China halts rare earth exports; Korean industries brace for impact

SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - China has suspended exports of rare earth minerals essential to a range of advanced technologies — including electric vehicles, semiconductors and robotics, the New York Times reported Monday. Analysts say China's move could reverberate across global supply chains and disrupt key sectors of South Korea’s manufacturing industry. According to the report, Beijing has halted shipments of rare earth elements and associated magnetic materials wid

April 14, 2025

Korea opens pavilion at Osaka Expo, highlighting technology, tradition, sustainability

SEOUL, April 13 (AJP) - South Korea opened its national pavilion at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, Sunday, aiming to showcase its technological innovation, cultural heritage, and vision for a sustainable future over the course of the six-month international event. Organized by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, the opening ceremony marked the start of a 184-day exhibition set within one of the expo’s signature structures, the

April 13, 2025

Trump exempts smartphones from sweeping tariffs

SEOUL, April 13 (AJP) - The Trump administration has granted exemptions on a range of electronic devices, including smartphones and personal computers, from a broad package of reciprocal tariffs — a move that offers significant relief to major global tech firms such as Apple and South Korea’s Samsung Electronics. In a notice published April 12, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said that select categories of electronics — including smartphones, laptops, PCs, ser

April 13, 2025

Criminal trial of Yoon Suk Yeol will begin Monday

SEOUL, April 13 (AJP) - The criminal trial of former President Yoon Suk Yeol is scheduled to begin Monday at the Seoul Central District Court. Yoon, who was removed from office by a unanimous ruling of the Constitutional Court on April 4, faces charges of leading an insurrection after attempting to mobilize military forces on Dec. 3. He is the fifth former South Korean president to face a criminal trial. The proceedings are set to open at 10 a.m. As a defendant,Yoon is re

April 13, 2025

Foreign job seekers explore new opportunities at networking event in Seoul

SEOUL, April 12 (AJP) - Nearly 100 foreigners gathered in Seoul’s trendy Seongsu-dong on Saturday for a networking event aimed at helping international students and jobseekers explore career opportunities in Korea. Hosted by Exprivé, a company that connects over 10,000 foreign influencers to promote Korean culture worldwide, the event brought together participants and businesses from various industries. Exprivé CEO Baek Min shared the

April 12, 2025

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon exits presidential race ahead of expected bid

SEOUL, April 12 (AJP) - Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Saturday that he will not run in the upcoming presidential election, a surprise decision that is expected to reshape the race. The snap election, scheduled for June 3, follows the Constitutional Court of Korea's unanimous decision last week to impeach Yoon over his botched martial law debacle late last year. Oh made the announcement just one day before he was expected to declare his presidential bid. Speaking at the People P

April 12, 2025

Rescue efforts underway after tunnel collapse southwest of Seoul

SEOUL, April 12 (AJP) - Rescue operations continued Saturday following a tunnel collapse at a construction site on the southwestern outskirts of Seoul that left one worker missing and another rescued. The tunnel under construction partially collapsed around 3 p.m. Friday in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province. Two workers, a man in his 20s and another in his 50s, were working inside the tunnel at the time. The younger worker was pulled out alive after nearly 13 hours of rescue effort

April 12, 2025

TRAVEL: 'Gyeomjae Jeong Seon' exhibition at Ho-Am Art Museum

SEOUL, April 10 (AJP) - Gyeomjae Jeong Seon (1676–1759) is considered one of the greatest painters of the Joseon Dynasty. A trailblazer of true-view landscape painting (Jingyeong Sansuhwa), he helped usher in the golden age of 18th-century Korean art by portraying Korea’s natural scenery with a uniquely Korean perspective. Jeong was a master across multiple genres, including landscapes, portraits, and bird-and-flower paintings. From April 2 to June 29, the Ho-Am Art M

April 11, 2025

Extended hours at museums and cultural spots allow Seoulites to unwind on Fridays

SEOUL, April 11 (AJP) - Many Seoulites are now able to let their hair down late into the night at the end of the week, as the capital's hottest spots and cultural spaces extend their operating hours every Friday. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, several historical sites and libraries such as Unhyeong Palace, the Seoul Museum of History, the Seoul Museum of Art, and Namsangol Hanok Village will stay open until 9 p.m. on Fridays, as the city's annual program tha

April 11, 2025

Conference calls for stronger ICC role to address crimes of aggression

SEOUL, April 11 (AJP) -International activists and other participants called for global action against crimes of aggression at a conference in central Seoul on Thursday. Hosted by the German Embassy in Seoul, the conference took place under a global initiative spearheaded by the German Federal Foreign Office and co-sponsored by the foreign ministries of Estonia and Poland. Nearly 100 participants including diplomats, legal experts, and students gathered for the conference, which

April 11, 2025