Latest by
-
Son Heung-min nets hat trick for LAFC SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - Son Heung-min, who made his Major League Soccer (MLS) debut with Los Angeles FC (LAFC) last month, scored his first hat trick, leading his team to a 4-1 victory in an away match against Real Salt Lake in Utah on Wednesday. His first goal came just 3 minutes into the game, followed by another goal in the 16th minute. Son then completed his hat trick in the 82nd minute, sliding in to finish a pass from fellow Denis Bouanga. Having done his part brilliantly, Son was replaced by Venezuelan footballer David Martínez just a few minutes before the final whistle of the match. Since joining the American club in August after ending a 10-year stint with Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League, the star forward has already scored five goals and two assists in just six MLS matches. His contract with LAFC runs through 2027, with two one-year renewal options. 2025-09-18 15:11:04 -
Lotte Card data breach exposes information of nearly 3 million customers SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - South Korea’s Lotte Card said Thursday that nearly one-third of its customers were affected by a major data breach stemming from a hacking attack in August. At a press conference in Seoul, CEO Cho Jwa-jin confirmed that the personal information of 2.97 million members was compromised in the Aug. 14 incident. “We sincerely apologize to our customers and relevant authorities for causing great concern,” Cho said. The leaked data was tied to online payment systems and, for about 280,000 customers, included sensitive details such as card numbers, expiration dates and CVC codes that could be exploited for fraud. Lotte Card said these customers will receive priority reissuance of their cards. For the remaining 2.69 million customers, only partial information was exposed, which the company said cannot be used alone to commit fraudulent transactions. Cho added that no customer names were leaked and that offline payment systems were unaffected. Lotte Card, the country’s fifth-largest card issuer with roughly 9.6 million members, has pledged to fully compensate victims. “Lotte Card will take full responsibility and reimburse all damages caused by this incident,” Cho said, promising to cover any secondary losses if they are confirmed to be linked to the breach. The company had initially reported to regulators on Sept. 1 that 1.7 gigabytes of data had been stolen. However, a subsequent investigation revealed the scale of the breach was far greater. Lotte Card also acknowledged that although the attack occurred on Aug. 14, but it began its probe at the end of the month. Meanwhile, private equity firm MBK Partners, the largest shareholder of Lotte Card, is facing criticism for allegedly prioritizing profit maximization over security investments as it seeks to sell the card company. MBK acquired an 80 percent stake in Lotte Card in 2019 for 1.38 trillion won ($1 billion). In 2022, it attempted to offload the stake for 3 trillion won, but the deal fell through. MBK lowered its asking price to 2 trillion won in May this year, yet no bidders have come forward. The company’s difficulties in securing a buyer have been compounded by scrutiny from regulators and prosecutors. MBK is under simultaneous investigation by financial authorities and law enforcement over its responsibility for a financial crisis at retail chain Homeplus, in which it holds a controlling stake. 2025-09-18 14:38:47 -
Trump, Xi expected to meet at upcoming APEC summit in Gyeongju SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - All eyes around the world are expected to be on South Korea's historic city of Gyeongju next month, as U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are both expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. While neither side has been officially confirmed, their attendance at the multilateral gathering scheduled for Oct. 31 to Nov. 1 appears almost certain. During a conference in central Seoul on Wednesday, Acting U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Joseph Yun hinted that Trump would meet President Lee Jae Myung at the summit, following their "successful" talks in Washington last month. Similarly, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, currently in Beijing, said he believes Xi will visit South Korea, after having talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi earlier in the day. Should it happen, it would be the first face-to-face meeting between Trump and Xi since Trump took office for his second non-consecutive term earlier this year. It would also mark the first time in more than a decade that U.S. and Chinese presidents have been in South Korea at the same time, since the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, where leaders from over 50 countries gathered to discuss cooperative measures against nuclear terrorism. Their possible encounter comes at a time of escalating tensions between Washington and Beijing across various sectors including security, trade, and technology, with both countries likely to leverage the summit to push their strategic agendas that could shape the global order. With Trump pursuing protectionism under his America-first mantra and Xi criticizing Washington's unilateral, sweeping tariffs while promoting free trade and multilateralism, principles once central to U.S. policy, the summit will test how regional economies navigate the evolving global political and economic landscape, with outcomes likely to have implications far beyond the Korean Peninsula. 2025-09-18 14:32:14 -
