Korea's convenience stores sharpen food rivalry SEOUL, August 30 (AJP) - South Korea's three biggest convenience store chains are sharpening their food rivalry, rolling out products tuned to increasingly granular consumer tastes as shoppers weigh texture, drink preferences and health alongside the traditional draws of price and convenience. GS25, E-mart24 and 7-Eleven are each leaning on sales data to expand categories where demand has already proven itself, from chewy frozen treats to cafe-style tea drinks and seasonal rice August 30, 2026

BTS' 'Arirang' tour sets record as highest-grossing concert run SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - K-pop juggernaut BTS raked in US$120.5 million in ticket sales in July through their ongoing world tour "Arirang," making it the group's highest-grossing tour, Billboard said on Friday. BTS ranked second on Billboard's July tour chart, behind The Weeknd, who topped the chart with $124.4 million. The group earned nearly as much as The Weeknd despite performing half as many shows, with eight shows in Europe, compared with The Weeknd's 16. August 29, 2026

Trump traded Coupang shares again in June, reviving conflict-of-interest concerns SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump traded shares of South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang twice in June, according to his latest financial disclosure released by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics on Friday. Trump made another 1,000-plus stock transactions including two involving common shares of Coupang, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Trump sold Coupang shares worth between US$1,001 and $15,000 on June 3, then bought shares worth between $1 August 29, 2026

Travel advisory for Nepal expanded amid risk of more floods SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - A special travel advisory has been issued for four provinces in flood-hit Nepal amid the risk of further flooding and landslides, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday. The special advisory took effect at 9 p.m. the previous day for Bagmati, Gandaki, Koshi and Lumbini provinces as a short-term emergency measure, while a lower-level advisory urging increased caution remains in place for the rest of Nepal, according to the ministry. The ministr August 29, 2026

Pump prices fall for 15th straight week as fuel caps remain SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - Pump prices fell slightly this week, extending their decline for a 15th consecutive week, while the government kept its fuel price ceilings unchanged in an effort to limit the impact of volatile global oil prices. According to the Korea National Oil Corporation's website Opinet on Saturday, the average retail price of gasoline at gas stations nationwide stood at 1,861.3 won (US$1.35) per liter in the fourth week of August, down 1.2 won from the previous August 29, 2026

South Korean rescuers struggle to reach flood site in Nepal SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - South Korean government officials and rescue workers are struggling to reach a hydropower plant construction site in northern Nepal after devastating floods and landslides left hundreds of people dead or missing including nine South Korean workers earlier this week. The missing workers include six employees of Doosan Enerbility and three from Korea South-East Power (KOEN). A government-led rescue team along with those from the two companies arrived in Kat August 29, 2026

Two in three South Koreans back nuclear armament, poll shows SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - Nearly two-thirds of South Koreans support the country possessing its own nuclear weapons, while a majority oppose the government's push to merge the Army, Navy and Air Force academies, a Gallup Korea poll showed Friday. The survey of 1,001 adults conducted from Tuesday to Thursday found that 65 percent supported South Korea possessing nuclear weapons, compared with 30 percent who opposed the idea. Support reached 78 percent among supporters of the ma August 28, 2026

PARU extends rally after share consolidation SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - South Korean renewable energy company PARU surged for a second straight session Friday after trading resumed following a two-for-one share consolidation. Shares of PARU closed 10.82 percent higher at 1,475 won ($1.08) on the KOSDAQ on Friday, after rising as high as 1,630 won in early trading. The gains followed a 29.98 percent surge Thursday, when the stock hit its daily upper limit on the first session after trading resumed. According to a regulatory fi August 28, 2026

Marado drone flop exposes Korea's unmanned warfare gap SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - Unmanned ground vehicles rolled down Kyiv's main boulevard, drone boats moved along the Dnipro River and bomber and interceptor drones filled the sky as Ukraine marked 35 years of independence from the Soviet Union this week, putting on public display its power behind sustaining its resistance against Russia into a fourth year. The unconventional military parade underscored how drones — rather than foot soldiers, spectacular warships or tanks &mdas August 28, 2026

Is KOSPI party over, or moving to Wall Street? SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) — South Korea's stock-market party is thinning fast. Average daily trading across the country's two equity platforms has nearly halved from June's 99.39 trillion won ($72.2 billion), cash parked in brokerage accounts has retreated sharply from its peak and the KOSPI's share turnover has sunk to the lowest level this year. Yet the missing activity does not look like a wholesale flight from Korean equities. Foreign investors still own ne August 28, 2026