Trump says he is ready to talk with 'everyone' for peace in apparent overture to Pyongyang

SEOUL, July 30 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump is willing to talk with "everyone" in pursuit of global peace and prosperity, the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday, suggesting once again that it remains open to talks with North Korea. When asked about the possibility of resuming dialogue with the North, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce reiterated during a press briefing on Tuesday Trump's "willingness to talk with everyone in order to achieve

July 30, 2025

[K-Travel] A muddy summer like no other in Boryeong

BORYEONG, July 30 (AJP) - As an unforgiving heat wave grips the country, one of Korea’s most iconic summer events kicked off in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province. The Boryeong Mud Festival is famous for turning the seaside city into a playground of seawater-rich mud. Visitors throw, smear, and soak themselves in the mineral-packed silt near Daecheon Beach. People of all ages and backgrounds dive into the mud together, forgetting the heat as their sweat and sunburn disappear be

July 30, 2025

[K-Tech] Hanwha Ocean to secure $254 million order for very large crude oil carriers

SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - Hanwha Ocean has secured a 353.6 billion won (approximately $254 million) order to build two Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) for a shipowner based in the Oceania region, the company announced in a regulatory filing on Tuesday. The vessels will feature Hanwha Ocean’s proprietary fuel-saving technology designed to minimize carbon emissions, highlighting the company’s focus on eco-friendly shipbuilding solutions. With this latest deal, Hanwha O

July 30, 2025

[K-Tech] KITA urges nation to nurture fabless startups to boost semiconductor competitiveness

SEOUL, July 30 (AJP) - South Korea must foster fabless semiconductor startups to strengthen its position in the rapidly expanding system semiconductor market driven by artificial intelligence growth, a trade association report said Wednesday. The Korea International Trade Association (KITA) released a report highlighting the urgent need to develop the fabless ecosystem as non-memory semiconductors increasingly dominate global markets. Korea's share of the global system semico

July 30, 2025

[K-Drama] 'Squid Game' finale holds top spot on Netflix's non-English chart for fifth consecutive week

SEOUL, July 30 (AJP) - The third and final season of Netflix's South Korean series "Squid Game" topped its weekly charts for non-English shows last week, the American streaming giant said on Wednesday. The dystopian thriller garnered 4.6 million views or 28.59 million viewing hours worldwide in the third week of July to claim the top spot on Netflix's ranking website Tudum's weekly chart for non-English shows, extending its streak for the fifth consecutive week

July 30, 2025

IMF cuts Korea's 2025 growth outlook to 0.8 percent

SEOUL, July 30 (AJP) - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has downgraded South Korea's 2025 economic growth forecast to below 1 percent, amid rising global trade uncertainty driven in part by the United States-related tariff tensions. According to the Ministry of Economy and Finance on Tuesday, the IMF, in its July World Economic Outlook (WEO), lowered South Korea's growth projection by 0.2 percentage points from its previous estimate to 0.8 percent. This revision stan

July 30, 2025

[K-Biotech] Celltrion to acquire US factory to counter potential drug tariffs

SEOUL, July 30 (AJP) - South Korean biopharmaceutical company Celltrion said Tuesday it will invest up to 1.4 trillion won to acquire and expand a US manufacturing facility as a preemptive response to potential drug tariffs threatened by the Trump administration. The company plans to complete the factory acquisition this year and begin local production of drugs sold in the US from the fourth quarter of 2026. Celltrion announced it was selected as the preferred bidder for a US drug

July 30, 2025

[K-Tech] Krafton's Q2 net profit tumbles 95 percent despite record sales for first half of the year

SEOUL, July 30 (AJP) - South Korean gaming giant Krafton, well-known for its flagship game “PUBG: Battlegrounds”, reported on Tuesday its second-quarter net income tumbled 95.4 percent due to increased operational costs. The company reported 15.5 billion won, around US$11.1 million, in net profit for the April to July period, down 95.4 percent compared to year-on-year, in a regulatory filing on Tuesday. Krafton attributed its sharp fall in net income to increased mark

July 30, 2025

[K-Tech] LG key wings' 2Q performance fall short of expectations

SEOUL, July 30 (AJP) - LG Electronics, LG Display, and LG Innotek, the core electronics wings of South Korea’s LG Group, posted underwhelming second-quarter results, falling short of market expectations amid headwinds including U.S. tariffs, high logistics costs, and exchange rate fluctuations. However, industry analysts anticipate a rebound in the second half, aided by seasonal demand in the IT sector and a product cycle led by Apple. According to industry data released Tuesd

July 30, 2025

Samsung chief heads to Washington as tariff talks deadline with US looms

SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong left for the U.S. on Tuesday to lend a hand in ongoing tariff negotiations between Seoul and Washington, according to industry sources. Lee's trip comes just a couple of days before the tariff deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump looms later this week. Industry watchers expect Lee may offer Samsung's commitment to expanding investment in the semiconductor sector, as well as deepening cooperation in ar

July 29, 2025