Presidential favorite Lee Jae-myung among TIME magazine's '100 most influential people'

SEOUL, April 17 (AJP) - Lee Jae-myung, considered a front-runner in the upcoming presidential election slated for early June, has been included in the U.S. magazine TIME's "100 Most Influential People" for this year, in its annual list released on Wednesday. The former leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) made it onto the list along with Rosé, a member of K-pop girl band BLACKPINK, making them the two South Koreans on the list. Lee was named al

April 17, 2025

Musinsa sees Japanese transaction volume double in first quarter

SEOUL, April 17 (AJP) - Musinsa Global, the international sales wing of South Korean retailer Musinsa, reported a sharp increase in transaction volume and membership numbers in Japan during the first quarter of 2025, demonstrating the potential success of K-fashion in the Japanese market, the company announced on Thursday. According to Musinsa's analysis, transaction volume in Japan through its Global Store increased by 114 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025. Duri

April 17, 2025

U.S. targets Chinese AI firm DeepSeek over security concerns

SEOUL, April 17 (AJP) - The Trump administration, together with Congress, is ramping up pressure on Chinese artificial intelligence firm DeepSeek, tightening sanctions amid growing worries over national security threats. On Thursday, the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party released a report describing DeepSeek as a “profound threat” to American interests. While the company presents itself as a standard

April 17, 2025

Ex-president's daughter slapped with fine for DUI and other offenses

SEOUL, April 17 (AJP) - Former President Moon Jae-in's daughter Da-hye on Thursday was slapped with a fine of 15 million won (US$10,000) on Thursday for charges of drunk driving and illegally running a lodging business. The Seoul Western District Court ruled to let her off with only a fine, citing the defendant's "deep regret" for her wrongdoings and also taking into account that she has no prior criminal record. The sentence came about several months after the

April 17, 2025

Lee Jae-myung leads in three-way race with 45 percent support

SEOUL, April 17 (AJP) - Lee Jae-myung, a presidential contender from the Democratic Party (DP), is currently leading by a wide margin in hypothetical three-way matchups for South Korea’s next June 3 presidential election, according to a new poll released Thursday. The National Barometer Survey (NBS) shows that Lee received 45 percent support in all three matchups tested. In a virtual race against former labor minister Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party (PPP) and Lee Jun-

April 17, 2025

South Korea pledges support for climate action at P4G summit in Hanoi

SEOUL, April 17 (AJP) - Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul emphasized the importance of international cooperation in tackling climate change at the biennial P4G summit, the Foreign Ministry here said on Thursday. At the summit which opened in Hanoi the previous day, Cho also pledged US$1.8 million to reaffirm South Korea's commitment to global efforts to combat climate change, stressing the need to "restore global momentum" in confronting environmental challenges. P4G, sh

April 17, 2025

South Korean consortium secures first research reactor design export to U.S.

SEOUL, April 17 (AJP) - A South Korean consortium has successfully secured a contract to export research reactor technology to the United States. A research reactor is mainly used for physics experiments, radioisotope production, and training students and engineers on how a reactor is built and operated. South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT announced on Thursday that a consortium consisting of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Hyundai Engineering, and U.S.

April 17, 2025

Pyongyang condemns US and S. Korea's joint aerial exercise involving supersonic bomber

SEOUL, April 17 (AJP) - North Korea’s defense ministry has condemned Wednesday the United States and South Korea for rolling out a joint aerial drill involving B1-B supersonic heavy bombers on the previous day. “The U.S. reckless bluffing military demonstration is a futile act of increasing the security threat to its mainland only,” Pyongyang’s state-controlled Korean Central News Agency reported on Thursday, citing a press statement released by North Korea

April 17, 2025

Nobel laureate Han Kang to release book of essays

SEOUL, April 17 (AJP) - Author Han Kang is set to publish her first book since winning the Nobel Prize in Literature last December. Slated for release next Thursday, the book, titled "Light and Thread" features a collection of about a dozen essays, along with her speech and lectures delivered in Stockholm, Sweden when the Nobel literature laureate was there to accept the prestigious award. According to its publisher, the book also includes several pieces previously publ

April 17, 2025

Bank of Korea holds rate steady amid growing economic headwinds

SEOUL, April 17 (AJP) - The Bank of Korea left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.75 percent on Thursday, choosing caution in the face of mounting global uncertainty, despite signs of faltering domestic growth. The decision comes as central banks around the world grapple with intensifying economic turbulence, fueled in part by an escalation in global trade tensions. The U.S. Federal Reserve earlier this week signaled a pause in its easing cycle, underscoring the fragile i

April 17, 2025