Tree-planting events begin nationwide ahead of Arbor Day Gyeonggi, March 31 (AJP) - A tree-planting event took place at a park in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday, about a week ahead of Arbor Day. The spring day, which falls on April 5 and marks the 81st anniversary this year, has been observed since 1946 to raise awareness of the importance of trees and forest resources, encouraging tree planting to restore devastated forests and create a more pleasant living environment. Although Arbor Day is no longer observed as a public holid March 31, 2026

Asian stocks slump on war fears, chip rout hits KOSPI SEOUL, March 31 (AJP) - Asian stocks overall traded lower on Tuesday, with South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI extending losses for a fourth straight session amid uncertainty surrounding the Iran crisis and weakness in global semiconductor shares. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.58 percent to 51,063.72, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index edged down 0.16 percent to 24,712.24, China’s Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.80 percent to 3,891.86, and Taiwan’s TAIEX Index fell 2.45 March 31, 2026

Tracing humanity in the age of AI; MMCA's Deep Time SEOUL, March 31 (AJP) - In an age where artificial intelligence processes information at lightning speed, what makes humans uniquely human? At the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, the answer unfolds not through data, but through the patient gaze of a detective — observing, tracking and interpreting over time. The museum on March 31 unveiled its 2026 performing arts program, Deep Time, a yearlong exploration of how humans perceive, question and endure in an e March 31, 2026

Why yacht tour is best way to enjoy Busan's iconic Gwangan Bridge BUSAN, March 31 (AJP) -A yacht tour would be the best way to soak in the beauty of Gwangan Bridge, one of the must-see landmarks in the southern port city of Busan. Several tour programs are available at Haeundae Beach, the city's most famous beach, known for its long sandy shoreline and seaside attractions. Depending on the type of yacht, routes may vary, but some tours take you right under Gwangan Bridge, offering breathtaking views of Busan's co March 31, 2026

Iran's Hormuz toll push risks turning global chokepoint into a priced corridor SEOUL, March 31 (AJP) - Iran is moving to monetize control of the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to impose transit fees on one of the world’s most critical energy arteries — a step that could recast the waterway from a global commons into a contested, pay-to-pass corridor. The proposal, approved by Iran’s parliament, comes as Tehran tightens its grip on the chokepoint, through which roughly 20 percent of global oil supply normally flows. Since the outbreak of confl March 31, 2026

Korea burned $22.5 bln defending won Q4, USD-KRW nears 1,530 SEOUL, March 31 (AJP) -South Korea spent a staggering $22.5 billion in the final quarter of 2025 to stabilize the won, as the currency hovered near crisis-era lows amid intensifying capital outflows and dollar demand, central bank data showed. Net dollar sales for “market stability” surged to $22.47 billion in the fourth quarter, the Bank of Korea said in its disclosure of its intervention balance sheet — a sharp escalation from $1.75 billion in the third quarter, March 31, 2026

Asiana Airlines to cut int'l flights amid soaring oil prices SEOUL, March 31 (AJP) - Asiana Airlines will cut about a dozen flights on four international routes this spring amid rising oil prices caused by the prolonged conflict in the Middle East. The flagship carrier said on Tuesday it canceled seven flights from Incheon to Changchun, China; three flights to Harbin; and two flights each to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Yanji, China for the months of April and May, as jet fuel prices surged sharply. "We will minimize inconvenience for March 31, 2026

Samsung Elec union crying foul over wage talks to press ahead with strikes SEOUL, March 31 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics claims it has put forward a compensation package more attractive than that of rival SK hynix, but its largest labor union is calling it a deception — and is pressing ahead with plans for a general strike in May. “The company lied to us,” Kim Jae-won, head of policy planning at the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU), told AJP on Tuesday. “There is no other way to describe what happened at that table.” March 31, 2026

Submarine deal looms large over Canada's high-profile trade mission to Korea SEOUL, March 31 (AJP) - Canada’s trade delegation to South Korea this week has been heavily layered with the hot-button deal — Canada’s largest-ever defense procurement to replace its aging submarines, worth an estimated $40 billion, now being weighed between Korean and European bidders. The visit by the Team Canada Trade Mission, led by International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu, comes as Ottawa moves to diversify trade and deepen ties with trusted partners, with March 31, 2026

South Korea launches oil swap program for refiners amid Middle East supply disruptions SEOUL, March 31 (AJP) - South Korea is implementing an "oil swap" program that lends government-owned stockpiles to refiners to help them secure alternative oil supplies, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said Tuesday. At a daily briefing at the government complex in the administrative city of Sejong, Yang Gi-uk, a ministry official, said the government is "releasing stockpiles" for refiners. Yang said Middle Eastern crude makes up the largest shar March 31, 2026