Automakers to recall over 500,000 vehicles due to defective parts SEOUL, April 22 (AJP) - About half a million vehicles will be recalled due to defective parts, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said on Wednesday. The country's largest automaker Hyundai Motor will recall about 239,683 units across four models including the Santa Fe sport utility vehicle (SUV), the Ioniq 6 electric sedan, as well as its luxury brand Genesis' G90. The recall, set to begin on June 4, follows a similar recall in the U.S. earlier this mont April 22, 2026

20,000 Farmers rally in Yeouido against agricultural cooperatives act revision SEOUL, April 21 (AJP) - About 20,000 farmers and agricultural cooperative heads gathered in Yeouido on Tuesday to strongly oppose the government's push to revise the Agricultural Cooperatives Act, calling it an "infringement on autonomy." According to the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation (NACF) on April 21, agricultural cooperative heads and farmers from across the country held the 'Farmers' Rally to Defend Agricultural Cooperative Autonomy' i April 22, 2026

USFK commander warns against 'political expediency' in wartime opcon transfer SEOUL, April 22 (AJP) - Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of United States Forces Korea (USFK), warned Tuesday that “political expediency should not outpace the conditions” in discussions over the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON), as Seoul pushes to complete the transition within the current administration. Testifying before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, Brunson stressed that the focus should remain on meeting the necessary requirements rather tha April 22, 2026

BTS' song tops Billboard global charts for fourth straight week SEOUL, April 22 (AJP) - K-pop juggernaut BTS' latest song has held the top spot on Billboard's global charts for four consecutive weeks. According to the American music chart, "Swim," the title track from their fifth full-length album "ARIRANG" remained at the top of the Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts for the week ending this Saturday, extending its run to a fourth straight week. Their album also held steady on the main U.S. charts, remain April 22, 2026

Korea's pump prices rise faster than Japan and US SEOUL, April 22 (AJP) - Kuwait’s declaration of force majeure on crude exports is adding to supply concerns at a time when South Korea’s fuel prices are already rising sharply, amplifying the impact of the prolonged Middle East conflict. State-run Kuwait Petroleum Corp. last Friday notified buyers that it would maintain contractual force majeure for an extended period, citing damage to infrastructure and the time needed to restore full operations. South Korea relied o April 22, 2026

Asian markets retreat as Trump's extension of ceasefire with Iran casts fresh uncertainty SEOUL, April 22 (AJP) - Asian markets mostly fell on Wednesday morning as lingering uncertainty over the prolonged conflict in the Middle East weighed on investor sentiment, after U.S. President Donald Trump extended a ceasefire with Iran indefinitely. Overnight, all three major U.S. indices closed lower. The S&P 500 fell 0.63 percent to 7,064.01, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.59 percent to 24,259.96 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.59 percent to 49,149.38. April 22, 2026

S. Korean researchers develop DNA molecular computer smaller than two nanometer semiconductors SEOUL, April 22 (AJP) - A research team in South Korea has developed a molecular computer using DNA that is smaller than current two-nanometer semiconductors and can perform calculations while simultaneously storing information. Professor Choi Young-jae and his team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology created a bio-transistor that operates at a scale of 0.34 nanometers, which corresponds to the distance between DNA bases, the research institute said Wednesday. April 22, 2026

Sookmyung Women's University researchers identify potential treatment for rare muscle disease SEOUL, April 22 (AJP) - A research team led by Professor Kim Ju-mee at Sookmyung Women's University's Division of Pharmacy has identified a new pathological mechanism for GNE myopathy, a rare muscle disorder, and proposed a potential treatment strategy. By analyzing the genetic pathways of the disease, the team discovered that an existing drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration could be repurposed to restore cellular functions that are impaired by the condition April 22, 2026

Kookmin University team demonstrates quantum-secured satellite communication system SEOUL, April 22 (AJP) - A research team led by Professor Lee Ok-yeon at Kookmin University in South Korea has successfully implemented and verified a next-generation security system that combines low Earth orbit satellite communication with quantum-resistant cryptography. Working alongside Arion Communication, the team developed a hybrid structure designed to protect data across both wired and wireless connections. The technology integrates Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) for groun April 22, 2026

LG AI Research, NVIDIA to co-develop specialized AI models, deepen tech alliance SEOUL, April 22 (AJP) - LG AI Research and U.S. chipmaker NVIDIA will deepen their technology alliance to co-develop specialized artificial intelligence models. Executives from both companies, including LG AI Research Co-head Lim Woo-hyung and NVIDIA’s Vice President of Applied Deep Learning Research Bryan Catanzaro, met at LG's research headquarters in Seoul on Tuesday to discuss joint AI ecosystem strategies. Under the agreement, the companies will combine L April 22, 2026