Torrential rains leave dozens dead or missing, thousands displaced

SEOUL, July 20 (AJP) - Torrential downpours across the country have left at least 14 people dead and 12 others missing, while forcing thousands to flee their homes, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said on Sunday. As relentless heavy rain battered mostly southern part of the country for about a week since last Wednesday, flooding and landslides caused casualties in Osan, Gyeonggi Province; Seosan and Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province; and Sancheong, South Gyeongsang Provinc

July 20, 2025

South Korea's special prosecutor indicts impeached president on martial law charges

SEOUL, July 19 (AJP) - South Korea's special prosecutor team on Saturday indicted former President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges related to his failed attempt to impose martial law last December, marking the third time the embattled leader faces prosecution. The special investigation team, led by Special Prosecutor Cho Eun-suk, said it filed formal charges against Yoon while he remains in detention, including abuse of power and obstruction of rights. The charges stem from his brie

July 19, 2025

Lee administration's first cabinet hearings draw criticism over lack of scrutiny

SEOUL, July 19 (AJP) - South Korea's first cabinet confirmation hearings under President Lee Jae Myung concluded Friday amid widespread criticism that the process lacked proper verification of ministerial nominees. The five-day ‘super week’ hearings examined 16 cabinet nominees from July 14 to 18, but opposition lawmakers and critics described the proceedings as ineffective and superficial. The ruling party focused on defending candidates while the opposition stru

July 19, 2025

South Korea braces for fourth day of torrential rains as casualties mount

SEOUL, July 19 (AJP) - Torrential rains that began pounding South Korea's central regions four days ago continued to wreak havoc across the nation, with casualties and infrastructure damage mounting. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters reported Saturday morning that the death toll remained at four, with two people still missing. The fatalities occurred in Gyeonggi Province's Osan city and South Chungcheong Province's Seosan and Dangjin cities, wh

July 19, 2025

[K-Tech] EV sales surge in South Korea, signaling shift toward mass adoption

SEOUL, July 18 (AJP) - Electric vehicle sales in South Korea soared by more than 40 percent in the first half of 2024, a surge that analysts say signals the country's EV market is beginning to break through the so-called “chasm” separating early adopters from the mainstream. A total of 93,569 new electric vehicles were registered between January and June, up 42.7 percent from 65,557 during the same period last year, according to data released Friday by the automotive

July 18, 2025

Kakao Pay abandons SSG Pay acquisition, pivots to AI investment

SEOUL, July 18 (AJP) - Kakao Pay has scrapped its planned acquisition of SSG Pay and Smile Pay, two mobile payment services owned by Shinsegae Group, as its parent company Kakao Group pivots sharply toward artificial intelligence-focused investments, according to industry sources on Friday. The decision marks a significant shift in Kakao Group’s broader strategic direction, which has seen the tech firm prioritize funding for its growing AI ambitions over expanding its fintec

July 18, 2025

INTERVIEW: How literature is bringing South Korea and Poland closer together

SEOUL, July 18 (AJP) - For many South Koreans, Poland once seemed like a distant European country, often known only for legendary figures such as pianist Frédéric Chopin and Nobel laureate chemist Marie Curie. But the Slavic country in central Europe has drawn closer to South Korea in recent years thanks to a burgeoning appreciation for its rich literary tradition and cultural heritage. "Although South Korea and Poland are geographically far apart and have had rel

July 18, 2025

[K-Tech] Hanwha Q Cells joins US petition to curb solar panel imports from Chinese-controlled firms

SEOUL, July 18 (AJP) - A coalition of solar manufacturers, including Hanwha Q Cells and First Solar, petitioned the U.S. Commerce Department on Friday to impose tariffs on solar panels imported from Indonesia, India and Laos, accusing Chinese-owned firms of circumventing existing trade restrictions by routing products through third countries. The petition, filed by the American Solar Manufacturing and Trade Coalition, alleges that Chinese manufacturers are exploiting lower-cost pr

July 18, 2025

Lotte chairman orders sweeping overhaul as conglomerate confronts deepening crisis

SEOUL, July 18 (AJP) - Shin Dong-bin, the chairman of South Korea’s Lotte Group, has ordered a sweeping business overhaul, calling for structural reform and long-term innovation as the retail-to-chemicals conglomerate faces what analysts describe as the most serious crisis in its history. The directive came during a rare two-day forum that concluded Thursday at the Lotte Human Resources Development Center in Osan, south of Seoul. The meeting brought together some 80 senior

July 18, 2025

US Senate defense bill aims to preserve troop presence in South Korea

SEOUL, July 18 (AJP) - A newly passed United States Senate defense bill signals congressional intent to maintain current American troop levels in South Korea amid renewed debate over the future of U.S. military commitments abroad. The 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), approved last week by the Senate Armed Services Committee, includes language that blocks any reduction in the U.S. military presence on the Korean Peninsula or transfer of wartime operational control with

July 18, 2025