Lawmakers in another attempt to question Yoon at remand prison

SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - A special parliamentary committee investigating allegations related to President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law debacle last year is trying to question Yoon and his alleged accomplices on Thursday. Yoon, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and others are currently being separately held in remand prisons in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. With lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotting it, the committee, mostly consisting of lawmak

February 5, 2025

S. Korean inflation hits 2.2 percent in January, highest monthly rise in 6 months

SEOUL, February 05 (AJP) - South Korea's consumer prices rose 2.2 percent in January from a year earlier, marking the highest increase in six months amid rising oil prices and depreciation of the Korean won, the statistical office said Wednesday. The January figure represents a significant uptick from December's 1.9 percent, breaking out of the 1 percent range maintained since September 2024. Petroleum product prices jumped 7.3 percent, with gasoline and diesel prices risi

February 5, 2025

North Korean troops still fighting on Russian front lines, Ukraine's intelligence chief says

SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - About 8,000 North Korean soldiers are still engaged in combat in Russia's front lines, Ukraine's military intelligence chief said on Tuesday, contradicting earlier reports of their possible retreat. In an interview with the U.S. military news outlet The War Zone, Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's Defense Intelligence, dismissed previous claims that North Korean troops had not been seen for weeks in Russia's Kursk region, which is currently o

February 5, 2025

Coffee chains in Korea raise prices as global bean costs soar

SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - Major coffee chains in South Korea, including Starbucks and Compose Coffee, are raising prices as global coffee bean costs soar to record highs, driven by climate-related supply disruptions and a weakening Korean currency. Arabica coffee futures, known as the "Coffee C" on the ICE exchange, surged to $8,397 per ton on Monday, reflecting a 19.5 percent increase from the previous month and more than doubling from last year, according to the Korea Ag

February 5, 2025

South Korean medical drama becomes most-watched non-English series on Netflix

SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - Netflix's South Korean medical drama "The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call" has become the most-watched non-English TV show worldwide, surpassing the second season of the much-hyped series "Squid Game." The eight-episode series, released on Jan. 24, garnered 11.9 million views and a total watch time of 82.7 million hours for the week ending Feb. 2, the U.S. video-streaming site said on Wednesday. The second season of "Squid Game,&

February 5, 2025

Samsung Electronics leads hiring in Korea with 4,716 new jobs in 2024

SEOUL, February 05 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics remained as South Korea’s top employer in 2024, hiring 4,716 new workers despite ongoing challenges in its semiconductor business, according to data released on Wednesday by CEO Score. The firm's national pension subscriber count rose to 125,593 employees as of the end of 2024, marking a 3.9 percent increase from 120,877 in 2023. Hyundai Motor followed as the second-largest employer, with 69,285 pension subscribers, while LG

February 5, 2025

Actor Son Suk-ku most favored star in advertising

SEOUL, February 4 (AJP) - Actor Son Suk-ku appeared most frequently in TV commercials last year, according to an analysis released by an IT startup on Tuesday. IGAWorks analyzed about 9.5 million users of telecom KT's internet protocol television (IPTV) service and satellite subscribers to calculate data, also using its own mobile algorithm it developed. It found that Son was the most sought-after model with 6.96 billion ad exposures, followed by actress Go Youn-jung (

February 4, 2025

PHOTOS: Award-winning photos capture beauty of Korea's national parks

SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - The Korea National Park Service, under the Ministry of Environment, has announced the winners of its 23rd National Park Photography Contest, showcasing the country’s stunning landscapes, diverse ecosystems, and rich cultural heritage. The competition, which ran for 60 days beginning in June 2024, drew 3,676 submissions from photographers capturing the beauty of South Korea’s national parks. After five rounds of judging, a panel of experts selected 80 win

February 4, 2025

Key witnesses refuse to testify at hearing for Yoon's impeachment trial

SEOUL, February 4 (AJP) - A key witness who appeared at a hearing for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial over his botched martial law debacle in December last year refused to testify before the Constitutional Court of Korea in Seoul on Tuesday. Lee Jin-woo, former chief of the Capital Defense Command, was summoned as a witness but repeatedly declined to answer most questions, citing his legal right to remain silent. "I'm fully aware of the gravity of the mat

February 4, 2025

OpenAI beefs up AI, semiconductor ties with Korean firms

SEOUL, February 4 (AJP) - OpenAI CEO Sam Altman signaled plans to expand the company's presence in South Korea during his visit to Seoul on Tuesday, emphasizing the nation's advanced semiconductor industry and AI infrastructure. "South Korea possesses powerful industries related to AI, including semiconductors and energy, and stands as one of the nations actively embracing AI technology," Altman said at OpenAI's "Builder Lab" workshop, the company'

February 4, 2025