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  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
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  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
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  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
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  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
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  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
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  Hyundai Steel swings to Q1 operating profit on higher sales volume SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) - Hyundai Steel returned to the black in the first quarter of 2026, posting an operating profit of 15.7 billion won ($10.5 million) as rising sales volumes offset persistent cost pressures. The company reported consolidated revenue of 5.74 trillion won for the January to March period on Friday, up 3.2 percent from a year ago, buoyed by stronger product shipments. Operating profit, however, slid 63.7 percent quarter-on-quarter as exchange rate headwinds and elev April 24, 2026
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  Prosecutors seek 30-year prison term for ex-president over drone-related allegation SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) - Prosecutors on Friday sought a 30-year prison term for disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol in a separate trial related to his botched martial law debacle in 2024. During a final hearing at the Seoul Central District Court, prosecutors led by Cho Eun-suk asked the court to sentence Yoon to 30 years in jail over allegations that he ordered the dispatch of drones to Pyongyang in October 2024 several times, about two months before his Dec. 3 declaration of m April 24, 2026
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  Whiskers and wallets: cat show at KINTEX SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) -The air at KINTEX hums with a different kind of energy this week — softer, furrier, punctuated by the occasional impatient meow. At the “2026 Nyangnyang Punch Cat Show Ilsan,” aisles fill quickly as visitors weave through rows of pastel-toned booths, peering into carriers, testing treats, and pausing for photos with cats that seem, at times, more composed than their human companions. From the entrance, the scale is unmistakable. Around 140 April 24, 2026
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  Asian stocks wobble into weekly close amid entrenched Gulf uncertainties SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) - Asian markets traded mixed Friday with little sign of diplomatic breakthrough after U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally declared an indefinite extension to the ceasefire with Iran while continuing with naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.70 percent to 59,554.99, aided by spillover from overnight gains in U.S. semiconductor shares, with Advantest climbing 1.56 percent to 28,335 yen and SoftBank Group adding 1.42 percen April 24, 2026
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  KDB Life Insurance up for sale again SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) - Korea Development Bank (KDB) has begun a formal process to sell its subsidiary KDB Life Insurance, aiming to complete the sale within this year. According to industry sources, the state-run bank on Friday put out a notice to sell 116 million shares in KDB Life Insurance and relinquish management control. KDB holds 99.75 percent of the insurer's outstanding shares, making it the largest shareholder. This is not the bank's first attempt to sell April 24, 2026