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  Asian shares rise on AI tailwind; Chinese markets mostly flat SEOUL, November 26 (AJP) - Asian shares closed broadly higher Wednesday, lifted by renewed optimism over artificial intelligence following the debut of Google’s “Gemini 3.0” model. While sector performance varied across the region, sentiment improved as investors increasingly dismissed the notion of an AI bubble. The benchmark KOSPI climbed 2.67 percent to 3,960.87. Easing anxiety over the AI sector and direct market intervention by foreign exchange authorities s November 26, 2025
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  Koreans spend more time on ChatGPT than on Naver, making Korea OpenAI's No. 2 market SEOUL, November 26 (AJP) - South Koreans have emerged as the world's most avid ChatGPT users, spending more time on the AI platform than on the country's dominant portal Naver, and pushing Korea to become OpenAI's second-most profitable market despite its small population, data showed. According to app analytics firm Sensor Tower, Korea ranked No. 2 after the United States in ChatGPT revenue contribution. Global downloads of the ChatGPT app have surpassed 1.4 billio November 26, 2025
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  Investigation underway after Eastar Jet's passenger flight lands with cargo door open SEOUL, November 26 (AJP) - An Eastar Jet passenger plane landed at Jeju International Airport with its cargo door partially open earlier this week, the budget carrier revealed on Wednesday, days after the incident. The incident occurred last Monday when a flight carrying 177 passengers from Gimpo touched down with the door ajar, prompting an investigation by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. With no injuries reported, the aircraft's pressurization system r November 26, 2025
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  Koreans donated gold during IMF crisis — but their love for "foreign" won't rescue the won this time SEOUL, November 26 (AJP) - Korean authorities are pleading for all-around help — from the "big-brother" National Pension Service (NPS) to brokerages and exporters — to mobilize every possible tool to defend the Korean won drifting toward the untouched 1,500-won ($1.02) watershed. But they cannot expect sympathy, much less sacrifice, from ordinary Koreans, whose enduring appetite for overseas spending — on goods, travel, and securities — remains un November 26, 2025
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  Korean marriage cases spike in Sept in upside for birth growth streak SEOUL, November 26 (AJP) - The number of marriages in Korea reached the largest tally in a decade in September. The sharp rise in marriages — widely considered a leading indicator of births — has raised expectations that the recent rebound in childbirth numbers could continue in the coming months. According to Statistics Korea's population trends for September released on Wednesday, 18,462 couples married last month, an increase of 3,005 cases from a year earlier. November 26, 2025
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  Online sexual violence on the rise among teenagers, report finds SEOUL, November 26 (AJP) - Nearly 30 percent of teenagers have experienced sexual violence over the past three years, according to a report released by the Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center (KSVRC) on Wednesday. Based on an analysis of reported cases from 2022 to 2024, the report found that there were 14,146 cases in 2022, 15,542 in 2023, and 14,874 in 2024. Among them, cases involving those under 19 increased from 27.6 percent in 2022 to 28.6 percent in 2024. The report also r November 26, 2025
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  South Korean shipowners warn against foreign sale of Hyundai LNG Shipping SEOUL, November 26 (AJP) - South Korea’s shipping industry has raised alarms over the potential sale of Hyundai LNG Shipping, the country’s largest liquefied gas carrier operator, to a foreign buyer, warning the deal could undermine national energy security. The Korea Shipowners’ Association said Wednesday that IMM Private Equity and IMM Investment are in talks to sell the company to Indonesia’s Sinar Mas Group. Hyundai LNG Shipping operates 12 liquefied November 26, 2025
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  Netmarble reports data breach after hack on PC gaming site SEOUL, November 26 (AJP) - Netmarble announced on Wednesday that its PC gaming website was hacked last week, potentially exposing personal information belonging to customers and employees. The company said it detected the intrusion on Nov. 22 and “immediately took response measures,” including blocking unauthorized access and notifying authorities. An internal investigation is under way to determine the scale of the breach. According to Netmarble, the compromised November 26, 2025
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  Prosecutors seek 15-year sentence for former PM in martial law case SEOUL, November 26 (AJP) - Independent prosecutors on Wednesday sought a 15-year prison sentence for former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo over his involvement in disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law debacle late last year. During the final hearing of Han's trial at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul, the request was made, making him the first among dozens of defendants facing charges related to Yoon's Dec. 3 declaration of martial law. November 26, 2025
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  KT signs MOU with DigitalBridge to tap rising demand for AI infrastructure SEOUL, November 26 (AJP) - KT said on Wednesday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with DigitalBridge, a U.S.-based digital infrastructure investment firm, to collaborate on the development and operation of AI data centers in South Korea. The agreement was signed on Nov. 25 at KT’s headquarters in Seoul. DigitalBridge, which manages about $108 billion in assets, specializes in data centers, fiber networks and cloud infrastructure. KT said the partnership aim November 26, 2025