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  South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok pledges people-driven policies, growth and stability in New Year address SEOUL, January 01 (AJP) - South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok vowed on Thursday to steer national policy based on the will of the people, outlining a government agenda centered on growth, stability and peace in his New Year’s address. Kim said the administration, launched last year “with a heavy heart” amid concerns about a crisis in democracy, is beginning 2026 with renewed confidence in economic recovery. “This year will mark the first step toward a January 1, 2026
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  PHOTOS: South Korea greets 2025 with the first sunrise SEOUL, January 1 (AJP) — The Year of Byeongo (the Year of the Red Horse) has begun, marking the start of 2026. On the first day of the new year, most regions across the country are expecting clear skies and weather, which makes watching the sunrise more enjoyable. However, the morning temperature in Seoul is forecast to plunge to minus 11 degrees Celsius, bringing frigid weather. January 1, 2026
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  Gangnam Media winter festa illuminates Seoul streets SEOUL, December 31 (AJP) - The "2025 Gangnam Media Winter Festa" opened on December 19 in the G20 Square and K-POP Square near exits 5 and 6 of Samseong Station in Gangnam District, Seoul. Gangnam District describes the event as "an urban festival combining spectacular media technology with warm winter sentiments." The festival features immersive media shows utilizing 17 large LED displays across seven locations in four buildings, incorporating light, sound, an December 31, 2025
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  SK Group recruits former vice industry minister to head Chinese operations SEOUL, December 31 (AJP) -South Korea's second-largest conglomerate SK Group has appointed Park Sung-taek, former vice minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, to head its Chinese operations. Park, a career bureaucrat with more than 30 years of experience at the, stepped down in June following the launch of the new government under President Lee Jae Myung. Over his career, he held a series of senior posts, including director of the power industry division, chief of staff to the m December 31, 2025
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  Actor Ahn Hyo-seop to appear on US talk show SEOUL, December 31 (AJP) - Actor Ahn Hyo-seop will ring in the new year with an appearance on a popular U.S. talk show. He is set to appear on NBC's "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on Jan. 12, riding the wave of popularity from Netflix's hit South Korean anime "KPop Demon Hunters," in which he lent his voice. The 100-minute K-pop-themed anime became one of Netflix's most popular films, accumulating 500 million views worldwide within ab December 31, 2025
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  Japan tops most popular international routes as China sees sharp rise in passengers SEOUL, December 31 (AJP) - Japan-bound flights emerged as the most popular international routes this year, while passenger traffic on China routes posted the strongest growth, according to travel data released by South Korean low-cost carrier Eastar Jet. Based on an analysis of customer usage data for its 2025 travel trends, Eastar Jet said on Wednesday that it carried approximately 5.6 million passengers this year, up 23 percent from the previous year, bringing its cumulative passe December 31, 2025
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  Policymakers scramble to rescue Korea's fast-sinking film industry SEOUL, December 31 (AJP) - Moviegoing is quickly going out of fashion in South Korea, with the only films able to stay in theaters for more than a month being foreign, fandom-driven animation franchises this year. As audiences remain glued to YouTube and Netflix, visits to cinemas have dwindled, prompting the government and film policymakers to roll out a series of measures to rescue a struggling industry. “The biggest challenge is that audiences now draw a very clear line December 31, 2025
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  Stock boom, currency bust: Korea's uneven market rally may spill into 2026 SEOUL, December 31 (AJP) - Roaring stock prices and a tumbling currency defined South Korea’s financial markets in 2025 — a divergence that may persist well into next year. The benchmark KOSPI closed the year Tuesday at 4,214.17, up 75.6 percent from a year earlier, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ jumped 37 percent to 925.47. Both far outperformed regional peers, powered by surging demand for semiconductors, shipbuilding and defense-related stocks. Chipmakers were the u December 31, 2025
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  PHOTOS: Seoul's DDP prepares for high-octane New Year countdown with media art SEOUL, December 31 (AJP) - The Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), Seoul’s landmark cultural hub, is currently serving as a massive digital canvas for the “Seoul Light: Winter” media art festival. The event, which illuminates the iconic silver curves of the Zaha Hadid-designed structure, is part of the city’s broader “Seoul Winter Festa” celebrations. Running for 14 days from Dec. 18 through Dec. 31, the exhibition uses the building’s 222-me December 31, 2025
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  South Korean crypto exchange Korbit fined over anti-money laundering breaches SEOUL, December 31 (AJP) - South Korea’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has fined cryptocurrency exchange Korbit 2.73 billion won ($2 million) for violations of anti-money laundering (AML) obligations, issuing an institutional warning against the company. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) said on Wednesday a comprehensive FIU inspection found Korbit had breached legal requirements, including prohibitions on transactions with unreported virtual asset service provider December 31, 2025