Hyundai Motor's hydrogen truck included among TIME magazine's 'best inventions' this year

SEOUL, October 10 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor's hydrogen electric truck has been named one of TIME magazine's "Best Inventions" for this year, the automaker said on Friday. The Xcient is an autonomous hydrogen-electric truck developed in collaboration with PlusAI, an American autonomous driving technology company based in California. The vehicle combines Hyundai's hydrogen platform with PlusAI's Level 4 self-driving software, SuperDrive. As the world's f

October 10, 2025

Subway breakdown in Seoul causes delays for commuters on first day back after Chuseok

SEOUL, October 10 (AJP) - A subway train in Seoul broke down Friday morning, disrupting service for nearly an hour and causing delays for commuters returning to work on the first day after the week-long Chuseok holiday. According to operator Seoul Metro, the incident occurred around 6:30 a.m. between Banghwa and Myeongil stations on subway line No. 5, causing delays of approximately 50 minutes. The exact cause of the breakdown is under investigation. * This article, publishe

October 10, 2025

Foreign reserves rise for fourth consecutive month

SEOUL, October 10 (AJP) - South Korea's foreign reserves rose by about $6 billion in September, extending their growth streak for the fourth consecutive month since June. According to data released by the Bank of Korea on Thursday, the reserves stood at $422.02 billion at the end of September, up $5.73 billion from the previous month. A Bank of Korea official attributed the increase to higher investment returns and a rise in foreign currency deposits at financial instit

October 10, 2025

Pyongyang readies party anniversary with show of arms and socialist unity

SEOUL, October 09 (AJP) -Buoyed by high-profile summits with Chinese and Russian leaders, North Korea is set to mark the 80th anniversary of its ruling Communist party on Friday with a grand display of its latest weaponry and the presence of dignitaries from fellow socialist nations. Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in Pyongyang on Thursday, making the highest-level visit from Beijing since 2019 to attend the anniversary celebrations of the Workers’ Party of Korea. Li

October 9, 2025

North Korean leader calls for internal purge ahead of ruling party anniversary

SEOUL, October 09 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has vowed to root out acts that damage the authority of the Workers' Party of Korea, warning that such behavior must be "identified and eliminated." His remarks came on Wednesday, a day before the 80th anniversary of the party’s founding, during a visit to the Party Founding Museum in Pyongyang. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim said the party's longevity — the l

October 9, 2025

KAIST-incubated startup exports epilepsy drug technology worth $528 million

SEOUL, October 09 (AJP) - A startup founded by KAIST professor Lee Jung-ho has licensed out an experimental RNA-based drug for hard-to-treat epilepsy in a deal valued at about 750 billion won ($529 million), the university said Thursday. Sovargen, co-founded by Lee and biotech entrepreneur Park Chul-won, signed an exclusive option agreement with Italy's Angelini Pharma for global development and commercialization of a first-in-class antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapy aime

October 9, 2025

President Lee hails Hangul as symbol of Korean people's power and key to global cultural rise

SEOUL, October 09 (AJP) - South Korea marked Hangul Day on Thursday, celebrating the 579th anniversary of the creation of the Korean alphabet that gave ordinary people the power to read, write, and express their thoughts freely. President Lee Jae Myung said Hangul embodies the spirit of popular sovereignty and equality, calling it a living symbol of democracy rooted in the wisdom of the people. "Hangul is a cultural heritage that holds the spirit and history of our people,&qu

October 9, 2025

Seoul making "upmost" diplomatic efforts for release of a Korean from Israeli detention

SEOUL, October 09 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has ordered the utmost diplomatic efforts to ensure the safe release and return of a South Korean national aboard a Gaza-bound aid vessel detained by Israeli forces, the presidential office said Thursday. The president directed the government to carry out all possible diplomatic endeavors for the swift and safe return of the Korean citizen, identified as Kim Ah-hyun, after being briefed on the matter, according t

October 9, 2025

Korean ramyun craze goes global as instant noodle sales hit record high

SEOUL, October 09 (AJP) - South Korea has been named the world's No. 2 instant noodle-consuming country, trailing only Vietnam, as global demand for the quick and spicy comfort food continues to surge and bring travelers to its shores. Once an affordable meal for busy workers, Korean ramyun has grown into a cultural export that attracts noodle lovers who are eager to experience the food they’ve seen in K-dramas and online challenges. According to the World Instant Noodle

October 9, 2025

K-pop Demon Hunters take down U.S. Billboard charts and TV shows

SEOUL, October 09 (AJP) - The fictional K-pop idol group remains unstoppable in its reign over global music charts as Netflix’s animated sensation K-pop Demon Hunters extends its historic run on the U.S. Billboard rankings — now bolstered by viral television performances. According to Billboard on Monday (local time), the film’s original soundtrack (OST) reclaimed the top spot on both the Hot 100 singles chart and the Billboard 200 albums chart, marking its second

October 9, 2025