Won recovers after verbal intervention while bond sell-off deepens SEOUL, June 8 (AJP) - The South Korean won slightly recovered on Monday after a series of verbal warnings from financial authorities, which prompted traders to pull back from their dollar bets. There was also speculation that authorities may have directly intervened in the market. In Seoul, the won closed at 1,548.2 per dollar after opening at 1,555.2 and briefly rising to 1,560 before reversing sharply in morning trade. The turnaround was largely attributed to policy interventio June 8, 2026

Chip sell-off sends KOSPI below 8,000 SEOUL, June 8 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI closed at 7,484.41, down 676.18 points, or 8.29 percent, from the previous session, falling below the 8,000-point level According to the Korea Exchange, the KOSPI opened at 8,048.09, down 112.50 points, or 1.38 percent, from the previous close, before extending its losses throughout the session. The index fell as low as 7,442.73 during intraday trading. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ also declined sharply, ending the day at 911.39, d June 8, 2026

South Korea outlines strategy to attract 2 million cruise visitors SEOUL, June 08 (AJP) - South Korean government and tourism officials met with industry representatives aboard a docked cruise ship in Busan on June 5, 2026, to outline a strategy aimed at expanding international cruise tourism, the Korea Tourism Organization said Monday. The 21st Cruise Development Council meeting took place aboard Royal Caribbean's 169,000-ton Spectrum of the Seas, marking the first time the annual council convened on an active vessel. About 90 officials from June 8, 2026

South Korea at odds with Japan as allies seek broader security ties SEOUL, June 8 (AJP) - South Korea is increasingly seen as a security partner as U.S. allies look to strengthen ties amid doubts growing about how reliable Washington's broader defense commitments really are. But President Lee Jae Myung appears reluctant to deepen military cooperation with Japan, casting uncertainty on how far Seoul is willing to go. During a press conference in Seoul on Monday marking his first anniversary in office, President Lee Jae Myung was asked about pursu June 8, 2026

S. Korean university students pitch multidisciplinary solutions at global sustainability festival SEOUL, June 08 (AJP) - Students from five universities in South Korea presented multidisciplinary solutions to global challenges during the finals of the 2026 Global Symbiosis Joint Academic Festival on May 29, 2026, Kookmin University said Monday. The festival was organized by the HUSS Global Symbiosis Project Group and brought together participants from Kwangwoon University, Kookmin University, Sunmoon University, Yeungnam University and Honam University. The competition challen June 8, 2026

Nvidia CEO reaffirms close alliance with SK hynix, unveils plans for next-Gen robotics chip SEOUL, June 8 (AJP) - Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang, who has been in Seoul since last Friday, began his day on Monday with a visit to SK Group, where he stressed Nvidia's "deepening, near-exclusive" reliance on the group for the era of artificial intelligence (AI). He praised SK hynix, an affiliate of SK Group, as a major player in global AI development and announced plans to use its memory in Nvidia's next-generation robotics processors. "I’d like to June 8, 2026

I-DLE to release ninth EP 'We made' in July SEOUL, June 08 (AJP) - K-pop girl group I-DLE will return with its ninth EP, "We made," on July 6, its agency Cube Entertainment said Monday. The agency unveiled a teaser for the album through the five-member group's official social media channels at midnight. "We made" marks I-DLE's first release in six months since the digital single "Mono (Feat. skaiwater)" in January, and its first EP in a little over a year since "We are" in June 8, 2026

Nvidia CEO meets SNU students before wrapping up whirlwind Seoul trip SEOUL, June 8 (AJP) - Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who has become the talk of the town due to his high-profile visit to Seoul, met with students at Seoul National University on Monday. Huang attended an on-campus event at the country's top university in southwestern Seoul, where participants were introduced to an artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted platform called "OpenClaw." He also delivered a 15-minute lecture on AI technology and its impact on future industries. H June 8, 2026

Protesters block Seoul vote-counting venue for fourth day as rally mood shifts SEOUL, June 08 (AJP) - A protest blocking the entrance to a vote-counting venue for the local elections that took place last week in Seoul entered its fourth day on Monday, as demonstrators gathered outside the handball stadium at Olympic Park in the southern Seoul district of Songpa. Police estimated around 1,600 people remained at the scene, maintaining a blockade of the facility. The crowd had peaked the previous day, swelling from 3,000 at noon to 2 June 8, 2026

Researchers design DNA coatings to control catalyst environments for chemical production SEOUL, June 08 (AJP) - Researchers in South Korea have developed a method to coat chemical catalysts with single-stranded DNA, enabling precise control over the surrounding chemical environment to improve hydrogen and chemical production, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology said Sunday. The research team, led by Professor Park Ji-min from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)'s department of chemical and biomolecular engineering, app June 8, 2026