Two more rescued in Cambodia as about a dozen nabbed in online scams after crackdown

SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - Two more South Koreans were rescued and about a dozen others reportedly involved in online job scams and phishing schemes were arrested in Cambodia, following a crackdown, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told reporters during a press briefing in Seoul on Monday. According to Cho, they are expected to be repatriated this week, following last Saturday's deportation of more than 60 South Korean detainees allegedly involved in similar crimes in the Southeast As

October 20, 2025

Once Asia's creative powerhouse, Korean cinema faces its reckoning

SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - Korea's once-vibrant movie scene is struggling to bring audiences back to theaters, and without serious soul-searching, it may follow the same decline once seen in Japanese and Hong Kong cinema. Multiplex chains are shuttering nationwide, often blaming global streaming platforms for their decline, but insiders argue the problem runs deeper — a shortage of compelling, diverse stories worth watching on the big screen. "The audience isn

October 20, 2025

Korea's winter street snacks evolve from local comforts to global favorites

SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - Korean street food gyeran-ppang — literally “egg bread” — has joined the ranks of the French baguette and Montreal bagel on CNN’s list of “50 of the World’s Best Breads,” underscoring how globalized and inventive Korean street food has become. “There’s buried treasure within every loaf of gyeran-ppang,” CNN wrote. “Individually sized wheat breads with a whole egg baked inside are amon

October 20, 2025

Kolmar Korea to develop AI-driven cosmetics factory under government project

SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - Cosmetics manufacturer Kolmar Korea said Monday that it has been chosen by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to lead the development of an artificial intelligence–integrated autonomous manufacturing system for cosmetics — an ambitious effort to transform how beauty products are made. The initiative, known as the AI Factory Project, aims to surpass current “smart factory” systems by using real-time data and AI models to a

October 20, 2025

Security alert to be raised ahead of APEC summit

SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - In preparation for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju next week, the government is set to implement a series of anti-terrorism measures while raising the country's alert levels later this week. According to the Prime Minister's Office on Monday, the measures are part of coordinated efforts by relevant agencies to ensure a proactive response to a potential rise in terror threats and other crimes during the multil

October 20, 2025

KAIST develops light-based process that boosts hydrogen catalyst efficiency sixfold

SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - A research team at KAIST has developed a light-powered process that can produce high-performance hydrogen catalysts using only a fraction of the usual energy. The technique uses an ultra-short flash of light to generate extreme heat, enabling the rapid creation of advanced materials for clean energy applications. The study, led by Professor Il-Doo Kim, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and Professor Seongyool Choi, School of Electrical Engine

October 20, 2025

JW Pharma's hemophilia A treatment added to WHO's Essential Medicines List

SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - South Korea's JW Pharmaceutical said Monday that Hemlibra, its treatment for hemophilia A, has been added to the World Health Organization’s 2025 Essential Medicines List (EML) and the Essential Medicines List for Children (EMLc). Hemlibra is the only preventive therapy available for both patients with and without inhibitors, offering sustained protection against bleeding through a single subcutaneous injection every four weeks — a major

October 20, 2025

Director Park Chan-wook wins award at film festival in Spain

SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - Award-winning director Park Chan-wook added another gong under his belt as he won an award given to the best director with his latest film "No Other Choice." Park won the award at this year's Sitges Film Festival, which wrapped up in Spain last Sunday. The festival, the world's largest genre film festival, showcases fantasy and horror films celebrated for their creativity. Park has long been the festival's favorite, having previ

October 20, 2025

South Korea's Hanwha Systems showcases high-resolution radar satellite

SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - South Korea's Hanwha Systems has revealed a new radar satellite that can capture extremely detailed images from space, marking a major step in South Korea’s space and defense ambitions. The company, along with Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha Ocean, showcased the Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) Ultra High Resolution (UHR) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite for the first time at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2025

October 20, 2025

Speculation mounts over Trump–Kim meeting as Panmunjom tours suspended during APEC summit

SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - Tours to the truce village of Panmunjom will be suspended from late October to early November, coinciding with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju next week. "There will be no tours to Panmunjom provided by the ministry during that period," said Gu Byung-sam, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification on Monday, adding that any further inquiries should be directed to the United Nations Command (UNC), which governs

October 20, 2025