BTS member Suga fined 15 million won for drunk driving

SEOUL, September 30 (AJP) - BTS member Suga was fined 15 million won (US$ 11,463) on Monday for driving under influence earlier this year. The Seoul Western District Court ordered the 31-year-old rapper to pay the fine. Suga, who is currently fulfilling his mandatory military service with a public-sector desk job, was caught riding under the influence after falling off his electric scooter near his residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan on Aug. 6. At the time of the accident, his

September 30, 2024

OPINION: Shigeru Ishiba will be Japan's next prime minister. What should we expect?

SEOUL, September 30 (AJP) - In a vote to replace Fumio Kishia as head of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), party members have elected Shigeru Ishiba as their new leader. Given the LDP's majority in parliament, the party leader will become prime minister by default. Ishiba, aged 67, joined the parliament in 1986 and held key cabinet posts throughout his career, including director of then Defense Agency (now Ministry of Defense). Amid growing public opposition

September 30, 2024

Study exposes suspected Chinese trolls targeting Korean industries

SEOUL, September 29 (AJP) - Suspected Chinese online accounts were found to have conducted comment campaigns to manipulate public opinion on key industries where South Korea and China are in fierce competition, according to a study released Sunday. The research, conducted by Professors Kim Eun-young of Catholic Kwandong University and Hong Suk-hoon of Changwon National University, analyzed comments on articles about electric vehicles, batteries, e-commerce and others on online platf

September 29, 2024

OPINION: Does Hezbollah represent Lebanon? And what impact will death of longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah have?

SEOUL, September 29 (AJP) - Israel has killed the leader of the militant group Hezbollah in a airstrike in Beirut, marking a further escalation of hostilities in the region. The death of Hassan Nasrallah, confirmed by Hezbollah on Sept. 28, 2024, forms part of a major Israeli push against the Iran-backed group in recent days that has resulted in the death of several top leaders – but also killed hundreds of civilians and left many more fleeing Lebanon's south in fear of a gro

September 29, 2024

South Korea to showcase latest home-grown missile at Armed Forces Day parade

SEOUL, September 29 (AJP) - South Korea is set to unveil its latest homegrown missile along with other cutting-edge military equipment during a parade celebrating the 76th anniversary of Armed Forces Day next month. The anniversary, which has been reinstated as a national holiday for the first time in 34 years this year, falls on Tuesday. This will be the second consecutive year that a military parade in downtown Seoul commemorates the occasion, following last year's event, whic

September 29, 2024

VISUALS: Black Eagles conduct rehearsal for Armed Forces Day celebration flight

SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - The Black Eagles, Korea’s Air Force acrobatic display team, conducted rehearsal flights over central Seoul on Thursday in preparation for the upcoming Armed Forces Day celebration, scheduled for Oct. 1.

September 28, 2024

Korea, Japan hold rare meeting on joint development zone in East China Sea

SEOUL, September 27 (AJP) - Officials from Korea and Japan held a meeting in Tokyo on Friday to discuss the co-development of an underwater continental shelf in the East China Sea for the first time in nearly 40 years. According to sources here, officials from the two countries resumed working-level talks about the decades-old agreement for the joint development zone called the "Block 7," which was signed in 1974. Either side can unilaterally nullify the agreement three ye

September 27, 2024

Woori Bank expands international teller services

SEOUL, September 27 (AJP) - Woori Bank said Friday that it is expanding its teller services for foreign customers by establishing Global Desks at four additional branches and introducing Sunday operations at select locations. International services are now available at its headquarters branch in central Seoul for U.S. and Chinese nationals, at the Gwanghui-dong Financial Center for Mongolian and Russian clients, at the Uijeongbu Financial Center for Thai and Cambodian clients, and a

September 27, 2024

Samsung faces fines over radiation exposure incident

SEOUL, September 27 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics faces fines and a possible prosecution investigation over a radiation exposure accident at its plant in May, which Korea’s nuclear safety regulator has determined was caused by deliberately disabled safety devices. The incident occurred at the tech giant’s Giheung plant in Yongin, south of Seoul, when two employees were repairing an X-ray device used to analyze semiconductor wafer components. Both workers received radia

September 27, 2024

VISUALS: Insa Traditional Culture Festival opens in Seoul

SEOUL, September 27 (AJP) - The 37th Insa Traditional Culture Festival, "2024 Insadong Antique & Art Fair," kicked off Thursday in Seoul's Jongno district with a calligraphy performance and a street parade. Running through Oct. 20, the festival is organized by the Jongno-gu Office and the Insa Traditional Culture Preservation Association Corporation. It features four main events held at the Insa Central Museum and throughout Insadong. A tea and craft fair runs from Sept.

September 27, 2024