Teaching remains top career choice among schoolchildren

SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - Becoming an athlete was the most frequently cited future dream among elementary school students when asked what they want to be, while middle and high school students most often said they want to become teachers, a survey released on Thursday reveals. The annual survey of about 12,000 students conducted in May and June by the Ministry of Education by the Ministry of Education and the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training, showed

November 27, 2025

Funeral held for South Korean volunteer killed in Ukraine

SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - A funeral was held in Kyiv earlier this week for a South Korean man who died fighting in Russia's war in Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here said on Thursday. Ukrainian authorities informed the South Korean government of his death, and his funeral service was held last Tuesday, with South Korean consular officials in attendance. Identified by his last name Kim, the man in his 50s is believed to have been killed earlier this year during c

November 27, 2025

South Korean food firms tap K-beauty boom for new growth

SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - South Korean food companies are accelerating their push into cosmetics and “inner beauty” products as slowing consumption and rising costs squeeze margins in their core businesses. The globally recognized K-beauty sector — supported by steady global demand and a strong manufacturing base — is emerging as an attractive diversification route. Industry sources say hy has expanded its probiotics research into skincare, developing

November 27, 2025

South Korea's Upbit reports $31 million crypto theft

SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - Upbit, South Korea’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, said Thursday that digital assets worth about $31 million were stolen in an early-morning security breach, marking the platform’s most serious incident since its major hack six years ago. Operator Dunamu said the breach was detected around 4:40 a.m., when assets on the Solana network were transferred to an unauthorized wallet. The stolen holdings include Solana (SOL) and 23 othe

November 27, 2025

South Korea unveils new guidelines to boost foreign investor entry into stock market

SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) on Thursday unveiled new guidelines for foreign omnibus accounts, aiming to streamline market access for overseas investors and attract additional capital inflows. Omnibus accounts allow foreign institutions to trade and settle Korean equities without opening individual accounts for each client — a structure similar to how South Korean investors trade U.S. stocks. The country’s first s

November 27, 2025

BOK holds base rate at 2.50%, bond yields jump as markets price in end of easing

SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - The Bank of Korea kept the base rate unchanged at 2.50 percent at its final monetary policy meeting of 2025 on Thursday and signaled that the latest easing cycle may be nearing an end as a persistently weak won fans inflation while simultaneously eroding household purchasing power. Governor Rhee Chang-yong said the decision was “almost unanimous,” with five of the six board members voting for a freeze due to heightened foreign-exchange volati

November 27, 2025

TRAVEL: A walk over royal revenge — The dark secret of Seoul's Cheonggyecheon

SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - Strolling along the Cheonggyecheon Stream in downtown Seoul, it is easy to be lulled by the gentle flow of water and the hum of the city fading into the background. Once buried beneath suffocating asphalt and elevated highways, this eco-friendly waterway was miraculously restored in the mid-2000s. Today, it serves as a serene urban sanctuary for office workers seeking a lunch-hour escape and tourists soaking in the city's vibe. But beneath the str

November 27, 2025

Asian shares extend rally on AI momentum and KOSPI recovers 4,000-mark.

SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - Asian equity markets maintained their positive momentum on Thursday, driven by persistent optimism surrounding the Artificial Intelligence (AI) sector and a growing global conviction that US interest rates may soon ease. The KOSPI in Seoul led the charge, reclaiming the psychologically significant 4,000-point mark to trade 1.4 percent higher at 4,017, reclaiming the 4,000-point mark for the first time in five days. Sentiment improved after the Bank of Ko

November 27, 2025

Korea's acting community bids final farewell to beloved actor Lee Soon-jae

SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - Veteran actors and young aspiring performers bid a final farewell to their beloved teacher and role model Lee Soon-jae, whose passion for acting endured until illness forced him off the stage at age 90. The funeral was held at 5:30 a.m. Thursday at Seoul Asan Medical Center, attended by family members, fellow actors, longtime students, and colleagues from across the entertainment industry. Jeong Bo-seok, who played Lee’s son in the si

November 27, 2025

2.2-magnitude earthquake shakes Wanju in southern South Korea

SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - A magnitude 2.2 earthquake struck near Wanju in southern South Korea, prompting several residents to report feeling tremors in the area. According to fire authorities, the earthquake occurred at around 8:06 p.m. on Wednesday, 6 kilometers southeast of Wanju in North Jeolla Province. The epicenter was located at 35.89 degrees north latitude and 127.23 degrees east longitude, with a depth of 5 kilometers. Tremors, accompanied by a loud noise, were ob

November 27, 2025