South Korea opens Cuba embassy 11 months after establishing ties

SEOUL, January 18 (AJP) - South Korea opened its embassy in Cuba on Friday, marking a significant milestone in diplomatic relations between the two nations. The inauguration of the mission, located in Havana's Miramar district, came 11 months after the two countries established formal ties in February last year. “The opening of the embassy is expected to help expand exchanges between our peoples, enhance consular services for Korean nationals residing in or visiting Cub

January 18, 2025

Actress Kim Min-hee expecting baby this spring

SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - Actress Kim Min-hee is pregnant and expected to give birth this spring, multiple online entertainment outlets reported on Friday. The actress, in her early 40s, was caught by paparazzi cameras earlier this week on her way to an ob-gyn clinic with her lover and filmmaker Hong Sang-soo. Kim has been involved in a May-to-September romance with Hong who is in his mid-60s, since 2016. The couple went public with their romance the following year and have been

January 17, 2025

Samsung teases Galaxy S25 with dazzling London hologram

SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics has unveiled a striking holographic advertisement 30 meters above London’s Shoreditch neighborhood, offering a tantalizing preview of its upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event on Jan. 22. The outdoor display features a futuristic smartphone interacting with users’ memories by retrieving relevant videos. In one sequence, the device conjures swimming whales in response to the phrase, “I’ll never forget the moment I saw t

January 17, 2025

KAI nears $681 million fighter jets deal with Philippines

SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is in the final stages of negotiations with the Philippines for a contract to supply 12 FA-50 light combat aircraft, a deal valued at approximately 40 billion pesos ($681 million), industry sources said Friday. If completed, the agreement would double the Philippine Air Force’s fleet of FA-50 fighters, building on its initial purchase of 12 units in 2014. The aircraft, widely regarded for their versatility and cost-

January 17, 2025

Culture Minister to promote tourism to Seoul in Malaysia

SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Yu In-chon will visit Malaysia over the weekend to attend a series of meetings aimed at promoting tourism between Asian countries. He is set to attend the ASEAN+3 Tourism Ministers Meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Tourism Forum, which kicked off earlier this week and runs until next Monday, bringing together tourism ministers and other officials from ASEAN's 10 member countries and neighboring nations. Wh

January 17, 2025

KB Kookmin unionists vote to strike, demanding bonuses

SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - The labor union of KB Kookmin Bank has overwhelmingly voted to strike, with 96 percent of its 9,274 members approving the decision. If it proceeds, this would mark the first walkout at the bank in six years, as workers press for performance bonuses of about 20 million won, or roughly $15,000, per employee. The union’s demands come despite KB Kookmin Bank employees earning the highest average salary among South Korea’s top five banks, at 118

January 17, 2025

Busan's English radio station garners over 100,000 subscribers on YouTube

SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - A YouTube channel operated by the Busan English Broadcasting Foundation (BeFM) has surpassed 100,000 subscribers, according to the southern port city. Starting its service last year, BeFM has been offering programs in English as well as in Chinese and Vietnamese. The number of its subscribers rapidly grew from 4,600 to over 100,000 in just about a year and it now boasts the highest number of YouTube subscribers among local radio stations there. Despite b

January 17, 2025

Lotte Bio to launch new cancer therapy platform

SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - Lotte Biologics has announced plans to launch its advanced "Soluflex Link" technology, a next-generation platform for antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), during the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference on Thursday. ADCs are innovative cancer treatments that combine antibodies, which target cancer cells, with powerful drugs designed to kill them. "Soluflex Link addresses stability issues commonly seen in ADC therapies and is compatible with vario

January 17, 2025

Will KOSPI surge under Trump as it did in his first term?

SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - South Korea’s stock market is entering a phase of renewed uncertainty as the prospect of a second Donald Trump administration raises concerns among investors, despite a history of gains during his first term. The benchmark KOSPI index surged more than 50 percent during Trump’s presidency from 2017 to 2021, climbing from 2,072.79 to 3,114.55, according to the Korea Exchange. However, the period was not without volatility - most notably a 17.28 pe

January 17, 2025

PHOTOS: Wild animals thrive in Korea's icy winter

SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - Wild animals in South Korea show off vivacious lives, despite the country's icy winter.

January 17, 2025