3 fishermen killed in boat accident near southwestern port city

SEOUL, September 16 (AJP) - Three fishermen were killed and five were rescued in a fishing boat accident near the southwestern port city of Gunsan, the Gunsan Coast Guard said Monday. According to the Gunsan Coast Guard, the crew members of the 35-ton-class 77 Daeryeong -- the captain (71), chief engineer (53), and an Indonesian crew in his 40s, were pronounced dead after being transferred to a nearby hospital. The remaining five foreign crew members (three from Viet Nam, two f

September 16, 2024

N. Korea deploys about 120 waste balloons

SEOUL, September 16 (AJP) - Since Sunday, North Korea has sent approximately 120 waste balloons towards the South, with around 40 landing in the Seoul metropolitan area, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on Monday. The JCS confirmed that roughly 40 of these balloons were identified in Seoul and its surrounding areas. "The contents of the balloons included household waste such as paper, plastic, and vinyl, with no harmful substances detected," the

September 16, 2024

INTERVIEW: Norwegian researcher says technology alone can't solve aging crisis

SEOUL, September 16 (AJP) - Technology often feels like the magic bullet for society’s biggest challenges, but J. Artur Serrano, a prominent researcher from Norway, insists it’s just one piece of a larger puzzle. "Technology is a tool," Serrano, a professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, told AJP. "But real change starts with us—our mindsets, our policies, and our willingness to embrace responsibility." Serrano, an expe

September 16, 2024

Nearly 2,000 separated family members die this year only in South Korea

SEOUL, September 15 (AJP) - Nearly 2,000 separated family members in South Korea died during the first eight months of this year without reuniting with loved ones in North Korea, according to government data released Sunday. A total of 1,961 applicants for government-arranged reunions passed away between January and August, raising the total number of such deaths to 96,352. As of late August, around 134,160 people had registered with the unification ministry for family reunion ev

September 15, 2024

PHOTOS: Shoppers throng Seoul's Gyeongdong Market ahead of Chuseok holiday

SEOUL, September 13 (AJP) - Gyeongdong Market, one of the nation’s largest traditional markets located in eastern Seoul, bustled with shoppers on Friday, one day before the five-day Chuseok fall harvest holiday begins. People flocked to the market to purchase items for ancestral rites and family feasts, like fruits, meats and rice cakes. Gyeongdong Market opened in 1960, specializing in herbal medicine and ginseng.

September 13, 2024

Indian Embassy's annual festival next month to feature classical dance and cinema

SEOUL, September 13 (AJP) - An annual event promoting Indian culture to Korea is returning early next month, the Indian Ambassador to Korea said on Thursday. "Since its inception in 2015, the Sarang Festival has blossomed into a flagship cultural event of the embassy that introduces the rich and diverse heritage of India to our friends in Korea," Amit Kumar said. The festival's name, "Sarang," which means "love" in Korean, refers to "colorfu

September 13, 2024

Nuclear energy projects top agenda for Yoon's visit to Czech Republic next week

SEOUL, September 13 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol is expected to prioritize expanding economic cooperation during his trip to the Czech Republic next week. According to the presidential office, Yoon will visit Prague from Sept. 19 to 22, where he will sit for talks with Czech President Petr Pavel to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation with a particular focus on nuclear energy. One of the key topics on Yoon's agenda is likely to be seeking support for Korea

September 13, 2024

PHOTOS: Parade marks 74th anniversary of Incheon Landing

SEOUL, September 13 (AJP) - A military parade took place along a street in the western port city of Incheon on Wednesday to commemorate the historic Incheon Landing Operation during the Korean War (1950-53). The 1.4-kilometer procession featured 1,800 Korean and U.S. military personnel and veterans, along with 30 military vehicles, including tanks and armored personnel carriers. The parade was part of the events marking the 74th anniversary of the amphibious landing, which occurred on Sept. 1

September 13, 2024

Telegram: A hotbed for narcotics, digital sex crimes

SEOUL, September 13 (AJP) - It took this reporter just a few minutes to find a dozen channels selling illicit narcotics on Telegram. A simple search for "weed" in Korean on X (formerly Twitter) yielded several keywords and invitation links for Telegram chat groups. To maintain discretion, these groups used jargon like "ice" and "herbs" to refer to methamphetamine and marijuana, respectively. "MDMA, also known as ecstasy ... induces soft, warm, and

September 13, 2024

North Korea discloses uranium enrichment facility

SEOUL, September 13 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected a facility for producing weapons-grade nuclear materials including enriched uranium, Pyongyang's state-run Rodong Sinmun reported on Friday. During his "on-site guidance," Kim called for producing more nuclear weapons for "self-defense." Emphasizing the need to expand the number of centrifuges and their individual capacity, Kim expressed his great satisfaction with the facility. "Ju

September 13, 2024