South Korea launches AI humanoid project as Asia's bipedal race intensifies SEOUL, May 19 (AJP) - South Korea has launched a five-year, state-led drive to develop a homegrown artificial intelligence (AI)-powered humanoid platform, joining a broader Asian race to commercialize bipedal robots, even as the country's largest factories teeter on the brink of a paralyzing strike. The Ministry of Science and ICT held a meeting at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) in Seoul on Monday, the starting point for what officials describe as a May 19, 2026

US suspends joint defense body with Canada as security tensions grow SEOUL, May 19 (AJP) - The U.S. has suspended a key defense cooperation body with Canada as tensions with Ottawa widen into security ties. U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby said Monday that Washington would suspend activities of the Permanent Joint Board on Defense, or PJBD, a bilateral body responsible for coordinating military cooperation and defense policy between the United States and Canada, according to The Hill. The PJBD, which includes military offi May 19, 2026

Months-long exhibition in Seoul showcases over 170 works by abstract art pioneer SEOUL, May 19 (AJP) - A retrospective exhibition honoring Yoo Youngkuk, a pioneer of South Korea's experimental abstract art, opened in Seoul on Tuesday, offering a rare opportunity to appreciate his works over his six-decade career. Marking the 110th anniversary of Yoo's birth, the exhibition at the Seoul Museum of Art in central Seoul runs until late October as part of the museum's first series featuring major South Korean modern artists. The May 19, 2026

Samsung Live: Industry Minister urges 'dramatic settlement' on final day of Samsung talks SEOUL, May 19 (AJP) - As Samsung Electronics and its union entered the crucial final hours of government-mediated talks on Tuesday, South Korea's Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan made an urgent public plea for a resolution to avert a massive strike. Speaking at a parliamentary committee meeting, Kim expressed a "desperate need" to prevent the 18-day walkout scheduled to begin Thursday. "If we cannot resolve this when everyone knows the negative impacts of a strik May 19, 2026

Glowing lanterns greet Buddha's Birthday SEOUL, May 19 (AJP) - On an early summer night, thousands of colorful lanterns lit up the streets of Seoul as small lights gathered into a massive procession. The glowing lanterns reflected not only a long-standing tradition, but also a sense of community and shared hope. Ahead of Buddha's Birthday, the annual Yeondeunghoe took place on May 16 across central Seoul. Citizens and foreign visitors gathered along the route stretching from Heunginjimun May 19, 2026

KOSPI tumbles 3.3% as chip-cycle peak fears trigger foreign selloff SEOUL, May 19 (AJP) - South Korean benchmark KOSPI tumbled 3.3 percent Tuesday as foreign investors offloaded shares amid growing concerns that the global memory-chip cycle is nearing its peak. Foreign investors drove the decline on the main bourse, selling 5.34 trillion won ($3.55 billion) worth of shares to outweigh combined purchases by retail and institutional investors. The selloff heavily impacted semiconductor and artificial intelligence-related stocks following an overnigh May 19, 2026

South Korean elementary school violence rate hits 12.5 percent SEOUL, May 19 (AJP) - One in eight South Korean elementary school students experienced school violence last year, driven by a surge in physical altercations and a collapse in bystander intervention, a survey showed Tuesday. The findings highlight persistent challenges in youth protection just a year after the government overhauled its disciplinary review system. A survey of 8,476 students conducted late last year by the Blue Tree Foundation found 12.5 percent of elementary students May 19, 2026

ASIA INSIGHT: Twelve weeks on, Middle East conflict still has no way out SEOUL, May 19 (AJP) - Now about 12 weeks into the conflict in the Middle East which began with joint U.S. and Israeli airstrikes against Iran in late February, there is still no end in sight. What some expected to be a short, contained confrontation has instead become a prolonged regional crisis with widening economic and political consequences. At the center of the prolonged standoff is a fundamental issue. Both sides say they want a deal, but they remain far apart on what that dea May 19, 2026

ASIA DEEP INSIGHT: Pacific forgets ghosts as Japan embraces arms trade By welcoming Japanese military exports, Manila helps Tokyo dismantle an eighty-year pacifist legacy in the name of regional deterrence. When Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently addressed the press to welcome Japan’s decision to loosen its post-war ban on lethal weapon exports, his phrasing was carefully calibrated for the current geopolitical moment. Japan and the Philippines, he noted, have faced "the same difficulties." He was referring, of cour May 19, 2026

Lee brings heritage-inspired gifts for Japanese PM to Andong summit SEOUL, May 19 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung is set to meet Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at a summit in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province on Tuesday. Lee has prepared locally themed gifts for Takaichi, according to Cheong Wa Dae. Among them is a framed set of wood carvings depicting nine types of traditional folk masks, a well-known symbol of Andong, home to Hahoe Village, one of the country's most notable living repositories of Joseon-era heritage. The item was c May 19, 2026