'The Odyssey' crosses 10 million as Nolan phenomenon grips Korea SEOUL, September 07 (AJP) -Christopher Nolan has turned his homage to Homer’s nearly 3,000-year-old epic into a pop-culture phenomenon in South Korea, where The Odyssey has drawn more than 10 million moviegoers and sent audiences scrambling not only for IMAX seats but also for Greek classics, mythology books and museum exhibitions. The Universal Pictures release crossed the 10-million admissions mark at around 4 p.m. Sunday, according to the distributor, reaching the milestone September 7, 2026

Iran warns S. Korea against Hormuz deployment as U.S. pressure builds SEOUL, September 06 (AJP) - Iran has warned that any South Korean military involvement in the Strait of Hormuz would be regarded as participation in the war, as Washington steps up pressure on Seoul to contribute. The unnamed official made the warning in an interview with Al Mayadeen, a Lebanon-based media outlet close to Hezbollah, according to a report Thursday. “If South Korea takes action against Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, it will be considered direct military aggres September 6, 2026

'Busan sickness' fuels Taiwan travel boom to Busan SEOUL, September 06 (AJP) - Flights between Busan and Taiwan have surged this year as a growing number of Taiwanese travelers visit South Korea’s southern port city, fueled by expanding direct routes and strong demand. A total of 6,609 flights operated between Busan and Taiwan through July, already matching the full-year total for 2024 and reaching 82.9 percent of the 7,976 flights recorded in all of 2025, according to aviation statistics from Korea Airports Corp. Passenger September 6, 2026

Lee heads to France for state visit to deepen strategic cooperation SEOUL, September 06 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung left for France on Sunday for a state visit aimed at expanding cooperation in advanced industries and strengthening ties with Europe. The visit comes at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, who asked Lee during his trip to South Korea in April to co-chair the Lumière Summit, an international film and audiovisual industry gathering in southern France. Lee is scheduled to attend the summit with Macron in Sain September 6, 2026

Dementia to affect more than 1 in 10 elderly Koreans by 2040 SEOUL, September 06 (AJP) - More than one in 10 South Koreans aged 65 or older are projected to have dementia by 2040 as the country’s population ages rapidly, government estimates showed Sunday. The dementia prevalence rate among people aged 65 and older is expected to reach 10.34 percent in 2040, according to projections by the Ministry of Health and Welfare based on national population forecasts and a nationwide epidemiological survey on dementia. The rate fell slightly September 6, 2026

High-priced Seoul apartments face broader property tax reach by 2030 SEOUL, September 06 (AJP) - South Korea's comprehensive real estate holding tax could apply to high-priced apartments in nearly every Seoul district by 2030 if the recent pace of home price increases continues, according to a new simulation. The analysis, based on data from KB Kookmin Bank, examined 125 apartment complexes, selecting the five highest-priced complexes in each of Seoul's 25 districts. It was provided to Rep. Shin Dong-wook of the main opposition People Power P September 6, 2026

Seoul faces rising debt burden despite improved debt ratio SEOUL, September 06 (AJP) - South Korea's debt burden is set to grow through 2030, even as its national debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to improve. The country's national debt is forecast to reach 1,734.1 trillion won ($1.28 trillion) by 2030, up from 1,412.8 trillion won this year, according to the Ministry of Planning and Budget's 2026 to 2030 fiscal plan. Of that amount, 1,312.3 trillion won, or 75.7 percent, is expected to be classified as deficit-financing debt, u September 6, 2026

When DDP becomes the heart of Seoul fashion Dongdaemun Design Plaza is no stranger to people dressed to stand out. But when Seoul Fashion Week arrives, the atmosphere changes. Across DDP's broad steps, open plazas and sweeping silver curves, visitors gather in clothes chosen not merely to be worn, but to be seen. Some arrive in vivid colors. Others favor sharply tailored silhouettes, oversized pieces or combinations rarely encountered on an ordinary day in Seoul. Strangers stop to admire one another's outfits. Ca September 6, 2026

Korean rescuers pull Chinese worker alive from Nepal tunnel SEOUL, September 05 (AJP) -A Chinese worker was pulled alive from a hydropower tunnel in Nepal on Saturday, 10 days after catastrophic floods swept through the Himalayas, in the first successful live rescue involving South Korea's 44-member disaster relief team dispatched to the disaster zone. The rescue carries particular significance for Seoul because the man was found at the Upper Trishuli-1, or UT-1, hydropower project in Rasuwa District, where nine South Korean workers rema September 5, 2026

Samsung's non-chip union takes wage-gap protest to Times Square SEOUL, September 05 (AJP) -“Great products begin with people,” read a message splashed across a Times Square billboard in New York on Saturday, as a Samsung Electronics non-chip labor union took its protest over widening compensation disparities and treatment of its consumer-electronics workforce to a global stage. Donghaeng Union, which mainly represents employees in Samsung Electronics’ Device eXperience (DX) division, ran a 15-second video on a Times Square el September 5, 2026