• 
  PHOTOS: Civil defense drill SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - A 20-minute civil defense drill, simulating an enemy air raid, was conducted nationwide on Wednesday, with sirens blaring and text alerts sent to millions, as citizens were directed to seek shelter in designated spaces. The drill, which began at 2 p.m., included a nationwide air raid warning that prompted a wailing siren and emergency broadcasts. In response, people across the country were instructed to move to nearby shelters and other underground areas. August 20, 2025
• 
  K-pop anime tops Netflix chart again SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - Netflix's South Korean anime "KPop Demon Hunters" has once again topped the global streaming giant's latest chart released on Wednesday. According to Netflix's ranking website Tudum, the animation garnered 26 million in cumulative views during the week ending last Sunday, reclaiming the top spot in its ninth week of release. The second-most-watched movie for the week was American crime thriller "Night Always Comes," followe August 20, 2025
• 
  South Korea turns to drone technology to guard against fires, bird strikes SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - South Korea has selected two consortiums to develop specialized drones for firefighting and airport bird control, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Wednesday. This came as the country moves to strengthen disaster-response capabilities following a series of deadly incidents. The ministry said it reviewed 22 proposals from 119 companies before awarding the projects. One consortium will focus on building heavy-duty drones to fight wildf August 20, 2025
• 
  Spanish film starring South Korean footballer set for release next month SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - Midfielder Yang Jae-woo, who currently plays for Spanish football team Móstoles CF, has taken a leading role in the Iberian country's upcoming film, slated for release next month. Based on Venezuelan author Ariana Godoy's popular web-based novel, "Sigue Mi Voz" (Follow My Voice) tells the story of a young woman who leads a reclusive life but gradually opens up to the world after being moved by the voice of a late-night radio host, po August 20, 2025
• 
  S. Korea sets AI transformation as centerpiece of new economic plan SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - South Korea's government and ruling Democratic Party on Wednesday announced plans to push for an "AI transformation" across industry, government, and daily life, while easing heavy penalties on companies and opening public data to the private sector. The announcement followed a policy meeting at the National Assembly attended by the ruling Democratic Party (DP), the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the Min August 20, 2025
• 
  South Korea launches petrochemical restructuring plan amid global glut SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - South Korea’s finance chief pledged government support for sweeping cuts in the country’s petrochemical industry, Wednesday, as officials seek to shore up competitiveness in a sector battered by global oversupply. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yoon-cheol said that 10 major petrochemical companies have agreed to reduce as much as 3.7 million tons of production capacity by the end of the year. The pledge came after the Lee Jae August 20, 2025
• 
  US push for equity in Intel raises alarm for Samsung Electronics, SK hynix SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - The Trump administration is seeking an equity stake in Intel as part of its semiconductor subsidy package, a move that could reverberate across the global chip industry and unsettle South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, both of which are planning major U.S. investments with government support. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed Tuesday (local time) that the administration is negotiating for roughly a 10 percent stake in Intel August 20, 2025
• 
  Kim Jong-un's sister throws another tantrum against South Korea SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister, Yo-jong, has again criticized South Korea, saying it is not even a "partner" in diplomatic relations. South Korea "cannot be a diplomatic partner of the ," she said in a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Wednesday. She added that Seoul, as its "most hostile state," is "not serious, weighty, or honest." Snubbing South Korean Pr August 20, 2025
• 
  [K-Pop] BTS' brother band CORTIS releases music video for debut track "What You Want" SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - CORTIS, the new boy band under BigHit Music, has released the music video for its debut title track "What You Want." The video was posted at midnight on August 20 on the HYBE Labels YouTube channel. It serves as the title track of the group’s debut album "Color Outside the Lines," which is scheduled for official release on September 8. CORTIS, consisting of members Martin, James, Juhun, Sunghyun, and Gunho, took part i August 20, 2025
• 
  Korean food exports to US shrink for first time in 26 months amid tariffs SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - South Korea’s agricultural and food shipments to the United States declined in July for the first time in more than two years, as new American tariffs began weighing on demand. Exports fell 6.7 percent from a year earlier to $139 million, data from the Korea Trade Statistics Promotion Institute showed on Wednesday. It was the first monthly contraction since May 2023 and followed a stretch of rapid growth that had lifted first-half shipments by 27 perce August 20, 2025