French songwriters to add unique flavor to K-pop through collaboration event in Seoul

SEOUL, March 13 (AJP) - Four emerging French songwriters will team up with South Korean music professionals in Seoul later this month for a new songwriting camp dedicated to K-pop. The weeklong program, titled Atelier K-POP, will run from March 24 to 29. It marks the first edition of the project jointly launched by the cultural department of the Embassy of France in the Republic Korea and the French National Center for Music (CNM), with support from France’s Ministry for E

March 13, 2025

Actor Kim Soo-hyun to address accusations over relationship with late actress

SEOUL, March 13 (AJP) - Actor Kim Soo-hyun will publicly respond to allegations concerning his relationship with the late actress Kim Sae-ron, who took her own life last month, his agency announced on Thursday. Kim, 37 years old, is one of South Korea's most popular actors, known for his roles in hit TV dramas like "My Love from the Star.” Kim Sae-ron, who gained fame as a child star in the 2010 crime noir "The Man from Nowhere," later struggled to maintain

March 13, 2025

HD Hyundai partners with Bill Gates' TerraPower for nuclear reactor business

SEOUL, March 13 (AJP) - HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, a subsidiary of HD Hyundai, has signed an agreement with TerraPower, a U.S.-based small modular reactor (SMR) company, to enhance the manufacturing supply chain for sodium-cooled reactors, the company announced on Thursday. The signing ceremony was attended by Chung Ki-sun, vice chairman of HD Hyundai; Won Kwang-sik, head of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Ocean Energy Business Division; Bill Gates, founder of TerraPower; and

March 13, 2025

KT evolves from telecom company to global digital powerhouse

Editor's Note: This article is the 10th installment in our series on Asia's top 100 companies, exploring the strategies, challenges, and innovations driving the region's most influential corporations. SEOUL, March 13 (AJP) - South Korean telecommunications company KT Corp. has undergone a remarkable transformation from a state-owned telephone company into a diversified digital platform player. As it expands across Asia and beyond, KT is navigating an increasingly co

March 13, 2025

South Korea to see dementia patients surpass 1 million amid aging crisis

SEOUL, March 13 (AJP) - The number of dementia patients in South Korea will surpass one million, the health ministry reported Thursday, raising awareness of the need to prepare a comprehensive elderly care system to ease financial and manpower burdens on younger generations. South Korea is one of the world's most rapidly aging societies, with about 20 percent of its population aged 65 and older. Coupled with the country's total fertility rate of 0.75 and an average life

March 13, 2025

PHOTOS: Plum blossoms at Tongdosa Temple

SEOUL, March 13 (AJP) - Amid warm temperatures reaching 18 degrees Celsius in South Gyeongsang Province on Feb. 12, vibrant red plum blossoms have emerged at Tongdosa Temple in Yangsan. The early bloom drew crowds of visitors and photographers seeking a glimpse of spring’s nascent arrival. The early bloom offered a seasonal respite for those seeking to document the transition from winter, with many capturing images of the blossoms against the temple’s tranquil landscape.

March 13, 2025

Homeplus extends discount promotions amid financial struggles

SEOUL, March 13 (AJP) - Homeplus is extending its discount promotions until the end of the month, a move widely seen as an effort to counter deteriorating asset efficiency and mounting liquidity pressures under the private equity ownership of MBK Partners. The retailer’s fixed asset turnover ratio dropped to 0.96 as of Feb. 29, 2024, falling below the critical 1.0 threshold, according to industry sources citing the latest sales results. The figure indicates that Homeplus is st

March 13, 2025

Demand for smaller vehicles rises as women, older drivers shape market

SEOUL, March 13 (AJP) - The demand for small and medium-sized vehicles in South Korea is expected to climb as women and elderly drivers account for a growing share of the nation’s auto market, according to a report released Thursday by the Korea Automotive Research Institute. The report, titled “Population and Social Structure Changes and the Domestic Automobile Market,” highlights a significant shift in vehicle ownership patterns over the past decade. Between

March 13, 2025

Koreans spend seven times more on short-form video than streaming services

SEOUL, March 13 (AJP) - South Koreans are devoting significantly more time to short-form video platforms than to traditional streaming services, according to newly released data, underscoring a shift in media consumption habits. A report by market research firm Wiseapp Retail Goods, published Thursday, found that in February, the average user spent 48 hours and 73 minutes per month on short-form video applications such as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. In contrast, they spent on

March 13, 2025

[UPDATE] Constitutional court dismisses impeachment of chief state auditor and prosecutors

SEOUL, March 13 (AJP) -The Constitutional Court unanimously dismissed the impeachment motions against Chief State Auditor Choe Jae-hae and three prosecutors on Thursday, allowing them to return to their posts immediately. The court ruled that the impeachment charges lacked sufficient legal grounds, rejecting the National Assembly’s case against Choe, Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office chief Lee Chang-soo, and senior prosecutors Cho Sang-won and Choi Jae-hun. C

March 13, 2025