Naver takes AI into France's national broadcast archive SEOUL, September 08 (AJP) - An agreement signed at an international film summit in southern France on Monday (local time) will put South Korean artificial intelligence to work inside France's national broadcast archive. Naver signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with the Institut national de l'audiovisuel, France's national broadcast archive, at the Lumière Summit in Saint-Paul-de-Vence. The two sides will carry out joint research on AI-based preservat September 8, 2026

Jeju petition to end visa-free entry for Chinese tops 20,000 SEOUL, September 8 (AJP) - A petition calling for an end to visa-free entry for Chinese nationals and stronger immigration screening for foreign travelers has gained more than 20,000 signatures amid growing public concern over recent crimes and bizarre cases on Jeju Island. The petition, posted on the National Assembly's website late last month, has garnered some 24,794 signatures in about a week as of Tuesday. Supporters urged the government to scrap visa-free entry for Ch September 8, 2026

Sookmyung professor wins 5-year grant for kidney disease study SEOUL, September 08 (AJP) - A government program created this year to keep South Korea's most decorated scientists in the laboratory after they reach retirement age will pay for five years of kidney disease research at Sookmyung Women's University. The Ministry of Science and ICT announced the program on April 2 and picked 20 researchers nationwide with the National Research Foundation of Korea. Universities and state-funded institutes could nominate up to three candidates September 8, 2026

Lee arrives in Paris for summit with Macron SEOUL, September 8 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Paris on Monday for a summit with French President Emmanuel Macron, after wrapping up the first leg of his itinerary in Nice as part of his weeklong trip to France. After laying a wreath at the Arc de Triomphe and attending an official welcome ceremony, Lee will have a luncheon meeting with Macron before holding expanded summit talks. The two leaders are expected to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties and expand September 8, 2026

Korea, France launch 1 billion euro film investment drive SEOUL, September 08 (AJP) -South Korea and France will invest a combined 1 billion euros ($1.17 billion) in their film and audiovisual industries over five years as the two countries seek to deepen cooperation in content production and strengthen their creative industries. President Lee Jae Myung and French President Emmanuel Macron announced the Global Film and Audiovisual Industry Investment Cooperation Initiative at the inaugural Lumière Summit in Saint-Paul-de-Vence in September 8, 2026

Seoul's Hormuz dilemma puts Tokyo on notice SEOUL, September 07 (AJP) - The heat from Washington is rising on Seoul to contribute to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and Tokyo is increasingly feeling it too as Japan braces for the possibility that it could be next in line for a U.S. call to act. South Korea has yet to decide whether to send military assets to the strategic waterway, but the Trump administration has become increasingly explicit in demanding support from an ally heavily dependent on Middle Eastern energy. The September 7, 2026

Won gains sharply, Korean bonds end broadly steady SEOUL, September 07 (AJP) - The South Korean won strengthened sharply Monday but gave back part of an early rally, while Korean government bond yields ended broadly steady despite higher global rate expectations. The won strengthened 9.9 won from the previous session to close daytime trading at 1,340.5 per dollar, compared with Friday's 1,350.4. The currency strengthened as far as 1,334.7 earlier in the session. It was its strongest level since Oct. 4, 2024, and the dollar- September 7, 2026

Seoul picks three operators for autonomous taxi platform SEOUL, September 07 (AJP) - Seoul has selected Kakao Mobility, Hyundai Motor and T-money Mobility to operate private platforms for autonomous vehicle transport services, shifting the city's robotaxi system from a single-app model to a three-way platform structure. The move is expected to end Kakao Mobility's two-year run as the sole platform operator for Seoul's autonomous taxi calling service. Under the city's recruitment notice, selected operators will be allowe September 7, 2026

One year in, Korea's humanoid still toddles SEOUL, September 07 (AJP) - KAIROS showed off its dancing skills to a national calisthenics tune on a Seoul stage Monday, but to an audience accustomed to somersaulting and kung fu-performing Chinese humanoids, its wobbly movements and seemingly glued feet hardly drew genuine applause. The performance offered a candid look at how far South Korea has come — and how far it still has to go — little more than a year into a state-backed effort to close the humanoid gap with C September 7, 2026

K-pop boy group NCT collabs with Seoul fashion week SEOUL, September 07 (AJP) -K-pop boy group NCT celebrated the 10th anniversary of its brand launch with a Seoul Fashion Week program that brought the group's stage costumes, music and choreography to a public space in Seoul's Jamsil area, SM Entertainment said Monday. The three-day program ran from Friday to Sunday at the lawn plaza of Lotte World Tower as part of Seoul Fashion Week's 2027 spring-summer season. It featured an exhibition of stage costumes worn by NCT September 7, 2026