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Ex-president gets 5 years in prison in first verdict on martial law-related charges SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday over one of several charges related to his botched martial law debacle. The Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul handed down the sentence over charges that Yoon obstructed law enforcement by blocking investigators and other officials who attempted to detain him following his abrupt late-night declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. It was Yoon's first sentencing among his eight different cases related to the debacle including the main charges of insurrection and abuse of power, whose verdict is likely to be handed down next month. Prosecutors had earlier sought 10 years in prison for Yoon - five years for obstruction of official duties, three years for abuse of power, and two years for fabricating official documents, making Thursday's sentence about half of what they had requested. In a nationwide televised trial, the court said Yoon, who had a duty "more than anyone to uphold the Constitution and obey the rule of law," deserves criticism for disregarding procedural requirements meant to prevent abuse of presidential power. The court also found Yoon guilty of convening only a few select Cabinet members to give the appearance of proper deliberation and of drafting a post hoc document related to the declaration to cover up procedural flaws. "When convening a Cabinet meeting, a notice should be given to all members," the court said, adding that notifying only some members infringes on their rights. The court also dismissed Yoon's argument that the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO), an independent agency established to root out government corruption, lacks jurisdiction over charges of insurrection and abuse of power. Thursday's verdict came about 145 days after the first hearing in the case was held in August last year. 2026-01-16 15:44:40 -
Daewoo E&C to build AI data centers in southwestern counties SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - Daewoo Engineering & Construction announced a plan Friday to build artificial intelligence data centers with a combined power capacity of 500 megawatts in South Jeolla Province. The company said it signed a memorandum of understanding with the municipal governments of South Jeolla Province, Jangseong County, Gangjin County and a consortium of public and private partners, to develop AI data centers in the region. Under the agreement, the partners plan to build two major AI data centers in Jangseong and Gangjin counties, with power capacities of 200 megawatts and 300 megawatts, respectively. Daewoo E&C will serve as a core construction partner in the consortium, participating across the engineering, procurement and construction process. Daewoo E&C has been expanding its non-housing businesses, including data centers, to reduce reliance on the housing market and to strengthen its role as a developer involved in development, investment and operations. As part of that strategy, the company has broadened its data center portfolio, starting with the Empyrion Digital AI Campus project in Seoul’s Gangnam district and expanding into projects such as the Jangseong Fine Data Center, described as South Jeolla’s first data center, where it participates as both an investor and builder. Chairman Jung Won-ju attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Jangseong Fine Data Center on Dec. 15, where he said data centers are “core infrastructure” for the AI era and can play a key role in revitalizing regional economies and strengthening national competitiveness. The consortium said it plans to build high-efficiency, environmentally friendly data centers and develop AI infrastructure with global competitiveness. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-16 15:39:13 -
About a dozen injured as bus crashes onto sidewalk in Seoul SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - A bus crashed onto a sidewalk in Seoul on Friday, leaving two people seriously hurt and about a dozen others injured. According to rescue workers who arrived shortly after the accident, the bus ran onto the sidewalk near Seodaemun subway station at around 1:15 p.m. About 11 people including the bus driver were believed to be passengers on board and suffered minor injuries, while the two people seriously injured were pedestrians. Police said there were no signs of drunk driving but will conduct a drug test on the driver while investigating the exact cause of the accident. 2026-01-16 15:22:06 -
Actress Nana cleared of assault charges in home break-in case SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - Actress Nana has been cleared of assault charges filed by a man who allegedly broke into her home late last year, police said Friday. Police in Guri, Gyeonggi Province said they would not pursue charges of attempted murder and assault against Nana in a countersuit filed by the intruder, determining that her actions were in self-defense. After questioning Nana last week, police concluded that her actions were lawful self-defense, in line with prosecutors who had placed the man in his 30s in custody on robbery charges. The case drew renewed attention online earlier this month after the suspect, arrested for breaking into Nana's home, filed a complaint from a detention center, claiming the actress injured him with a weapon. He allegedly climbed a ladder to Nana's home in the early hours of Nov. 15, entered through an unlocked door, and demanded valuables. Nana, who woke to her mother's screams, tried to stop him. During the confrontation, Nana reportedly injured the man's jaw while defending herself. 2026-01-16 14:57:29 -
