Historic map featuring Dokdo islets to be auctioned next week SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) - Daedongyeojido, a map of the Korean Peninsula, that includes South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo as part of its territory, is slated to go on auction in Seoul next week. According to Seoul Auction in southern Seoul, the hand-colored copy of the map created by famed geographer Kim Jeong-ho will be put up for auction next Thursday, along with about 145 works spanning modern and traditional Korean art, with a combined estimated value of about 10.3 bill May 22, 2026

Govt boycott widens vs Starbucks Korea over "Tank Day" backlash SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) - More Korean ministries and public agencies are moving to distance themselves from Starbucks Korea after the top coffee franchise under Shinsegae Group came under fire for its “Tank Day” promotion over its association with the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising. South Korea’s Defense Ministry has temporarily suspended welfare partnership projects with Starbucks Korea as criticism intensifies over what many viewed as historically insensitive mar May 22, 2026

Consumer group urges Starbucks to fully refund prepaid balances SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) - The Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations urged Starbucks Korea to refund prepaid card balances in full and without conditions to customers who no longer wish to use the chain, as a consumer boycott over a controversial marketing campaign deepens. The civic group on Friday also called on regulators and lawmakers to overhaul what it described as an unreasonable refund regime for prepaid stored-value cards. Under Starbucks' current terms, custom May 22, 2026

Asia AI boom lifts Nikkei to record high while KOSDAQ roars on retail frenzy SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) - Japan's main index touched new heights Friday as it led broad Asian gains refueled by AI hype, while Seoul's secondary bourse received a boost from a state-backed fund. The Nikkei 225 rose 2.68 percent to a record close of 63,339.07 amid reinforced momentum in AI- and semiconductor-related stocks following Nvidia's strong earnings. SoftBank Group surged more than 12 percent intraday after a near 20-percent jump in the previous session — the May 22, 2026

Two key candidates in tight race for Seoul mayor ahead of local elections, poll suggests SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) - With just weeks to go before the June 3 local elections, Jung Won-oh of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and Oh Se-hoon of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), a former incumbent, appear to be in a neck-and-neck race for Seoul mayor, one of the biggest showdowns. In a poll of over 1,000 Seoul residents conducted by pollster Ace Research earlier this week, Jung had 41.7 percent support, compared with 41.6 percent for Oh. They were followed by dista May 22, 2026

Blue zones and EVs: PUBG takes over Seongsu SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) -Seoul’s hip Seongsu district has turned into a real-world battleground — minus the gunfire, but with plenty of blue zones, laser combat and electric vehicles. To mark the eighth anniversary of PUBG Mobile, South Korean game publisher Krafton and Kia launched “Area 8,” an immersive pop-up event stretching across “PUBG Seongsu” and “Kia Unplugged Ground” through May 25. The collaboration transforms parts of Seongsu May 22, 2026

South Korea forecast to see hotter-than-usual summer with extreme heatwave SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) - South Korea is likely to face a hotter-than-usual summer this year, with above-normal sea surface temperatures around the Korean Peninsula expected to fuel prolonged heat and heavy downpours, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said on Friday in its forecast for the upcoming three months. According to the weather agency, there is a 60 percent chance that temperatures in June and July will be higher than the seasonal average. For August, the peak summe May 22, 2026

AJP Market Watch: AI boom runs into debt and FX markets in Korea, Japan SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) -Artificial intelligence is starting to look like a mixed blessing — at least for the currency and debt markets of Northeast Asia. Equity markets in both countries are on fire. The KOSPI is up more than 85 percent this year, the Nikkei 225 more than 22 percent. Both economies have outperformed expectations, with Japan's GDP expanding 2.1 percent on an annualized basis in the first quarter and Korea's 1.7 percent, as tech-heavy manufacturers ride th May 22, 2026

Korean farm income hits record on livestock rebound SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) - South Korean farm households earned an average of 54.67 million won ($36,017) in 2025, a record high driven by a sharp recovery in livestock and crop prices, while fishery households saw their incomes slide on weaker seaweed and abalone markets. According data of last year's farm and fishery household economy released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics on Friday, average annual farm income climbed 8.0 percent from a year earlier to 54.67 million won &md May 22, 2026

Samsung tops US customer satisfaction index for mobile phones SEOUL, May 22 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics secured the top position in a major U.S. consumer satisfaction survey for mobile phones, slightly ahead of rival Apple Inc.. The South Korean tech firm scored 81 out of 100 in the overall mobile phone category of the 2026 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) study, which was released on Tuesday. Apple, which shared the top position last year, slipped one point to 80, while Google and Motorola tied for third with 77 points each. T May 22, 2026