Court orders North Korea to compensate Seoul for blowing up liaison office SEOUL, September 16 (AJP) - The Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday ordered North Korea to pay 44.63 billion won (US$33 million) in damages to South Korea for blowing up the inter-Korean liaison office building in the border town of Kaesong in 2020. The amount covers 10.25 billion won for the cost of the liaison office, which was built with South Korean money, and 34.45 billion for the annexes. The two Koreas opened the liaison office in September 2018 to facilitate int September 16, 2026

Man arrested over 2.4 billion won ticket scalping scheme SEOUL, September 16 (AJP) - South Korean man in his 30s has been arrested for allegedly reselling nearly 9,000 concert and sports tickets at prices up to 30 times their face value, police said Wednesday. The Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency said the man was referred to prosecutors on obstruction-of-business charges. He allegedly used macro programs and accounts belonging to himself and relatives to buy 8,967 tickets between September 2018 and April this year. The ticket September 16, 2026

Korea targets Q1 rollout of abortion pill SEOUL, September 16 (AJP) -South Korea will allow abortion pills to be prescribed as early as the first quarter of next year, seven years after the Constitutional Court ruled the country's abortion ban incompatible with the Constitution. The medication would be approved for use within 63 days, or nine weeks, of pregnancy under a plan unveiled Wednesday by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. September 16, 2026

Korea's defense min nominee faces confirmation test on Hormuz SEOUL, September 16 (AJP) - Defense Minister nominee Kang Shin-chul faces grilling from lawmakers Wednesday over contentious issues ranging from the proposed merger of South Korea's military academies to U.S. calls for Seoul to contribute to security in the Strait of Hormuz. Even before facing lawmakers, Kang set out firm positions on several key issues, backing the Lee Jae Myung administration's push to integrate the Army, Navy and Air Force academies. “I believe September 16, 2026

Hyundai to supply 480 hydrogen buses for public transportation by 2032 SEOUL, September 16 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor will supply 480 hydrogen buses by 2032 for public transportation in cooperation with South Korea's largest bus operator Seonjin Group and other partners, the automaker said on Wednesday. Hyundai said it signed a multilateral memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Seonjin and other relevant institutions including the Korea Automobile Environmental Association and the Korea Natural Gas Hydrogen Charging Association to expand the use of h September 16, 2026

Daejeon museum fair draws 151 institutions SEOUL, September 16 (AJP) - Over 150 museums, galleries and related organizations will gather in Daejeon this week for a three-day fair highlighting how artificial intelligence and digital technology are reshaping the museum sector, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Wednesday. The 2026 Museum and Art Museum Fair will run from Sept. 18 to 20 at the Daejeon Convention Center. A total of 151 public, private and university museums, local governments, cultural org September 16, 2026

Cho flies to Washington, Seoul holds NSC meeting SEOUL, September 16 (AJP) - South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will travel to Washington from Thursday through Saturday for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, while Seoul convenes a National Security Council meeting to review options in response to U.S. demands for a contribution to security in the Strait of Hormuz. The NSC review could give Cho a clearer position to take into his meeting with Rubio on Friday. The Foreign Ministry said Wednesday the two ministers September 16, 2026

KOSPI rises on chip gains ahead of Fed's rate decision SEOUL, September 16 (AJP) - South Korean stocks rose Wednesday morning as gains in major chip stocks helped offset concerns over high oil prices, rising U.S. Treasury yields and uncertainty ahead of the Federal Reserve's rate decision. The benchmark KOSPI stood at 6,659.29 points at around 10 a.m., up 0.48 percent from the previous session. The index fell 0.06 percent shortly after the market opened to 6,623.33 points before turning higher. Retail investors bought a net 125.0 September 16, 2026

SK hynix workers approve revised wage deal SEOUL, September 16 (AJP) -SK hynix workers approved a revised wage and collective bargaining agreement Wednesday after the company and its production union adjusted the mix of cash and stock in profit-sharing bonuses, ending a dispute that forced the two sides back to the bargaining table after an initial deal was narrowly rejected. The revised agreement won support from 57.08 percent of union members who voted, or 8,731 workers, in a two-day ballot held Monday and Tuesday, SK hyn September 16, 2026

Korean robots may lag, but stocks are flying SEOUL, September 16 (AJP) -South Korean humanoid robots may still be grounded and stand awkwardly compared with their Chinese peers, but stocks of their makers are flying, helping sustain the junior KOSDAQ market against broadly bearish sentiment in Seoul. A correction took hold Wednesday, but robotics stocks have stood out throughout the month and remained strong through Tuesday despite renewed anxiety over artificial intelligence investment in the United States. Shares of Rob September 16, 2026