Ballet en Grand Jeté in Korea, blending graceful workout and fashion

SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - Once confined to the cultural elite, ballet in South Korea is stepping firmly into the mainstream — embraced as both a graceful workout and a fashion-forward lifestyle, propelled by star dancers, celebrities and social media. The shift is visible on major stages and smartphone screens alike. Leading male principals such as Kim Ki-min of the Mariinsky Ballet and Jeon Min-chul have gone viral on TikTok and Instagram, recasting ballet as aspirational

December 12, 2025

Seoul, Beijing resume high-level trade talks after 7-year hiatus

SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - South Korea’s Trade Minister Kim Jung-kwan met Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao in Beijing on Friday, marking the first bilateral ministerial trade meeting between the two countries in seven years. The talks followed the recent South Korea–China summit and focused on restoring trade momentum. The ministers agreed to resume regular high-level consultations to strengthen economic cooperation. Seeking to expand economic engagement beyo

December 12, 2025

Two workers still missing after construction site collapse in Gwangju

SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - Rescue workers have been searching for missing workers on Friday after a steel structure collapsed at a construction site in the southwestern city of Gwangju the previous day. The collapse occurred at the site for a library, leaving four workers trapped under the debris. Two of them were found dead and two others remain missing. Authorities believe the collapse started while concrete was being poured on the second-floor roof, burying the workers under

December 12, 2025

USFK chief warns against rushing wartime control transfer

SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - Gen. Xavier Brunson, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), on Friday stressed the importance of meeting conditions for the transfer of wartime operational control to Seoul from Washington rather than rushing to it. Speaking at an online seminar hosted by the Korea-U.S. Alliance Foundation and the Korea Defense Veterans Association, Brunson said, "We cannot say we're going to slide away from the conditions just so that we can get this done i

December 12, 2025

SK On–Ford breakup signals Korea's battery pivot to ESS amid EV fog

SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - The dissolution of the $11.4 billion battery joint venture between SK On and Ford Motor stands as a stark symbol of the shifting center of gravity in the global battery business — away from electric vehicles and toward energy storage systems (ESS), where surging power demands from AI-driven data centers are rewriting the industry's growth map. The two companies will formally part ways in the first quarter of 2026, splitting control of three giga

December 12, 2025

China Duty-Free Group emerges as key contender in Incheon airport duty-free bid

SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - China Duty-Free Group (CDFG), the world’s largest duty-free operator, is emerging as a major contender in the re-bidding of duty-free concessions at Incheon International Airport, setting the stage for heightened competition with South Korean rivals Lotte, Hyundai, Shilla and Shinsegae. A Dec. 18 bidder briefing is expected to confirm participation. Incheon Airport Corporation on Thursday reopened the tender for operators of the DF1 zone

December 12, 2025

Over 100 South Koreans brought home from Cambodia over online scams

SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - The government has brought back some 107 South Korean suspects allegedly involved in online scam crimes in Cambodia, the presidential office said on Friday. During a press briefing, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said a sweeping crackdown has been conducted in cooperation with the Southeast Asian country since October, making it possible to bring them back. The efforts were made following revelations of a series of kidnappings, detentions and bru

December 12, 2025

OPINION: Thailand and Korea: A legacy of friendship and sacrifice

SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - It is encouraging to see Korea and Thailand gaining renewed momentum in their economic partnership, as demonstrated at the recent Ignite Thailand–Korea Business Forum in Bangkok. More than 500 participants, including senior officials from both nations, explored cooperation in smart agriculture, advanced manufacturing, digital

December 12, 2025

Newlyweds fall below 1 million for second straight year

SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - The number of newlyweds has remained below one million for the second year in a row, the Ministry of Data and Statistics said on Friday. About 952,000 couples married last year, down 2.3 from a year earlier. First-time newlyweds with children accounted for 51.2 percent, down 1.3 percentage points from the previous year, with an average of 0.61 children per couple. Only 49.1 percent of dual-income couples had children, compared with 55.2 percent of sin

December 12, 2025

Australia allows Hanwha to increase stake in strategic shipbuilding firm

SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - Hanwha Group has secured approval from the Australian government to increase its stake in Austal, a global shipbuilding and defense contractor, to 19.9 percent, the company said Friday. Austal, which operates major shipyards in the United States, builds vessels for the U.S. Navy and is considered a strategic defense asset by the Australian government. Hanwha sees the stake expansion as a step toward strengthening its shipbuilding capabilities and deepe

December 12, 2025