South Korea expands support for socially withdrawn youth amid rising numbers

SEOUL, September 14 (AJP) - South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare said on September 14 that it will step up efforts to support isolated and secluded young adults, also described as socially withdrawn youth, after identifying more than 1,300 cases through pilot centers. Isolated and secluded young adults, often described as socially withdrawn youth, are young people who cut themselves off from education, work and social interaction for extended periods of time. Many s

September 14, 2025

Kim Yo-jong warns US, Japan and South Korea over upcoming military drills

SEOUL, September 14 (AJP) - SEOUL — Kim Yo-jong, a senior North Korean official and sister of leader Kim Jong-un, warned that upcoming joint military exercises involving the United States, South Korea and Japan would bring "bad results" for those countries, calling them a reckless show of force in the wrong place. Her statement, released by the state-run Korean Central News Agency on September 14, criticized two drills set to begin next week. The first, Iron Mace,

September 14, 2025

Heavy autumn rain brings relief to drought-stricken South Korea

SEOUL, September 13 (AJP) - Heavy autumn rain fell across South Korea overnight Friday into Saturday, bringing the first significant precipitation in two months to drought-stricken areas including Gangneung, where extreme water shortages had prompted disaster declarations, officials said Saturday. Rainfall totals from Friday noon to Saturday afternoon reached 173 millimeters in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, and over 100 millimeters in Gangneung, which had declared a drought d

September 13, 2025

Russian envoy signals possibility of restoring ties with South Korea

SEOUL, September 13 (AJP) - Russia sees room for reviving its strained relationship with South Korea, Ambassador Georgy Zinoviev said during a reception in Seoul marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. "Today, despite the many difficulties, Russia and South Korea still have the possibility of restoring practical and mutually beneficial cooperation," Zinoviev told guests at the embassy event on September 12. He added that dialogue and collaboration betwee

September 13, 2025

Korean beauty company Leferi signs distribution deal with Philippine partner

SEOUL, September 13 (AJP) - South Korean beauty creator management company Leferi signed a strategic partnership agreement with Philippine distributor Biocostech Philippines Corporation on September 5 to jointly develop K-beauty content and cosmetics distribution models, the company announced Friday. Under the memorandum of understanding, the companies will establish "K-Beauty Selection Zones" in Philippine online and offline retail channels. Leferi will provide its prop

September 13, 2025

Korean and US trade ministers meet in New York amid stalled tariff negotiations

SEOUL, September 13 (AJP) - South Korean Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan met with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in New York on Saturday to discuss follow-up negotiations on the Korea-US tariff agreement reached in July, according to multiple diplomatic sources. The ministerial talks come as working-level discussions between the two countries have reportedly reached a deadlock over detailed implementation of the trade deal. Under the July 30 agreement, the US reduced planned

September 13, 2025

PHOTOS: End of tense ordeal

SEOUL, September 12 (AJP) - A group of Korean workers who were recently detained and released by U.S. immigration authorities in Georgia arrived back in South Korea on a chartered flight, Friday, putting an end to a tense eight-day ordeal. The flight, which landed at Incheon International Airport, carried a total of 330 workers who had been held at detention facilities, including one in Folkston, southern Georgia. Of the total passengers, 316 were South Korean nationals. The re

September 12, 2025

KOSPI extends 9-day rally to fresh high, up 50% from April low

SEOUL, September 12 (AJP) - Kospi shares continued to slope upward, finishing the week at new heights, riding on the global liquidity-powered rally. Extending a nine-session winning streak, the Kospi ended Friday 1.5 percent higher at 3,395.54 — up 7 percent from Sept. 2 and 48.6 percent above the annual low in April. Foreign and institutional investors were the main buyers, while retail investors, cautious of a potential fizzle in the summer rally, took profits. The U.S. dol

September 12, 2025

TRAVEL: A barefoot journey on clay trail in Daejeon

DAEJEON, September 12 (AJP) - In a world filled with constant noise and stress, we search for ways to reconnect. Many are discovering that the simplest path to peace is a return to nature. Barefoot walking, or "earthing," has emerged as a powerful way to soothe the mind and body. And in the heart of South Korea, there's a place that embodies this philosophy perfectly: the magnificent Red Clay Trail on Mount Gyejok in Daejeon. What makes this trail so special? Th

September 12, 2025

Venezuelan exhibition in Seoul aims to build cultural bridge with Korea

SEOUL, September 12 (AJP) - Venezuela's Embassy in the Republic of Korea has described the new exhibition "Color Without Limits: Tribute to Carlos Cruz Diez" as a cultural bridge linking Venezuela and South Korea, highlighting how art can strengthen ties between two nations that are geographically distant yet connected by shared values. "This exhibition is an opportunity for cultural exchange between Venezuela and Korea," Isabel Di Carlo Quero, Charg&eac

September 12, 2025