Washington 'restricts intelligence sharing on North Korea,' raising security concerns in Seoul SEOUL, April 28 (AJP) - The U.S. has reportedly restricted the sharing of certain intelligence related to North Korea, raising concerns in South Korea about possible frictions between the two allies and surveillance gaps in joint monitoring capabilities. According to multiple government sources, Washington has limited access to technical intelligence including satellite data on North Korean nuclear facilities since early this month. Some relevant military information such as image April 28, 2026

KAIST honors Professor Myung Hyun with Research Grand Prize for spatial AI robotics SEOUL, April 28 (AJP) - The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology held its annual Research Day on Tuesday at its main campus in Daejeon to recognize faculty achievements and share new technical data. The event, which began in 2016, serves as the university's primary forum for highlighting academic breakthroughs and fostering a collaborative research environment, the prominent research institute said April 28. Professor Myung Hyun from the School of Electrical Engi April 28, 2026

NEXZ returns with 'Mmchk' as JYP sharpens global group strategy SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) — Rookie boy group NEXZ is back with its second single “Mmchk,” underscoring JYP Entertainment’s evolving strategy to globalize the K-pop model through multinational lineups. The seven-member group held a showcase in Seoul on Sunday to mark the release of the single album at Blue Square Woori Bank Hall in Yongsan District. Formed through “Nizi Project Season 2,” a joint audition program between JYP and Sony Music Japan, April 27, 2026

Forty years after Chernobyl and nuclear power is back in vogue SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) - Forty years ago today, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant became a global epitaph for technological hubris. The radioactive clouds that drifted across Europe did more than contaminate soil; they poisoned the public's trust in the atom for a generation. In a historical paradox, the very anniversary of the disaster finds the world—and South Korea included—sprinting back toward nuclear energy with newfound urgency. The shift is being driven b April 27, 2026

Sookmyung Women's University team develops gene data modeling tool SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) - A research team led by Professor Sukjoon Yoon at Sookmyung Women's University in South Korea has created an ontology-based framework to quantitatively interpret gene-based biological data, the prominent university said Monday. Biological data has historically been difficult for artificial intelligence to interpret because it lacks the clear contextual relationships found in standard text. To address this, the team used biological ontologies—system April 27, 2026

Boy band NEXZ showcase new album in Seoul SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) - Boy band NEXZ, made up mostly of Japanese-born members, held an event in Yongsan, Seoul on Monday to promote their new album. According to their management agency JYP Entertainment, "Mmchk," an onomatopoeic word coined to reflect the rhythmic sound of their music, is the septet's second album, following their debut in May 2024 after being formed through a global audition. The album contains three tracks, which are set to be available on major April 27, 2026

Kookmin University partners with PriestmanGoode for urban mobility design project SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) - The Department of Automotive and Transportation Design at Kookmin University (KMU) is launching a joint industry-academic project with PriestmanGoode (PG), a British design consultancy, to develop mobility solutions for urban environments. The initiative aims to address traffic congestion and urban sprawl in South Korea's capital through design-led research, Kookmin University said Monday. The year-long project focuses on the Seoul 2050 Grand Plan, exam April 27, 2026

ASEAN specialist defines Presidnt Lee's South Asian tour as move for strategic survival SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) - South Korea has locked in energy and industrial partnerships in India and Viet Nam this month to guard against a global "era of un-order." The agreements signed during the mid-April visits aim to double trade with India to 50 billion dollars and reach 150 billion dollars with Viet Nam by 2030 to counter intensifying supply chain volatility. Cho Won-deuk, director of the Center for ASEAN-Indian Studies at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, told April 27, 2026

South Korea's 1.7% growth may mark its ceiling as structural limits bite SEOUL, April 27 (AJP)- South Korea’s 1.7% first-quarter growth didn’t just beat expectations; it likely hit the ceiling. According to OECD estimates, the surprise performance suggests the economy is already running at full capacity, signaling that the nation’s structural growth potential has effectively reached its limit. Gross domestic product rose 1.7 percent in the January–March period from the previous quarter, nearly double the Bank of Korea’ April 27, 2026

KOSPI, Nikkei close at all-time highs on chip rally, strong institutional buying SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI closed at a fresh record high on Monday, while Japan's Nikkei 225 also finished at an all-time high, as semiconductor-driven gains and strong institutional inflows outweighed concerns over rising oil prices amid the prolonged conflict in the Middle East. The KOSPI rose 2.2 percent to close at 6,615.03 points, after swinging between a low of 6,529.20 and a record intraday high of 6,657.22. Institutions bought 1.10 trillion April 27, 2026