UPDATE: Job growth hits 16-month low in Korea in April, youth employment dips *Updated with additional information SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) — South Korea’s job growth slowed in April to its weakest pace since December 2024, when the country was grappling with the aftermath of the martial law episode, as the war in the Middle East dragged into a third month. The number of employed people aged 15 and older rose by 74,000 from a year earlier to 28.96 million in April, the Ministry of Data and Statistics said Wednesday. It marked the smallest gain May 13, 2026

Samsung Electronics union heads toward strike after govt-mediation talks collapse SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) -Samsung Electronics and its largest labor union failed to bridge differences over bonuses in a final round of government-mediated wage negotiations, raising the likelihood of a monthlong strike that could ripple through the global semiconductor supply chain starting next week. The breakdown came after 17 hours of overnight talks at the National Labor Relations Commission in Sejong, where labor and management sought to reach a 2026 wage agreement but ulti May 13, 2026

Seoul signals phased support for US-led Hormuz mission SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) -South Korea has told the United States it is willing to consider a phased contribution toward restoring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Tuesday. Seoul conveyed to Washington that it would “participate as a responsible member of the international community” and review “step-by-step contribution measures” related to the reopening and protection of maritime traffic through the strategic waterway May 13, 2026

ASIA INSIGHT: Kazakhstan's grand strategy for AI age and reinvention of Eurasia Across the immense steppe of Central Asia, Kazakhstan is attempting something far larger than economic reform. It is attempting a civilizational repositioning. For decades, Kazakhstan was known primarily as a resource giant — a country blessed with vast reserves of oil, natural gas, uranium and rare minerals. It remains the wealthiest of the five Central Asian “Stan” nations and, in many respects, the geopolitical anchor of the region stretching from Uzbekistan May 12, 2026

Iran's Hormuz submarines trace lineage to class linked to sinking of ROKS Cheonan SEOUL, May 12 (AJP) — Iran’s reported deployment of additional Ghadir-class midget submarines in the Strait of Hormuz as tensions with the United States intensify is reviving painful memories in South Korea of the country’s deadliest postwar naval disaster. The 2010 sinking of the ROKS Cheonan, which killed 46 South Korean sailors near Baengnyeong Island in the Yellow Sea, was attributed by a multinational investigation to a North Korean Yono-class midget submarine May 12, 2026

AI-related policy uncertainty sends KOSPI on rollercoaster ride SEOUL, May 12 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI suffered the sharpest decline among Asian markets on Tuesday, reversing sharply after briefly approaching the 8,000 threshold as foreign investors unloaded semiconductor shares amid growing uncertainty over the country's artificial intelligence (AI)-related policies. The index closed down 2.3 percent at 7,643.15 points after swinging between a high of 7,999.67 and a low of 7,421.71. Investor sentiment deteriorated rapidl May 12, 2026

A rollercoaster day for KOSPI before testing new 8,000 peak SEOUL, May 12 (AJP) -South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI swung violently on May 12 after briefly nearing the symbolic 8,000-point threshold before tumbling into its first decline in six sessions, underscoring the heightened volatility gripping one of the world’s hottest equity rallies. The KOSPI opened at a record 7,953.41, up 1.68 percent from the previous session, and climbed as high as 7,999.67 in early trading — just shy of the historic 8,000 level — before a May 12, 2026

Asian Wisdom Series: Taoism in the Age of Artificial Intelligence Humanity stands today at the threshold of a profound civilizational transformation. Beyond the Industrial Revolution and the Information Age, the world has now entered the era of artificial intelligence. AI is no longer merely a machine for calculation. It understands language, composes music, generates images, assists in medicine, analyzes financial markets and increasingly participates in military strategy. Domains once believed to belong exclusively to human intellect and reason May 12, 2026

Another round of cash vouchers for lower-income households to begin next week SEOUL, May 12 (AJP) - Another round of cash handouts to help ease the burden on households hit hardest by soaring fuel prices is set to be available to those in the bottom 70 percent of the income bracket starting next week. Those eligible can sign up for cash vouchers from May 18 to July 3 through mobile apps or by visiting banks or local community centers, and will receive between 100,000 won (US$70) and 250,000 won, with larger households and those in certain rural and provincial May 12, 2026

Cockpit feud poses stumbling block in final-leg race toward Dec. 17 Korean Air-Asiana merger SEOUL, May 12 (AJP) - Korean Air and Asiana Airlines are entering the final-leg race toward their Dec. 17 integration deadline, but a growing feud over cockpit hierarchy poses as a major stumbling block to a smooth merger. The Korean Air Pilots’ Union held a closed-door meeting in Seoul on Tuesday, bringing together about 200 members to discuss how pilot seniority should be managed after the merger, according to union officials. “This meeting was not convened to call May 12, 2026