeping tariffs: 15 percent on Korean imports and a 100 percent levy on semiconductors. Yet the measures exempt companies with U.S.-based production. Samsung, which already operates a plant in Austin, Texas, and is building another in Taylor, is uniquely positioned to sidestep the tariffs by manufacturing chips domestically — an advantage that likely appealed to Tesla and Apple. The moves also reflect a broader push to challenge the dominance of Taiwan's TSMC, which controls two-thirds of the global foundry market. By comparison, Samsung holds just 8 percent. Industry analysts say diversifying suppliers allows firms like Tesla and Apple to secure capacity, hedge geopolitical risks and exert pressure on prices. Tesla, in particular, faces urgency. It is racing to produce its next-generation “AI6” chip for autonomous vehicles but has been unable to secure timely supply from TSMC, whose production lines are booked solid. Apple, meanwhile, is shifting part of its iPhone image sensor business from Sony, which commands more than half the market, to Samsung, the second-largest player with 15 percent. Both partnerships appear likely to extend beyond chip supply. Musk called Samsung’s Taylor plant “strategically vital” to Tesla’s future, while Cook highlighted plans to introduce new manufacturing technologies with Samsung. Some analysts see the collaboration evolving into deeper technological exchange. “This could move beyond contract manufacturing into a model of true cooperation,” said Im Hyung-kyu, a former Samsung executive. “Tesla could bring AI expertise into Samsung’s foundries, while Samsung’s process technology could accelerate Tesla’s expansion. Together, they may create a new model for U.S.–Korea semiconductor collaboration.” The deals could also cascade through Samsung’s sprawling empire. Affiliates such as Samsung Display and Samsung SDI are well placed to benefit from closer ties with Tesla, raising the prospect of a broader realignment in the tech supply chain. 2025-08-17 11:12:48

S. Korea, India to seek ways to deepen economic partnership SEOUL, August 17 (AJP) - South Korea’s Foreign Minister, Cho Hyun, and his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, held talks in New Delhi, Saturday (local time) as the two countries marked the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership and pledged to expand cooperation in security, technology and defense. Cho's visit come amid a flurry of high-level exchanges between the two governments, including a summit meeting between President Lee Jae Myung and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Group of 7 gathering earlier this year and a visit by a South Korean presidential envoy. Jaishankar welcomed Cho’s return to India, noting that he had once served as South Korea’s ambassador to the country, and underscored New Delhi’s commitment to deepening ties with Seoul. He also delivered an invitation for President Lee to visit India at a “mutually convenient time,” according to South Korea’s Foreign Ministry. Both ministers agreed to strengthen cooperation not only through more frequent high-level visits but also in global diplomacy and security affairs. Cho said South Korea was pursuing a more diversified foreign policy, guided by its ambition to act as a “responsible global power” in a shifting international order. That effort, he added, includes building stronger relationships with regional powers such as India, alongside the United States, China, Japan and Russia. The two sides highlighted plans to update their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, aiming to expand collaboration in supply chains, critical technologies and defense industries. Cho also asked New Delhi to give “special consideration” to South Korean companies operating in India, calling for greater cultural and people-to-people exchanges. They also discussed regional and global security issues, including tensions on the Korean Peninsula, the foreign ministry said. 2025-08-17 09:48:55