South Korea, Japan agree to resume naval search and rescue drills after nine-year hiatus SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) - South Korea and Japan agreed on Friday to resume bilateral naval search and rescue exercises for the first time in nine years and to institutionalize annual defense ministers’ talks, as the two countries seek to restore military cooperation based on mutual trust. South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi agreed on the importance of advancing defense cooperation following their meeting at the headquarters January 30, 2026

K-goods at Illustration Fair Seoul 2026 SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) - K-illustration Fair Seoul 2026 is taking place at COEX Hall D in Gangnam, Seoul. The fair opened on the 29th and runs through Feb. 1 for four days. Approximately 600 booths are showcasing a variety of domestic and international illustrations, independent publications, and merchandise. The event operates from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The fair is scheduled to be held at BEXCO in Busan in July and at COEX Magok in August. January 30, 2026

LG Elec profit slumps in 2025 on restructuring costs, media business losses SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) - LG Electronics reported a sharp decline in operating profit in 2025, as hefty one-off restructuring costs and persistent weakness in its media and entertainment business weighed heavily on earnings, overshadowing steady growth in its core home appliance and vehicle component units. The South Korean electronics maker said its annual operating profit fell 27.5 percent from a year earlier to 2.48 trillion won ($1.8 billion), after slipping into an operating January 30, 2026

EU envoy to Seoul speaks out SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) - Ugo Astuto, head of the Delegation of the European Union to South Korea, addresses press on issues from Greenland to Russia at the Maehwa Hall of the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, on Jan. 30. 2026. January 30, 2026

From security to Artic exploration, EU and Korea have a lot to work on - EU envoy to Seoul SEOUL, January 30 (AJP)-The European Union seeks to deepen cooperation on Arctic security and maritime logistics with South Korea, readying itself for the Artic shipping era by sailing a 3,000-TEU container ship from Busan to Rotterdam this July, said European Union Ambassador Ugo Astuto Friday. Speaking to press for the first time at the Seoul Press Center, Astuto noted that the strategic importance of the Arctic is being redefined by both climate change and shifting geopolitical January 30, 2026

Uzbekistan and Türkiye expand strategic partnership through trade and transport links SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) - The diplomatic relationship between Uzbekistan and Türkiye has evolved into a substantive, comprehensive strategic partnership, moving beyond formal definitions to include deep economic and regional cooperation. Recent high-level meetings in January 2026 confirmed that both nations have established a permanent institutional framework to manage their bilateral ties. The primary vehicle for this cooperation is the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Counc January 30, 2026

SK hynix marches toward historic milestone in otherwise lackluster Asian market SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) — SK hynix continued its relentless advance Friday, propelled by frenzied retail buying toward the symbolic 1-million-won milestone, even as broader Asian markets struggled for direction. The chipmaker's surge briefly lifted Korea's benchmark KOSPI above the 5,300 level earlier in the session, though the index later pared gains to finish nearly flat at 5,224.36. The junior KOSDAQ retreated 1.29 percent to 1,149.44, taking a breather after a stun January 30, 2026

Ferry service along Han River to fully resume in March after safety checks SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) - Seoul's water ferry service along the Han River is expected to resume full operations in early March, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said on Friday. The service was halted on some routes due to technical glitches after its bombastic launch in September last year. The city government had planned to resume the service in January, but it was delayed as safety inspections and other checks by the Ministry of Interior and Safety took longer than expec January 30, 2026

Foreign visitors to South Korea recover to pre-pandemic levels SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) - The number of foreign visitors to South Korea last year surpassed pre-pandemic levels, according to data released by the Korea Tourism Organization on Friday. The country welcomed about 18.94 million visitors last year, up 8.2 percent from the previous record of 17.50 million in 2019, just before the coronavirus pandemic closed borders around the world. Chinese visitors accounted for the most with 5.48 million, followed by Japan with 3.65 million, Taiw January 30, 2026

Samsung SDI signs major battery deal in US, possibly with Tesla SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) - Samsung SDI has signed a large battery supply contract in the United States for energy storage systems, the company said on Friday. Samsung SDI said details of the contract, including its value and duration, will remain confidential until Jan. 1, 2030. The counterparty was not also disclosed, but industry officials widely view Tesla as the leading candidate. Tesla has been actively securing battery supplies for ESS, including a 6 trillion won contract January 30, 2026