SEOUL, August 7 (AJP) - On Thursday, a team of independent prosecutors requested an arrest warrant for former first lady Kim Keon Hee, 36 days after launching an investigation into multiple allegations. If approved, it would mark the first time in South Korean history that a former president and first lady are jailed at the same time. Her husband, disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol, has been in custody at a detention center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, since early last month

SEOUL, August 7 (AJP) - South Korean fintech companies are forming dedicated task forces and ramping up preparations as expectations mount for the introduction of won-backed stablecoins in the country. Stablecoins, digital tokens typically pegged to fiat currencies like the U.S. dollar or euro, have gained traction globally for their potential to enable faster, lower-cost transactions while promising greater price stability. Following the fintech sector's growing interest in

SEOUL, August 07 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics will manufacture next-generation chips for its competitor Apple's products, including iPhones, at its foundry facility in the United States, the South Korean chipmaker said Thursday. This marks Samsung's first return to chip production partnership with Apple after the American tech giant shifted most of its processor manufacturing to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) in 2013. Apple also released a press release on Aug

SEOUL, August 07 (AJP) - Major United States artificial intelligence developers are accelerating their business expansion into South Korea, establishing local offices and recruiting skilled workers as they target the country’s enterprise and public sector markets. According to industry sources on Thursday, OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has recently relocated the address of its South Korean entity to a shared office space in Seoul's southern district of Gangnam, als

SEOUL, August 7 (AJP) - Independent prosecutors on Thursday failed again to bring in disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning, as he refused to cooperate. Prosecutors led by Min Jung-ki, who are investigating a series of allegations involving Yoon’s wife, former first lady Kim Keon Hee, visited a remand prison in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, in an attempt to arrest Yoon. Yoon reportedly protested by lying on the floor of his cell and refusing to respond to rep

SEOUL, August 07 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics said Thursday it has upgraded the Galaxy Watch8 series with advanced sensor technologies that enable preventive health monitoring and lifestyle habit formation through new features including bedtime guidance and antioxidant index measurement. The South Korean tech giant announced during a press briefing held in central Seoul that the latest smartwatch series is the brainchild of Samsung's smartwatch sensor development project that b

SEOUL, August 7 (AJP) - Former South Korean first lady Kim Keon Hee was questioned for nearly 11 hours on Wednesday by a team of special independent prosecutors over a string of allegations, including stock manipulation, bribery, and election-related interference. The wife of disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared at the independent prosecutors' office in Gwanghwamun in central Seoul around 10 a.m. on Wednesday and left shortly before 9 p.m. She did not respond to r

SEOUL, August 07 (AJP) - August 7 marks Ipchu, the traditional start of autumn according to the East Asian calendar. This summer has been among the hottest in recent memory, with relentless heatwaves. As Ipchu passes, temperatures are expected to ease. The following images capture early signs of the season changing.

SEOUL, August 7 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Company and General Motors (GM) announced on Thursday their plans to jointly develop and release 5 new vehicles by 2028, including a commercial electric vehicle model. Four of the planned vehicles, a mid-sized pickup and a compact pickup truck, a compact sedan, and a compact sport utility vehicle, are to target Central and South American markets. All vehicles are to have the flexibility to use internal combustion or hybrid propulsion systems. Hy