• 
  South Korea should remember Dec. 3 as Democracy Memorial Day "A year has passed since the insurrection, yet darkness still lingers," said the ruling party leader, reflecting on the chaos following former President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law. This statement underscores the ongoing turmoil in society. Since last December, this column has frequently criticized the martial law, mentioning terms like 'impeachment,' 'presidential election,' 'special prosecutor,' and 'People Power Party.' Even when December 3, 2025
• 
  South Korea's FX reserves rise for sixth month to $430.7 billion SEOUL, December 03 (AJP) - South Korea’s foreign exchange reserves climbed for a sixth straight month in November, rising by $1.84 billion to $430.66 billion — the highest level since August 2022 — the Bank of Korea (BOK) said on Wednesday. The steady increase follows a five-year low of $404.6 billion recorded in May. The central bank said the latest gain was driven by higher investment returns and an uptick in foreign-currency deposits held by domestic fina December 3, 2025
• 
  Court rejects arrest warrant for PPP's former floor leader SEOUL, December 3 (AJP) - A court denied an arrest warrant for Choo Kyung-ho, the former floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) early Wednesday morning. The Seoul Central District Court rejected the warrant sought by prosecutors over his alleged involvement in disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law debacle in December last year, citing considerable legal disputes surrounding the charges. Choo has been accused of interfering with parliam December 3, 2025
• 
  South Korean brokerages post higher profit in Q3 SEOUL, December 03 (AJP) - South Korean securities firms posted a combined net profit of 2.49 trillion won in the third quarter, up 37.6 percent from a year earlier but down 12.6 percent from the previous quarter, preliminary data from the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) showed on Wednesday. The sector’s average return on equity rose to 2.6 percent from 2.1 percent a year earlier, supported by a rebound in stock markets that lifted commission income. However, higher December 3, 2025
• 
  Kookmin University professor named among world's top 2 percent food science researchers SEOUL, December 02 (AJP) - Kookmin University said in a recent announcement that Jang Yoon-ji, who teaches in the university's Department of Food and Nutrition, has been listed among the 2025 Top 2% Scientists compiled by Stanford University and Elsevier. The listing evaluates citation indicators and research impact to identify leading scholars across global fields, and the university noted that Jang's inclusion highlights her influence in food safety and food science researc December 2, 2025
• 
  Cold wave advisory issued in Seoul with sub-zero temperatures expected SEOUL, December 2 (AJP) - A cold wave advisory was issued for all 21 districts of Seoul and surrounding areas on Tuesday, just before a new cold snap hit the capital in the evening. Such an advisory is issued when morning temperatures are expected to drop by more than 10 degrees Celsius from the previous day, or at least 3 degrees below the seasonal average, or when the morning low is forecast to remain at or below -12 degrees for two or more consecutive days. Morning temperatu December 2, 2025
• 
  Aju Media Group and Vision Culture sign partnership for WAIFF Seoul 2026 SEOUL, December 02 (AJP) - Aju Media Group and Vision Culture signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Tuesday to form a strategic partnership for the successful hosting of the “World AI Film Festival (WAIFF) Seoul 2026.” The signing ceremony was held at Aju Media Group’s headquarters in Jongno-gu, central Seoul. The event was attended by Aju Media Group Chairman Kwak Young-gil, President Lim Kwu-jin, Vision Culture Chairman Byun Jun-yeon, and WAIFF Seoul C December 2, 2025
• 
  Asian markets mixed on yen carry trade fears as KOSPI outperforms SEOUL, December 02 (AJP) - Asian equity markets were mixed on Tuesday as investors weighed the growing risk of a yen carry trade unwind sparked by rising expectations of a Bank of Japan interest rate hike. Korea’s KOSPI stood out as the region’s strongest performer, drawing sizable foreign inflows even as most other Asian benchmarks stalled or slipped. The Korean won strengthened slightly to 1,468.9 per dollar, up 2 won from the previous session, supported by foreign c December 2, 2025
• 
  Waning West-centric voice in media means opportunities for Asian narratives SEOUL, December 02 (AJP) - The waning influence of Western-centric narratives in global media presents a critical opening for Asian news platforms to assert their own voice, said Sohn Jie-ae, visiting professor at Ewha Womans University and former CNN Seoul bureau chief, at a forum in Seoul on Tuesday. Citing a recent New York Times column, Sohn said the United States' global narrative has grown "incoherent" and its brand "toxic," arguing that the shift mar December 2, 2025
• 
  C-democracy, or political participation through wagering, sprouts in polarized Korea SEOUL, December 02 (AJP) - "C-democracy" — where wagering meets political motive — is emerging in South Korea, as bets on former president Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment odds illustrate how fandom-driven political participation is evolving into fortified camps amid deepening polarization, a media scholar said at a forum in Seoul. "The fandom-engaged, interest-based model of democracy is shifting into a fortress-centered one — a fragmented, hybr December 2, 2025