Samsung to buy back shares worth 10 trillion won to boost shareholder value

SEOUL, November 15 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics announced Friday it will buy back shares worth 10 trillion won (US$7.16 billion) to enhance shareholder value following a recent decline in its stock price. The repurchase will be carried out in installments over a one-year period, the Korean company said in a regulatory filing after a board meeting. The surprise announcement came a day after Samsung's shares fell below 50,000 won for the first time in four and a half years, am

November 15, 2024

VISUALS: Liberation Association holds alternative memorial ceremony for independence fighters

SEOUL, November 15 (AJP) - A memorial ceremony for independence fighters was held at the Seoul National Cemetery in the capital on Friday. Hosted by the Liberation Association, the ceremony took place at a separate venue after being denied access to the cemetery's memorial hall. The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs had rejected the association's request to use the hall, citing concerns over possible conflicts between those with different historical views. Friday's e

November 15, 2024

PHOTOS: Korean Sool Grand Festival 2024 opens in Seoul

SEOUL, November 15 (AJP) - The Korean Sool Grand Festival 2024 opened Friday at aT Center in Seoul, featuring 116 traditional alcohol producers, marking its largest scale in its 14-year history. The three-day event, organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT), offers various activities including makgeolli-making workshops and special auctions of limited-edition traditional liquors.

November 15, 2024

Yoon to hold summit with China's Xi on sidelines of APEC summit in Peru

SEOUL, November 15 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol will have a summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru, the presidential office said on Friday. "The two leaders will discuss various measures to boost economic cooperation and bilateral exchanges, as well as share in-depth views on regional issues including security concerns on the Korean Peninsula," Principal Deputy National Security Advi

November 15, 2024

Opposition leader gets suspended sentence for violating election law

SEOUL, November 15 (AJP) - Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was sentenced on Friday to one year in prison, suspended for two years, for violating the election law. The Seoul Central District Court found him guilty of making false statements related to a major scandal involving a land development project in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province during his tenure as the city's mayor from 2010 to 2018. The sentence puts the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party at risk of being di

November 15, 2024

Expo highlights growth, innovation of South Korean small firms

SEOUL, November 15 (AJP) - An event designed to highlight the growth and achievements of South Korean SMEs took place in the southeastern port city of Ulsan, the Korea Management Innovation Association for Small and Medium Businesses (MainBiz Association) said Friday. The two-day "2024 SME Technology and Management Innovation Expo," which began on Thursday, aimed to inspire innovation through awards for contributors, innovation-focused conferences, and presentations on gro

November 15, 2024

Indian comedy drama film 'Lost Ladies' to be screened in Seoul

SEOUL, November 15 (AJP) - Lost Ladies (formerly known as Laapataa Ladies), directed by Kiran Rao, will be screened at a film festival on Nov. 26. in Seoul. The 2023 Hindi-language film offers a lighthearted exploration of identity and patriarchy, following the accidental swap of two brides during a train journey. It will be showcased at the Indian Film Festival at the Cinematheque KOFA in Mapo-gu, Seoul. The five-day event, which kicks off on Nov. 26, is organized by the Korean

November 15, 2024

Japan rejects calls to abolish death penalty

SEOUL, November 15 (AJP) - Japan's government dismissed proposals to end capital punishment, defying mounting pressure from legal experts and international bodies to reconsider its position on executions. "The death penalty is unavoidable for a person who has committed an extremely grave and atrocious crime," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Thursday at a press conference in Tokyo. The decision came after a 16-member advisory panel, comprising forme

November 15, 2024

Indonesia, Australia launch largest-ever joint military drill

SEOUL, November 15 (AJP) - About 2,000 Indonesian and Australian troops began their largest-ever joint military exercise on Wednesday in East Java's Situbondo region, featuring tanks, attack helicopters, and combined air, sea, landing, and ground operations, the Jakarta Post reported. The four-day "Keris Umerah 2024" exercise follows a defense cooperation agreement signed in August, with Indonesian Commander Empri Airudin stating "this exercise aims to build trust

November 15, 2024

Severe air pollution worsens in Delhi

SEOUL, November 15 (AJP) - Delhi's air pollution has worsened to a "severe" level. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said that Delhi's average Air Quality Index (AQI) soared to 432 on Wednesday, reaching the "severe" level. India's Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) classifies AQI as follows -- 0–50 "Good," 51–100 "Satisfactory," 101–200 "Moderate," 201–300 "Poor," 3

November 15, 2024