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  New imaging technique uses LED light to map material structures in 3D SEOUL, May 07 (AJP) - A joint research team has developed a new imaging technology that uses standard light-emitting diodes to look inside materials and map their complex internal structures in three dimensions. The method, called incoherent Dielectric Tensor Tomography, allows scientists to see how molecules are arranged without using high-powered lasers or destroying the sample, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology said Thursday. The project was a collaborative May 7, 2026
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  Korea's FX reserves rebound in April on eased foreign stock selling and dollar SEOUL, May 7 (AJP) — South Korea’s foreign exchange reserves rebounded in April after a brief contraction a month earlier, as gains in foreign-currency assets fueled by a stronger U.S. dollar helped offset pressure from authorities’ won-defense operations, the central bank said Thursday. According to monthly data from the Bank of Korea (BOK), the country’s foreign exchange reserves stood at $427.88 billion at the end of April, up $4.22 billion from the prev May 7, 2026
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  Jo Sumi marks 40th anniversary debut with vision for young artists SEOUL, May 06 (AJP) - World-renowned soprano Jo Sumi marked the 40th anniversary of her international debut Wednesday, outlining a forward-looking vision focused on nurturing young artists while expanding her musical scope through new collaborations. The milestone signals a strategic shift for South Korea's most iconic classical figure as she integrates her legacy with modern entertainment structures. "What I can do now is share what I have with as many people as possibl May 6, 2026
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  Trump-Xi summit likely sideline Iran and security issues: Yan Xuetong SEOUL, May 06 (AJP) - Iran will likely dominate the backdrop of next week’s summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, but the two leaders are unlikely to produce any coordinated strategy on the Strait of Hormuz crisis as the world drifts deeper into a fragmented “G0 order,” according to prominent Chinese international relations scholar Yan Xuetong. Yan, speaking Wednesday at a seminar titled “Changes and Prospects in U.S.- May 6, 2026
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  KOSPI flies over yet another milestone on single chip engine SEOUL, May 06 (AJP) - South Korea’s stock benchmark powered through energy shocks and inflation fears to race past one four-digit milestone after another and outperform the S&P 500, though the rally is increasingly raising concerns over overheating and heavy dependence on a single engine: semiconductors. The KOSPI closed at 7,384.56 on Wednesday, up 6.45 percent, blasting through another psychological threshold without the usual consolidation period. The rally remained May 6, 2026
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  Han Byung-do reelected as DP floor leader SEOUL, May 6 (AJP) - Three-term lawmaker Han Byung-do was reelected floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Wednesday, becoming the first in the party to win a second consecutive term in the post. Han, who was the sole candidate in the race, won by a majority in a vote that combined ballots from both lawmakers and party members. The exact vote tally was not disclosed under the party's internal election rules. Despite some debate within the party over how to procee May 6, 2026
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  KOSPI shatters 7,300, outpacing Asia as foreign buying floods chip stocks SEOUL, May 06 (AJP) - South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI surged to a fresh record high Wednesday, sharply outperforming regional peers as foreign investors piled into semiconductor heavyweights, while most Asian markets posted more modest gains and Japan remained closed for the Golden Week holiday. The KOSPI jumped 6.5 percent to close at 7,384.56, after moving between an intraday low of 7,093.00 and a high of 7,426.60, briefly breaking above the 7,400 level during the session. May 6, 2026
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  Seoul at a strategic crossroads as Hormuz crisis deepens SEOUL, May 06 (AJP) - A third Korea-bound tanker has begun a longer but safer voyage through the Red Sea to carry much-needed crude home, while an HMM cargo carrier damaged by an explosion in the heart of the Strait of Hormuz is being towed toward port — two parallel scenes underscoring the growing price South Korea is paying for its heavy dependence on Middle Eastern energy supplies. With both Washington and Tehran claiming the upper hand over the strategic chokepoint, uncer May 6, 2026
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  Stocks on unfettered rally, bonds dip as Seoul markets bet on inflation-driven rate hike SEOUL, May 6 (AJP) — The rationale for higher interest rates gained ground in South Korea as inflation, long subdued by lethargic demand, accelerated at the fastest pace in 21 months in April after the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz triggered a surge in imported prices, while the benchmark stock index nearly tripled from a year earlier to touch a new four-digit milestone. According to data released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics (MDAS) on Wednesday, consumer pric May 6, 2026
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  North Korea drops reunification references in revised constitution, consolidates leader's power SEOUL, May 6 (AJP) - North Korea has added a clause newly defining its territory and removed all references related to reunification with the South in its revised constitution, according to the Ministry of Unification here. In a press conference at the government complex in central Seoul on Wednesday, the ministry said North Korea has defined its territory as the land it shares borders with China and Russia to the north and South Korea to the south including its surrounding waters a May 6, 2026