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

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

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

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

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

Kia Q1 profit fall near 30% on higher U.S. tariffs and Gulf shipping costs SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) — South Korean carmaker Kia, like its sister company Hyundai Motor, suffered a double-digit decline in earnings in the first quarter despite record sales, as higher tariff costs on U.S. shipments and shipping disruptions linked to Gulf tensions weighed on profitability. Operating profit fell 26.7 percent on year to 2.2 trillion won ($1.52 billion), reflecting an estimated 755 billion won increase in U.S.-related tariff costs compared to a year earlier, April 24, 2026

Lee visits Hanoi's historic site with Vietnamese leader before returning home SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung visited a historical site in Hanoi on Friday as the final leg of his itinerary in Viet Nam. Guided by Vietnamese President Tô Lâm and his wife, the first couples of the two countries toured the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long. Located in the heart of Hanoi, the sprawling complex of historic buildings, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2010, blends Chinese, Vietnamese, and French architectural styles, reflec April 24, 2026

K-shopping wonderland lands in Seongsu as Musinsa scales offline push SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) - Gone are the days when group tourists shuffled through duty-free shops and the Dongdaemun marketplace. K-shopping today is about hip, affordability and fun — and sharing the experience with friends, on or off camera. To amplify that shift, a shopping-themed amusement park has arrived in Seoul’s trendiest district, Seongsu-dong. "I wish there was a store like this in the U.S.," said Maddie, a tourist from the United States, as she ex April 24, 2026

A ceiling of wishes: Jogyesa fills with lantern light ahead of Buddha's Birthday SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) -At Jogyesa Temple in downtown Seoul, the sky has begun to lower — not with clouds, but with color. A month ahead of Buddha's Birthday on May 24, preparations are in full swing. Lanterns gather overhead in long, patient rows, stretching across the temple grounds like a suspended tapestry. From a distance, they resemble a soft ceiling; up close, each one carries a name, a wish, a quiet intention. Near the entrance, a modest registr April 24, 2026

Forget SPA, enter experience: new K-fashion megastore lands in Seongsu SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) -For a shop lover, the ambience matters. This warehouse-like space hums with a hip energy that makes you feel instantly on trend. Musinsa's massive 66,000-square-foot offline store in Seongsu-dong that opened on Friday brings together about 1,000 brands across fashion, beauty and F&B under one roof to showcase the company’s retail essence. Musinsa Mega Store Seongsu, spanning one basement level and four above-ground floors, is the largest m April 24, 2026