KT taps Taiwan's cable leader to expand AI media footprint SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - South Korea’s KT said Friday it has partnered with Taiwan’s largest cable television operator, KBRO, to enter the Taiwanese market with artificial intelligence–based digital media and smart home services. Under a strategic memorandum of understanding with KBRO, signed on Jan. 15 in Taipei, KT will supply AI-driven media and device technologies, including smart home services, interactive voice recognition, AI-optimized user interfaces and intelligent content recommendation systems, the company said. The two firms will also jointly develop technology and service models for smart home upgrades, leveraging KT’s expertise in AI agents and AI-based media services. The partnership includes plans to introduce an all-in-one soundbar set-top box in Taiwan featuring Harman Kardon speakers and Dolby Atmos, with support for global over-the-top streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney+ and YouTube. KT also plans to distribute its original content through Taiwanese platforms, including myVideo, while pursuing locally tailored content development and joint marketing initiatives. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-16 14:51:32 -
Former Air Force chief named ambassador to Israel SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - Park In-ho, a former Air Force chief, has been named South Korea's new ambassador to Israel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday. The graduate of the Korea Air Force Academy, long regarded as a bastion for elite cadets, served as Air Force chief from July 2021 to May 2022 under the former Moon Jae-in administration, after holding various posts including a policy planning role at the Ministry of National Defense. Since retiring, Park has taken a role advising the Air Force while working as a professor at Hankyong National University in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province. He has also advised a law firm on matters related to aerospace and defense exports. 2026-01-16 14:02:39 -
US Navy selects South Korea's HJ Shipbuilding for ship repair partnership SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - HJ Shipbuilding & Construction said on Friday it has been selected by the U.S. Navy as a partner for its ship repair program. The decision enables the South Korean shipbuilder to participate fully in maintenance, repair and overhaul work for major U.S. naval vessels. The agreement will run from Jan. 23 through Jan. 22, 2031, the company said. The U.S. Navy program is a framework agreement between the U.S. government and private shipyards that allows qualified companies to compete for maintenance, repair and overhaul contracts for U.S. Navy ships. While such an agreement is not required for servicing noncombat vessels such as logistics support ships, it is a prerequisite for bidding on MRO projects involving combat ships. HJ Shipbuilding said the agreement provides the company with a foothold in the U.S. Navy’s ship maintenance market, which the company estimates to be worth about 20 trillion won ($15 billion) annually over the next five years. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-16 13:56:19 -
South Korea's 'sovereign AI' push stumbles as Naver, Kakao step aside SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - Naver Cloud and Kakao, South Korea’s two largest internet platform operators, have decided not to take part in an additional round of bidding for the government’s flagship artificial intelligence project, dealing an early setback to Seoul’s push to build a “sovereign AI” foundation model. The withdrawal by the two companies — long seen as natural contenders given their vast user data, cloud infrastructure and AI research capabilities — comes after the first-round evaluation of the Ministry of Science and ICT’s state-led project. Their absence has raised concerns that the so-called “K-AI” initiative could lose momentum at an early stage. Naver Cloud, after being eliminated in the first evaluation round on Thursday, said it “respects the government’s decision,” but added it is “not considering” participating in the additional call. Kakao, which failed to advance in an earlier selection stage, also confirmed it has “no plan to try again,” according to a senior company official. The decisions reflect doubts about the benefits of the program and disagreements over the government’s evaluation standards, industry officials said. The ministry has emphasized building an AI model “from scratch,” limiting reliance on external open-source code and retaining