S. Korea moves to legislate 'K-Steel Act' as U.S. tariff hike threatens steel exports

SEOUL, August 01 (AJP) - South Korean lawmakers are pushing for a new legislative measure known as the "K-Steel Act" to support the domestic steel industry amid rising trade pressure from the United States' high tariffs and a flood of cheap Chinese imports. According to political sources on Friday, Rep. Eoh Ki-gu of the Democratic Party and Rep. Lee Sang-hwi of the People Power Party plan to introduce a bipartisan bill to protect domestic steel production on August 4.

August 1, 2025

South Korea sees July export volume grow 5.9 percent on strong chip demand

SEOUL, August 1 (AJP) - South Korea's exports rose 5.9 percent in July from a year earlier to $60.82 billion, marking the second consecutive month of growth despite concerns over impending U.S. tariffs, trade ministry data showed Friday. Semiconductors drove the export surge, posting a 31.6 percent year-on-year increase to $14.71 billion, recording the highest July performance ever, aided by strong demand for high-value memory chips such as high bandwidth memory chips and price

August 1, 2025

All tours suspended as Cheong Wa Dae undergoes renovation ahead of Lee's move-in

SEOUL, August 1 (AJP) - Public access to the former presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul was halted on Friday as renovation work begins ahead of President Lee Jae-myung's move-in to the compound. Lee, who took office in early June in the wake of the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched Dec. 3 declaration of martial law, was unable to immediately use the compound due to the need to enhance security and overhaul facilities and has been te

August 1, 2025

[K-Tech] Samsung to launch XR headset and tri-fold phone in second half

SEOUL, August 01 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics will release extended reality headsets and tri-fold smartphones in the second half of 2025 as part of an aggressive expansion of its Galaxy ecosystem, the tech giant said Friday. The company also plans additional mergers and acquisitions to strengthen new business areas including artificial intelligence, medical technology, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Samsung's Mobile Experience division reported second-qu

August 1, 2025

President Lee to take five-day summer break starting August 4

SEOUL, August 01 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will take a five-day summer vacation next week but plans to stay updated on key national affairs throughout the break, according to the presidential office. "President Lee will be on summer leave from August 4 to 8," the office said on Saturday. "Starting from the weekend of August 2, he will stay on Jeodo Island in Geoje, where he plans to reflect on the current political landscape and spend time recharg

August 1, 2025

[K-Tech] S. Korea selects 8 ESS sites totaling 563MW to support renewable energy expansion

SEOUL, August 01 (AJP) - South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Power Exchange on Thursday confirmed plans to deploy 563 megawatts (MW) of energy storage systems (ESS) nationwide, a move aligned with the government's long-term strategy to bolster renewable energy infrastructure. The announcement followed a bidding committee meeting held on July 31. The centralized bidding system, introduced in 2023, initially covered three pilot sites on Jeju Is

August 1, 2025

Top diplomats from South Korea, US meet ahead of Lee's upcoming summit with Trump

SEOUL, August 1 (AJP) - South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Thursday for their first talks since President Lee Jae-myung took office in early June. Stressing the unwavering alliance between the two countries, Cho and Rubio reaffirmed their commitment to achieving the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and expressed concern over the deepening military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow. They also agreed

August 1, 2025

[K-Pop]  ILLIT drops new version of hit song 'jellyous' featuring singer-songwriter Sophie Powers

SEOUL, August 01 (AJP) - K-pop group ILLIT released a new version of its hit track "jellyous" featuring Canadian singer-songwriter Sophie Powers on Thursday, August 1 at 1 p.m. The original version of "jellyous" appeared on ILLIT’s third mini album "BOMB," released in June. With its catchy melody and high-energy choreography, the track has drawn strong attention from fans. The newly unveiled version brings a different texture, combining ILLIT&rs

August 1, 2025

[K-Pop] LE SSERAFIM sells out Manila concert, drawing rare response in Philippines

SEOUL, August 01 (AJP) - SEOUL, Jul. 25 (AJP) – South Korean girl group LE SSERAFIM has sold out its upcoming Manila concert in a matter of moments, a rare outcome even in the increasingly active K-pop scene in the Philippines. The five-member group, Kim Chaewon, Sakura, Huh Yunjin, Kazuha, and Hong Eunchae, is set to perform on Aug. 2 at the Mall of Asia Arena as part of its 2025 "EASY CRAZY HOT" Asia tour. The local promoter Applewood said in a statement, &quo

August 1, 2025

South Korea to decide on Google's high-precision map export request next month

SEOUL, August 1 (AJP) - South Korea will decide next month whether to approve Google's request to export high-precision maps overseas, with security concerns likely to weigh heavily on the government's final decision. Because South Korea remains technically in a state of ceasefire with North Korea, the country imposes strict regulations on domestic map service providers to conceal the exact locations of military bases and facilities. Many of these sites are either blurred,

August 1, 2025