[[K-pop]] 'Golden' from K-pop anime reaches top of UK music chart SEOUL, August 2 (AJP) - "Golden," a track from Netflix’s K-pop Demon Hunters, has become the first K-pop song in over a decade to top the UK’s Official Singles Chart. Released six weeks ago, the song "Golden" by the film’s fictional girl group HUNTR/X topped the UK’s Official Singles Chart. The chart's official website described the song as a "phenomenon," saying it "takes over this week’s Official Chart," as the song became the first K-pop No. 1 in 13 years since PSY’s Gangnam Style. "For the many music fans who have been to their enormous concerts, bought their merch, and streamed their iconic songs, this will forever be the summer of Oasis," said the chart's Chief Executive Officer, Martin Talbot. The song's chart-topping performance comes amid the rising popularity of the K-pop musical fantasy film, which revolves around a fictional girl group called HUNTR/X, who lead double lives as demon hunters to battle evil spirits disguised as a rival boy band. Directed by Korean American Maggie Kang, who reportedly wanted to create a story rooted in her Korean background and heritage by blending traditional mythology with K-pop, the 100-minute film features several South Korean stars, including Ahn Hyo-seop, Kim Yun-jin, and Lee Byung-hun, who lent their voices. 2025-08-02 16:16:16

Trump says Washington and Seoul have 'great' relationship ahead of summit SEOUL, August 2 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that the U.S. and South Korea have a "great relationship," ahead of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's visit to the White House within two weeks. "We have a great relationship with South Korea," said Trump, speaking to reporters outside the White House before departing for New Jersey. When asked about the timing of the summit, he added that Lee is expected to visit within two weeks. Trump had previously called the deal with Seoul a "full and complete" trade deal on Wednesday, following South Korea's agreement with the U.S. to lower reciprocal tariffs from 25 percent to 15 percent in exchange for massive investment and wider market opening. The following day, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks in Washington, where they discussed the upcoming summit and broader bilateral cooperation. Lee’s visit will mark his first official trip to Washington since taking office in early June. 2025-08-02 10:57:49

Yoon refuses to comply with arrest in probe involving wife SEOUL, August 1 (AJP) - Independent prosecutors on Friday failed to forcibly bring in disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning, as he refused to cooperate. Prosecutors led by Min Jung-ki, who have been investigating a string of allegations involving Yoon’s wife and former first lady Kim Keon Hee, visited a remand prison in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, in an attempt to arrest Yoon. Yoon reportedly protested vehemently by lying almost bare-naked on the floor of his cell, resisting to comply with prosecutors' repeated requests to respond to an arrest warrant issued by the Seoul Central District Court the previous day. Prosecutors had no choice but to leave due to safety concerns but vowed to try again with stronger measures next time. According to Yoon's lawyers, the impeached president has been suffering from deteriorating health including diabetes, worsening eyesight, and other ailments, making him unable to comply with questioning. However, correctional officers determined that his condition was not severe enough to prevent him from appearing for questioning, prompting prosecutors to attempt to bring him in earlier in the day. Kim, who is embroiled in several allegations including the acceptance of a luxury handbag, involvement in a stock manipulation scheme, election-related meddling in candidate nominations, and other accusations, is also scheduled to appear for questioning next week, although it remains to be seen if she will cooperate. 2025-08-01 17:07:35

[[K-Pop]] IVE to drop new album late this month SEOUL, August 1 (AJP) - K-pop girl group IVE will release a new album later this month, their agency Starship Entertainment said Friday. Slated for release on Aug. 25, the album, dubbed "IVE Secret," is expected to feature songs with summer vibes, although no details have been disclosed. To create buzz ahead of its release, a teaser poster was also unveiled, featuring six members holding various props such as a tumbler, an animal-shaped object, and a toy gun, piquing curiosity about the album. The upcoming album comes in about six months since their latest album "IVE Empathy," which came out in February. All five of their previous albums have sold over a million copies each. Meanwhile, the sextet will perform at a concert in Los Angeles later this week, which is part of an annual K-pop event that tours worldwide. 2025-08-01 16:26:58

