PHOTOS: Paris kicks off Olympics with outdoor spectacle despite glitches

SEOUL, July 27 (AJU PRESS) - This year's Summer Olympics kicked off in Paris, France on Friday with a historic, rain-drenched opening ceremony. Held outside a stadium for the first time in Olympic history, the four-hour spectacle showcased the fashion capital's creativity and innovation. But the ceremony was not without flaws, including the Olympic flag being hoisted upside down and the Korean delegation being mistakenly introduced as North Korea. More than 10,000 athletes from 206

July 27, 2024

Opinion: Paris opening ceremony was tribute to witnessing superhuman feats of the extraordinary

SEOUL, July 27 (AJU PRESS) - There has never been an opening ceremony quite like it. For the first time in Olympic Games history, the ceremony took place outside a stadium arena. Despite a rainy and miserable Paris evening, enormous crowds – most who paid no fee to attend – lined the banks of the Seine to witness this outdoor promenade of history, art and sport as 100 boats carrying 10,500 athletes sailed down the river. Designed to showcase the depth of French culture a

July 27, 2024

Korea pins hopes on key disciplines as Paris Olympics open with riverfront ceremony amid rail chaos

SEOUL, July 27 (AJU PRESS) - Korea aims to win at least five gold medals in archery, fencing, judo and swimming and finish in the top 15 overall, as the Summer Olympics open in Paris, France for the first time in a century, with a spectacular, one-of-a-kind open-air opening ceremony along the Seine on Friday. Breaking away from tradition under the slogan "Games Wide Open" aiming to be accessible to everyone outside of a stadium, Friday's rain-soaked opening ceremony in

July 27, 2024

PHOTOS: Retro street in central Seoul faces uncertain future

SEOUL, July 26 (AJU PRESS) - A quaint retro street nestled between Kangbuk Samsung Hospital and the Jongno-gu Office Annex in central Seoul faces an uncertain future. Called Donuimun Museum Village, the area opened in 2017 as part of an urban regeneration project undertaken by former liberal Mayor Park Won-soon. The street's nostalgic ambiance stands in stark contrast to its modern surroundings in the city center. The village was originally intended to preserve and showcase Seoul's

July 26, 2024

PHOTOS: Seoul Summer Beach transforms Gwanghwamun into urban water park

SEOUL, July 26 (AJU PRESS) - The 2024 Seoul Summer Beach, a temporary water park, opens at Gwanghwamun Square Friday, providing a cooling retreat for residents and tourists during the peak of summer. Running through August 11, this year's event has doubled in size following last year's success, which drew 680,000 visitors. The expanded attractions include a 7.5-meter water slide and a 70-meter-long pool with a depth of 1 meter. Organizers have divided the space into two main areas:

July 26, 2024

PHOTOS: Incheon Airport gears up for summer travel boom

SEOUL, July 26 (AJU PRESS) - Incheon International Airport is bracing for a surge in summer travel, implementing a special peak season traffic plan from July 25 to August 11. Airport officials expect about 3.85 million passengers during this period, with a daily average of 213,782 travelers. This represents a 19.4 percent increase compared to the same timeframe last year. To manage the influx, the airport is promoting streamlined immigration services such as SmartPass, a facial recognition

July 26, 2024

From lovebugs to nutrias: Korea grapples with growing threat of alien species

SEOUL, July 26 (AJU PRESS) – On a sweltering summer afternoon, residents of Seoul’s Eupyeong district sought refuge in the shade of a tree. Unbeknownst to them, their respite was shared by an unwanted nuisance: tiny, buzzing critters called lovebugs. The 12-legged insects fly around in pairs while mating. Known to prefer white over black, they latch onto brightly colored clothing. Attracted to exhaust fumes, they often dive into vehicles, causing car corrosion. &ldquo

July 26, 2024

Dark web drug ring with 4,000 buyers busted

SEOUL, July 26 (AJU PRESS) - Prosecutors have indicted drug dealers and distributors after uncovering a dark web store with about 4,000 buyers, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (SPO) said Friday. The dark web is a clandestine part of the internet, consisting of websites inaccessible through common browsers or search engines. Due to its anonymity, it is often used for the illegal trade of goods and services including firearms, drugs, stolen items, and even human t

July 26, 2024

Defense chiefs of S. Korea, US, Japan to meet in Tokyo next week

SEOUL, July 26 (AJU PRESS) - The defense chiefs of South Korea, U.S. and Japan will gather for talks in Tokyo next week to bolster trilateral cooperation and tighten security on the Korean Peninsula. They last met on the sidelines of the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore last month where they agreed to rotate hosting their talks. In the trilateral meeting, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik will sit for talks with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Japan's

July 26, 2024

Actor Yu Ah-in booked on allegations of sexually assaulting man in his 30s

SEOUL, July 26 (AJU PRESS) - Police have booked disgraced actor Yu Ah-in on allegations that he sexually molested a man at a studio apartment in central Seoul earlier this month, it was revealed on Friday. Under Korea's criminal law, sexual violence against individuals of the same sex is classified as "quasi-rape." According to police in Yongsan, the alleged man claims he was sexually assaulted while sleeping at the studio. He said he became aware of what had happen

July 26, 2024