Another body recovered at Ulsan power plant with one worker still missing

SEOUL, November 13 (AJP) - Another body was recovered early Thursday morning from the rubble of a thermal power plant in the southeastern city of Ulsan. According to rescue workers, a man in his 30s was retrieved from the debris at the state-run utility Korea East-West Power at around 1:18 a.m. This brings the death toll to six, with one person still missing. The incident occurred when a 60-meter boiler tower suddenly fell during demolition work last Thursday, trapping seven

November 13, 2025

K-pop sensation NewJeans signal full-group comeback by returning to ADOR under HYBE

SEOUL, November 13 (AJP) - NewJeans, the breakout K-pop act that shot to global fame upon debut in 2022 but became embroiled in a bitter dispute with its agency last year, is poised for a full-group comeback after members began signaling their return to ADOR, a move that lifts a major litigation burden for the parent manager HYBE ahead of the long-anticipated comeback of K-pop superstar BTS. On Wednesday, members Haerin and Hyein announced that they would return to ADOR, sayin

November 13, 2025

Why Korea should benchmark Japan in tweaking retirement age and managing super-aged society

SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - Korea, under strong pressure from labor unions, is moving to extend the statutory retirement age to 65 as it enters a super-aged demographic structure, but the shift could strain public finances and the national pension system if it fails to draw voluntary participation from the private sector, responsible for most hiring. Korea's two largest umbrella unions are urging the progressive government and ruling party to mandate a "blanket, unconditi

November 12, 2025

Survey shows Deepfake crimes seen as growing threat to young people in South Korea

SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - Nine out of ten South Koreans believe deepfake crimes pose a serious threat to society, a recent survey showed, underscoring escalated alarm over the abuse of artificial intelligence to generate sexually explicit or manipulated content. Deepfake refers to synthetic media generated using artificial intelligence to alter or replace a person's likeness in photos or videos. The technology is increasingly being abused to produce non-consensual sexual mate

November 12, 2025

Homegrown space rocket set for first nighttime launch late this month

SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - South Korea's homegrown space rocket Nuri is scheduled for liftoff later this month. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) said Wednesday that the rocket, dubbed KSLV‑II, will be launched at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province on Nov. 27 unless unexpected problems occur, in which case there will be further launch windows between Nov. 29 and Dec. 4. The liftoff has been tentatively set for between 12:54 a.m. and 1:14 a.m.,

November 12, 2025

KOSPI extends gains for second day; tech stocks lag as SOX declines

SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - Asian shares turned higher on Wednesday, with South Korea’s benchmark index rising for a second consecutive session. Semiconductor stocks, however, underperformed after overnight losses in the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) and the Nasdaq. The KOSPI gained 1.07 percent to close at 4,150.39. Institutional investors drove the advance, purchasing 912.1 billion won ($620 million), while retail investors and foreigners sold 446 billion won and 4

November 12, 2025

France and Korea to celebrate 140 years of ties with nationwide events

SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - A yearlong celebration marking the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and South Korea will take place across both countries in 2026. France and Korea have long maintained a comprehensive partnership, engaging closely in diplomacy, defense, economy, science, and technology. The upcoming anniversary will commemorate more than a century of partnership and friendship while showcasing a shared vision for the future. A wide ran

November 12, 2025

Korea's KakaoTalk admits to feed pratfall and will return to original format by December

SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - KakaoTalk, bowing to massive backlash and acknowledging the failure of its largest redesign to date, will restore its original interface by the end of the year after a clumsy attempt to introduce an Instagram-like picture feed to a platform used by virtually all South Koreans. A KakaoTalk spokesperson told AJP on Thursday that the company is "working to restore the original layout by year-end" in response to negative "user feedback,"

November 12, 2025

Korean firms scale back UAM plans amid delays in commercialization

SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - Major South Korean companies are retreating from the once-hyped Urban Air Mobility, or UAM, market as delays in commercialization and regulatory hurdles cloud the industry’s near-term prospects. The technology, envisioned as a new mode of eco-friendly urban transport that could ease traffic congestion, has been touted globally as a growth industry worth more than $60 billion by 2035. But with commercialization timelines slipping and profitability

November 12, 2025

Samsung expands Galaxy XR use to corporate training, moving beyond gaming and entertainment

SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - Samsung is taking its extended reality (XR) headset beyond gaming and entertainment, introducing immersive corporate training programs that blend artificial intelligence with XR through its “Galaxy XR” device. Starting this month, Samsung Human Resources Development Center began using the Galaxy XR for employee education programs, covering meditation, company history, leadership, language, and debate sessions. About 20,000 employees—fro

November 12, 2025