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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
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  Korea's Q1 growth beats expectations, but beyond hinges largely on Hormuz SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) — South Korea’s economy grew a stronger-than-expected 1.7 percent in the first quarter, nearly double the Bank of Korea’s estimate, raising hopes for resilience despite mounting external shocks. But whether the momentum can last hinges on the duration of the nearly two-month Middle East standoff and Korea’s ability to withstand an energy shock across an economy still fragilely powered by chip exports. Following the data, the Bank of April 24, 2026
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  Coupang overstretches into security front, stirring Korea-U.S. friction SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) - In a rare and uneasy convergence, a retail dispute has spilled into the security domain between Seoul and Washington, underscoring the growing political reach of Coupang, a New York-listed retailer whose business is almost entirely rooted in South Korea. According to lobbying disclosure reports filed with the U.S. Congress, Coupang spent a combined $1.785 million in the first quarter of 2026 – nearly doubled from $895,000 in the previous quarter - as p April 24, 2026
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  BLACKPINK's Jisoo wins rising star award at Canneseries SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) - BLACKPINK's Jisoo has won an award at this year's Cannes International Series Festival, which kicked off its weeklong run in the French resort city earlier this week. Jisoo received the Madame Figaro Rising Star Award last Wednesday at the annual festival, also known as Canneseries, which promotes television series around the world. According to the festival's organizers, Jisoo, alongside her music career, has "steadily expanded her pr April 24, 2026