Korean Air to phase out plastic meal trays for eco-friendly alternatives

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - Korean Air has decided to gradually replace its in-flight meal containers with ones with eco-friendly, sustainable alternatives as early as next month, the flagship carrier said on Tuesday. The airline will begin using containers made from plant-based, non-wood pulp materials on select routes in early December, with plans to expand their use across its entire fleet by the end of next year. The move is intended to reduce plastic use and carbon emissions a

November 25, 2025

Asian stocks mostly rise as Taiwan, Shanghai lead gains

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - Asian equities ended mostly higher on Tuesday, led by solid gains in Taiwan and mainland China, while early momentum in several tech-heavy indices faded by the close. South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI rose 0.3 percent to 3,857.78, paring back an early jump of more than 1 percent as enthusiasm around Google’s new generative AI engine, Gemini 3.0, cooled. Local chip and AI-related stocks saw limited spillover from the launch amid reports that Googl

November 25, 2025

Unionized Seoul subway workers threaten strike after failed wage talks

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - Unionized subway workers in Seoul threatened a full-scale strike at a press conference in front of Seoul City Hall on Tuesday. Seoul Metro, which operates subway lines 1 through 8, warned that they would strike unless their demands for higher wages, the hiring of more staff, and a halt to large-scale layoffs and pay cuts are met. The union added that an all-out strike would begin in the coming weeks if these demands are not addressed. They warned, &qu

November 25, 2025

Musinsa posts record profit for second straight year despite fashion industry downturn

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - South Korean fashion platform Musinsa announced on Tuesday its cumulative operating profit through the third quarter rose more than 20 percent from a year earlier to surpass 70 billion won ($50 million), while revenue increased by double digits. Third-quarter operating profit on a consolidated basis increased 7.3 percent from a year earlier to 11.8 billion won, while revenue expanded 11.8 percent to 302.4 billion won. Cumulative operating profit throu

November 25, 2025

Koreans spent nearly $6 billion abroad on cards in Q3, setting new record

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - South Koreans’ overseas card spending hit an all-time high in the third quarter, buoyed by a rebound in outbound travel and steady demand for direct overseas purchases, the Bank of Korea said on Tuesday. Total spending abroad using credit and debit cards reached $5.93 billion between July and September, up 7.3 percent from the previous quarter’s $5.52 billion and surpassing the previous record of $5.71 billion set a year earlier. The cen

November 25, 2025

Asia leans online while US clings to doorbuster ritual in yearend shopping season

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - The final three months of the year are the busiest for global retailers, with brands competing for visibility through discounts, clearance deals and year-end promotions. Korea’s “Sale Festa”—the nationwide bargain season running from late October to mid-November—remains modest in scale compared to America’s Black Friday and China’s Singles’ Day, but global reach is widening, powered by the strong performance o

November 25, 2025

Kim Sei-young climbs back into top 10 of women's golf rankings

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - Golfer Kim Sei-young has climbed into the top 10 in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings, released on Tuesday. It marks her first time among the top-ranked players in three years and five months, as she moved up one spot from 11th last week. Kim's last appearance in the top 10 was in June 2022. Her resurgence came after an impressive LPGA Tour season, winning the BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea last month, her first victory in five yea

November 25, 2025

South Korean cable producer TMC to tap US boom with IPO funds

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - TMC, a South Korean industrial cable producer, said Tuesday it will use funds from its planned initial public offering to expand in the United States, aiming to capitalize on what it described as a “supercycle” driven by surging AI-related data demand. “At a time when the cable market has entered a new supercycle, we plan to strengthen our foothold in the expanding U.S. cable industry and secure new growth engines after listing,&rdquo

November 25, 2025

PHOTOS: Seokpajeong, Seoul's hidden gem where royal history meets tranquil beauty

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - Seokpajeong, an ancient pavilion with detached traditional residence buildings and gardens in central Seoul, is more than just a historical site, as it serves as a hidden oasis offering a peaceful retreat from the city's bustle. Located in the tranquil district of Buam-dong on the slopes of Mt. Inwangsan, the pavilion is awash in vibrant autumn leaves at this time of year, welcoming visitors with its seasonal beauty. Once used by Gojong, the last ki

November 25, 2025

Meet my new partner AI: Korea deploys AI on police and defense front

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - South Korea is rapidly deploying artificial intelligence to reinforce law enforcement, public safety and national defense, accelerating the use of advanced technologies across frontline agencies. Police authorities are increasingly integrating AI into forensics, cold-case investigations and public-safety surveillance, while the Defense Ministry is building a large-scale AI data center equipped with up to 50,000 GPUs to support next-generation defense capab

November 25, 2025