North Korea deploys 12,000 troops to support Russia's war in Ukraine, spy agency says

SEOUL, October 18 (AJP) - North Korea has been deploying a large number of troops to assist Russia's war in Ukraine, the National Intelligence Service said Friday. The spy agency said, "North Korea has recently decided to send a total of 12,000 troops, including special forces, in four brigades to the Ukraine war." The deployment marks the first time the renegade country has sent ground forces on such a large scale. President Yoon Suk Yeol immediately called up t

October 18, 2024

Online lender K-Bank delays IPO, citing weak demand

SEOUL, October 18 (AJP) - K-Bank, a Korean internet-only bank, on Friday postponed its initial public offering (IPO) to next year due to insufficient demand from institutional investors. The bank announced that it had submitted a withdrawal notice to the Financial Services Commission regarding its KOSPI listing, originally scheduled for late this month. The bank cited insufficient demand during the recent institutional investor book-building process. "With a total of 82 m

October 18, 2024

Korea to require e-commerce businesses to pay sellers within 20 days

SEOUL, October 18 (AJP) - The Korean government plans to require e-commerce businesses to pay sales proceeds to sellers within 20 days after a consumer confirms a purchase, the Korea Fair Trade Commission announced Friday. The FTC also plans to require them to deposit at least half of the sales proceeds in financial institutions to ensure that sellers can recover some of their money if a platform goes bankrupt. The FTC announced these law revisions as part of efforts to prevent e

October 18, 2024

Pilot program for hiring Filipino domestic helpers hits snag

SEOUL, October 18 (AJP) - It has been more than a month since around 100 workers from the Philippines who arrived in Seoul in August started working as domestic helpers in South Korean homes after completing a monthlong training here. They were hired as maids or nannies under part of a pilot program initiated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government which aims at relieving difficulties faced by young couples who struggle to balance childcare and household chores. However, their hirin

October 18, 2024

Festival showcasing latest design trends kicks off in Seoul

SEOUL, October 18 (AJP) - A festival featuring the latest design trends kicked off at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in central Seoul on Thursday. With a special focus on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the design industry, the festival, hosted by the Seoul Design Foundation, is expected to attract a horde of artists, designers, and industry workers as it showcases a diverse array of exhibitions and other programs. Visitors can explore innovative artworks and crafts

October 18, 2024

BLACKPINK's Rosé releases collaborative song with Bruno Mars

SEOUL, October 18 (AJP) - Rosé, a member of K-pop girl band BLACKPINK, released a new single called "APT." in collaboration with American pop star Bruno Mars on Friday. The catchy, upbeat song with a guitar riff will be included in the New Zealand-born star's upcoming album "Rosie," slated for release on Dec. 16. Rosé's 2021 solo song "On The Ground" ranked 70 on the Billboard's main singles chart at the time of its release.

October 18, 2024

Ex-president's daughter appears for questioning in DUI fender-bender

SEOUL, October 18 (AJP) - Former President Moon Jae-in's daughter Da-hye appeared for a questioning at a police station in Yongsan, Seoul on Friday. She was caught driving under the influence after hitting a taxi while attempting to change lanes in Itaewon, Seoul in the wee hours of Oct. 5. The 31-year-old's blood alcohol concentration was 0.149 percent, exceeding the legal limit of 0.08 percent for license revocation. The taxi driver, who reportedly settled with her, sus

October 18, 2024

North Korea calls South Korea 'hostile foreign country'

SEOUL, October 18 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has warned that he won't hesitate to use physical force if the North's sovereignty is infringed, calling the South "a foreign and clearly hostile country," state media reported on Friday. Kim's hostile remark during his inspection of a military unit came just two days after the North blew up part of inter-Korean roads and railways across the border earlier this week. The detonation means "not onl

October 18, 2024

OPINION: 'The Apprentice' released so close to polls, this Trump biopic is inevitably political

SEOUL, October 18 (AJP) - "The Apprentice" – a new film dramatizing Donald Trump's business career during the 1970s and 80s – is the latest in a presidential election full of controversy. The movie charts Trump's (Sebastian Stan) professional rise from an awkward nobody to hotshot real-estate tycoon. Trump's Pygmalion-like transformation is credited to his friendship with Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong). Cohn was an infamous prosecutor who worked with Sena

October 18, 2024

Prosecutors drop charges against first lady in stock manipulation case

SEOUL, October 17 (AJP) - After a four-year investigation, prosecutors decided Thursday not to indict first lady Kim Keon Hee over allegations of involvement in a stock manipulation scheme involving Deutsch Motors, a BMW dealer in South Korea. The allegations first surfaced in February 2020 when news outlet Newstapa, citing a leaked police report, raised suspicions that Kwon Oh-soo, former chairman of Deutsch Motors, conspired with a stock trader identified as Lee to manipulate the

October 17, 2024