PHOTOS: Rightist groups hold rally in support of President Yoon Suk Yeol

SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Rightist groups including the Liberty Unification Party held a rally near Gwanghwamun Station in central Seoul on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, to oppose impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. They alleged Yoon declared martial law on Dec. 3 to save country from Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main-opposition Democratic Party.

December 11, 2024

PHOTOS: AI-generated films starring actress Na Moon-hee will hit theaters

SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - A collection of five short films starring veteran actress Na Moon-hee, generated entirely through artificial intelligence (AI) technology, is set to premiere on Dec. 24. These films are the winning entries of a contest that invited filmmakers to create short stories using Na's likeness and voice.

December 11, 2024

OPINION: The west is already at war with Russia. And large-scale conflict may not be far off

SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Russia is already at war with the west. It has been so since its occupation of Crimea in 2014, when Russia sought to secure its access to Sevastopol as a base for its Black Sea Fleet and as a potential lever of influence over Kyiv's political direction. Even in 2014 – at the annual Valdai security conference – Vladimir Putin was referencing an escalation towards conflict with the west. He later described the west as having "crossed a l

December 11, 2024

Doosan Group halts restructuring plan amid market volatility

SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Doosan Group has halted its ambitious corporate restructuring plan, citing recent market volatility that has sent its stock prices plummeting. The conglomerate had intended to split Doosan Bobcat from Doosan Enerbility and fold it into a subsidiary of Doosan Robotics. The proposed reorganization aimed to streamline the group's portfolio into three main sectors: clean energy (Doosan Enerbility, Doosan Fuel Cell), smart machines (Doosan Robotics, Doosa

December 11, 2024

North Korea breaks silence on South Korea's martial law crisis

SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - North Korea on Wednesday reported South Korea's political turmoil for the first time, after keeping mum for over a week since President Yoon Suk Yeol abruptly declared martial law last week. Calling it a "shocking incident," Pyongyang's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, "The puppet Yoon Suk Yeol, who had already faced a serious crisis of governance and impeachment, declared martial law unexpectedly and unleashed the g

December 11, 2024

East Sea gas exploration project may drift due to lack of budget

SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - South Korea's controversial East Sea gas exploration project, known as the "Blue Whale," is facing a significant setback after the opposition-controlled National Assembly slashed its entire 49.7 billion won (US$34.7 million) budget for next year. The move comes amid heightened political tensions following President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law on Dec. 3. The main opposition Democratic Party, which currently controls the N

December 11, 2024

Korean top firms lag behind global peers in market value, profits

SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - South Korea's top 10 companies by market capitalization have experienced a significant decline in value, losing 12.7 percent to 735.4 trillion won ($564 billion) since 2020. This stands in stark contrast to their counterparts in the United States, Japan, and Taiwan, which have seen gains ranging from 53 to 107 percent during the same period, according to CEO Score research institute. The performance of South Korean companies has been particularly dis

December 11, 2024

Investors turning to gold in South Korea amid political crisis

SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Gold prices in South Korea surged 1.3 percent on Wednesday, reaching 468,488 won (US$327.38) per don (3.75 grams) on the Korea Exchange. The spike was fueled by political turmoil, which has driven investors to seek safe-haven assets. The demand for gold has been evident in the surge of trading accounts. NH Investment & Securities Co. reported a dramatic increase of 1,622 new accounts opened in the first week of December alone, coinciding with the recen

December 11, 2024

Han Kang receives Nobel Prize in Literature in Sweden

SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Novelist Han Kang received the Nobel Prize in Literature in Stockholm, Sweden on Tuesday, becoming the first South Korean and the first Asian woman to be awarded the honor. She was presented with the prize, along with a Nobel medal, by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden during a ceremony at Stockholm's prestigious concert hall Konserthuset. Han is the 121st Nobel Literature laureate and only the 18th woman to win since the prize's inception

December 11, 2024

Former defense chief attempts suicide amid probe into martial law declaration

SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Former South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun attempted suicide at a Seoul detention center just before his arrest in connection with last week's martial law declaration, the nation's corrections chief said Wednesday. Kim was formally arrested early Wednesday over allegations of conspiring with President Yoon Suk Yeol in imposing the emergency decree last Tuesday. He had been in custody at the Seoul Eastern Detention Center since Sunday. Ki

December 11, 2024