Number of students at high risk of suicide rises for second straight year: survey

SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - The number of Korean students at high risk of suicide has increased for two consecutive years, according to data from the Ministry of Education submitted to the National Assembly Research Service (NARS) on Wednesday. The survey, conducted annually, shows a worrying trend among elementary, middle, and high school students. South Korea's youth suicide rate stood at 25.2 per 100,000 people in 2022, more than double the OECD average of 10.7 per 100,000. Go

August 28, 2024

Street in New York to be renamed in honor of Otto Warmbier

SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - A stretch of road in front of the North Korean mission to the United Nations in New York is expected to be renamed in honor of Otto Warmbier, an American college student. Warmbier, a student of the University of Virginia, was imprisoned and tortured in North Korea in 2016 on an unclear charge of subversion. He died shortly after being released in a vegetative state in 2017. The Manhattan Community Board 6, a New York city community board, said on Tuesday

August 28, 2024

NewJeans producer claims she was forced to step down

SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - Min Hee-jin, a producer behind the K-pop sensation NewJeans, claimed on Wednesday that she was forced out of her position as CEO of ADOR without her consent. Min's abrupt removal was decided during a board meeting the previous day, where she was replaced by Kim Joo-young, ADOR's internal director, who is also in charge of human resources at HYBE. ADOR, an affiliate of HYBE, has seen rapid success under Min's leadership. In a statement, law

August 28, 2024

Russia deepens ties with North Korea as trade officials arrive for talks

SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - Russian officials arrived in North Korea for talks, the isolated country's state media reported on Wednesday. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a Russian delegation led by Roman Chekushov, Vice Minister of Industry and Trade, met with North Korean Premier Kim Tok-hun and other officials to discuss expanding economic cooperation. Their meeting is the latest development in the rapidly strengthening military and economic ties between th

August 28, 2024

Czech PM's envoy to visit Korea to discuss cooperation over nuclear reactor deal

SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - A special envoy from the Czech Republic is scheduled to visit Korea next week to discuss economic cooperation, signaling potential progress in negotiations for a nuclear power plant contract worth about 24 trillion won ($18 billion), industry sources said Wednesday. The envoy, representing Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, will be in Korea from Sept. 3 to 6. The Czech government is reportedly keen to discuss comprehensive industrial cooperation that Korea has

August 28, 2024

Samsung SDI, GM sign deal for U.S. battery joint venture

SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - Samsung SDI, a Korean battery maker, and General Motors have signed a formal agreement to establish a joint venture for electric vehicle battery production in the U.S., the companies announced Wednesday. The venture will invest about $3.5 billion to build a battery cell manufacturing plant in New Carlisle, Indiana, with an initial annual production capacity of 27 gigawatt-hours. The plant is targeting mass production in 2027 and is expected to create ove

August 28, 2024

OPINION: French police have arrested founder of Telegram. What happens next could change course of big tech

SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - French police have arrested the founder of Telegram. What happens next could change the course of big tech When Pavel Durov arrived in France on his private jet last Saturday, he was greeted by police who promptly arrested him. As the founder of the direct messaging platform Telegram, he was accused of facilitating the widespread crimes committed on it. The following day, a French judge extended Durov's initial period of detention, allowing police to

August 28, 2024

Foreign Ministry warns Korean religious group to evacuate from Israel amid escalating tensions

SEOUL, August 27 (AJP) - Amid rising conflicts between Israel and militant groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Tuesday issued an urgent evacuation warning for a religious group of 180 Koreans currently in Israel. Israel is a key pilgrimage destination for Korean Christians, who visit holy sites such as Jerusalem, believed to be the location of Jesus' crucifixion and tomb, and Bethlehem, regarded as His birthplace. The country attracts around t

August 27, 2024

PHOTOS: Seoul mayor, ruling party discuss excluding Filipino domestic workers from minimum wage rule

SEOUL, August 27 (AJP) - Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Na Kyung-won, a ruling People Power Party lawmaker, jointly hosted a policy seminar at the National Assembly on Tuesday to discuss a proposal to exclude Filipino domestic workers from the minimum wage rule.

August 27, 2024

South Korea to increase financial aid for North Korean defectors

SEOUL, August 27 (AJP) - South Korea will boost financial assistance for North Korean defectors, as part of its budget plans for next year. The Unification Ministry said Tuesday that its proposed budget stands at 1.55 trillion Korean won (US$1.17 billion), down 3.7 percent from this year. However, the proposal includes a 50-percent increase in the initial lump-sum payment given to North Korean defectors to help them settle and adapt to their new life in South Korea. The proposal,

August 27, 2024