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  ASEAN students receive scholarships from Chung Mong-Koo Foundation SEOUL, September 29 (AJP) - The Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-Koo Foundation of South Korea has awarded scholarships to 13 students from across Southeast Asia, the latest recipients in a program that has supported hundreds of young scholars since its creation in 2012. At a ceremony held Sept. 27 in central Seoul, the foundation announced that the new recipients — from Myanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines — will begin graduate and undergraduate studies September 29, 2025
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  K-Tattoo: next in Korea's art pipeline after lifting of 33-year ban SEOUL, September 29 (AJP) - A white butterfly flutters off a branch laden with plum, violet, and pink-white blossoms. It looks like a page from a traditional Korean painting, bold yet meticulous brushwork symbolizing resilience and renewal — except here, the canvas is not silk or paper, but skin. To 27-year-old tattooist Seolhee, skin is a "walking gallery." She left a career designing hanbok — traditional Korean dresses — to pursue tattooing, co September 29, 2025
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  Naver's e-commerce gains boost from strategic alliance SEOUL, September 29 (AJP) - Naver, a distant second in Korea's e-commerce market, has received a boost through strategic alliances it has struck with premium-grocery platform Kurly and Uber delivery service to stay in the competition versus dominant local player Coupang and fast-rising Chinese entrants. According to Mobile Index, Naver's shopping app, Naver Plus Store, saw its monthly active users (MAU) rise to 3.86 million last month, snapping a two-month decline, ti September 29, 2025
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  South Koreans head abroad for Chuseok while foreign tourists pour in SEOUL, September 29 (AJP) - As Chuseok, one of the country's largest holidays of the year, is set to begin later this week, many South Koreans are traveling abroad en masse, opting trips over the traditional ritual of visiting their ancestral graves, while rising numbers of foreign tourists here are raising expectations for a boost to the domestic travel industry. According to global online travel platform Trip.com, the number of South Koreans traveling overseas during the wee September 29, 2025
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  Samsung Heavy signs partnership with Indian shipyard Namgoong Geum-seong of Samsung Heavy Industries, right, and Vipin Kumar Saxena of India's Swan Shipyard pose after signing an MOU on Sept. 29. Courtesy of Samsung Heavy Industries SEOUL, September 29 (AJP) - South Korea's Samsung Heavy Industries said Monday it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Swan Defence and Heavy Industries, an Indian shipyard, in a move to expand its global footprint in shipbuilding and marine projects. The agreement positions Samsung Heavy September 29, 2025
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  Gov't services remain crippled as recovery drags on SEOUL, September 29 (AJP) - A nationwide network outage caused by a fire at a state-run data center has entered its fourth day, with recovery efforts still below 5 percent. As of Monday, key services, including Government24, remain offline, and full recovery is expected to take at least two weeks. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, only 30 of nearly 650 affected systems have been restored, with a recovery rate of just 4.6 percent, following the fire at the Natio September 29, 2025
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  OpenAI appoints former Google Korea head as first South Korea chief SEOUL, September 29 (AJP) - OpenAI has named Kim Kyung-hoon, a former head of Google Korea, as its first chief executive in South Korea, the company announced Monday. Kim, who has more than two decades of experience in global technology and consulting, will lead OpenAI’s strategic partnerships and oversee the expansion of its artificial intelligence ecosystem in the country. The appointment comes amid surging demand for the company’s products in South Korea. Wee September 29, 2025
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  OPINION: South Korea's illusion of peace At the recent United Nations General Assembly, President Lee Jae Myung unveiled his "END Initiative," a plan aimed at ending the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula through exchange, normalization, and denuclearization. While presented as a flexible, multi-pronged approach, the initiative raises a critical, uncomfortable question: Does South Korea still suffer from the fatal illusion that North Korea can be coaxed away from its nuclear arsenal? The reality is that Lee&rs September 29, 2025
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  INTERVIEW: Stronger South Korea-Japan cooperation needed to navigate U.S.-China rivalry and foster future industries SEOUL, September 29 (AJP) - "Japan is a 'nation of accumulation,' known for its craftsmanship built over time. In contrast, South Korea is a 'nation of flow,' quickly adapting and integrating changes. By combining these strengths, South Korea and Japan can create a new balance against the U.S. and China," said Professor Guk Joong-ho of Yokohama City University. In an interview with Aju Business Daily earlier this month, Guk highlighted the need for South September 29, 2025
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  Most postal services resume after fire at gov't data center SEOUL, September 29 (AJP) - The Korea Post has resumed part of its financial services after a two-day disruption caused by a fire at a state-run data center in Daejeon. However, mail delivery and some administrative systems are still being restored, and full recovery is expected to take more time. The Ministry of Science and ICT said that all financial services including check card payments, internet banking, and ATM transactions, were back to normal as of Sunday night, while m September 29, 2025