Senior Ukrainian officials visit HD Hyundai for post-war reconstruction talks SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - A delegation of top Ukrainian government officials visited HD Hyundai's facilities this week to advance collaboration on post-war reconstruction, the company said Thursday. The visit was part of a larger construction machinery training program for Ukrainian officials organized by the Korea Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association and the Korea Construction Equipment Technology Institute. The delegation included key figures like Deputy Ministers of Territorial Development, Marina Denysiuk and Kostiantyn Kovalchuk, and Serhiy Suhomlyn, head of the Reconstruction Agency. The delegation's itinerary included tours of HD Hyundai's smart factory, shipyard dock, and transformer manufacturing facilities in Ulsan, giving them firsthand insight into South Korea's industrial and technological advancements. The officials also participated in discussions about equipment operation, maintenance, disaster recovery, and eco-friendly construction techniques. HD Hyundai has historically been a major player in Ukraine's construction machinery market, with its affiliates HD Hyundai Infracore and HD Hyundai Construction Equipment holding significant market shares prior to the war. The company has maintained strong ties with the Ukrainian government to support ongoing and future reconstruction projects. In a statement, the company outlined its plan to bolster Ukraine's recovery by supporting vocational schools with construction machinery and virtual reality simulators to train local technicians. The company also intends to strengthen its aftermarket business, ensuring long-term support for its equipment. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-18 14:09:23 -
Gmarket-Aliexpress merger gets conditional approval from anti-trust regulator SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has conditionally approved the high-profile merger between an affiliate of Shinsegae Group and Chinese e-commerce powerhouse Alibaba Group's Korean unit. On Thursday, the commission announced its decision to greenlight the merger of Shinsegae affiliate Gmarket and Alibaba's AliExpress Korea, but only under strict conditions designed to prevent the two companies from sharing consumer data and to ensure their platforms operate independently. The FTC's primary focus was on the potential anti-competitive effects of combining the vast datasets of the two e-commerce platforms. Gmarket holds information on over 50 million members in South Korea, while Aliexpress has global purchase data spanning more than 200 countries. The commission warned that combining this data with Alibaba's advanced AI and cloud technology could raise market entry barriers, and stifle innovation. A new joint venture, Grand Opus Holding, was established to house both Gmarket and Aliexpress Korea. The merger followed Apollo Korea, a Shinsegae affiliate, acquiring a 50 percent stake in Grand Opus Holding in January. The regulator’s concern was particularly pronounced in the rapidly growing domestic online direct purchase market. The FTC noted that the share of Chinese direct purchases has surged, rising from 35 percent in 2022 to 60 percent in 2024. Within this market, Aliexpress holds a leading 37.1 percent share, while Gmarket has a 3.9 percent share. The merger could boost their combined market share to 41 percent. Lee Byung-geon, the director of the Corporate Merger Review Bureau, emphasized the importance of the ruling. "We will continue to scrutinize the effects of data integration in mergers and conduct in-depth research on its impact on competition and consumer welfare," he stated. "Our goal is to foster innovative investment in the digital era and protect consumer welfare in the online platform market." * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-18 13:58:11 -
OPINION: China keeps 'doing right thing' SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - Recent surveys by multiple international polling agencies show that global public opinion toward China continues to improve, with the country's image gaining wider recognition around the world. This growing recognition reflects China's commitment to "doing the right thing" and demonstrates the international community's affirmation of China's development path. Such acknowledgment stems from China's confidence in pursuing openness and international engagement. "Friendly, secure, and efficient," wrote a journalist from Argentine newspaper Clarin after a recent stay in China. Over the years, China has steadily advanced high-level opening up and streamlined policies to facilitate people-to-people and cultural exchanges. So far, China has introduced unilateral visa-free entry and mutual visa exemption agreements with 75 countries, and expanded the number of countries eligible for visa-free transit to 55 countries. In the first half of this year, foreign nationals made 38.05 million cross-border trips to and from China in the first half of 2025, up 30.2 percent year on year, accounting for 71.2 percent of total foreign entries and representing a 53.9 percent year-on-year increase. International audiences are increasingly experiencing China firsthand through growing visitation. These encounters reveal a multifaceted nation whose authentic reality travelers actively share through global social platforms. At the same time, Chinese cultural products, whether trendy toys, blockbuster films, or hit video games, are winning fans worldwide. With their unique blend of warmth and creativity, they bring people closer together, spark emotions that transcend borders, and write new chapters in cross-cultural exchanges. Recognition also comes from China's genuine commitment to sharing the benefits of development. The facts speak for themselves: China's contribution to world economic growth has stayed at around 30 percent over the years. In 2024, China's energy consumption per unit of GDP was 11.6 percent lower than in 2020 - equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 1.1 billion tonnes. The country has remained the world's