81st UN Day ceremony held in Seoul Attendees pose for a group photo at the 81st United Nations Day ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jongno-gu, Seoul, October 23, 2026. Attendees pose for a group photo at the 81st United Nations Day ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jongno-gu, Seoul, October 23, 2026. From left: Shin Sang-tae, president of the Korea Veterans Association; Lee Jong-chan, president of the Liberation Association; Chung Dae-chul, president of the Parliamentarians’ October 23, 2026

81st UN Day ceremony held in Seoul Attendees watch a video message from Ban Ki-moon, the eighth UN secretary-general, at the 81st United Nations Day ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jongno-gu, Seoul, October 23, 2026. October 23, 2026

81st UN Day ceremony held in Seoul Attendees watch a video message from UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the 81st United Nations Day ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jongno-gu, Seoul, October 23, 2026. October 23, 2026

81st UN Day ceremony held in Seoul Foreign Minister Cho Hyun delivers a commemorative address at the 81st United Nations Day ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jongno-gu, Seoul, October 23, 2026. October 23, 2026

81st UN Day ceremony held in Seoul Lee Joong-keun, president of the United Nations Association of Korea, delivers opening remarks at the 81st United Nations Day ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jongno-gu, Seoul, October 23, 2026. October 23, 2026

81st UN Day ceremony held in Seoul Türkiye’s Ambassador to South Korea Fatih Yildiz delivers congratulatory remarks at the 81st United Nations Day ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jongno-gu, Seoul, October 23, 2026. October 23, 2026

81st UN Day ceremony held in Seoul Foreign Minister Cho Hyun (left) and Lee Joong-keun, president of the United Nations Association of Korea, pose for a photo at the 81st United Nations Day ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jongno-gu, Seoul, October 23, 2026. October 23, 2026

Shinsegae chairman returns to E-Mart helm amid Starbucks fallout SEOUL, October 23 (AJP) - Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin was named co-CEO of E-Mart on Friday as the retail conglomerate unveiled a sweeping management reshuffle aimed at strengthening accountability and internal oversight, five months after a Starbucks Korea marketing controversy sparked nationwide criticism and a consumer boycott. The appointment, part of the group's regular executive reshuffle for 2027, puts Chung on course to return to the management of E-Mart, Sout October 23, 2026

Korean content reaches four in five Netflix members SEOUL, October 23 (AJP) - Nearly four in five Netflix members have watched Korean content, the company said Friday as it marked 10 years in South Korea. More than 200 Korean titles have entered Netflix's global Top 10 rankings since the company began compiling the list in June 2021. "Squid Game" Season 1 remained in the global Top 10 for 32 consecutive weeks, including nine weeks at No. 1, the longest run for a Korean title, according to Netflix. October 23, 2026

Korea's bank loan delinquency rate hits nearly 10-year high SEOUL, October 23 (AJP)— South Korean banks' loan delinquency rate edged up to a fresh high in nearly a decade in August, as corporate delinquencies and persistently high interest rates added to repayment pressures, regulatory data showed Friday. The delinquency rate on won-denominated loans stood at 0.69 percent at the end of August, up from 0.63 percent a month earlier and 0.61 percent a year earlier, according to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS). The reading was October 23, 2026