Russian defense minister arrives in Pyongyang amid deepening military ties

SEOUL, November 29 (AJP) - Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov arrived in Pyongyang, Russian news media reported on Friday. Belousov "has arrived in North Korea for an official visit," Moscow's state-run news agency Sputnik said, quoting the country's defense ministry. It added that he is expected to hold "a number of bilateral meetings with representatives of the military" and other political heavyweights in Pyongyang. The visit comes after No

November 29, 2024

South Korea unveils new homegrown interceptor missile system

SEOUL, November 29 (AJP) - South Korea's latest homegrown long-range surface-to-air missile (L-SAM) system was unveiled at an event in Daejeon on Friday. Hosted by the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), the event celebrated the completion of the interceptor missile system, which is capable of shooting down incoming enemy ballistic missiles at higher altitudes. Starting development in 2015 with a cost of 1.2 trillion won (US$910 million), the L-SAM is a key component of Sou

November 29, 2024

Tariff cuts not main cause for Korea trade deficit: US Congress

SEOUL, November 29 (AJP) - A recent report by the U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS) suggests that the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) has not been the primary driver of the growing U.S. trade deficit with South Korea. The report, titled "U.S.-South Korea FTA and Bilateral Trade Relations," states that while the U.S. trade deficit with Korea has fluctuated since the FTA's implementation in 2012, it has not been directly correlated with tariff reducti

November 29, 2024

Merger of Korean Air, Asiana Airlines expected next month

SEOUL, November 29 (AJP) - The long-awaited merger between Korean Air and Asiana Airlines is poised to finalize next month, following the European Union's final approval. The European Commission announced Thursday that all conditions for the merger have been met, concluding the review process. With this, 13 of the 14 countries involved in the review have given their green light. The United States is the sole remaining country to provide a decision. Unlike other competition

November 29, 2024

Cold snap grips nation after heavy snowfall

SEOUL, November 29 (AJP) - Temperatures plummeted nationwide on Friday morning, falling below zero in most areas. The mercury dropped sharply after the season's first snow hit the country earlier this week, bringing the heaviest November snowfall in about a century. According to the Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA), the morning lows dipped more than five to ten degrees lower than the previous day, with -3.4 degrees Celsius in Seoul, -2.8 degrees in Incheon, -5.2 deg

November 29, 2024

OPINION: Ceasefires are not panacea. Here are 4 reasons to be concerned about Israel-Hezbollah deal

SEOUL, November 29 (AJP) - The announcement of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah is welcome news for a region torn apart by more than a year of warfare. Hopefully when implemented, the ceasefire will offer some respite for both Lebanese and Israeli civilians. The deal came into effect at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. However, the previous 24–48 hours had seen a dramatic increase in violence on both sides. This is part of a well-established pattern in warfare in w

November 29, 2024

PHOTOS: Students learn seasonal kimchi-making ritual at event in Seoul

SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) - Students had a valuable opportunity to learn how to make kimchi at an event in Seoul on Thursday. Hosted by the National Folk Museum of Korea, the event, which coincided with Ipdong, the start of winter by the lunar calendar, was arranged to teach children about South Korea's seasonal ritual of kimjang, the process of making and preserving kimchi in preparation for the long, cold winter season. Kimjang, the country's traditional culture of collective kimc

November 28, 2024

South Korea gears up for AI digital textbooks

SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) - South Korea’s Ministry of Education is set to introduce AI digital textbooks in March 2025 for grades 3 to 4 in elementary schools and first year students in middle and high schools, focusing on English, mathematics and information technology. The AI education technology sector has shown significant growth, with startups like FastCampus CIC expanding their AI-based lectures from 36 to approximately 150 courses over the past year. Riiid, another ed

November 28, 2024

PHOTOS: COEX Magok convention center opens

SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) -COEX Magok Convention Center, a new exhibition complex, opened on Thursday. The seven floored facility features a main hall capable of accommodating up to 2,200 people and multiple conference rooms designed for combined exhibitions and convention events. The center positioned near medical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology research clusters. "The new convention center's proximity to major R&D facilities and IT, bio, and environmental companies is expe

November 28, 2024

Lotte Chemical shares jump as group offers landmark tower as collateral

SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) - Shares in South Korean petrochemical maker Lotte Chemical rose 4.37 percent to 69,200 won (US$49.6) on Thursday, after its parent Lotte Group pledged its landmark skyscraper as collateral amid growing concerns over the company's financial stability. The move comes as Lotte Chemical, which held about 4 trillion won in liquidity as of October, failed to meet some of its bond covenant requirements last week, triggering fears of possible default. Korea&

November 28, 2024