Vehicle-free weekends along Cheonggyecheon Stream to resume after six-month pause SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - Vehicles will again be banned along the Cheonggyecheon Stream on weekends and public holidays starting on New Year's Day, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said on Monday. The traffic restriction, first implemented in 2005 to improve the walking environment and convenience for pedestrians, will resume after being suspended in July for about six months due to local merchants' complaints about reduced sales. A roughly 450-meter stretch will be c December 15, 2025

South Korea's Samsung C&T teams up with Polish firm on small modular reactors SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - Samsung C&T’s construction division said on Monday it has signed a partnership agreement with Poland’s Synthos Green Energy to jointly develop small modular reactor (SMR) projects in central and eastern Europe. The agreement provides for cooperation on SMR development in Europe, including feasibility studies, site selection and environmental impact assessments, starting with projects in Poland. The signing ceremony was attended by December 15, 2025

Fire at Paju elementary school leaves three injured, hundreds evacuated SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - A fire broke out at an elementary school in Paju, Gyeonggi Province on Monday. According to fire authorities, the blaze started around noon in the school's second-floor science lab. Firefighters were immediately dispatched to the scene to extinguish the blaze, but three staff members inhaled smoke, with two being transported to the hospital. A total of 307 students and staff were evacuated. Authorities are investigating the exact cause of the fire December 15, 2025

Asian stocks slide as AI bubble talk resurfaces SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - Asian markets fell broadly on Monday following a retreat on Wall Street last Friday, as renewed concerns about an “AI bubble” weighed on sentiment after Broadcom shares tumbled 13 percent. South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI was down 1.5 percent at 4,104.44, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ slipped 0.2 percent to 935.61 as of 10 a.m. Only seven of the 30 largest companies by market capitalization on the main board posted gains. Samsung Electronic December 15, 2025

[UPDATE] Police Sweep Kakao building following bomb threat; No explosives found SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - Authorities in South Korea on Monday conducted a large-scale search operation at tech giant Kakao's office building in Pangyo, south of Seoul, following a bomb threat report, but no explosive devices were discovered. Police said a joint team of approximately 70 officials — including police officers, firefighters, and military personnel — was deployed to the site, but no unusual or suspicious findings were reported during the operation December 15, 2025

Korea's ex-president brooded on martial law scheme more than a year before acting out SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) -Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol brooded over a scheme to invoke martial law to “eliminate political opponents and consolidate power” before October 2023, more than a year before the stunning decree was declared in December 2024, a special counsel investigation claimed Monday. The finding was detailed by Special Counsel Cho Eun-suk, who led a 180-day probe into allegations of insurrection and foreign collusion surrounding the Decem December 15, 2025

HOT STOCK: Korea Zinc soars on reports of $6.8 bn US smelter investment SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - Shares of Korea Zinc Co., currently under a hostile takeover bid, jumped more than 11 percent Monday amid reports that the company is considering a 10 trillion won ($6.77 billion) investment to build a smelter in the United States. Korea Zinc shares rose as high as 1,914,000 won and closed at 1,592,000 won, up 4.9 percent from previous finish. Korea Zinc, the world's largest non-ferrous smelting company, is holding a board meeting and is expected to December 15, 2025

Nearly 90% of South Koreans use streaming services SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - Nearly 90 percent of South Koreans use online streaming services and platforms, with an average of 2.1 subscriptions per person, according to a survey by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency. The survey, based on face-to-face interviews with 6,554 people conducted over three months starting in July, found that 54.2 percent of subscribers were paid users. YouTube led with 85.4 percent of users, followed by Netfli December 15, 2025

Korea Zinc weighs US strategic mineral smelter: reports SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - Korea Zinc is considering building a strategic mineral smelter in the southeastern United States, according to media reports, on Monday. The world’s largest non-ferrous metal smelting company convened an emergency board meeting at its Seoul headquarters to discuss the potential project, which could involve investment from the U.S. Department of Defense and local defense-related investors, according to industry sources. The proposed smelter wou December 15, 2025

PHOTOS: Korean-born diplomat represents Ghana SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - Ghana's newly appointed Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, Kojo Choi, officially commenced his diplomatic mission on Dec. 11, presenting his credentials to President Lee Jae Myung. Ambassador Choi, whose birth name is reported as Choi Seung Eub, is a naturalized Ghanaian citizen and a successful businessman, marking a significant first as the first Korean-born diplomat to serve as an African nation's ambassador to South Korea. The ambassado December 15, 2025