Disgraced ex-president to get some shield from media attention at court appearance

SEOUL, April 18 (AJP) - Disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol is expected to avoid at least some public attention when he makes his court appearance next week for his trial on insurrection charges related to his botched martial law debacle late last year. Yoon is likely to be whisked once again into the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul next Tuesday, as he did so earlier this week, through a secluded passageway from the underground parking lot. The Seoul High Cour

April 18, 2025

Han Duck-soo sees split public opinion amid rising support for Lee Jae-myung

SEOUL, April 18 (AJP) - Acting President Han Duck-soo is facing divided public opinion over his job performance, according to a new Gallup Korea poll released Friday. The survey found that 41 percent of respondents believe Han is doing well in his role, while 50 percent said he is not. Nine percent reserved judgment. Han received strong backing from supporters of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), with 88 percent offering a positive evaluation. In contrast, 90 percent of Democra

April 18, 2025

Gold prices hit record high amid trade tensions

SEOUL, April 18 (AJP) - International gold prices surged to new highs this week as investors sought refuge from rising global trade tensions. Spot gold touched an all-time high of $3,350 per troy ounce on Wednesday before settling at $3,338.43, marking a 3.61 percent gain from the previous session. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, June gold futures also mirrored the momentum, closing at $3,355.10 per ounce — sustaining a remarkable upward trend in precious metals. By F

April 18, 2025

Leferi's beauty retail strategy draws crowds online and off

SEOUL, April 18 (AJP) - Leferi, a global beauty retail company, is deepening its commitment to creator-led commerce with the success of its latest omnichannel initiative, the "Minsco Select Store," the company said Friday. The campaign, launched in partnership with Hyundai Department Store, blends online and offline retail in what Leferi describes as its next step in redefining beauty retail. The initiative builds on the company’s earlier pop-up concepts and int

April 18, 2025

Foreign investors extend Korean stock sell-off for eighth month

SEOUL, April 18 (AJP) - Foreign investors pulled approximately 1.6 trillion won ($1.12 billion) from South Korean equities in March, extending a months-long exodus that has now reached its eighth consecutive month, according to data released Friday by the Financial Supervisory Service. The outflows spanned both of the country's major equity markets. Investors sold 1.12 trillion won on the benchmark KOSPI and an additional 513 billion won on the tech-heavy KOSDAQ. Singapore-ba

April 18, 2025

South Korean steel exports to US drop sharply, affected by tariffs

SEOUL, April 18 (AJP) - South Korean steel exports to the United States plunged in March, affected by the implementation of the Trump administration’s first wave of global tariffs, newly released trade data show. According to figures published Friday by the Korea International Trade Association, steel exports to the United States totaled $340 million in March, marking an 18.9 percent decline compared with the same month last year. In terms of volume, shipments fell 14.9 perc

April 18, 2025

Young South Korean filmmaker's animated short to compete at Cannes Film Festival

SEOUL, April 18 (AJP) - Director Joung Yu-mi's animated short film has been invited to this year's Cannes Film Festival, which opens in the Mediterranean resort city next month. According to the festival's organizers, "Glasses" will be screened as part of the International Critics' Week section and will compete with about a dozen others for an award recognizing innovative works by emerging filmmakers. No other South Korean films have been invited to comp

April 18, 2025

Lee Jae-myung outlines regional pledges ahead of first televised debate

SEOUL, April 18 (AJP) - Lee Jae-myung, a leading presidential contender from the Democratic Party (DP), pledged Friday to relocate the ocean ministry to the southern port city of Busan to strengthen South Korea’s maritime competitiveness. Through a social media post, Lee said he would move the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan to make the city “the undisputed center of South Korea’s maritime leadership” and to ensure “field-oriented policymaki

April 18, 2025

Daewoo E&C signs deal for $700 million fertilizer plant in Turkmenistan

SEOUL, April 18 (AJP) - Daewoo Engineering & Construction has signed a preliminary agreement to build a fertilizer plant in Turkmenistan, a project valued at approximately $700 million, South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on Friday. Commissioned by Turkmenhimiya, Turkmenistan’s state-owned chemical company, the facility is slated for construction in the eastern city of Turkmenabat, near the Uzbek border. Once completed, the plant is expe

April 18, 2025

Beyond tourist shelf — Korea's true makeup bestsellers

Editor's Note: This is the second article in our series exploring the evolving landscape of the Korean beauty industry and the products that captivate international visitors. This series is designed to offer insights into the products, brands, and cultural shifts defining Korea’s beauty scene today. SEOUL, April 17 (AJP) - For many foreign visitors to South Korea, a trip to Olive Young — the ubiquitous health and beauty chain — is as essential as stopping by

April 18, 2025