BTS' J-Hope to embark on North American tour this spring

SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - J-Hope, a member of the K-pop juggernaut BTS, will embark on his North American tour this spring. The tour includes a stop in Los Angeles, where he is set to perform at the La La Land's iconic BMO Stadium in April, becoming the first K-pop artist to do so. BMO Stadium near Exposition Park in downtown Los Angeles is an open-air soccer-specific arena with a seating capacity of around 22,000. It is the home stadium for Major League Soccer's Los Ange

January 15, 2025

South Korea conducts joint aerial drill with US, Japan

SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - South Korea on Wednesday conducted a joint aerial drill with the U.S. and Japan involving a U.S. B-1B strategic bomber. The show of force came just a day after North Korea fired multiple short-range missiles into the East Sea, ahead of the inauguration of incoming U.S. President Donald Trump. According to the Defense Ministry here, the trilateral drill, which also involved the deployment of the country's F-15K fighter jets and Japan's F-2 fighter

January 15, 2025

Job growth in South Korea stalls, youth unemployment worsens

SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - South Korea's job market showed signs of weakness in December, with employment falling for the first time since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2021, according to data released by Statistics Korea on Wednesday. The country lost 52,000 jobs compared to the same period last year, a significant drop from the robust growth seen in previous years. The decline was particularly pronounced in sectors closely linked to domestic consumption. Co

January 15, 2025

Pentagon chief nominee refers to North Korea as 'nuclear power'

SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - U.S. Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth has referred to North Korea as a "nuclear power." In a written response submitted to the Senate Committee on Armed Services for his confirmation hearing, Hegseth said, "status as a nuclear power, its intense focus on increasing the range of missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads and its growing cyber capabilities all pose a threat to stability on the Korean peninsula, i

January 15, 2025

Korean shipbuilders anticipate boom on strong demand from US, China

SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - South Korea’s shipbuilding industry is poised for a resurgence, fueled by prospects of deeper collaboration with the incoming Trump administration and a surge in Chinese demand. Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun revealed on Monday that the Trump administration is preparing “comprehensive institutional reforms to bolster naval power and support related shipbuilding industries.” Official announcements detailing the initiatives are expected s

January 15, 2025

Samsung, Apple lose ground in global smartphone market

SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - For the first time since 2016, both Samsung Electronics and Apple saw their global smartphone market shares decline last year, according to research firm IDC data. Apple held 18.7 percent of the market in 2024, while Samsung held 18.0 percent. Samsung's smartphone shipments dipped 1.4 percent to 223.4 million units, despite strong initial sales of its AI-powered Galaxy S24. The company faced challenges with underwhelming sales of its foldable Z series

January 15, 2025

SK Biopharm to form joint venture in US with Brazil's Eurofarma

SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - SK Biopharm announced plans to establish a joint venture with Brazilian pharmaceutical giant Eurofarma in the United States, the South Korean firm said at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference on Jan. 14. The venture will focus on commercializing an artificial intelligence-based epilepsy management platform in North America. This platform leverages SK Biopharm's AI technology for brain wave analysis and wearable devices developed since 2018. The remo

January 15, 2025

Weak won, rising oil prices push import costs higher

SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - South Korea's import prices climbed for the third consecutive month in December, driven by a weaker Korean currency and higher global oil prices, the Bank of Korea (BOK) said Wednesday. The import price index, which measures the costs of goods purchased overseas in won terms, rose 2.4 percent to 142.14 in December from 138.80 a month earlier. This marks a 7 percent increase over the past year. The Korean won weakened about 2.9 percent against the dol

January 15, 2025

PHOTOS: Yoon arrested for martial law declaration

SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - Investigators arrested President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday and transferred him to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) for questioning regarding his failed martial law declaration on Dec. 3. He is the first sitting president in South Korean history to be arrested.

January 15, 2025

Yoon arrested over martial law debacle

SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - Investigators arrested President Yoon Suk Yeol after a six-hour confrontation at his official residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul on Wednesday. This marks the first time in the country's turbulent political history that an incumbent president has been taken into custody. Accompanied by over 1,000 police officers, hundreds of investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) arrived at the residence around 5:00 a.m. and

January 15, 2025