Korean retailers scramble as US ends duty-free imports on small packages

SEOUL, September 02 (AJP) - South Korean online retailers are rushing to adapt after the United States eliminated a duty-free exemption for packages under $800, a move that threatens to raise costs and dampen demand in one of their most important overseas markets. Beginning Aug. 29, American consumers ordering from Korean platforms face a 15 percent tariff on purchases that had previously entered the country without customs duties. The policy shift, announced by the Trump admin

September 2, 2025

KT, LG Uplus reject hacking claims while government probes possible leaks

SEOUL, September 2 (AJP) - South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT has opened an investigation into possible hacking incidents at telecommunications firms KT and LG Uplus, after earlier security lapses at rival SK Telecom raised alarm about vulnerabilities in the industry. The ministry said Tuesday it had begun an in-depth review after receiving materials from both carriers during on-site inspections. Officials said they would disclose the findings publicly if evidence of br

September 2, 2025

French novelist Bernard Werber meets Korean readers at Seoul event

SEOUL, September 1 (AJP) - A book event with French novelist Bernard Werber was held at the French Embassy in central Seoul on Monday. Co-hosted by the online bookseller platform Yes24 Corp. and publisher The Open Books Co., the event brought together dozens of Korean book lovers through a competitive selection. The event was part of Werber’s visit to Seoul to celebrate the Korean publication of his 2023 novel “Le Temps des Chimères” (“The Age o

September 1, 2025

Firefighters struggle with worsening mental health as support falls short

SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - The number of South Korean firefighters struggling with mental health issues has surged in recent years, driven by exposure to traumatic incidents such as the 2022 Itaewon stampede accident, while access to professional counseling for first responders remains critically low. According to data submitted by Democratic Party lawmaker Han Byung-do, counseling sessions provided through the National Fire Agency's "visiting counseling program" ro

September 1, 2025

Labor minister vows to reduce industrial accident rate to OECD average by 2030

SEOUL, September 1 (AJP) - South Korea's Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon pledged on Monday to reduce the number of fatal accidents at workplaces, including factories, to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) average by 2030. Speaking at a press conference at the government complex in the central city of Sejong, Kim said the ministry will try to reduce the industrial fatality rate from 0.39 deaths per 10,000 workers last year to the OE

September 1, 2025

U.S. tariffs on Chinese batteries open door for Korean battery firms

SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - The United States plans to sharply raise tariffs on Chinese-made energy storage system batteries, a move that could reshape the fast-growing American clean energy market and give South Korea’s battery makers an opening to expand. The Commerce Department said tariffs on Chinese ESS batteries, already steep at 40.9 percent, will climb to 58.4 percent in 2026. The increase stems largely from Section 301 trade penalties, which will rise from 7.5 perce

September 1, 2025

Samsung Electronics retains lead in India's TV market

SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics strengthened its grip on India’s television market in the first half of 2025, holding a 23.8 percent share by shipment volume and extending its run as the top seller for a ninth consecutive year, according to data released Monday by the research firm Omdia. Samsung first captured the No. 1 spot in India in 2017 and has kept it ever since, fending off challenges from both domestic and Chinese competitors. LG Electronics ranke

September 1, 2025

KAIST develops AI that restores clear video through fog and distortion

SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - The Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) has developed an artificial intelligence system capable of restoring sharp images from video footage that is blurred or distorted by fog, frosted glass, or other scattering effects. The research was carried out by Professor Jang Moo-seok of KAIST's Department of Bio and Brain Engineering and Professor Ye Jong-chul of the Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI. Their team created what they d

September 1, 2025

Chinese milk tea chains push into South Korea's coffee-saturated market

SEOUL, September 1 (AJP) - South Korea has long been known as a “coffee republic,” with one of the world’s highest concentrations of cafes per capita. But a wave of Chinese milk tea brands is challenging that dominance, betting that young Korean consumers are ready for a new kind of drink culture. ChaPanda, a fast-growing Chinese beverage chain listed in Hong Kong, disclosed last week that South Korea had become its largest overseas market, accounting for nearly ha

September 1, 2025

Kim Jong-un expected to depart Pyongyang Monday by train for Beijing military parade

SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is expected to leave Pyongyang by train on Monday and arrive in Beijing the following day to attend a military parade as part of China's "Victory Day" celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. According to multiple government sources on Sunday, Kim is likely to depart Pyongyang on Monday with a special armored train, which takes about 20 to 24 hours to reach the Chinese capital. A

September 1, 2025