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  President Lee nominates Kim Ho-chul as auditor general SEOUL, December 07 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung has nominated Kim Ho-chul, a veteran human rights lawyer, as auditor general of South Korea’s Board of Audit and Inspection, the presidential office said on Sunday. The nomination was announced by presidential spokesperson Lee Kyu-yeon during a briefing at the presidential office in Seoul. Kim has held a range of senior public and civic posts, including serving as a standing member of a military death investigation pane December 7, 2025
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  Traditional Korean liquor sales surge at convenience stores as young consumers embrace local brands SEOUL, December 07 (AJP) - Traditional Korean liquor from small regional breweries is gaining popularity at convenience stores, with sales jumping more than five-fold as trendy products attract younger consumers beyond the traditional middle-aged demographic. GS25, a major convenience store chain, said sales of traditional liquor from small breweries through its Wine25Plus online platform surged 5.4 times in the first 11 months of this year compared to the same period last year. O December 7, 2025
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  When will South Korea get off the treadmill? Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor and LG aren’t just South Korean brands anymore; they’re global fixtures, as ubiquitous as fast Wi-Fi and K-dramas on long-haul flights. There are few corners of the world where someone hasn’t heard of South Korea. In cultural visibility, the last decade has felt as dizzying as the old Han River Miracle — a second, soft-power-driven version. The artificial intelligence boom literally cannot operate without Korean memory chips. K-po December 6, 2025
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  In the World Cup and the market, the ultimate winner is the one who manages uncertainty The group draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America has presented the Korean national team with a formidable challenge. Facing Mexico, South Africa, and the winner of the European playoffs (Denmark, Czech Republic, Ireland, or North Macedonia) is difficult enough, but the real variable in this group is the environment. The fact that all matches will be played in Mexico becomes an opponent in itself. High altitude, temperature fluctuations, and humidity e December 6, 2025
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  Kpop Demon Hunters makes No. 2 most trending search on Google in 2025 SEOUL, December 06 (AJP) - Google’s Year in Search 2025 revealed a digital world captivated by culture clashes, political shocks and breakout entertainment — and Korea’s cultural engine once again emerged as one of the year’s dominant global forces. While U.S. political turmoil topped America’s trending list, Korean pop culture and gaming IP cemented their global imprint: Netflix’s animated “KPop Demon Hunters” surged to No. 2 in the December 6, 2025
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  Korea draws Mexico, South Africa and European playoff winner, all World Cup games in Mexico SEOUL, December 06 (AJP) - South Korea landed in what many analysts consider a manageable Group A for the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup, avoiding global powerhouses and setting the stage for Hong Myung-bo’s squad to target its first-ever overseas quarterfinal run. At Friday’s draw held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the Taegeuk Warriors were grouped with host nation Mexico, South Africa, and the yet-to-be-determined winner of European Playoff Path D—a December 6, 2025
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  Samsung widens lead in foldable market with latest Galaxy 7 SEOUL, December 05 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics widened its commanding lead in the foldable smartphone segment it pioneered, capturing 64 percent of the global market in the third quarter with its latest Galaxy Z Fold7 despite intensifying competition from Chinese brands, research showed. Global foldable shipments rose 14 percent on-year in the July–September period — the highest quarterly volume to date — with Samsung’s book-type flagship exerting “o December 5, 2025
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  South Korea's LIG Nex1 seeks to localize chips for AESA, SAR radar systems SEOUL, December 05 (AJP) - South Korean defense contractor LIG Nex1 has launched a project to develop key semiconductors for active electronically scanned array (AESA) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems using fully domestic technology. The company said it signed agreements on Nov. 28 with the Defense Technology Promotion Research Institute to co-develop X-band common monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) and front-end module platforms for AESA radar, as well as December 5, 2025
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  Korea's CJ picks safe site for first U.S. Olive Young store to test offline popularity of K-beauty SEOUL, December 05 (AJP) - CJ is taking a measured approach as it prepares to plant the Olive Young flag in the world’s largest beauty market, selecting Pasadena, California, as the location for its first U.S. store — a choice driven by demographic safety, retail compatibility and the growing appeal of Korean skincare across America’s diverse consumer base. “Pasadena is not far from downtown LA, has a relatively high share of high-income residents and a ret December 5, 2025
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  Quiet flight from Coupang after data breach deepens pain for small vendors SEOUL, December 05 (AJP) - Fallout from Coupang’s massive data breach is widening beyond consumers to tens of thousands of small vendors across South Korea who rely on the e-commerce giant as a primary sales channel and livelihood. The National Assembly Science and ICT Committee has scheduled another hearing on Dec. 17 to examine a growing number of complaints against Coupang, including difficulties in canceling subscriptions or discontinuing platform use. Lawmakers say the sc December 5, 2025