largest manufacturing country for 15 consecutive years. Recent briefings on the 14th Five-Year Plan implementation further confirm that China's high-quality development paradigm energizes worldwide economic expansion, creating vast opportunities for modernization worldwide. China fundamentally integrates its development within humanity's broader progress and seeks to move forward together with others toward shared prosperity. Today, China is a major trading partner of over 150 countries and regions. High-quality Belt and Road cooperation has become a path of opportunity and well-being that is increasingly felt by people across the globe. According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, across the nine middle-income countries surveyed, a 72 percent median say Chinese companies are good for their country's economy. This result demonstrates that cooperation with China delivers real, tangible benefits that improve people's lives. Recognition further arises from China's sense of proactive role in global governance. As noted by Australian media, China increasingly engages as a stabilizing force in a fragmented world. It has promoted peaceful solutions to international hotspot issues and encouraged dialogue on the Ukraine crisis, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and the situation in Afghanistan, while also helping to broker reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran as well as among Palestinian factions. Looking ahead, China has pledged to announce its 2035 nationally determined contributions covering all economic sectors and all greenhouse gases before the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Belem, Brazil. It has released the Global AI Governance Action Plan, established a global AI governance innovation center, and proposed the creation of a world AI cooperation organization. Together with 32 other countries, China also launched the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed), filling a gap in global mediation mechanisms. In a world of uncertainty and change, China has kept humanity's future and people's well-being at heart, demonstrating the responsibility expected of a major country. As one commentary observed, "China always focuses on doing the right thing." The rise of China's global standing is the outcome of decades of careful planning, peaceful development, sincere cooperation, and cultural confidence. By remaining committed to "doing the right thing," China will continue to engage the world with openness and inclusiveness, advance on the winds of win-win cooperation, and present itself as a nation that is trustworthy, admirable, and respectable, sharing opportunities for development with all countries and working together for a better future. (Pei Guangjiang and Wang Di are senior editor and international affairs commentator of the International News Department of People's Daily, respectively.) 2025-09-18 12:44:23 -
Turkish ambassador underscores friendship at Seoul screening of war film Ayla SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - Turkish Ambassador to South Korea Salih Murat Tamer underscored the enduring friendship between the two countries at a special screening of the film "Ayla: The Daughter of War" on September 17. "Watching the film Ayla together here in Seoul is not just an opportunity to enjoy a movie. It is a special occasion to reaffirm the brotherly bond forged during the Korean War," he said in his welcome remarks. He added, "The people of Türkiye will forever remember Ayla, who lives on in our hearts as one of the most beautiful symbols of Turkish–Korean friendship." The screening was part of the 7th Diplomacy Week, themed "Connecting the World Together," organized by the Korea Foundation under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The weeklong event is designed to showcase public diplomacy in practice, highlighting food, arts, culture, and international exchange to strengthen goodwill toward South Korea. "Ayla: The Daughter of War," directed by Can Ulkay, is a 2017 Turkish production based on a true story from the Korean War. It tells the story of a Turkish sergeant who found a young Korean girl on the battlefield in 1950. Naming her Ayla, he cared for her during the war, forming a bond that endured even after the two were separated. Decades later, the soldier and Ayla reunited in an emotional meeting that became widely known as a symbol of Turkish–Korean friendship. Türkiye is recognized by South Koreans as a "brother country" and its people as "blood brothers." Such recognition grew during the Korean War, when Türkiye deployed 21,212 soldiers to the Korean Peninsula. More than 900 Turkish troops lost their lives, and 462 are buried at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in the southern port city of Busan. The two nations established official diplomatic ties in 1957, and the wartime sacrifice left a deep imprint on South Korean public memory. Ambassador Tamer reflected on this shared history and the values it represents. "Through this film, we are reminded that friendship, solidarity, and compassion are universal values that transcend borders," he said. "These ties do not belong only to the past, but continue to shape the cooperation and goodwill between our countries today." 2025-09-18 12:14:03 -
PHOTOS: BIFF 2025 SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has officially commenced its 10-day event, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The festival began with an opening ceremony on the evening of Sept. 17 at the Busan Cinema Center's outdoor theater. The outdoor theater, with its 5,000 seats, was completely filled with enthusiastic spectators. A wave of cheers and applause greeted a host of actors and directors as they made their way down the red carpet. The opening ceremony was hosted by actor Lee Byung Hun. The festival's lineup includes 328 films, which will be screened through Oct. 26. 2025-09-18 10:52:04 -
