DP's Lee maintains lead as presidential race tightens

SEOUL, May 23 (AJP) - With South Korea’s presidential election just two weeks away, Lee Jae-myung, candidate of the Democratic Party (DP), maintains a clear lead over his rivals despite recent setbacks, a new poll showed on Friday. According to a survey of 1,002 voters conducted earlier this week by pollster Gallup Korea, Lee garnered 45 percent support as the preferred presidential candidate. Kim Moon-soo, the candidate for People Power Party (PPP), followed in second pla

May 23, 2025

With creator power, Leferi opens flagship K-beauty pop-up store

SEOUL, May 23 (AJP) - Leferi, a global beauty retail company known for its management of online beauty creators, inaugurated its largest retail space to date on Thursday with the opening of “Select Store – THE BEAUTY UNIVERSE” in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. The store, spanning 300 square meters within the XYZ Seoul complex, marks a strategic expansion for the company. For the first time, Leferi is featuring a trio of top-tier beauty influencers — LeoJ (1.41 million

May 23, 2025

British Embassy in Seoul celebrates King Charles III's birthday

SEOUL, May 23 (AJP) - The British Embassy in Seoul hosted a special reception on Thursday evening to celebrate the birthday of King Charles III, marking Britain’s most significant diplomatic event of the year. The King’s Birthday celebration, organized annually by British embassies and high commissions worldwide, was held with the support of numerous British and South Korean companies and organizations, including Dulwich College. This year’s event was th

May 23, 2025

INTERVIEW: Georgian envoy hails South Korea trade deal as milestone for deeper ties

SEOUL, May 23 (AJP) - Georgian Ambassador to South Korea Tarash Papaskua sees the new Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between Georgia and South Korea as a turning point in bilateral relations. In an interview with Aju Press on May 19, he described the agreement as a "new generation agreement" and praised the speed and spirit of cooperation behind its conclusion. "The negotiations on this agreement were concluded in just seven months, from start to finish,"

May 23, 2025

HD Hyundai Electric to supply high-voltage transformers to Scottish firm

SEOUL, May 23 (AJP) - HD Hyundai Electric, a subsidiary of South Korea’s HD Hyundai specializing in power equipment and energy solutions, announced on Friday that it has secured a contract to supply four ultra-high voltage transformers to SP Energy Networks, a major utility in Scotland. The agreement marks HD Hyundai Electric’s first foray into the Scottish market. Key representatives from both companies attended the signing ceremony, including Cho Seok, vice chairman of

May 23, 2025

Samsung launches sale of Galaxy S25 Edge in South Korea

SEOUL, May 23 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics on Friday launched sale of the Galaxy S25 Edge, the latest addition to its flagship smartphone line and the slimmest Galaxy S series device to date. Measuring just 5.8 millimeters thick and weighing 163 grams, the new model is the culmination of Samsung’s effort to marry minimalist design with robust engineering. It features a high-strength titanium frame and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. The launch rounds out the Ga

May 23, 2025

Chinese TV makers accused of misleading UHD advertising

SEOUL, May 23 (AJP) - A South Korean industry association has lodged a formal complaint with the country’s antitrust regulator, accusing major Chinese television manufacturers of deceptive marketing over the capabilities of their ultra-high-definition (UHD) television sets. The group, UHD Korea, said on Friday that it filed a petition with the Fair Trade Commission against several companies, including Chinese electronics firms TCL and Xiaomi. The complaint alleges that the

May 23, 2025

North Korea admits newly developed destroyer damaged in launch mishap

SEOUL, May 23 (AJP) -North Korea admitted that its newly developed warship was accidentally damaged during a launch ceremony earlier this week. According to the official state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the accident occurred Wednesday when a 5,000-ton destroyer was being launched at a shipyard in Chongjin, a key industrial city in the northeast. The vessel tilted and eventually overturned after a support mechanism at the stern prematurely released as it entered the water

May 23, 2025

Naver chairman meets Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang for AI partnership talks

SEOUL, May 23 (AJP) - Lee Hae-jin, the founder and chairman of Naver, visited Taiwan to meet with Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang, marking Lee’s first public trip abroad since he returned to management in March. Lee was joined by Naver Chief Executive Choi Soo-yeon and other top executives during their visit to Computex 2025, Asia’s largest information technology exhibition. The meeting took place on the sidelines of Nvidia’s cloud partner gathering, the NPC Su

May 23, 2025

Bitcoin surges past $111,000 as US fiscal fears spark flight from traditional assets

SEOUL, May 23 (AJP) - Bitcoin soared to an all-time high on Friday, breaching $111,000 amid growing unease over U.S. fiscal policy and a broad retreat from traditional safe-haven assets. The world’s largest cryptocurrency reached $111,466.48 on Coinbase at 9:45 a.m., eclipsing its previous record of $109,358 set in January. The rally comes as investors seek alternatives to government bonds and equities, both of which have been roiled by market turbulence. The surge in Bitco

May 23, 2025