Korea's national pension fund eyes 20% annual gain, assets seen at 1,473 trillion won SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - South Korea’s national pension is expected to post a record annual return of about 20 percent this year, lifting its assets to an estimated 1,473 trillion won, the government said on Monday. The Ministry of Health and Welfare said preliminary December figures show the fund’s annual return is projected at around 20 percent, surpassing last year’s 15 percent gain and marking the highest level since the national pension system was introd December 29, 2025

Hyundai Motor marks 40 years in US as tariffs, EV rivals test growth strategy SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor will mark its 40th anniversary in the United States next year as it confronts a convergence of challenges, including a remaining 15 percent tariff, intensifying competition from Tesla and Chinese electric-vehicle makers, the expiration of subsidies and a rapidly evolving race in software-defined vehicles such as autonomous driving. Attention is focused on whether Hyundai Motor Group can navigate these pressures under the leadership of Cha December 29, 2025

South Korea, US complete all joint drills postponed from last summer SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - The military has carried out all 22 joint field training with the U.S. that were rescheduled after being postponed in August, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said on Monday. Those drills were among about 40 exercises that are part of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise, aimed at maintaining a combined defense posture, including combined tactical airborne training, rescue operations, equipment maintenance, and live-fire drills. According to December 29, 2025

Coupang's $1.2 bn compensation plan suspected as marketing, not atonement SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) -Already in the hot seat for what many see as a dismissive attitude toward consumers and regulators, Coupang has drawn fresh public backlash in South Korea with its $1.2 billion compensation plan widely seen as marketing tactic to retain customers rather than offering genuine redress. The e-commerce giant said Monday it would distribute 1.685 trillion won worth of purchase vouchers to 33.7 million current, former and withdrawn users whose personal informat December 29, 2025

NewJeans full comeback ruled out after Danielle's exit SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - ADOR confirmed Monday that K-pop girl group NewJeans members Minji and Hanni will resume activities under the agency, while Danielle has been notified of the termination of her exclusive contract, to finalize a four-member return for the K-pop sensation. According to the agency, “Hanni recently visited Korea with her family and had extensive talks with ADOR, during which she had time to review the events leading up to the dispute.” Following December 29, 2025

Asian markets diverge as investors navigate ex-dividend effects SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - Major Asian equity markets moved in different directions in the final week of December, as investors digested ex-dividend adjustments alongside shifting policy and sector-specific signals. South Korea’s stock market extended its rally despite the ex-dividend cutoff, while Japan slipped under selling pressure tied to dividend adjustments and inflation concerns. The benchmark KOSPI rose 1.45 percent to 4,190 as of 10 a.m. Monday, posting a second December 29, 2025

President Lee Jae-myung's first commute to Blue House SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung arrived at the Blue House main building for the first time on Dec. 29, holding a morning tea time with aides and marking the beginning of the Blue House era. President Lee's commute to the Blue House comes about seven months after his inauguration and about three years and seven months after the Yoon Suk-yeol administration moved the presidential office to Yongsan in May 2022. At 12 a.m. on this day, the Phoenix Flag, symb December 29, 2025

Lee begins work at Cheong Wa Dae as presidential office moves back SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung worked his first day at Cheong Wa Dae on Monday as the presidential office moved back to the sprawling presidential compound in central Seoul. The relocation comes about 1,330 days after the office moved to Yongsan in May 2022 with the inauguration of his predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached over his Dec. 3 declaration of martial law last year. Lee arrived there at about 9 a.m., greeted by supporters who gathered outsid December 29, 2025

KAIST team develops one-second powder to stop battlefield bleeding SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have developed a powder-based hemostatic agent that can stop heavy bleeding within approximately one second of contact. The technology is designed to improve the survival rates of soldiers in combat environments where excessive blood loss is the leading cause of death. The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced on December 29 that a joint research team led December 29, 2025

Budget minister nominee defines Korea under near-term perfect storm SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) -Lee Hye-hoon, a former three-term opposition lawmaker and economist tapped as the inaugural Minister of Planning and Budget, on Monday described the South Korean economy under a near-term "perfect storm", requiring a fundamental rethink of government spending priorities are set. “We need an approach that finds and eliminates unnecessary spending, while investing boldly in people’s livelihoods and growth,” Lee said a December 29, 2025