S. Korea moves to legislate 'K-Steel Act' as U.S. tariff hike threatens steel exports SEOUL, August 01 (AJP) - South Korean lawmakers are pushing for a new legislative measure known as the "K-Steel Act" to support the domestic steel industry amid rising trade pressure from the United States' high tariffs and a flood of cheap Chinese imports. According to political sources on Friday, Rep. Eoh Ki-gu of the Democratic Party and Rep. Lee Sang-hwi of the People Power Party plan to introduce a bipartisan bill to protect domestic steel production on August 4. More than 100 lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties are backing the proposal. Key provisions in the bill include the establishment of a special committee to strengthen the steel industry's competitiveness, designation of green steel zones with regulatory exemptions, expansion of infrastructure and tax incentives, support for green steel technology development and industrial restructuring, and stronger safeguards against unfair trade practices and import surges. The legislative move comes as U.S. trade restrictions grow tighter. After imposing a 25 percent tariff on steel imports in March, the U.S. raised the rate to 50 percent in June. According to the Korea International Trade Association, the United States remains the largest export market for Korean steel, accounting for 6 trillion won (about $4.35 billion) out of Korea’s total steel exports of 46 trillion won (about $33.29 billion) in 2024. In company-specific terms, roughly 10 percent of POSCO’s total exports go to the U.S., along with about 33 percent for Hyundai Steel and 36.5 percent for Seah Steel. On July 30, the U.S. concluded trade talks with South Korea, announcing a reduction in auto tariffs to 15 percent while confirming that the 50 percent tariffs on steel would remain in place. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) account, "Steel, aluminum, and copper are not included and remain unchanged." 2025-08-01 16:08:16

South Korea sees July export volume grow 5.9 percent on strong chip demand SEOUL, August 1 (AJP) - South Korea's exports rose 5.9 percent in July from a year earlier to $60.82 billion, marking the second consecutive month of growth despite concerns over impending U.S. tariffs, trade ministry data showed Friday. Semiconductors drove the export surge, posting a 31.6 percent year-on-year increase to $14.71 billion, recording the highest July performance ever, aided by strong demand for high-value memory chips such as high bandwidth memory chips and price recovery. The chip sector accounted for 24.2 percent of total exports, nearly a quarter of South Korea's overseas shipments during the month. Automotive exports also performed well, rising 8.8 percent despite reduced shipments to the United States due to the 25 percent tariffs, as increased sales to the European Union, Commonwealth of Independent States and Latin America offset the decline. Shipbuilding exports more than doubled with a 107.6 percent increase, driven by strong demand for liquefied natural gas carriers. The regional export landscape showed notable changes, with exports to the United States ranking third at $10.33 billion, tailing behind China at $11.05 billion and ASEAN countries at $10.91 billion. Some analysts suggest the July growth may reflect "front-loading" effects, as companies rushed to export key products before the August implementation of higher U.S. tariffs. Beyond semiconductors, automobiles, and ships, many sectors struggled, including secondary battery exports falling more than 20 percent due to declining mineral prices and overseas production shifts. Steel exports dropped 2.9 percent while auto parts fell 7.2 percent, both affected by higher U.S. tariffs on these products. From August, the United States will implement reciprocal tariffs ranging from 10 percent to 15 percent on major Korean products including semiconductors, still lower than the initially proposed 25 percent rates. "Despite very high external uncertainties surrounding our exports ahead of the U.S. tariff implementation on August 1, our companies made all-out efforts in export activities, continuing the positive export trend for two consecutive months since June," Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan said in a press release. 2025-08-01 16:06:54

All tours suspended as Cheong Wa Dae undergoes renovation ahead of Lee's move-in SEOUL, August 1 (AJP) - Public access to the former presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul was halted on Friday as renovation work begins ahead of President Lee Jae-myung's move-in to the compound. Lee, who took office in early June in the wake of the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched Dec. 3 declaration of martial law, was unable to immediately use the compound due to the need to enhance security and overhaul facilities and has been temporarily working at his predecessor's office in Yongsan. The massive construction work is expected to take several months and be completed by the end of this year at the earliest, with visits and other tour programs remaining suspended during the period. Ahead of Friday's complete closure, public access had already been limited since mid-July, allowing only those with bookings to look around outdoor areas, which prompted many to flock there, leading to a surge in the number of visitors. Once complete, a partial reopening is up in the air, with no concrete details decided yet. Nestled in the sylvan foothills of Mt. Bukak and surrounded by splendid gardens, the palatial compound was often seen as a symbol of excessive presidential power, with its secluded location creating the impression that presidents were distant from the public both physically and in other ways. That led Yoon to open the compound to the public on his first day in office and to hastily relocate his office to a nondescript government building in Yongsan in May 2022. 2025-08-01 15:51:15

