OPINION: Kazakhstan's constitution at 30: What has been achieved?

SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - When people voted in the 1995 national referendum (August 30) to adopt a new Constitution, they laid the cornerstone of modern statehood. More than just a legal charter, the Constitution of Kazakhstan is marked by its humanist focus. Article 1 declares the country a democratic, secular, legal, and social state, in which the hi

September 1, 2025

New Cold War in offing? Leaders from China, North Korea, Russia to gather for military parade

SEOUL, August 31 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is set to make his debut on the multilateral diplomatic stage later this week, with his upcoming trip to Beijing for a military parade as part of China's "Victory Day" celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. This will mark Kim's first time attending a multilateral gathering, since assuming power in late 2011, as he has previously held only bilateral summits during his visits to C

August 31, 2025

Woman arrested after breaking into BTS' Jungkook's home in Seoul

SEOUL, August 31 (AJP) - A woman who broke into K-pop juggernaut BTS' member Jungkook's home was arrested, police said on Sunday. The woman in her 40s, was booked on charges of trespassing in the parking lot of Jungkook's home in Seoul's posh district of Yongsan around 11:20 p.m. on Saturday, according to police. She was spotted by a security guard who found her behavior suspicious and reported her to the police. She reportedly said, "I entered because it was

August 31, 2025

INTERVIEW: Thai envoy speaks about deepening ties on security, economy and culture

SEOUL, August 31 (AJP) - Thailand and South Korea share a long friendship built on history and sacrifice. Ambassador Tanee Sangrat reminded that the foundation of trust goes back to the Korean War, when Thai troops fought alongside South Koreans. "Thailand is an old friend," he said during an interview with AJP on August 28. "Our cooperation began with sacrifice during the Korean War, and it remains the base for everything we can achieve together." Thailand was

August 31, 2025

Apple's slimmest iPhone ever set for release next month, with tariffs casting uncertainty over sales in South Korea

SEOUL, August 31 (AJP) - Apple will release a new series of iPhones and other devices next month, including the thinnest iPhone ever, with South Korea among the first batch of launch countries for the second consecutive year. According to industry sources, the tech giant is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series including a super-slim "Air" model at its headquarters in Cupertino, California on Sept. 9. Apple, which for years had placed South Korea in the second or late

August 31, 2025

Pyongyang honors fallen soldiers ahead of Kim's Beijing trip

SEOUL, August 30 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held a large-scale memorial event for soldiers killed in the war in Ukraine, just days before his expected attendance at a military parade in Beijing next week. According to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the memorial event was held on Friday in Pyongyang to honor troops dispatched overseas. The event came about a week after the unveiling of "the memorial wall" at the ruling party’s headqu

August 30, 2025

UN OHCHR Seoul Office calls for attention to the victims of North Korean abductions

SEOUL, August 30 (AJP) - The UN Human Rights Office in Seoul called for attention to the suffering of victims of enforced disappearances and abductions by North Korea and their families. The office urged attention to the issue to mark the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance, which was observed on Saturday. The day aims to raise awareness of people who have gone missing against their will, highlight the suffering of their families, and call for action to stop

August 30, 2025

Heat and rain to linger nationwide through weekend

SEOUL, August 30 (AJP) - South Korea will face more heat and rain this weekend. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said heat alerts were in effect nationwide and rain warnings were issued for Gyeonggi Province north of Seoul, Gangwon Province in the northeast, and parts of the capital. The Seoul Metropolitan Government closed 29 streams across the city on Saturday morning as a precaution against flooding. Rain is forecast to continue in the capital area and inland

August 30, 2025

South Korean-American singer Yoo Seung-jun wins again over visa denial

SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - A Seoul court has once again ruled in favor of South Korean-American singer Yoo Seung-jun, ordering the cancellation of the government's decision to deny him a visa to enter the country. The Seoul Administrative Court on Thursday sided with the 48-year-old singer, also known by his U.S. name Steve Seung-jun Yoo, in his third lawsuit against the South Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles, which had repeatedly rejected his visa applications. Yoo, o

August 29, 2025

Southern port city hosts cruise dating event for 84 young professionals

SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - A total of 84 unmarried working people from the southern port city of Ulsan are set to join a "cruise dating" event on Friday. The Ulsan City organized the event, titled "Chilseok, Ulsan Romantic Day," to help young professionals, born between 1986 and 2000, living in the city find new connections and to encourage them to settle down in the city. Held on Chilseok, the seventh day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar, the festiv

August 29, 2025