Oil jumps to nearly 6-month high, reviving Korea's inflation risks SEOUL, October 24 (AJP) — Global oil prices surged to nearly six-month highs Friday as attacks on Saudi Arabia and mounting shipping risks around the Gulf deepened supply fears, adding fresh pressure to South Korea's inflation outlook. Brent crude futures settled at $116.72 a barrel, up $3.55, or 3.14 percent, their highest close since April 29. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose $3.80, or 3.8 percent, to $103.27 a barrel. Brent gained 6 percent for the week October 24, 2026

Waiting becomes second nature for young 'pali pali' Koreans SEOUL, October 23 (AJP) - South Koreans are famously impatient, with a national ethos summed up by "pali pali," or "hurry, hurry." Yet younger generations seem curiously unhurried when it comes to queuing for hours for a meal or something they love. The queue for Justin Bieber's SKYLRK pop-up in Seoul began forming a day in advance. So did the line for Friday's pickup of Apple's new foldable phone. Seasoned October 23, 2026

Korean stocks look cheap, but are they a good buy? SEOUL, October 23 (AJP) — South Korean stocks have moved back to the bargain corner after dominating the top shelf in the first half, but investors remain unconvinced they offer good value. The October crash has prompted the president to complain that Korean equities are too undervalued Korean equities. Investors, however, remain wary of how much the country’s chip earnings will be worth if global AI spending subsides. South Korea’s 12-month forward price-to-ear October 23, 2026

South Korea's rain belt shifts north at accelerating pace SEOUL, October 23 (AJP) - South Korea's summer rain belt has shifted more than 200 kilometers north over a 47-year period from 1979 to 2025, sharply increasing the likelihood of heavy rainfall and extreme heat occurring simultaneously, according to a study released on Friday. Researchers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and the APEC Climate Center found that the East Asian summer front has steadily migrated northward, bringing wetter and hotter October 23, 2026

KOSPI edges up as SK hynix scraps Solidigm IPO plans SEOUL, October 23 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) recovered from an opening loss of 4.1 percent to close at its session high on Friday, after SK hynix shelved plans for a U.S. listing of its Solidigm unit. The main index in Seoul added 16.53 points or 0.3 percent to close at 5,550.30 points. SK hynix jumped 4.4 percent to 1,277,000 won (US$964), far ahead of Samsung Electronics, which edged up 0.5 percent to 215,500 won. Foreign inv October 23, 2026

POSCO CEO set to meet union in last-ditch push to end stalled wage talks SEOUL, October 23 (AJP) - Steelmaker POSCO and its labor union are in a final tug-of-war over wage negotiations, as both sides struggle to reach an agreement on pay raises and employee compensation. According to industry sources, POSCO CEO Lee Hee-geun is set to meet with the labor union at the company's headquarters in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province on Friday afternoon, in a last-ditch effort to narrow differences over wages. The stalled labor talks led to a partial strik October 23, 2026

Sookmyung places 10 professors on World's Top 2% Scientists list SEOUL, October 23 (AJP) - Ten faculty members at Sookmyung Women's University have been named to this year's list of the world's most-cited researchers, a ranking compiled by Stanford University and the Amsterdam-based academic publisher Elsevier. The list, released Oct. 7, ranks scientists by a composite citation score drawn from Scopus, Elsevier's database of academic papers. The score combines how often a researcher's work is cited, their h-index, a measure October 23, 2026

Seoul youth art show asks what to remember in AI era SEOUL, October 23 (AJP) - As artificial intelligence can produce a finished painting in seconds, a youth art exhibition in Seoul has asked young artists what they want the future to remember, and why they still make art by hand. The question reaches students who already use AI widely. In a Korea Press Foundation survey of 2,674 students from fourth grade through high school, released in January, 67.6 percent said they use conversational or generative AI. Most of them, 74.2 percent October 23, 2026

South Korea proposes military talks with North to clarify MDL SEOUL, October 23 (AJP) - South Korea renewed its call for military talks with North Korea on Friday to clarify the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), restore military communication lines and prevent accidental border clashes. The proposal follows a September 21 land mine explosion that injured three South Korean soldiers inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). A military investigation concluded that the explosion was caused by North Korean mines planted south of the MDL. The incident October 23, 2026

Switzerland opens diplomatic office in Pyongyang to restore dialogue SEOUL, October 23 (AJP) - Switzerland has opened a diplomatic office in North Korea to facilitate dialogue with the isolated country, Voice of America (VOA) reported on Friday. In a written statement to the U.S. broadcaster on Wednesday, the Swiss Foreign Ministry, known as the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), said its diplomatic office in Pyongyang has been "fully operational" since last Monday. It marks the first time Switzerland has opened such a dedicat October 23, 2026