PHOTOS: Traditional way of rice planting

SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) - The staple food for Koreans is rice, a grain deeply interwoven with the nation's history and culture. Each May, the paddies across the country come alive as farmers begin the arduous process of cultivating this essential crop. Traditionally, this involved flooding the fields, meticulously preparing the soil, and hand-planting delicate rice seedlings, known as "mo." While modern machinery now dominates most of these tasks, allowing for efficient preparati

May 22, 2025

Search underway to find new US envoy for North Korean human rights

SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) - Washington's post for a special envoy on North Korean human rights issues, which has remained vacant since early this year, is expected to be filled soon. When asked during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Wednesday whether there are plans to appoint someone to the post left vacant since former envoy Julie Turner stepped down in January, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that thorough vetting procedures are currently underway to &quo

May 22, 2025

SK hynix develops new mobile storage solution aimed at powering on-device AI

SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) - SK hynix has developed a new mobile storage solution based on its latest NAND flash technology, positioning the product as a key component for next-generation smartphones powered by artificial intelligence, the firm said Thursday. The company’s latest offering is a Universal Flash Storage (UFS) 4.1 solution built using its 321-layer 1-terabit Triple Level Cell (TLC) 4D NAND flash — the tallest NAND stack produced to date, according to SK hynix. T

May 22, 2025

Job creation in South Korea falls to record low

SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) - South Korea’s job market has continued its downward spiral, with the number of new positions falling to the lowest level, highlighting the deepening strain on the country's economy and labor force. According to data released Thursday by the Korean Statistical Information Service, only 2.44 million new jobs were created in the fourth quarter of 2024 — down from 2.55 million in the same period a year earlier. The decline marks the 11th consecut

May 22, 2025

New Zealand Embassy in Seoul and EAAFP celebrate World Migratory Bird Day

SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) - A small seabird that flies thousands of kilometers each year received the spotlight in Seoul this week, as the New Zealand Embassy in the Republic of Korea hosted a reception on Tuesday to mark World Migratory Bird Day. The event, jointly organized by the embassy and the East-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) was held at the ambassador’s residence bringing together diplomats, scientists, and civil society to highlight the shared responsibility of

May 22, 2025

GS charts new course with digital pivot, generational shift

Editor's Note: This article is the 19th installment in our series on Asia's top 100 companies, exploring the strategies, challenges, and innovations driving the region's most influential corporations. SEOUL, May 21 (AJP) - As it marks its 20th anniversary this year, GS Group — one of South Korea’s largest conglomerates — is doubling down on digital transformation in a bid to reverse slowing growth and streamline operations in an increasingly volatile ec

May 22, 2025

LG Electronics inks deal to supply commercial washing machines in US, Canada

SEOUL, May 21 (AJP) - LG Electronics has signed a supply agreement with CSC ServiceWorks, North America’s largest provider of laundry solutions, marking a strategic move to expand its business-to-business home appliance operations in the region. The deal was formalized at a recent signing ceremony attended by Kim Sang-yong, executive vice president of LG Electronics USA’s Home & Life Solutions division, and Rodrigo Castellanos, chief executive of CSC ServiceWorks. Fi

May 21, 2025

'Mission: Impossible' final installment draws over 1 million viewers in less than a week

SEOUL, May 21 (AJP) - "Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning" attracted over 1 million moviegoers less than a week after its release here last week, distributor Lotte Entertainment said on Wednesday. The eighth and final installment in the action-packed franchise, released last Saturday, swept the box office by drawing about 424,000 viewers on its opening day alone. The Hollywood blockbuster starring its perennial star Tom Cruise achieved the feat in just five days si

May 21, 2025

Seoul records season's hottest morning temperature

SEOUL, May 21 (AJP) - Seoul recorded its hottest morning temperature for May in more than a century on Wednesday, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). The morning low soared to 23 degrees Celsius, the highest early summer temperature since weather observations began in 1907, breaking the previous record of 21.8 degrees set in May 2018. Partly due to humid southerly winds, the unusually warm conditions came, coinciding with "Soman," the eighth of t

May 21, 2025

Kazakhstan promotes business opportunities at investment blitz in Seoul

SEOUL, May 21 (AJP) - An investment blitz promoting business opportunities in Kazakhstan was held in central Seoul on Wednesday. Hosted by the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), the event brought together diplomats, business experts, and representatives from around 50 companies here seeking to strengthen bilateral ties with the Central Asian country. Through panel discussions and presentations, the event highlighted how the AIFC helps and supports them in making inroad

May 21, 2025