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  BTS to release fifth full-length album 'Arirang' in March SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - K-pop supergroup BTS will release its fifth full-length album titled "Arirang," drawing its name from Korea's most iconic folk song. According to BigHit Music on Friday, BTS revealed the album title during a live broadcast on fan platform Weverse at midnight, announcing that the album will be released on March 20. Leader RM said during the live stream that the group wanted to incorporate something symbolic of Korea into the album's conc January 17, 2026
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  Kim Jong-un hails North Korean troops deployed to Russia at Pyongyang youth event SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un praised North Korean troops deployed to Russia, calling their participation something "only young Korean people could do," state media reported Saturday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim made the remarks on Friday while attending a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League at Kim Il Sung Stadium in Pyongyang. "Present here are also January 17, 2026
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  South Korea urges 50 citizens in Iran to leave as unrest continues SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - The South Korean government said Friday that around 50 citizens are currently staying in Iran, urging them to leave the country as soon as possible amid continuing unrest. According to a joint meeting held Thursday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and overseas missions to assess safety measures in Iran—where violent crackdowns have followed recent anti-government protests—no casualties involving South Koreans had been reported. The meeting was January 17, 2026
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  U.S. makes clear Taiwan chip tariff deal will not apply to South Korea SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - Washington has made clear that semiconductor tariffs and related exemptions will be set through country‑by‑country negotiations, meaning the criteria agreed with Taiwan will not be copied and applied automatically to South Korea. An administration official said on Friday that the U.S. would pursue "separate agreements for separate countries" when asked whether the semiconductor tariff waiver terms offered to Taiwan would also be granted to South K January 17, 2026
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  OPINION: When lies go global, humanity must return to its oldest truths SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - Humanity is living through a paradox of its own making. Never have we been more technologically advanced, more interconnected, or more capable of instant communication across borders. And yet never has truth felt so fragile, so easily displaced by falsehood, manipulation, and manufactured belief. Fake news, pseudo-religions, counterfeit journalism, and demagogic politics have fused into a single ecosystem of deception—one that now threatens not only demo January 17, 2026
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  Giant rice cake prepared by locals ahead of Lunar New Year SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - Merchants and other participants gathered to make giant rice cakes at an event held at an open-air market in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province on Friday, about a month ahead of the Lunar New Year's Day. The charity event was arranged to distribute the chewy rice cakes to those in need. South Koreans traditionally start the New Year by eating a soup made with these rice cakes, known as "tteokguk," to wish for health and longevity. January 16, 2026
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  U.S. TSMC deal signals more deal-making for Seoul and pledges from chipmakers SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - In the tariff deal Seoul and Washington signed last October, South Korea was promised it would not be treated less favorably than Taiwan. But Taiwan’s newly secured tariff exemptions tied to expanded U.S. investment are now forcing Seoul and Korean chipmakers back to the negotiating table with fresh offers. Taiwan’s tariff outcome has been closely watched in Seoul, given the scale of its semiconductor trade with the United States. In last year& January 16, 2026
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  Few babies, big business: Baby Fair at COEX SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) -South Korea has one of the world’s lowest birth rates, but when it comes to babies, the country remains serious. The 2026 Momsholic Baby Fair, one of Korea’s largest exhibitions dedicated to pregnancy, childbirth and childcare, opened Thursday at COEX Hall A in southern Seoul. The fair runs through Jan. 18, bringing together about 500 booths operated by some 200 companies from Korea and overseas. Despite shrinking family sizes, the exhibitio January 16, 2026
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  KOSPI stretches rally to 11 sessions, with gains now eclipsing past cycles SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - South Korean stocks extended their historic advance on Friday, pushing the KOSPI up for an 11th consecutive session and underscoring a rally that has grown not only longer, but materially stronger than previous market upswings. The benchmark index rose 0.9 percent to close at 4,840.7, marking a 13.8 percent gain since Jan.2 as the market continued to notch new highs with near-daily regularity entering the new year. The KOSDAQ added 0.4 percent to 954.6, w January 16, 2026
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  From kimchi to cola, everyday eating fuels Korea's chronic disease spike SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - From kimchi to cola, everyday eating fuels Korea's chronic disease spike South Korea exports some of the world’s most carefully engineered products: K-pop choreographed to the millisecond, cars built for global roads, smartphones that set industry standards. Yet when it comes to everyday health, the country is quietly losing control — not in hospitals, but at the dining table. Despite its global image as a land of fresh vegetables and January 16, 2026