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  S. Korean appeals court dismisses inmates' COVID-19 lawsuit against government SEOUL, April 25 (AJP) - A South Korean appellate court has dismissed a damages lawsuit filed by inmates against the government over a massive COVID-19 outbreak at a Seoul detention center in 2020. A Seoul Central District Court appellate panel upheld a lower court's ruling against 33 inmates and their families who sued the state and then-Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, Yonhap News Agency reported Saturday. The plaintiffs had argued that the government and correctional April 25, 2026
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  OPINION: The Case for a 'Noah Accord' in the Middle East Wars may begin with grand justifications, but they end in ruin, fatigue, and overwhelming economic bills. The escalating conflict in the Middle East is no exception. What started under the banner of security and deterrence is rapidly exposing the limits of military sustainability, threatening both regional stability and the broader global economy. The financial and material toll of this war of attrition is staggering. For Israel, the illusion of limitless defense i April 25, 2026
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  Canada evaluates South Korean weapons for major army modernization SEOUL, April 25 (AJP) - Canada is in discussions with South Korean defense contractors regarding its largest army modernization project in over 25 years, the commander of the Canadian Army said, explicitly naming Hanwha Aerospace's artillery and armored vehicles as potential candidates. Lt. Gen. Michael Wright told Yonhap News Agency in an interview published Saturday that Ottawa is actively exploring avenues to rapidly upgrade its military capabilities amid growing defense co April 25, 2026
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  S. Korean PM lauds Pearl Abyss' 'Crimson Desert' for 5 mln sales, pledges industry support SEOUL, April 25 (AJP) - South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok congratulated video game developer Pearl Abyss (263750.KQ) on the record-breaking global sales of its latest title, "Crimson Desert," pledging proactive government support to bolster the country's gaming industry across broader platforms. In a social media post late Friday, Kim highlighted the action-adventure game's milestone of surpassing 5 million copies sold just 26 days after its release, call April 25, 2026
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  South Korean nightclub worker arrested for attempted murder of teenager SEOUL, April 25 (AJP) - A 20-year-old employee of an adult entertainment establishment has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after allegedly stabbing a teenager during a dispute that began while soliciting customers, police said Saturday. The Namyangju Nambu Police Station said the suspect, identified only as A, is accused of stabbing a male teenager in the chest and abdomen at approximately 2:30 a.m. Thursday. The incident took place in an underground parking garage April 25, 2026
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  Sea of colorful bloom at Goyang flower festival SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) -Spring arrives in full and assorted colors at Ilsan Lake Park as the 2026 Goyang International Flower Festival opens, drawing visitors into a vast landscape of blooms just northwest of Seoul. Under the theme “Flowers Color Time,” the 17-day festival unfolds across a 250,000-square-meter venue, where more than 100 million flowers shape gardens, installations and winding paths along the lakeside. Large-sc April 25, 2026
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  South Korea secures over 74 million barrels of crude oil for May, presidential aide says SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) - South Korea has secured more than 70 million barrels of crude oil for May, according to presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik. During a press briefing at Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul on Friday, Kang said, "South Korea has secured about 74.62 million barrels of crude oil, which is equivalent to roughly 87 percent of last year's monthly average," adding that the government is "making every effort" to secure additional supplies amid April 24, 2026
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  Big-tech layoffs: a prelude to AI replacement? SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) - What has long been feared is beginning to take shape. From May 20, Meta plans to cut about 8,000 jobs — roughly 10 percent of its workforce — while leaving 6,000 roles unfilled, even as it raises capital spending to as much as $135 billion this year for AI data centers and infrastructure. “We’re starting to see projects that used to require big teams now be accomplished by a single very talented person,” Mark Zuckerberg sa April 24, 2026
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  KOSDAQ hits 25-year high as Asia trades mixed on oil, Middle East tensions SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) - Korea’s junior index KOSDAQ emerged as the winner on Friday as it hit a 25-year high, while broader Asian markets stayed mostly sidelined under pressure from rising oil prices and escalating Middle East tensions. The KOSDAQ rose 2.5 percent to close at 1,203.84, swinging between 1,172.32 and its intraday high. Foreign investors bought a net 729.3 billion won ($491 million) worth of shares, while institutions followed with 187.7 billion won. Retail inv April 24, 2026
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  Icebreakers emerge as Korea's answer to Gulf risks  SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) - The opening of Arctic shipping routes could solve multiple problems for South Korea, a country entirely dependent on crude imports, by cutting voyage distances by up to 30 percent and bypassing volatile Gulf waters. The question is how. South Korean shipbuilders are moving closer to an answer as they double down on icebreakers — specialized vessels designed to crush sea ice and keep frozen shipping lanes open. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries recently sig April 24, 2026