Seoul aide says Kim Jong-un may briefly greet Speaker Woo at Beijing parade

SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is expected to acknowledge South Korea's National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik when the two attend a military parade in Beijing next week, a senior South Korean presidential aide said Thursday. Woo Sang-ho, senior secretary to President Lee Jae-myung, told reporters that Kim would not "snub" Speaker Woo if they come across each other during China's "Victory Day" celebrations on September 3, marki

August 29, 2025

[K-pop] New boy band AxMxP set for September debut

SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - AxMxP, a four-member boy band, will make their debut in September. The group's agency FNC Entertainment said they will release their first album, "AxMxP," on Sept. 10 and hold a debut showcase in Seoul the same day. The band's name reflects their aim of "amplifying music power" and spreading their voices to the world, inspired by the sound equipment amp. On Thursday, an introductory video was unveiled showing electr

August 29, 2025

US Senator emphasizes balance between nuclear deterrence and USFK flexibility

SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) -A United States senator said Thursday that Washington can uphold its nuclear deterrence commitment to South Korea while keeping U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) flexible enough to respond to wider challenges in the Indo-Pacific. Senator Andy Kim, a Democrat representing New Jersey, made the comments at a Capitol press conference as the U.S. considers expanding the operational scope of the 28,500 USFK troops under the concept of "strategic flexibility." Th

August 29, 2025

Rights advocates criticize South Korea's decision to withhold North Korea report

SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - When South Korea's Ministry of Unification said it would go ahead and compile, but not publicly release its annual report on human rights in North Korea, reversing the previous administration's policy, the move drew criticism from rights advocates and policy experts. "Refusing to make information public is generally not a desirable decision in a democracy," said Robert King, former U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights. "A

August 29, 2025

Samsung gains ground in Japan's iPhone-dominated market

SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - Samsung, after years of lagging behind, is starting to carve out a bigger foothold in Japan, where Apple has long towered over the smartphone market. Samsung's Galaxy S25 series — introduced earlier this year with a slate of artificial intelligence features — has helped lift its fortunes in Japan. Samsung’s shipments surged 60 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier, according to new data from Counterpoint Research releas

August 29, 2025

Business sentiment in South Korea remains pessimistic for 42nd month

SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - South Korea’s corporate outlook sank further into pessimism for the 42nd straight month, weighed down by U.S. trade measures that have struck at the heart of its semiconductor and steel industries, the nation’s largest business group said Friday. A survey of the country’s 600 biggest companies by the Federation of Korean Industries showed the Business Survey Index for September at 93.2, below the 100 threshold that separates optimism from p

August 29, 2025

Ulsan breaks ground on AI data center with SK Telecom, Amazon

SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - The industrial city of Ulsan is positioning itself as a national hub for artificial intelligence, breaking ground Friday on a large-scale AI data center in partnership with SK Telecom and Amazon Web Services. The ceremony, held at the Mipo National Industrial Complex, was attended by Ulsan Mayor Kim Doo-gyeom, SK Telecom’s chief executive, Yoo Young-sang, officials from SK and AWS, lawmakers, and representatives from academia and local industries.

August 29, 2025

South Korea becomes anchor in US plan to revive shipbuilding industry

SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - What began as a series of bruising trade talks between Washington and Seoul ended in an unexpected sector: shipbuilding. The negotiations, initially centered on tariffs, culminated in a $150 billion partnership aimed at reviving America’s depleted maritime industry with South Korean know-how. On Aug. 25, President Donald Trump hosted President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea at the White House, just a month after the latest round of negotiations. At their

August 29, 2025

Impeached ex-president to be tried in absentia as he continues to stall

SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - Disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol failed to show up for his trial once again on Thursday, prompting a court to proceed with it in absentia. The Seoul Central District Court said it made the decision because it could no longer afford to delay the trial, saying, "It is difficult to force Yoon to appear in court." Citing health-related reasons, Yoon has been stalling questioning by independent prosecutors as well as a trial over his botched

August 28, 2025

Skin clinics top choice for foreign medical tourists in South Korea

SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - More than half of foreign patients who visited South Korea last year visited skin clinics, medical statistics reveal. According to a report by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) released on Thursday, of the 1.17 million foreigners who received medical treatments here last year, some 705,044 visited skin-related clinics, accounting for 56.6 percent, a whopping 117-fold increase from a mere 6,015 in 2009. The next most frequent treatmen

August 28, 2025