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  Man sentenced to 12 years in prison for setting fire to Seoul subway train SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - The Seoul Southern District Court on Tuesday sentenced a 67-year-old man to 12 years in prison for attempting to murder passengers by setting fire to a Seoul subway train earlier this year. Prosecutors had sought a 20-year sentence for the man, identified only by his surname Won, who was charged with attempted murder, arson, and violating railway safety laws. "The defendant poured gasoline and set fire to a train carrying hundreds of passengers ou October 14, 2025
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  South Korea's ThinkFree enters Europe's secure software market through partnership with French firm SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - ThinkFree, a software subsidiary of South Korea’s Hancom Group, said Tuesday that it has signed a supply agreement with Ercom, a cybersecurity subsidiary of France’s Thales Group, marking its entry into Europe’s data protection markets. Ercom specializes in secure communication and data protection technologies. Its flagship platform, Cryptobox, employs end-to-end encryption and is certified by the French National Cybersecurity Agency, October 14, 2025
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  South Korea's chip exports hit all-time high in September SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) -South Korea’s semiconductor exports soared to a record high in September, propelling the country’s overall ICT exports to their strongest level ever. According to the Ministry of Science and ICT, ICT exports rose 14 percent on year to $25.43 billion, while imports climbed 10.4 percent to $13.78 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $11.65 billion. Semiconductors accounted for the bulk of outbound shipments, totaling $16.62 billion, u October 14, 2025
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  North Korea attends Russian forum, fueling prospects of energy cooperation amid closer ties SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - North Korea has sent delegates to a forum in Russia, raising speculation about possible talks to secure energy supplies from Moscow to help ease its chronic power shortages. The state-run Korean Central News Agency reported on Tuesday that a delegation led by Minister of Electric Power Industry Kim Yu-il left Pyongyang to attend the 8th Russian Energy Week International Forum this week. This marks North Korea's second attendance at the forum s October 14, 2025
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  KOSPI and TAIEX higher on chip rally, other markets mixed SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - South Korean shares stayed resilient on Tuesday morning despite renewed U.S.-China tensions led by chip winners, while most other Asian markets traded mixed. The benchmark Kospi held on to a gain of around 1 percent after hitting a new all-time high of 3,637.45, buoyed by Samsung Electronics' record-breaking third-quarter earnings guidance. The Kosdaq added 0.3 percent to 863.33. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 dropped 1.4 percent to 47,431.83 on concerns October 14, 2025
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  South Korean firm unveils first images from UAE-built radar satellite SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - South Korea’s Satrec Initiative on Tuesday released the first images captured by Etihad-SAT, a synthetic aperture radar satellite developed in partnership with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) of the United Arab Emirates. The satellite, which operates on X-band electromagnetic waves, is capable of producing high-resolution images of Earth regardless of weather or lighting conditions — a key advantage of radar-based observation sy October 14, 2025
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  Everland amusement park draws visitors with K-pop-themed fireworks show SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - The soundtrack of Netflix's hit South Korean anime "KPop Demon Hunters" filled the air as “golden” fireworks lit up the sky over amusement park Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. The fireworks show features hit songs from the anime in a nighttime concert-style spectacular that blends music, lighting, and special effects. A massive 24-meter by 11-meter LED screen and immersive sound system bring iconic moments from the film October 14, 2025
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  Soundtrack from Netflix's K-pop anime slips to No. 2 on Billboard 200 albums chart SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - The soundtrack of Netflix's hit South Korean anime "KPop Demon Hunters" slipped one spot from the top on the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart this week. According to the U.S. music chart on Monday, the soundtrack was overtaken by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift's new album, ending its streak at the top for the 10th consecutive week after spending several weeks in the top five. Billboard said Swift topped the ch October 14, 2025
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  KEPCO strengthens ties with Vietnam in nuclear energy push SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - South Korea’s state-run Korea Electric Power Corporation, or KEPCO, is deepening its partnership with Vietnam’s National Power Corporation (PVN) as part of an effort to secure future nuclear power projects in the Southeast Asian nation. KEPCO said Monday that it held a joint workshop with PVN in Hanoi on Sept. 30 to discuss training and workforce development for Vietnam’s planned nuclear energy expansion. The meeting followed a memor October 14, 2025
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  OPINION: Korean rice could find second life — in a glass SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - For generations, rice has been more than just food for Koreans — it has been the foundation of daily life and the symbol of a shared table. But that symbol is fading. In the 1970s, the average Korean ate more than 130 kilograms of rice each year. By 2024, that number had fallen to just 55.8 kilograms. As bread, noodles and ready-to-eat meals became more convenient, rice quietly lost its central place in the national diet. The decline is October 14, 2025