South Korea belatedly scrambles to avoid fallout from inclusion on US 'sensitive country' list

SEOUL, March 17 (AJP) - Last week's abrupt revelation of South Korea being classified as a "sensitive country" has sent shockwaves through political circles and government agencies here, with key diplomatic figures and senior officials scrambling to assess its implications and potential fallout. Such a classification by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), which could restrict cooperation in advanced technologies, may reflect a shift in U.S. policy toward South Korea,

March 17, 2025

Korea leads global patent race in hair loss cosmetics

SEOUL, March 17 (AJP) - South Korea has emerged as the world leader in hair loss cosmetics patent applications, according to an analysis released Monday by the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). The study, which examined patent filings across major intellectual property offices over the past 22 years, found that South Korean entities accounted for 42.9 percent — 576 cases — of global applications, far surpassing Japan’s 20.2 percent (272 cases) and the Uni

March 17, 2025

Lee Jae-yong urges focus on technology, saying Samsung faces 'life-or-death' crisis

SEOUL, March 17 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong has called on the company’s executives to tackle mounting internal and external challenges, warning that the firm faces a “life-or-death survival problem." Lee delivered this message via a video presentation at a forum attended by approximately 2,000 executives across Samsung affiliates. The chairman underscored the necessity of introspection among the leadership, urging them to prioritize long-term

March 17, 2025

North Korea vows to expand nuclear arsenal 'both in quality and quantity'

SEOUL, March 17 (AJP) - North Korea on Monday vowed to further expand its nuclear arsenal "both in quality and quantity," dismissing a global call to abandon its nuclear weapons program. "The will steadily update and strengthen its nuclear armed forces both in quality and quantity," the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, quoting a spokesman from the isolated country's Foreign Ministry. The North's response came shortly after

March 17, 2025

Fashion brands open cafes in Seoul's prime shopping districts

SEOUL, March 17 (AJP) - Spanish fashion firm Zara is set to debut its in-house cafe brand, Zacaffe, at its Myeong-dong store in Seoul this May, according to industry sources. The venture marks the retailer's third global location following openings in Madrid last November and Nanjing, China. The cafe will offer coffee, desserts, and a selection of branded merchandise, including tumblers, hats, eco-bags, and t-shirts. Zara joins a growing list of fashion brands leveraging th

March 17, 2025

PHOTOS: Traditional welcome ceremony for Sungkyunkwan freshmen

SEOUL, March 17 (AJP) - Sungkyunkwan University, tracing its lineage to the Joseon Dynasty's national academy, revived a traditional welcome ceremony for its incoming class, Feb. 16. Freshmen gathered at Myeongnyundang, the university’s historic hall in Seoul’s Jongno district, to participate in "Shinbangrye," a ritual echoing the formal induction of Confucian scholars of centuries past.

March 17, 2025

Korean firm to supply high-voltage cables to UK's National Grid

SEOUL, March 17 (AJP) - South Korea's Taihan Cable & Solution has signed a agreement with Britain’s National Grid to supply high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable systems. The agreement, finalized in February, grants Taihan eligibility to bid on National Grid’s HVDC cable system projects over a period that could extend up to eight years. The total project value is estimated at approximately 40 trillion won ($27.5 billion). National Grid, a British multinatio

March 17, 2025

LG, Samsung refrigerators top US Consumer Reports ratings

SEOUL, March 17 (AJP) - LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics have secured top spots in Consumer Reports’ latest ranking of top-freezer refrigerators for 2025. The two South Korean firms dominated the list, with LG models claiming the top position in both the 30-inch and 33-inch categories. In the 21- to 28-inch category, Samsung took first place, while LG followed closely in second. Consumer Reports conducted extensive testing, placing temperature sensors inside the ref

March 17, 2025

Weak won fuels inflation fears as import costs rise

SEOUL, March 17 (AJP) - The value of the South Korean currency remains weak, raising concerns over potential inflationary effects despite broader trends of price stabilization. Economists warn that the prolonged depreciation of the won could push consumer prices higher in the latter half of the year, even as year-over-year inflation eased to 2.0 percent in February from 2.2 percent in January, according to data released Monday by Statistics Korea. Core inflation, which excludes v

March 17, 2025

Jennie's first solo album debuts at No. 7 on Billboard 200 chart

SEOUL, March 17 (AJP) - Jennie, a member of K-pop girl band BLACKPINK reached No. 7 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart with her first full-length solo album. The impressive entry on the chart for the week ending March 13 makes her the quartet's third member to land in the chart's top 10 as a solo artist, following Rosé and Lisa. Jennie became "the third member of the chart-topping quartet BLACKPINK to notch a solo top 10 – and all three have come in the l

March 17, 2025