South Korea can help close AI divide: World Bank VP SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - South Korea’s digital expertise, manufacturing strength and rapid modernization make it well placed to help narrow a global wealth divide that artificial intelligence could deepen, a senior World Bank executive said. “What we call Big AI is an ecosystem dominated by just a handful of advanced countries — not even all advanced countries — and a small number of global corporations,” said Kim Sangbu, the World Bank Group’s October 15, 2026

Lee's approval rating inches up to 44% SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating rose 1 percentage point to 44 percent, edging up from a recent low, a poll showed on Thursday. In the latest National Barometer Survey (NBS) of 1,000 adults nationwide, conducted jointly earlier this week by pollsters Embrain Public, Hankook Research, Korea Research and Kstat Research, 49 percent disapproved of Lee's job performance, down 1 percentage point from the previous poll. Seven percent were u October 15, 2026

New bridge linking North Korea and China opens at last to boost trade SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - A long-delayed bridge linking China's northeastern city of Dandong with North Korea's border city of Sinuiju has officially opened, providing a new route for trade and exchanges between the two traditional allies, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday. The two sides held a joint opening ceremony, with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and North Korean Cabinet Premier Pak Thae-song sending video messages to mark the occasion. Li des October 15, 2026

AI in the room poses new headache ahead of Korea's CSAT SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - Artificial intelligence can now outperform humans on some academic tests, making it a dream stand-in for test-takers. A few have begun taking the risk — only to be caught because their high-tech helpers were too easy to spot. A proctor at the University of Seoul flagged an applicant's thick, oddly shaped frames during an Oct. 3 essay exam for early admission. They were smart glasses. The student was removed from the exam room, failed the test a October 15, 2026

To sell or not to sell, that is the question in Seoul SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) — South Korean retail investors are caught between a market tailspin and faint hopes of a repeat of the first-half rally as mounting losses make it increasingly costly and painful to unwind stock positions financed by more than 34 trillion won ($25.22 billion) in borrowed money. The 7.6-percent crash on Thursday extended the KOSPI’s losses to over 20 percent across seven consecutive sessions, leaving investors who borrowed to chase the rally facin October 15, 2026

Defense chair warns against security gaps in Gwangju relocation SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - The head of South Korea's parliamentary defense committee warned Thursday that relocating a major military air base to make way for a massive semiconductor manufacturing complex must not compromise national security or military readiness, as President Lee Jae Myung's administration accelerates plans to establish a new chipmaking hub in the country's southwest. Rep. Jin Seong-joon, a lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Party and chair of the Na October 15, 2026

Wartime control transfer won't happen if conditions keep changing, Seoul says SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - The transfer of wartime control over South Korean military forces from the U.S. to South Korea could be "delayed indefinitely" if the conditions for the handover keep changing, Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeong Bit-na said on Thursday. When asked by reporters about recent remarks by U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) commander Gen. Xavier Brunson that shifting security conditions on the Korean Peninsula require "new standards" for the transfer, October 15, 2026

Samsung takes AI push from Silicon Valley to Vietnam SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics held separate events in the United States and Vietnam this week, showcasing AI-powered telecom technologies in Silicon Valley and smart appliances and cooling systems in Hanoi. The events targeted two different markets: telecom operators developing next-generation networks and Southeast Asian customers seeking connected home and commercial appliances. In Mountain View, California, Samsung hosted a Partner Day on Wednesday ahead of i October 15, 2026

South Korea's laser air defenses down all three drones in Army drill SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) -South Korea showcased its latest laser air-defense systems by intercepting all three drones deployed in an Army demonstration, Hanwha Systems said Thursday. The demonstration sported Cheongwang, a laser weapon already in military service, and a vehicle-mounted 30-kilowatt high-energy laser system. It added to a series of successful live-fire demonstrations as the company develops more powerful mobile systems for overseas markets. The event took place W October 15, 2026

Nuri-launched microsatellites send first Earth images SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - Five South Korean microsatellites carried into orbit by the homegrown Nuri rocket beamed back their first images of Earth within 15 hours of launch, the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) said Thursday. The satellites captured their first images and relayed them to a ground station 14 hours and 29 minutes after lifting off from the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, at 12:25 p.m. on Oct. 7. The fifth Nuri flight carried a record 15 s October 15, 2026