South Korea offers $2 million humanitarian aid to quake-hit Myanmar

SEOUL, March 29 (AJP) - The South Korean government has pledged $2 million (approximately 3 billion won) in emergency humanitarian assistance to Myanmar following a powerful earthquake that struck the country on Friday. South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Saturday that it hopes the aid "will help efforts to save lives in the affected areas." The ministry added that it "will closely monitor the damage situation and consider additional support if

March 29, 2025

South Korean airlines expand flights to China and Japan for summer season

SEOUL, March 29 (AJP) - South Korean carriers are collectively increasing their flight operations to China and Japan during the 2025 summer schedule period from March 30 to Oct. 25. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and industry sources, airlines will operate 128 routes to these countries, up from 115 last year, as they seek to capitalize on high demand for destinations with relatively lower costs amid high inflation and exchange rates. Korean Air is ex

March 29, 2025

Death toll from South Korean wildfires rises to 70 as flames reignite

SEOUL, March 29 (AJP) - The death toll from South Korea's devastating wildfires has climbed to 70 people, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on Saturday. The fires have caused 25 deaths, 5 serious injuries, and 24 minor injuries across five cities and counties in North Gyeongsang Province, including Uiseong, Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang, and Yeongdeok. In South Gyeongsang Province, wildfires in Sancheong and Hadong resulted in 4 deaths, 5

March 29, 2025

K-pop audition show featuring kids scrapped amid controversy

SEOUL, March 28 (AJP) - Cable channel MBN on Friday eventually decided to cancel its upcoming audition show featuring young K-pop wannabes amid mounting controversy. "Under Fifteen," which was supposed to air next Monday, features some 59 contestants under the age of 15 from over 70 countries, competing for a chance to become K-pop's next big stars. But it has come under fire over concerns about the appropriateness of young kids appearing on the show, shortly after

March 28, 2025

Acting President attends ceremony remembering fallen sailors

SEOUL, March 28 (AJP) - Acting President Han Duck-soo on Friday condemned North Korea for persistently resorting to the development of nuclear weapons programs and continuous provocations against South Korea, vowing to immediately and resolutely respond to them. He made the remarks at an event in Daejeon to commemorate the deaths of around 55 South Korean sailors who lost their lives during naval skirmishes with North Korea and other incidents in the West Sea. "The repressiv

March 28, 2025

South Korea, lagging in AI, could become dependent on foreign tech, Chey warns

SEOUL, March 28 (AJP) - Chey Tae-won, chairman of both the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the conglomerate SK Group, cautioned on Friday that South Korea risks becoming an "AI-dependent nation" if it fails to develop its own large language models (LLMs). Speaking at a press conference marking the fourth anniversary of his tenure as chairman of the chamber, Chey assessed South Korea’s current AI capabilities as lagging behind global leaders. “We

March 28, 2025

Embattled Korean food mogul apologizes to shareholders over controversies

SEOUL, March 28 (AJP) - Celebrity chef and CEO of Theborn Korea, Baek Jong-won, apologized to shareholders Friday for recent controversies surrounding his restaurant franchise. Speaking at the company's first meeting with shareholders since being listed on South Korea's main stock exchange in November, Baek said he was reflecting on his failure to manage the business more thoroughly. The apology comes as Theborn Korea has faced a string of problems in recent months. The

March 28, 2025

US offers condolences to South Korea over wildfires, pledges support

SEOUL, March 28 (AJP) - The U.S. extended its condolences to South Korea on Friday for the loss of life caused by weeklong massive wildfires here, pledging to offer any necessary support. "The United States offers our sincere condolences to the people of for the tragic loss of life and the extensive damage caused by ongoing wildfires in the southeastern region," said Tammy Bruce, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department in a statement. "The deadly

March 28, 2025

Hyundai expands US production capacity to 1.2 million vehicles

SEOUL, March 28 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Group has formally inaugurated its newest manufacturing facility in the United States , establishing an annual production capacity of 1 million vehicles across its American operations. The new plant, Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA), is located in Ellabell, Georgia, and is the centerpiece of the South Korean automaker’s ambitious strategy to expand its footprint in the U.S. electric vehicle market. The $8 billion facility

March 28, 2025

Firefighters battle worst-ever wildfires as death toll rises to 28

SEOUL, March 28 (AJP) - With massive wildfires ravaging the southeastern part of the country for a week, the death toll continues to rise, leaving at least 28 people dead and dozens more injured as of Friday. Nearly 40,000 residents have been forced to evacuate as around 48,000 hectares of land and forests have been burned, making it the worst wildfire ever. The fires also decimated around 3,500 houses and other buildings, turning them into ashes, while affecting villages and tow

March 28, 2025