Seoul weighs joint military academy admissions from 2028 SEOUL, July 01 (AJP) - South Korea is considering jointly selecting cadets for its Army, Navy and Air Force academies as early as the 2028 academic year, a move that could affect students currently in their second year of high school. The proposal signals that the government is accelerating plans to integrate the three service academies, but concerns are growing that the timetable could confuse applicants and run counter to the principle that major changes to university admissions s July 1, 2026

CJ CheilJedang overhauls business structure into three divisions SEOUL, July 01 (AJP) - CJ CheilJedang, South Korea's largest food company, announced it will restructure its operations into three divisions, scrapping its long-standing split between food and bio in a sweeping bid to sharpen competitiveness and quicken future growth. The overhaul replaces the company's two-pronged structure with three units: lifestyle food, technology materials and core materials. The firm said Wednesday it would move decisively to wind down low-margin, low July 1, 2026

South Korea's Lee vows to oversee Yongin, southwest chip projects SEOUL, July 01 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Tuesday he would personally oversee the simultaneous development of the country's Yongin and proposed southwest semiconductor clusters, pledging government support to ensure the projects proceed without delay. Speaking at a public briefing on the southwest advanced industry development vision in Gwangju, Lee said the government would take direct responsibility for advancing the projects as part of its recently July 1, 2026

Lee set to hold luncheon with former President Moon at Cheong Wa Dae SEOUL, July 1 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung is set to hold a luncheon meeting with former President Moon Jae-in at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Wednesday. The meeting is intended to provide Lee with an opportunity to hear Moon's views on state affairs and seek advice on key national issues, according to presidential officials. Much attention is being paid to what the two are to discuss at their first meeting since Lee took office in June last year, including whether they will July 1, 2026

South Korea breaks into global top 10 millionaire markets SEOUL, July 01 (AJP) - South Korea has joined the world's millionaire elite, breaking into the global top 10 by millionaire population thanks to a bull run unprecedented by global standards. The country's millionaire population reached 1.3 million in 2025, placing it joint eighth globally with the Netherlands, according to UBS's Global Wealth Report 2026 released Tuesday. Australia ranked seventh with 1.6 million millionaires, while the United States remained the w July 1, 2026

North Korean leader congratulates Xi on communist party anniversary SEOUL, July 1 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a congratulatory message to Chinese President Xi Jinping to mark the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist of China, state media reported on Wednesday. According to North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim reaffirmed his country's "firm will" to further strengthen its "traditional relationship" with its close ally, based on a shared socialist ideology and longsta July 1, 2026

U.S. Embassy in Korea celebrates 250th Independence Day in style and K-pop SEOUL, June 30 (AJP) -The U.S. Embassy in South Korea marked the 250th anniversary of American independence with glitz, scale, style and K-pop at Seoul's Grand Hyatt Hotel. U.S. Charge d’Affaires ad interim James Heller spoke of the “ironclad” relationship between the United States and South Korea, highlighting the alliance’s role as a foundation for security, prosperity and shared democratic values. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun congratulat June 30, 2026

Samsung, SK hynix unveil combined 825 tln won investment plans for southwest Korea SEOUL, June 30 (AJP) - Samsung Group and SK hynix on Tuesday announced plans to invest a combined 825 trillion won ($595 billion) in southwest Korea, outlining new semiconductor manufacturing, artificial intelligence data center and energy projects as part of the government's regional industrial development initiative. The announcements were made during the government's "Southwestern Advanced Industry Development Vision" event held in Gwangju. Samsung said it June 30, 2026

Netflix viewers are becoming Korea's newest tourists, data shows SEOUL, June 30 (AJP) - South Korea's tourism boom in 2026 is increasingly being linked to something outside the traditional travel industry, what foreign viewers are watching at home. Foreign visitor arrivals surpassed 10 million by the third week of June, about a month earlier than 2025, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Arrivals from January through May totaled 8.72 million, up 21 percent from the same period in 2025. May alone brought 1.95 million visi June 30, 2026

South Korea's foreign direct investment rises for 3rd consecutive quarter SEOUL, June 30 (AJP) - South Korea's foreign direct investment (FDI) rose in the first three months of this year, extending its growth streak to a third consecutive quarter. According to data released Tuesday by the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the country’s FDI reached $21.74 billion in the first quarter, up 36.2 percent from a year earlier, led by investment in financial and insurance services and a sharp increase in flows to the U.S. The growth followed a 5.7 per June 30, 2026