full control over data and the model itself. Naver Cloud was cut after falling short of those criteria, officials said. An industry source said major platform companies, which have actively adopted open-source technologies in line with global AI development trends, likely concluded their chances were slim unless the government’s strict interpretation of “independence” changes. Companies may also have weighed the reputational risks of failing again after an initial loss, the source added. Other eliminated bidders, including NC AI and KT, have said they are still considering whether to apply for the additional round. The government plans to add one more participant to form a four-way competition, but the process already faces uncertainty. If major players stay out and the field narrows to smaller firms, the symbolic value of naming a “national representative” AI model could be diluted, industry watchers said. The three teams that advanced from the first round struck a confident tone. LG AI Research, which posted the highest overall score, said its efforts reflect Chairman Koo Kwang-mo’s AI-focused strategy and pledged to pursue global leadership through its “K-EXAONE” model. SK Telecom said it will work with partners, including game developer Krafton, to scale its model to trillions of parameters. Upstage, the only startup to advance, said it plans to collaborate with Stanford University and other institutions to build a model competitive with global big-tech offerings. Experts said the controversy highlights a widening gap between the government and the private sector over the definition of “sovereign AI.” Kim Yoo-seok, head of the Chey Institute for Advanced Studies, wrote in a recent report that South Korea needs a balance between technological self-reliance and global linkage, rather than unconditional localization. The ministry said it plans to proceed with the additional call for bids in the first half of the year. But with Naver Cloud and Kakao opting out, attention is now focused on whether the government can adjust incentives or criteria to lure them back — or whether the project will effectively consolidate around LG AI Research, SK Telecom and Upstage. 2026-01-16 13:45:34 -
KOSPI soars above 4,800 for first time while Nikkei tumbles SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - Asian stock markets opened mixed in early trading on Friday, with South Korea's KOSPI hitting a fresh record high, while Japanese shares retreated on profit-taking. In Seoul, the benchmark index rose 0.95 percent to 4,841.81, surpassing the 4,800 level for the first time on record, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ lagged, slipping 0.43 percent to 947.06 shortly after the day's trading began. Strong U.S. labor data kept the dollar firm, pushing the exchange rate for the South Korean currency to around 1,470 won per dollar. With the won under pressure, market attention is shifting to exporters in growth sectors like semiconductors and autos, while banks and insurers face potential volatility. Foreign investors offloaded shares in morning trading, while institutional and retail investors snapped them up. Among large-cap stocks, Samsung Electronics jumped 3.61 percent to 149,100 won ($101.2), buoyed by improved investor sentiment following TSMC's record earnings, which showed a sharp rise in revenue and strong profit growth, while SK Hynix rose 1.20 percent to 758,000 won. Samsung Life Insurance surged 6.64 percent to 171,800 won after hitting an intraday record high of 176,400 won, as expectations of additional legislative revisions to strengthen protections for retail investors boosted market sentiment. LG Energy Solution edged up 0.51 percent to 394,000 won, while Samsung Biologics fell 3.31 percent to 1.90 million won. Automakers showed mixed performance, with Hyundai Motor rising 0.12 percent to 422,500 won, while Kia gained 2.75 percent to 156,700 won. Defense and aerospace stocks traded near flat, with Hanwha Aerospace up 0.08 percent at 1.30 million won. Shipbuilding and heavy industry shares weakened, as HD Hyundai Heavy Industries fell 2.06 percent to 618,000 won and Hanwha Ocean declined 1.88 percent to 146,100 won. Japanese shares pulled back, with the Nikkei 225 Index down 0.69 percent at 53,738.18 in intraday trading, as profit-taking following a three-day rally combined with weakness in U.S. technology stocks and renewed yen strength. Elsewhere in Asia, China's Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.25 percent to 3,242.62. 2026-01-16 11:33:06 -
Advance train tickets for Lunar New Year now on sale SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - Sales of advance train tickets for the Lunar New Year break began this week. According to railway operator KORAIL, tickets are available online for about a week starting Thursday, about a month in advance, for trains running during the weeklong holiday from Feb. 13 to 18. The first two days of pre-booking will be reserved for senior citizens aged 65 and older, people with disabilities, and recipients of national merit honors. Ordinary citizens can book tickets from next Monday to Jan. 21. However, booking dates may vary by destination. 2026-01-16 11:09:37