[K-Tech] LG CNS becomes first Korean firm to secure AI certifications from three major cloud providers

SEOUL, July 31 (AJP) - LG CNS, the solution-developing wing of LG Group, said Thursday it has obtained Microsoft's "Build AI Apps on Microsoft Azure Specialization" certification, making it the first Korean company to hold generative artificial intelligence certifications from all three major global cloud service providers. The South Korean IT services company now holds AI specialist certifications from Microsoft, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud, the company

July 31, 2025

South Korea strikes favorable tariff deal with US, presidential office says

SEOUL, July 31 (AJP) - South Korea's presidential office said Thursday it secured a more favorable agreement than Japan in tariff negotiations with the United States, successfully limiting concessions while protecting key domestic markets. The announcement came after President Lee Jae-myung and US President Donald Trump revealed on social media that bilateral tariff talks had concluded with mutual 15 percent rates. The U.S. had initially planned to impose 25 percent reciproca

July 31, 2025

Health minister calls for tighter grip on e-cigarettes amid regulatory gaps

SEOUL, July 31 (AJP) - Health Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong called for stricter oversight of liquid electronic cigarettes Thursday, arguing they should face the same regulatory framework as conventional tobacco products to close existing legal loopholes. Speaking to the National Assembly in written responses following her confirmation hearing, Jeong said synthetic nicotine-based liquid e-cigarettes pose health risks equivalent to traditional cigarettes and warrant identical regulatory t

July 31, 2025

[K-Tech] LG Energy Solution secures 5.94 trillion won LFP battery deal with Tesla

SEOUL, July 31 (AJP) - LG Energy Solution announced Wednesday it has signed a 5.9442 trillion won (about $4.25 billion) supply contract for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, marking the company’s largest-ever energy storage system (ESS) order to date. The order represents 23.2 percent of LG Energy Solution’s 2023 revenue of 25.6 trillion won. The initial contract term spans three years starting August 1, with the possibility of extension to seven years based on cus

July 31, 2025

S. Korea, US agree to lower tariffs to 15 percent after investment and energy deal

SEOUL, July 31 (AJP) - South Korea and the United States have reached a comprehensive trade agreement that will lower mutual tariffs from 25 percent to 15 percent. The deal follows South Korea's pledge to invest $350 billion in the U.S. and purchase $100 billion worth of American energy products. The announcement was made on Jul. 30 (local time) by U.S. President Donald Trump. He met with the South Korean trade delegation at the White House before posting the details on his so

July 31, 2025

Peru celebrates independence in Seoul, spotlighting shared values with S. Korea

SEOUL, July 28 (AJP) – Peru marked the 203rd anniversary of its independence on Monday with a diplomatic reception in central Seoul. Hosted by the Peruvian Embassy at the Four Seasons Hotel, the event brought together a diverse crowd of diplomats, academics, business leaders, and media representatives. Peru and South Korea established diplomatic relations in 1963. Over the past six decades, the two countries have steadily expanded cooperation across trade, investment, educ

July 30, 2025

Powerful earthquake in Russia's far east unlikely to affect South Korea

SEOUL, July 30 (AJP) - South Korea is unlikely to be affected by a powerful earthquake that struck off Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, the Korea Meteorological Administration said on Wednesday. The 8.7-magnitude earthquake, which struck the area at around 8:30 a.m., prompted multiple tsunami warnings and evacuation orders in Japan and other nearby Pacific countries. "We expect no direct impact on the Korean Peninsula," a KMA official said. "But given

July 30, 2025

[K-Trade] S. Korea launches joint task force team to eradicate stock manipulation

SEOUL, July 30 (AJP) - A joint team of South Korean financial regulators was launched on Wednesday, in a bid to eradicate stock price manipulation that has been plaguing the market. The joint response team, comprised of officials from the Financial Services Commission (FSC), the Financial Supervisory Service, and the Korea Exchange, is to detect illegal and unfair trading practices. "We will mark 2025 as the first year of exterminating stock manipulation by showing the wrongdoe

July 30, 2025

[K-Trade] South Korean deputy PM meets US commerce chief on tariff talks

SEOUL, July 30 (AJP) - South Korean Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yoon-cheol held two hours of trade discussions with the United States Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Tuesday (local time), South Korea's Ministry of Economy and Finance said. The meeting took place immediately after Koo arrived in Washington, D.C., with Trade Minister Kim Jung-kwan and chief trade negotiator Yeo Han-koo. The talks come as South Korea faces a 25 percent U.S. tariff on its e

July 30, 2025

[K-Travel] Damyang, a town built on trees

DAMYANG, Jul. 30 (AJP) – As a relentless heat wave continues to grip the Korean Peninsula, tree shade has become more precious than ever. In the face of soaring temperatures higher than those in many Southeast Asian cities, the cool calm of a forest is more than a luxury — it is a refuge. And few places offer it as gracefully as Damyang. With its soaring bamboo groves, 300-year-old elm-lined levees, and the iconic Metasequoia-lined road, Damyang in South Jeolla Provinc

July 30, 2025