South Korea gasoline prices fall below 2,000 won for seventh straight week SEOUL, July 04 (AJP) - Retail fuel prices in South Korea extended their decline for a seventh consecutive week, with the nationwide average gasoline price falling below 2,000 won per liter as lower global crude prices and the government's latest fuel price cap took effect. The average price of regular gasoline fell 55.7 won from the previous week to 1,952.1 won ($1.43) per liter during the week of June 28 to July 2, according to data released by the Korea National Oil Corporat July 4, 2026

Spiritual Asia (30) The quiet strength of Sikhism This is the thirtieth installment of AJP's Spiritual Asia series, which explores the religious traditions, philosophical ideas and moral foundations that have shaped Asia's civilizations. Religion should not be measured solely by the number of its followers, but by the values it contributes to humanity. By that measure, Sikhism stands among the world's most influential spiritual traditions despite having an estimated 25 million to 30 million adherents. Founded in t July 4, 2026

Young South Koreans sour on Lee's housing policy SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) — More than half of young South Koreans are disgruntled with the current administration's housing policy amid sky-high rent prices. A survey released Friday by polling firm Korea Gallup showed that 46 percent of respondents viewed the President Lee Jae Myung administration's housing policy negatively, compared with 26 percent who viewed it positively. Negative sentiment was strongest among younger adults, with 56 percent of people in their 30 July 3, 2026

North Korea, DPRK, or Joseon? Seoul's naming dilemma SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - Defined by its neighbor "hostile state," South Korea is rethinking how to address North Korea. The Unification Ministry said Friday that growing calls to refer to North Korea by its official name are part of a broader process of building public consensus, as a linguistic debate over inter-Korean relations moves from academic and religious circles into the center of national politics. At issue is whether South Korea should continue using the term July 3, 2026

Canada's submarine award in Korea's favor, but final shape uncertain SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - Canada is moving closer to selecting South Korea as the preferred supplier for its multibillion-dollar submarine program, although the final structure of the award remains uncertain, with Ottawa still weighing whether to place the entire order with one bidder or split it with Germany, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. "The mood is leaning toward South Korea. The last sticking point is whether the full package goes to Korea or is shar July 3, 2026

South Koreans must choose their words under new online rules SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - South Koreans are being forced to watch their language and behave online as amendments to the Information and Communications Network Act take effect on July 7. The mock tests are already underway. Rather than making direct assertions, some users now recommend softer wording — phrases such as "it is said," "some claim" or "I heard" — reflecting growing uncertainty over where the legal boundaries of July 3, 2026

Seoul weighs tax breaks for SMRs to power Yeongnam industrial push SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - South Korea's government said it is reviewing tax incentives, including possible designation of small modular reactors (SMRs) as a national strategic technology, to support a sweeping industrial buildout in the country's southeastern Yeongnam region. The plan, unveiled Friday at a public briefing at Gyeongsang National University in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, centers on three mega-projects: semiconductors, artificial intelligence data centers an July 3, 2026

Bond rally signals sobriety on Korea's economy – weak without chips SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - From the look of the sovereign bond market in July, South Korea's economy is running solidly on strong exports while inflation, despite energy shocks from the prolonged Gulf crisis, remains broadly contained around 3 percent, suggesting the Bank of Korea may need no more than one additional rate hike from the current 2.50 percent. Compared with the wild swings in equities and the won's slide to near three-decade lows, South Korea's bond market has July 3, 2026

From Starbucks to teen baseball, May 18 mockery carries a dear price SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) -Starbucks' May 18 controversy continues to reverberate across South Korea, with the country's largest coffee chain under Shinsegae Group paying for the blunder through a dent in sales while a Seoul high school baseball team is seeking forgiveness from a rival school in Gwangju after taunting its players with Starbucks-related slogans during a national championship game. The episode underscores the strict social boundaries surrounding the May 18, 1980 July 3, 2026

Kookmin team identifies seven medulloblastoma subtypes SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - A research team led by Kookmin University's Department of Applied Chemistry Professor Kyung-Hee Kim has identified seven distinct molecular subtypes within medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor in children, a finding that points toward treating the disease with drugs matched to each tumor's specific biology rather than a single standard protocol. The work, conducted with researchers from seven other institutions in South Korea and th July 3, 2026