North Korea deploys additional troops to Russia, US defense official confirms

SEOUL, March 6 (AJP) - North Korea has deployed additional troops to Russia to assist its war in Ukraine, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported on Thursday, citing an anonymous U.S. defense official. According to the U.S. government-funded nonprofit news outlet, the newly deployed North Korean forces look to be a "replenishment of battlefield losses" to replace those killed or wounded, with an assessment of the exact number in the latest deployment underway. Last month, South

March 6, 2025

Battle of weight-loss drugs heats up in South Korea

SEOUL, March 06 (AJP) - A high-stakes competition in the weight-loss drug market is set to unfold in South Korea this year as Eli Lilly prepares to launch its GLP-1 medication, Mounjaro, a treatment that has demonstrated stronger weight-reduction effects than Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, which debuted in the country late last year. According to medical sources, Eli Lilly is poised to introduce Mounjaro in its “single-dose vial” form as early as the first half of this y

March 6, 2025

Tax office investigates political YouTubers for potential tax evasion

SEOUL, March 6 (AJP) - South Korea’s National Tax Service (NTS) has begun scrutinizing political YouTubers over potential tax evasion, following concerns raised in the National Assembly regarding their fundraising practices. “If specific evidence of tax evasion is detected through financial intelligence data and foreign exchange transaction records, we plan to respond with rigorous tax audits,” an NTS official said. Despite ongoing monitoring, the agency has yet

March 6, 2025

South Korea to set up 50 trillion won fund to support high-tech industries

SEOUL, March 6 (AJP) - The South Korean government plans to inject 50 trillion won ($34.6 billion) over the next five years into key high-tech industries, including semiconductors, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence, through a newly established strategic fund. The initiative, led by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, will be managed within the state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB). The fund will be financed through government-guaranteed bonds, marking a significant push t

March 6, 2025

Stars from tvN's hit crime drama to reunite for second season next year

SEOUL, March 6 (AJP) - Crime drama "Signal" will return for a second season nearly a decade after its first airing, cable channel tvN said on Wednesday. The 2016 hit series received critical acclaim for its compelling stories at the time of its release, with many viewers having been eagerly waiting for its return. Actress Kim Hye-soo, who captivated viewers with her portrayal of a cold case squad detective, reunites with actors like Cho Jin-woong and Lee Je-hoon, as the

March 6, 2025

PHOTOS: Korean music legend Lee Mi-ja to retire with farewell concerts in April

SEOUL, March 06 (AJP) - Lee Mi-ja, the revered "Queen of Elegy" in Korean popular music, has announced her retirement after a 66-year career, culminating in farewell concerts next month. The singer, known for her emotive ballads, will perform at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul on April 26 and 27. The concerts will feature Lee alongside younger vocalists, a gesture intended to highlight the continuity of the Korean trot. Lee, who has been a fixture in th

March 6, 2025

HD Hyundai rides shipbuilding super cycle with strategic moves

Editor's Note: This article is the ninth installment in our series on Asia's top 100 companies, exploring the strategies, challenges, and innovations driving the region's most influential corporations. SEOUL, March 06 (AJP) - HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, a dominant force in global shipbuilding, recently secured a $314 million contract with Malaysia’s MISC for two Very Large Ethane Carriers (VLECs), reinforcing its leadership in high-value vessel construction.

March 6, 2025

UK strengthens cooperation with Seoul through cybersecurity drill

SEOUL, March 5 (AJP) - A week-long computer-simulated defense drill on the outskirts of Seoul wrapped up last week, the British Embassy in Seoul said on Tuesday. Dubbed "Defense Cyber Marvel 4 (DCM4)" and hosted by the U.K. Ministry of Defense, this year’s drill, involving more than 1,000 participants from around 26 countries via Zoom at 20 different locations across the world, was held in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul, with over 400 representatives from South Kore

March 5, 2025

Trump vows to abolish CHIPS Act, criticizes South Korea on tariffs

SEOUL, March 5 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump pledged to dismantle the CHIPS Act during his first address to Congress since beginning his second term, while alleging that South Korea imposes tariffs on American goods at rates "four times higher" than those levied by the U.S. "The CHIPS Act is a horrible, horrible thing," Trump said. "We give hundreds of billions of dollars, and it doesn't mean a thing. They take our money, and they don't spend i

March 5, 2025

Oasis applies to become Tmon's conditional preferred bidder

SEOUL, March 05 (AJP) - Fresh food delivery company Oasis has emerged as the leading bidder to acquire the e-commerce platform Tmon, which is currently undergoing debt rehabilitation. According to industry sources on Wednesday, Tmon filed an application with a Seoul court on Tuesday, requesting that Oasis be designated as its conditional preferred bidder in the ongoing acquisition process. Tmon and WeMakePrice — collectively known as "Timef" — have been en

March 5, 2025