BTS and K-culture boom lift tourist arrivals in Korea to record high Q1 SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - Foreign tourist arrivals to South Korea rose to a record high in the first quarter, as global demand for Korean cultural content from highly anticipated K-pop supergroup BTS' return to digital hits like K-pop Demon Hunters continued to drive travel interest, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Wednesday. Inbound visitors reached 4.76 million in the January–March period, up 23 percent from a year earlier, with March alone setting a monthl April 16, 2026

Asian markets rise on hopes for upcoming US–Iran talks as KOSPI stays above 6,000 SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - Asian markets opened broadly upbeat on Thursday as hopes for a possible end to the conflict in the Middle East started to rise ahead of another round of talks between the U.S. and Iran in Pakistan this month. Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 1.73 percent to 59,139.58. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.73 percent to 26,137.49, and China's Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.17 percent to 4,033.92. South Korea's benchmark KOSPI also extended its gains, r April 16, 2026

South Korean researchers develop air-stable solid electrolyte for faster battery charging SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - A joint research team led by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has developed a new design technology for solid-state battery electrolytes that maintains structural stability in air while significantly increasing charging speeds. This advancement addresses the chronic vulnerability of halide-based solid electrolytes to moisture, which has long been a barrier to the mass production of safer energy storage systems. The technology could be app April 16, 2026

FMs of South Korea and Brazil seek closer cooperation on supply chains SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - Foreign Minister Cho Hyun spoke with his Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira to discuss measures to address supply chain disruptions amid the prolonged conflict in the Middle East, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday. According to the ministry, Cho spoke with him by phone the previous day, during which he explained South Korea is making an all-out effort to secure alternative routes and sources for crude oil and other resources, citing the count April 16, 2026

HMM to launch West Africa container service, expanding global network SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - HMM will launch a new shipping route connecting Spain and West Africa in July, marking its first foray into the African continent as part of a broader push to extend its global reach. The new service announced Thursday, designated MA2 (Mediterranean West Africa), will operate out of Algeciras, Spain — a key Mediterranean hub — and call at ports in Morocco, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, and Cote d'Ivoire. The round voyage takes about 35 days and wil April 16, 2026

BLACKPINK's Jennie named among TIME magazine's '100 Most Influential People' SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - Jennie, a member of K-pop girl group BLACKPINK, has been included in TIME magazine's annual list of the "100 Most Influential People" for this year released on Wednesday. "What makes Jennie a true star is that even in her quiet moments, she possesses the same kind of undeniable presence that cuts through all the noise, and she carries that with kindness and warmth," the magazine wrote. "She is the type of person who will grab April 16, 2026

Foreigners dump over $30 bn KOSPI shares and turn net bond sellers in March SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) -Foreign investors staged a record monthly sell-off in South Korean equities in March amid risk aversion and concerns over the energy-dependent economy from the outbreak of the conflicts in the Gulf and de-facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. According to the Financial Supervisory Service on Thursday, foreigners net sold 43.5 trillion won ($31.8 billion) worth of locally listed shares last month, more than doubling from February’s 19.6 trillion won out April 16, 2026

Remembering Sewol classmates, the silence still speaks 12 years later SEOUL, April 15 (AJP) -Desks remain as they were—names etched in pencil, jackets draped over chairs, notebooks opened mid-sentence. Time, here, does not move forward. It pauses, deliberately, asking each visitor to look closer. There are shoes that never made it home, ID cards that still carry smiling faces, and letters that were never meant to be final. Each object resists abstraction. This is not a number, not a headline, but 250 students and 11 teachers whose ordinary April 16, 2026

KOSPI recovers above 6,000 for first time since Trump's war in Iran SEOUL, April 15 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI closed at 6,091.39 on Wednesday, up 2.07 percent from a day earlier, regaining the 6,000 mark for the first time in about 30 trading sessions. The index had last closed above that threshold on Feb. 27, when it was at 6,244.13, just a day before the U.S. and Israel launched joint airstrikes on Iran, throwing the already volatile Middle East region into deeper conflict. The gain was driven by foreign investors, who bought ab April 15, 2026

BOK nominee Shin faces intense scrutiny over foreign assets, family issues SEOUL, April 15 (AJP) — The nominee to head the Bank of Korea (BOK) came under intense scrutiny Wednesday as opposition lawmakers questioned his foreign-denominated wealth and family-related issues, raising concerns over potential conflicts of interest. Lawmakers on the National Assembly’s Finance and Economy Committee focused on nominee Shin Hyun-song’s asset structure, noting that the central bank chief is tasked with stabilizing the Korean won and the housing April 15, 2026