[[K-Tech]] Samsung to launch XR headset and tri-fold phone in second half SEOUL, August 01 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics will release extended reality headsets and tri-fold smartphones in the second half of 2025 as part of an aggressive expansion of its Galaxy ecosystem, the tech giant said Friday. The company also plans additional mergers and acquisitions to strengthen new business areas including artificial intelligence, medical technology, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Samsung's Mobile Experience division reported second-quarter revenue of 29.2 trillion won and operating profit of 3.1 trillion won. Revenue increased 6.6 percent and operating profit rose 39 percent from the same period last year, driven by strong sales of premium Galaxy S25 series smartphones and Galaxy Tab 10 series tablets. The company plans to boost third-quarter performance through increased sales of Galaxy Z Fold7 and Flip7 foldable devices launched in July, while strengthening marketing for the Galaxy S25 series. Daniel Araujo, executive vice president of the MX division, said the XR headset will incorporate AI functions based on an ecosystem built through collaboration with Google. The XR headset market has shown strong growth momentum, with the global extended reality market projected to reach 253.5 billion dollars in 2025 and grow at a compound annual growth rated of 30.4 percent through 2032, according to Fortun Business Insights. Meta currently dominates the market with a 74.6 percent share, while Apple’s Vision Pro captured 5.2 percent despite its premium 3,500 dollar price point, according to IDC data. Samsung’s entry comes as the industry landscape shifts following Microsoft’s exit from hardware development after discounting its HoloLens 2 headset in 2024. Apple’s Vision Pro launch accelerated market interest despite initial sales momentum slowing in the second half of 2024, creating opportunities for new players like Samsung to establish positions in the expanding XR ecosystem. Samsung acquired German HVAC company Plekt Group for 2.4 trillion won in May to expand its climate control business, targeting data center and commercial markets. The company has reactivated its M&A activities this year with three acquisitions including Plekt Group, US audio company Masimo's audio division, and US digital healthcare firm Zels. CFO Park Soon-chul indicated more acquisitions are under consideration across various new growth areas including AI, air conditioning systems, medical technology, robotics, automotive components, fintech and semiconductors. Samsung also plans to expand sales of AI-enabled TVs and home appliances while developing HVAC operations through partnerships with US joint venture Lennox and the newly acquired Plekt Group. 2025-08-01 15:19:34

President Lee to take five-day summer break starting August 4 SEOUL, August 01 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will take a five-day summer vacation next week but plans to stay updated on key national affairs throughout the break, according to the presidential office. "President Lee will be on summer leave from August 4 to 8," the office said on Saturday. "Starting from the weekend of August 2, he will stay on Jeodo Island in Geoje, where he plans to reflect on the current political landscape and spend time recharging through reading and watching films." The office emphasized that the president will continue monitoring major state matters during his vacation, including those related to public livelihoods. "The presidential office will maintain a reporting system in case of urgent developments," it added. 2025-08-01 15:00:22

[[K-Tech]] S. Korea selects 8 ESS sites totaling 563MW to support renewable energy expansion SEOUL, August 01 (AJP) - South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Power Exchange on Thursday confirmed plans to deploy 563 megawatts (MW) of energy storage systems (ESS) nationwide, a move aligned with the government's long-term strategy to bolster renewable energy infrastructure. The announcement followed a bidding committee meeting held on July 31. The centralized bidding system, introduced in 2023, initially covered three pilot sites on Jeju Island with a combined capacity of 68MW. Developed to address increasing grid instability and reduce the curtailment of solar and wind energy, the platform opened its first full-scale nationwide round this year, offering 540MW for allocation—500MW on the mainland and 40MW for Jeju. A total of 51 project proposals were submitted. Eight were selected: seven located in South Jeolla Province with a total capacity of 523MW, and one in Jeju with 40MW, bringing the total to 563MW. Under South Korea’s 11th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand, the country is aiming for 2.22 gigawatts (GW) of ESS capacity by 2029. To put the scale into perspective, a 540MW facility, assuming a four-hour storage duration and an average daily consumption of 5 kilowatt-hours per household, could theoretically supply electricity to around 216,000 households for one day. Reaching the 2.22GW target would multiply that capacity nearly fourfold, reflecting the government's growing reliance on ESS to support its energy transition. Selected project developers are expected to secure power generation permits by January 2026, with installations scheduled for completion by the end of December 2026. A second round of bidding is expected to open in October to maintain momentum in meeting the government’s ESS targets. "Installing ESS near substations in the Honam region, where renewable generation is concentrated, will help stabilize the local grid," said Choi Yeon-woo, Director-General for Electricity Policy at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. "Until new transmission lines are built to fully resolve output restrictions, ESS will play a key role in easing solar curtailment and expanding renewable energy production and consumption." 2025-08-01 14:47:36