Belgium marks King's Day in Seoul with focus on deepening ties

SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - The Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium hosted a King's Day reception in Seoul on November 13, 2025, bringing together about 200 diplomats, business figures, academics, and media representatives at the Four Seasons Hotel. The evening combined national-day tradition with a look ahead to the 125th anniversary of Belgium–South Korea diplomatic relations next year. Opening his remarks, Ambassador Bruno Jans greeted the audience by saying, "Good

November 14, 2025

Beloved bagel chain becomes flashpoint in Korea's labor reckoning

SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - On most mornings, the line outside London Bagel Museum used to stretch down the block, a testament to the artisanal bakery chain’s grip on South Korea’s cafe-obsessed culture. Now the street is quiet, its pause in foot traffic reflecting a deeper national unease. The sudden death of a 26-year-old employee at the chain has ignited a furious backlash over long-standing labor abuses in the country’s food and beverage sector, where exacting

November 14, 2025

US to cap tariffs on Korean pharmaceuticals at 15 percent

SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - The United States has agreed to cap tariffs on South Korean pharmaceutical products at 15 percent, offering welcome relief to an industry that had faced threats of tariffs as high as 100 percent. The commitment was outlined in a joint fact sheet issued Friday (KST) by the White House and South Korea’s presidential office, following last month’s bilateral summit. The document states that Washington will ensure tariffs on Korean pharmaceutical go

November 14, 2025

Lee to embark on South African trip for G20 summit

SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung will embark on a trip to attend the Group of 20 (G20) summit in South Africa next week, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said during a press briefing on Friday. The multilateral gathering of global leaders is scheduled to take place in Johannesburg from Nov. 22 to 23, marking the first G20 summit held on the African continent. Lee is set to depart for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday, followed by a visit to Egypt bef

November 14, 2025

Indian Film Festival opens in Seoul with focus on storytelling and cultural ties

SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - The 13th Indian Film Festival opened this week at the Korean Film Archive in Seoul, bringing a lineup of award-winning and widely acclaimed films to audiences in South Korea. The festival, organized by the Embassy of India together with local partners, began on November 12 with an evening ceremony attended by diplomats, cultural officials and film enthusiasts. Deputy Chief of Mission Nishi Kant Singh welcomed guests by noting how the festival has become

November 14, 2025

South Korea tightens quarantine on Chinese poultry after detecting avian influenza genes

SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - South Korea has tightened inspections on processed poultry from China after the country’s quarantine authority detected genes linked to avian influenza in a shipment of duck ham. The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency said Friday that the 21-ton shipment, imported on Nov. 2, tested positive for AI genetic material during routine screening. Officials emphasized that the finding did not involve a live virus and posed no risk of infection. The pr

November 14, 2025

South Korea, US release details of bilateral trade and security agreements

SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - South Korea and the U.S. have completed a joint fact sheet detailing the two countries' trade and security agreements, President Lee Jae Myung said during a press briefing on Friday. "Trade negotiations and security consultations, the biggest variables affecting the country's national security and the economy, have finally been concluded," Lee said. It comes about two weeks after Lee reached a tariff-related deal with U.S. President

November 14, 2025

HMM's $2.8 billion value slide fuels talk of POSCO takeover

SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - HMM's market value has fallen by more than 4 trillion won ($2.8 billion) in the past five months, sharpening speculation that POSCO Holdings could soon move to acquire South Korea's largest container line as the carrier struggles with collapsing freight rates and a steep drop in profits. POSCO signaled last month during its third-quarter earnings call that a potential deal remained in its "early review" phase and that no significant progr

November 14, 2025

Study finds crypto prediction markets drew global attention to S. Korea's impeachment

SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - A research paper published on November 12, 2025, in the MDPI-published journal Information examines how cryptocurrency users around the world reacted to and financially engaged with South Korea's 2024 impeachment crisis. The article, titled "From E-Democracy to C-Democracy: Analyzing Transnational Political Discourse During South Korea's 2024 Presidential Impeachment on Polymarket," analyzes real-time activity on a blockchain prediction pl

November 14, 2025

KAI, Samsung team up to develop AI chips for defense systems

SEOUL, November 14 (AJP) - Korea Aerospace Industries has formed a strategic partnership with Samsung Electronics to develop next-generation semiconductors for defense applications. KAI said Friday that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Samsung at its headquarters in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, to cooperate on the research, design and production of artificial intelligence and radio-frequency chips for aerospace and defense systems. The companies plan to

November 14, 2025