Korea sees 80% of summer crude secured as Mideast war strains supply SEOUL, June 02 (AJP) - South Korea expects to secure most of the crude oil it needs for August by next month, the energy minister said, seeking to quell fears of a supply crunch as the Middle East war drags into its fourth month. Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan told a cabinet meeting chaired by President Lee Jae Myung that projected August crude volumes were climbing steadily and would reach the mid-80 percent range of normal levels during July, the 95th day of the conflict. Fr June 2, 2026

Thousands enjoy Seoul in early summer vibe through palace walking event SEOUL, June 01 (AJP) - Foreign residents, international students and tourists explored Seoul's historic palaces and cultural landmarks during the 2026 Seoul Foreign Palace Walking Event held in central Seoul on Sunday. Hosted by Aju Economic Daily, the event brought together participants from various countries, including China, Japan, the United States, France, India, Vietnam and Mexico, as well as Korean citizens. Participants followed a roughly June 2, 2026

New boy band to hold debut showcase in Tokyo later this month SEOUL, June 2 (AJP) - A new boy band will make a debut, Starship Entertainment said on Tuesday. In partnership with Japanese entertainment agency Amuse, the seven-member rookie band, dubbed AEN, will consist of four Korean and three Japanese members: Bomin, Haru, Haruto, Jiyong, Junseo, Kaira, and Kyuhyun. Their name stands for "a new era of now" and also carries the meaning of "eternity" in Japanese. Six members excluding Haruto, previously appeared on Sta June 2, 2026

Samsung Heavy wins $2.8 billion FLNG order in North America SEOUL, June 02 (AJP) - Samsung Heavy Industries announced it has won an order to build one floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) production unit for a North American client, in a deal worth 4.33 trillion won ($2.85 billion). The South Korean shipbuilder said Tuesday through regulatory filings that construction will begin once the client issues a notice to proceed, with delivery scheduled for July 2030. It did not name the buyer. FLNG units are vast offshore vessels that extract, June 2, 2026

K-pop boy band SEVENTEEN Land at No. 7 on Billboard's Midyear Top Tours chart SEOUL, June 2 (AJP) - K-pop boy band SEVENTEEN ranked seventh on Billboard's midyear Top Tours chart, according to the biannual rankings compiled by the American music magazine. In the chart tracking the highest-grossing concert tours worldwide over the six-month period, the 23-member band generated about US$88 million from 25 shows during the tracking period from Oct. 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026. According to the group's agency Pledis Entertainment, their ranking was the h June 2, 2026

Former BIGBANG member T.O.P announces free Yokohama fan meeting SEOUL, June 02 (AJP) - K-pop boy band BIGBANG's former member T.O.P will hold a free solo fan meeting for 10,000 attendees in Yokohama, Japan, next month, the rapper's agency said Tuesday. The event accelerates the 38-year-old's independent activities following the release of his first solo studio album earlier this year. Topspott Pictures announced that the event will take place on July 9 at the Pia Arena MM. The agency stated that the large-scale gathering will be of June 2, 2026

Monthlong outdoor exhibition to feature Seoul's city design project SEOUL, June 2 (AJP) - An exhibition along the walking path of Dongdaemun Design Plaza will kick off later this week, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said on Tuesday. The exhibition under the banner of "Design Seoul Walk," is scheduled to run from Friday to June 25 along a 150-meter sloped section of the DDP walking path, allowing visitors to explore Seoul's public design projects as they move through the space. The exhibition moves design out of the gallery and in June 2, 2026

Home-sharing platform launches program for BTS fans SEOUL, June 2 (AJP) - Home-sharing platform Wehome will launch a homestay project in Busan during K-pop boy band BTS' upcoming concerts in the southern port city as part of their world tour, it said on Tuesday. Wehome is a home-sharing platform for local and foreign travelers in South Korea. In cooperation with with the Busan Metropolitan Government and the Busan Citizens' Organizations Council, it will conduct a project to connect visiting BTS fans with local residents w June 2, 2026

UPDATE: Korea-Africa Business Forum highlights growing strategic partnership SEOUL, June 02 (AJP) -South Korea hosted a large-scale business forum with African countries on the sidelines of a summit conference at a time global commodity market is being reshaped from the prolonged conflicts in the Gulf. The 2026 Korea-Africa Business Forum was held Tuesday at Lotte Hotel Seoul in central Seoul, bringing together about 300 government officials, diplomats and business leaders from South Korea and African countries. The forum was hosted by the Ministry of For June 2, 2026

Grocery delivery app Kurly to acquire AI startup SEOUL, June 2 (AJP) - Grocery delivery app Kurly will acquire Seoul-based artificial intelligence (AI) startup 1Z Labs in a bid to improve efficiency across its business operations, according to industrial sources on Tuesday. Kurly plans to issue around 453,518 new shares by early August in a stock-swap deal that will make the startup its wholly owned subsidiary. The two companies have already been jointly developing AI-related technologies, with plans to expand the use of AI a June 2, 2026