South Korea pushes for easing US rules on shipbuilding cooperation SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - South Korea's defense procurement chief said in Washington, Wednesday (local time), that talks are advancing with the United States on shipbuilding and defense industry cooperation, including the long-delayed Reciprocal Defense Procurement Agreement, which would allow Korean companies greater access to U.S. contracts. Seok Jong-geon, head of South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), said he is focusing on addressing legal obstacles that have hampered collaboration between their shipbuilding sectors. He is scheduled to meet senior U.S. defense and navy officials to press the issue further. At the heart of the problem are longstanding U.S. regulations such as the Jones Act, which restricts foreign shipbuilders’ participation in the American market by requiring vessels operating between U.S. ports to be built domestically. South Korean shipbuilders — including Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean — are world leaders in both commercial and military ship construction, but they face tight limits when it comes to direct involvement in U.S. naval and commercial projects. “The leadership of both countries must act swiftly to resolve these barriers,” Seok said, adding that South Korean firms are eager to expand cooperation. Hanwha’s overseas shipyard in the Philippines, he noted, cannot by itself meet U.S. requirements for new vessels. To bridge the regulatory gap, Seok proposed several models of cooperation. These include prioritizing Korean-made parts for U.S. ships, assembling ships in U.S. shipyards from pre-fabricated blocks built in Korea, and constructing ships in Korea to a basic operational level before installing sensitive systems in the United States. Such hybrid approaches, he said, could boost U.S. shipbuilding capacity while safeguarding national security concerns. The talks come as the U.S. Navy struggles with production bottlenecks and cost overruns in its shipbuilding programs, while South Korea’s shipyards continue to rank among the most competitive globally. For decades, Korean companies have been dominant in commercial shipbuilding — particularly LNG carriers — and are now expanding aggressively into naval vessels, including destroyers, submarines and amphibious ships. Another item under negotiation is the U.S.–South Korea Reciprocal Defense Procurement Agreement (RDPA), which would allow the two countries to treat each other’s defense companies as domestic suppliers in government contracts. While Seoul has pressed for the deal, Washington has delayed approval amid concerns about potential impacts on U.S. workers and shipyards. Seok expressed optimism that the RDPA could be concluded once remaining U.S. procedures are resolved, saying it would strengthen alliance-based defense supply chains. “This agreement is critical to overcoming protectionist barriers and enabling practical cooperation in naval shipbuilding,” he said. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-18 10:20:44 -
Discussions 'underway to bring back South Korean workers' amid calls for US visa overhaul SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - Discussions are reportedly underway to facilitate the return of South Korean workers who opted to "voluntarily" leave the U.S. earlier this month after being detained for about a week in an immigration crackdown in Georgia. Local daily Savannah Morning News reported Wednesday that there are "a lot of discussions about getting them back," quoting Trip Tollison, president and CEO of the Savannah Economic Development Authority, an independent organization which works closely with the Georgia state government to promote regional economic growth. Expressing the importance of retaining "sophisticate, talented South Koreans here installing battery equipment," Tollison said they are the "only ones who can install and teach future employees how to use the technology." He added, "The frustration, and I feel it too, is that there's no other entity in the world that has this proprietary technology that has to be installed by certain individuals. We are relying on South Korea." But Tollison did not provide details on specific steps being taken. Moreover, it remains uncertain whether these "frightened" workers would want to return unless visa-related issues are fully resolved. Some 316 South Koreans, mostly employees of Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution, fled back home last week after being caught on Sept. 4 in the largest single-site workplace raid in the history of the Department of Homeland Security. They had been working at a joint electric vehicle battery plant under construction in Folkston, a small town in southeast Georgia. The raid occurred after immigration authorities alleged that they had been working at the site without valid work permits, having entered the U.S. under either the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) or short-term B1 business visas. Regarding the matter, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp earlier this week called for an overhaul of the U.S. visa system. "This is not just Hyundai's issue; many companies face similar challenges," he said, expressing concern that a similar incident could "deter" foreign investment in Georgia. Chris Clark, president of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, also spoke out on the matter. "What we've heard consistently is that we need to reform the visa program in America, whether it's for farm workers, whether it's for our workers," he said. "These are temporary workers who come here, they train up Americans, they bring unique expertise and knowledge to this state and we need a visa system that allows them to do their jobs." 2025-09-18 10:16:00