Viet Nam readies financial hub pivot as Hanoi targets high-income status SEOUL, April 08 (AJP) - Viet Nam has secured 10 billion dollars in initial investment commitments as it formally launched a dual-hub international finance center, marking a decisive shift from its decades-long reliance on low-cost manufacturing. The project, which anchors operations in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, signals the most significant economic restructuring since the Doi Moi reforms of the 1980s. This pivot toward the Viet Nam International Finance Center (VIFC) represent April 8, 2026

LAFC's Son Heung-min scores season's second goal, ending months-long drought SEOUL, April 8 (AJP) - Son Heung-min of the Los Angles FC (LAFC) scored a goal, helping his club cruise to a 3-0 win over Mexico's Cruz Azul in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday. In a match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, the striker scored in the 30th minute, converting a cross from Canadian midfielder Mathieu Choinière on the right with a left-footed finish into the net. The goal was his second of the season, ending a drought after g April 8, 2026

S. Korea's KIMM urges rapid pivot as humanoid era dawns SEOUL, April 08 (AJP) - South Korea's Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM) said that 2026 marks the year humanoid robots cross into commercial viability, urging the nation to exploit its manufacturing prowess within a five-year window before the global pecking order hardens. In its 122nd policy report uploaded Wednesday, KIMM said the industry has entered a "commercial tipping point" — the moment where humanoids shed their laboratory origins and be April 8, 2026

Pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin hits 1,500-strikeout milestone SEOUL, April 8 (AJP) - Pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin of the Hanwha Eagles added another milestone in his baseball career with his 1,500th strikeout. Ryu, who started an away game against the SSG Landers in Incheon on Tuesday, struck out 10 batters to become the oldest pitcher in Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) history to reach 1,500 strikeouts at 39 years and 13 days, as well as the fastest to reach the milestone by games played with 246 outings. It was also his first double-digit stri April 8, 2026

KIST cracks long-elusive reaction mechanism in next-gen hydrogen fuel cells SEOUL, April 08 (AJP) - South Korean researchers have unraveled a reaction mechanism at the heart of next-generation hydrogen fuel cells that had eluded scientists for years, a breakthrough that could accelerate the development of cleaner and cheaper energy systems. A team led by Ji Ho-il at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) devised a new analytical protocol that pinpointed for the first time how oxygen reduction reactions unfold inside the cathodes of protonic ce April 8, 2026

BTS kicks off first world tour in 7 years amid chart-topping comeback halo SEOUL, April 08 (AJP) - K-pop supergroup BTS will launch its “BTS World Tour Arirang” in Goyang on Friday, opening an 85-show run across 34 cities through 2027 in its first global tour in seven years as the group extends its comeback momentum across global charts and digital platforms. The group will hold three concerts at Goyang Stadium on April 9, 11 and 12, marking the opening leg of the world tour. The April 11 show will also be broadcast through a live-viewi April 8, 2026

Pyongyang launches ballistic missile as military posture persists despite diplomatic opening SEOUL, April 08 (AJP) - North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea on Wednesday, marking the second consecutive day of weapons testing and signaling that military provocations remain a cornerstone of its regional strategy. The launch follows a reported failure on Tuesday and comes at a volatile moment in inter-Korean relations, effectively dampening hopes for a de-escalation after a rare moment of rhetorical civility between the two capitals. The back-to-back launches April 8, 2026

Lee set to hold talks with former Japanese PM in Seoul SEOUL, April 8 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung is set to have lunch with former Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Seoul on Wednesday. According to Cheong Wa Dae, the two leaders are expected to exchange views and discuss various topics including bilateral relations between the neighboring countries, as well as global issues amid the prolonged Middle East crisis. Ishiba, who arrived in Seoul the previous day to attend a forum at Grand Hyatt Seoul hosted by the Asan Ins April 8, 2026

New York students explore Seoul through Kookmin University urban mission SEOUL, April 08 (AJP) - A group of New York City high schoolers navigated the crowded streets and historic landmarks of Seoul on April 4, as part of a competitive cultural exchange hosted by Kookmin University, the prominent institute in Seoul said Wednesday. The program, organized by the university's HUSS Global Coexistence Project Group, challenged 24 students from Bronx Prep and Democracy Prep Endurance high schools to complete an "Amazing Race" style mission alongsi April 8, 2026

KOSPI surges over 6%, USD-KRW falls under 1,500 on Hormuz reopening news SEOUL, April 8 (AJP) — South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI zoomed above 5,800 by flying 6 percent upon the opening bell Wednesday on expectations of the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as a part of the ceasefire terms of the United States that Tehran reportedly accepted. The main index opened sharply higher, jumping 6.56 percent to 5,855.29, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ rose 4.13 percent to 1,079.58. Japan’s Nikkei 225 also climbed more than 4 percent. A buy-side s April 8, 2026