K-beauty under pressure as Chinese, Japanese brands gain ground in Korea

SEOUL, November 24 (AJP) - Chinese e-commerce platforms and beauty brands are rapidly expanding their presence in South Korea, intensifying competition in markets long dominated by domestic players. Platforms such as TEMU and AliExpress are leaning heavily on social media influencers to reach South Korean consumers, while Chinese cosmetics companies are capitalizing on TikTok-driven trends to grow both at home and abroad. TEMU recently hired an influencer marketing manager in

November 24, 2025

Samsung Fire & Marine launches English, Chinese support for insurance claims

SEOUL, November 24 (AJP) - Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance has introduced new English and Chinese-language services to help foreign customers file insurance claims, the company said on Monday. The services are now available on the insurer’s mobile app and website. The company said an internal analysis showed that 58.3 percent of its foreign customers used the claims function most frequently, followed by premium payments at 14 percent and certificate issuance at 9.5 per

November 24, 2025

Lee meets Japanese and Chinese leaders at G20 in South Africa

SEOUL, November 24 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung held a marathon round of meetings with global leaders on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) in South Africa over the weekend. According to the presidential office on Monday, Lee on Sunday met with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi again after their previous meeting at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the southeastern city of Gyeongju late last month. The two leaders emphasized the importance of their

November 24, 2025

OPINION: Rising drunk-driving incidents spark calls for tougher laws in South Korea

SEOUL, November 24 (AJP) - Recent incidents involving drunk driving in South Korea have drawn international attention, particularly after a Japanese tourist died in a crash. This tragedy, along with a similar incident involving a Canadian a week earlier, has highlighted the country's lenient penalties for drunk driving. Despite the 2018 law allowing life sentences for fatal drunk driving cases, actual sentences range from two to eight years, much lower than Japan's 20-year sentences.

November 24, 2025

South Korea's Strategic Edge in AI Amid Potential Bubble

Nvidia announced record earnings on Nov. 19, with third-quarter revenue reaching $57 billion, a 62% increase from the previous year. Despite a net profit margin of 53% and net income of $31.9 billion, its stock fell 6.8% the next day. Wall Street attributes this to extended collection periods for big tech companies like Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon, indicating uncertain returns on AI investments. OpenAI faces more severe challenges. Microsoft, its parent company, has inves

November 24, 2025

K-pop anime qualifies for animated Oscar race

SEOUL, November 23 (AJP) - Netflix’s animated film "KPop Demon Hunters," the first foreign-made animation centered on South Korean K-pop idols, has been listed among the titles eligible for consideration in the Academy Awards’ best animated feature category this year. According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), 35 films qualified for the category at the upcoming 98th Oscars. The film earned its spot by completing a limited the

November 23, 2025

S.Korean won drops to lowest level versus the U.S. dollar since 2009

SEOUL, November 23 (AJP) - The South Korean won’s real value has slipped to its lowest point, risking the deterioration of Korea's purchasing power in global trade. Data from the Bank of Korea and the Bank for International Settlements showed that the country’s real effective exchange rate — or REER — stood at 89.09 at the end of October against the reference year of 2020 as 100. The index was down 1.44 points from a month earlier and marked t

November 23, 2025

Korean president speaks up on climate action and AI at G20 summit

SEOUL, November 23 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung attended the Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg on Saturday, as part of a regional tour of the Middle East and Africa designed to broaden South Korea's diplomatic engagement. During the two-day meeting, he outlined South Korea's views on climate and disaster response, artificial intelligence (AI) cooperation and inclusive economic growth. After visiting the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, Lee j

November 23, 2025

The ancient Korean ideal that could heal a polarized world

The world today is being torn apart by widening polarization. Few places illustrate this more vividly than the United States. President Donald Trump’s “MAGA (Make America Great Again)” agenda—centered on reviving American manufacturing, cutting taxes, and tightening border controls—did produce short-term economic gains and job growth. Yet it also deepened the divides between the wealthy and the working poor, between regions, and across racial and cu

November 22, 2025

School cooks speak up and walk out as Korea's free-lunch system strains livelihoods

SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - In South Korea, school lunches are free — but the expectations are anything but modest. The national obsession with high-quality meals for students, coupled with strict hygiene standards and demanding palates of children and their parents, has long placed the burden squarely on the shoulders of cafeteria staff. This week, many of them stepped away from the steam-filled kitchens and into the streets. On Friday, about 94,000 members of the Nation

November 21, 2025