Korea's FDI dips 18% as of Q3 2025 amid weak M&A and currency

SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - Foreign direct investment (FDI) in South Korea fell 18 percent in the first nine months of 2025 from a year earlier, hit by sluggish merger and acquisition (M&A) activity, political uncertainty, and the Korean won’s steep depreciation against the U.S. dollar, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Tuesday. Cumulative FDI pledges as of the third quarter stood at $20.65 billion, down from $25.18 billion a year earlier. Actual arrivals al

October 15, 2025

Team Seoul back in Washington to settle a trade deal

SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) -Senior South Korean government officials are back in Washington amid hints of progress in talks over a long-stalled trade deal that could reshape tariff policies and foreign exchange safeguards tied to a pledged $350 billion investment package. Presidential policy chief Kim Yong-beom and Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan will join Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo in the U.S. capital this week to seek a breakthrough, as delays in negotiations have begun weigh

October 15, 2025

Nami Island hosts "Peru Week" showcasing Peruvian art, music, and traditions

SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - Nami Island in Gangwon Province turned into a lively cultural hub last month as it hosted "Peru Week," a weeklong event celebrating the art, heritage, and traditions of the South American country. Organized in partnership with the Embassy of Peru in South Korea, the program ran from September 20 to 28 and attracted thousands of visitors, both Korean and international. Held during the island's peak autumn season, when an average of 12,000 vis

October 15, 2025

PHOTOS: Sajikdan, tracing the roots of Joseon

SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - On Oct. 11, 2025, calm autumn air filled Sajikdan in Seoul’s Jongno District. Seoul, the capital of the 500-year Joseon Dynasty and the heart of modern Korea, is known for Gyeongbokgung Palace. Yet few people realize that equally important sites stand on both sides of it — Jongmyo and Sajik. The phrase often heard in historical dramas, “Your Majesty, protect Jongmyo and Sajik,” refers to these two sacred places.

October 15, 2025

Gov't task force heads to Cambodia amid rising crimes targeting South Koreans

SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - The government sent a task force to Cambodia on Wednesday to investigate the rising number of crimes targeting South Koreans there. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the team, led by Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jin-ah, headed to Phnom Penh along with officials from the National Police Agency and other investigators. The dispatch comes after recent revelations of a series of kidnappings, detentions and brutal tortures involving South Koreans,

October 15, 2025

Seoul's indie game festival Beverocks opens ticket sales with Naver Webtoon onboard

SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) -The largest indie game festival in the Seoul metropolitan area, Beverocks 2025, has begun early ticket sales, officially kicking off this year’s event. For the first time, the festival will feature games based on Naver Webtoon IPs and will host the experimental game showcase Out of Index as part of its expanded lineup. Smilegate Future Lab announced earlier this week that early-bird tickets for Beverocks 2025, set to run from December 5 to 7 at D

October 15, 2025

Asian markets open mixed amid renewed tariff disputes between US and China

SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - Asian stock markets opened mixed on Wednesday, reflecting varied investor sentiment across the region. In Seoul, the benchmark KOSPI rose 39 points at around 3,601 in early trading, while the junior Kosdaq gained 5.2 points to open at 853.2. Japanese shares climbed even higher, with the Nikkei 225 jumping 599.4 points to 47,446.7, buoyed by strong buying in technology and manufacturing stocks. Not all Asian bourses joined the rally though. In China, t

October 15, 2025

Kathakali performance opens 11th Sarang Festival in Seoul

SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - The 11th edition of Sarang: The Festival of India in Korea opened on Tuesday evening with a dazzling Kathakali performance at Ewha Womans University's Samsung Hall in Seoul. Around 300 people from South Korea, India, and other countries filled the hall, their attention drawn to the vibrant rhythms and colorful movement unfolding on stage. The air was alive with music as the deep beat of drums, the clash of cymbals, and the resonant chan

October 15, 2025

Signiel Busan named Asia's 'leading beach hotel' for second consecutive year

SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - Signiel Busan in South Korea's southern port city of Busan has been named Asia's "Leading Beach Hotel" for the second consecutive year, the luxury hotel said on Wednesday. The recognition came from the World Travel Awards, which has selected winners through votes cast by travel experts and industry professionals across more than 160 countries since 1993. Located near Haeundae Beach, the hotel is praised for its panoramic ocean views f

October 15, 2025

Hyundai to face massive tariff costs if US maintains 25% rate on car exports

SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor could face massive annual costs of more than 8 trillion won if the U.S. maintains a 25-percent tariff on exports of its vehicles, according to a report by NICE Credit Rating. The report estimated Hyundai's annual tariff burden at 8.4 trillion won if South Korea remains subject to a 25-percent rate, compared to 15 percent for the European Union and Japan. This would make Hyundai's costs the highest among major global automakers, surpa

October 15, 2025