South Korea, US launch monthlong survey to recover Korean War remains SEOUL, April 6 (AJP) - South Korea has begun a joint excavation with the U.S. to recover the remains of personnel from military aircraft that crashed in the East Sea during the 1950–53 Korean War, the Ministry of Defense said Monday. The monthlong survey, which runs until May 1, is taking place near Gangneung and Yangyang in Gangwon Province as a preliminary step ahead of a joint underwater project planned for August. During the survey, officials from both countries will al April 6, 2026

Seoul eyes alternative routes, envoys to Gulf as Hormuz disruption persists SEOUL, April 06 (AJP) - South Korea is exploring alternative shipping routes — including the Houthi-risk Red Sea — and preparing diplomatic outreach to major oil producers, as officials brace for prolonged supply disruptions from the Middle East conflict likely to extend through April. The shift reflects growing concern that instability in the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint handling roughly one-fifth of global oil and LNG trade — will not ease quickly, forci April 6, 2026

Full bloom interrupted by a jealous spring rain SEOUL, April 06 (AJP) -It has been only a week since cherry blossoms reached full bloom across Seoul, and already a jealous rain has cut the season cruelly short, scattering pink petals like confetti across the campus of Kyung Hee University in Dongdaemun District. Rain is expected to fall across most of South Korea on Monday before skies gradually clear in the afternoon. The precipitation, driven by rain clouds moving in from the Yellow Sea, began in the Seoul metropolitan April 6, 2026

Samsung Q1 profit set to rival full-year earnings on AI chip boom SEOUL, April 06 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics is poised to deliver its strongest quarterly reports to date with January-March operating profit expected to approach or exceed full-year earnings for 2025, underscoring the sheer scale of the ongoing memory super-cycle driven by artificial intelligence demand. According to market consensus compiled by FnGuide, the South Korean tech giant is projected to post an average operating profit of 40.5 trillion won ($29.9 billion) for the Januar April 6, 2026

South Korea closes gap with China in global shipbuilding orders SEOUL, April 6 (AJP) - Despite an overall decline in global ship orders, South Korea increased its share last month, narrowing the gap with China, according to data released by London-based Clarkson Research Services on Monday. In March, South Korea won orders totaling 1.59 million compensated gross tons (CGT) for 38 ships, accounting for about 39 percent of the global market, while China secured 2.15 million CGT for 84 ships, taking a 53 percent share. In February, South Korea April 6, 2026

Korean and Japanese stocks higher on tech optimism SEOUL, April 06 (AJP) - Asian equities rose modestly Monday as investors weighed conflicting signals from the Middle East, with U.S. President Donald Trump setting an April 7 deadline ahead of potential strikes on Iranian power grids while OPEC+ pledged a limited output increase, as tech-heavy Korea and Japan outperformed ahead of strong semiconductor earnings. Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 1.15 percent to 53,733.44, while Korea’s KOSPI advanced 1.4 percent to 5,452.80. April 6, 2026

BTS becomes first K-pop act with multiweek No. 1 on Billboard 200 SEOUL, April 06 (AJP) -BTS’ fifth studio album "ARIRANG" remained at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for a second consecutive week, which is the first time a K-pop act defended No. 1 beyond one week. According to a chart preview released Saturday (local time), the album held off new releases including "BULLY" by Kanye West, which debuted at No. 2, and "HADES" by Melanie Martinez at No. 3. The Billboard 200 ranks albums based on a composite metr April 6, 2026

GM Korea signals full turnaround as it pays out first regular dividend SEOUL, April 06 (AJP) - General Motors Korea said it will pay its first regular dividend to shareholders, marking the clearest sign yet that the once-ailing Korean unit of the U.S. automaker has completed a turnaround eight years after its Gunsan plant was shuttered and billions of dollars in public and private capital were mobilized to prevent its collapse. The automaker's board approved an interim dividend on April 3, though the company did not disclose the payout's size i April 6, 2026

Two low-budget South Korean films invited to compete at Moscow Int'l Film Festival SEOUL, April 6 (AJP) - Two low-budget South Korean films have been invited to compete at this year's Moscow International Film Festival, which opens in Russia next week. According to festival organizers at a press conference last week, "Journey There" and "Winter Light" will vie for the top prize in the main competition along with about a dozen other films at the 48th Moscow International Film Festival, which is scheduled to take place in the Russian capital fr April 6, 2026

OPINION: Korea's Hanwha Group investment in time The strength of a company is not captured by numbers alone. Revenue, profit, assets and market capitalization reflect performance in a given moment. But how a company chooses to engage with the world — the philosophy it lives by — emerges outside those figures. This is why building schools and nurturing people carries a different weight. It is not merely an act of corporate social responsibility. It is a statement about how a company understands the future &mda April 6, 2026