S. Korea's denuclearization goal remains unchanged: MOFA SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - The stated goal of peace on the Korean Peninsula means the denuclearization of North Korea, South Korea's foreign ministry said Tuesday. The ministry was restating a position left out of its own account of a phone call between the two allies' top diplomats the night before. That account said Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio agreed to keep up close communication on peace on the peninsula and a resolution of the North August 25, 2026

Boeing secures $131B F-15 contract covering South Korea SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - Boeing has secured a U.S. Air Force contract with a ceiling of $131.23 billion for production, upgrades and long-term support of the F-15 fighter family, with South Korea included among seven countries covered by potential Foreign Military Sales. The U.S. Department of War said Monday that Boeing had been awarded an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity, or IDIQ, contract for the F-15 Eagle Crest program, which supports the Air Force's broader F-15 fl August 25, 2026

More than half of pensioners get less than 500,000 won per month SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - Pensioners received an average of 737,000 won (US$534) per month in 2024, up 6 percent from a year earlier, but more than half or 53 percent received less than 500,000 won per month, according to data released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics on Tuesday. The ministry said some 9.12 million people aged 65 and older received at least one of about a dozen types of public and private pensions. But despite more than 90 percent of the elderly population bein August 25, 2026

S. Korea to launch national humanoid robot challenge SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - South Korea will select a flagship humanoid robot platform through a national competition as it seeks a foothold in a field increasingly seen as AI's next frontier, the science ministry said. The Ministry of Science and ICT unveiled Tuesday the "Next-X Humanoid Challenge" at a meeting held to gather feedback on its AI humanoid roadmap at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology in Seoul. Domestic robots will compete through a public cal August 25, 2026

LG H&H shares up on Avon exit SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) — Shares of LG Household & Health Care (LG H&H) rose Tuesday as investors approved of its decision to shed loss-making Avon North America and concentrate resources on faster-growing K-beauty brands. LG H&H shares were up 1.4 percent at 320,500 won ($232) as of 2 p.m., outperforming a declining KOSPI. The exit is expected to improve North American earnings by removing an unprofitable operation and freeing marketing and investment resources August 25, 2026

Researchers develop embryo-like stem cell heart model SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - By easing off the chemical signals normally used to force stem cells into heart tissue, researchers at Sookmyung Women's University and Sungkyunkwan University have grown a model that lengthens and bends on its own, reproducing a stage of human heart development that has been almost impossible to observe. Congenital heart disease is the most common birth defect in the world, occurring in about nine of every 1,000 live births since the mid-1990s August 25, 2026

Korean games chase first Gamescom win since 2022 SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - South Korea heads into Gamescom 2026 with two award contenders and its biggest industry push in years, seeking to end a four-year trophy drought since Neowiz's "Lies of P" swept the show in 2022. Pearl Abyss's open-world action title "Crimson Desert" is nominated for Most Epic and Best PC Game, while "Age Twisters," a two-player adventure developed by Krafton subsidiary Piccolo Studio, is competing for Most Wholeso August 25, 2026

Heat wave fuels Korea food delivery apps to record SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - Payments on South Korea's four leading food delivery apps climbed to an all-time monthly high in July as a punishing heat wave kept consumers indoors. According to Tuesday data from market tracker WiseApp Retail, combined estimated payments on Baemin, Coupang Eats, Yogiyo and Ttaenggyeoyo reached 3.28 trillion won ($2.37 billion) last month, up 18 percent from 2.79 trillion won a year earlier. The figure eclipsed the previous record of 3.20 trillion August 25, 2026

BLACKPINK's Jisoo to return with new single 'CLICK' SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) -BLACKPINK's Jisoo will release a new single, "CLICK," on Sept. 4, her agency Blissoo said Tuesday. The release will mark Jisoo's first solo music in 11 months since "EYES CLOSED," her collaboration with former One Direction member Zayn, released last October. Blissoo said further details about the new single would be unveiled in stages ahead of its release. Jisoo debuted as a member of BLACKPINK in 2016 and has August 25, 2026

Iran blacklists five ships linked to S. Korean carrier Sinokor SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - Iran has blacklisted five vessels linked to South Korean shipping company Sinokor Maritime over alleged violations of its rules for crossing the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran steps up pressure over the strategic waterway. The five ships are the Cyprus Prosperity (IMO 9595216), Mombasa B (IMO 9739501), Singapore Prosperity (IMO 9419967), Sweden Prosperity (IMO 9588392) and Rotterdam Energy (IMO 9508859). All five appear on a list of 45 vessels designated as August 25, 2026