Korean retail outlook splits as convenience stores take hit SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - South Korea's retail outlook diverged sharply heading into the fourth quarter, with department stores and large supermarkets remaining optimistic while convenience stores and neighborhood supermarkets turned markedly weaker, a business survey showed Wednesday. The overall retail business survey index, or RBSI, fell to 88 from 92 in the third quarter, according to the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. A reading above 100 means more companies e October 21, 2026

TWICE's Dahyun to star in new teen romance film SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - K-pop girl group TWICE's member Dahyun has been cast opposite actor Cha Woo-min in a new teen romance film now in production for a 2027 release, production company TakeOne said Wednesday. The Korean-titled film "Gureumi Gureumi" follows two 17-year-olds -- a cheerful girl who uses a wheelchair and a promising swimmer carrying emotional scars -- as they develop feelings for each other. Dahyun will play Gureum, a high school student who h October 21, 2026

Netflix launches K-pop girl group audition project for arts-school students SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - Global OTT giant Netflix is launching a K-pop girl group audition project featuring students from South Korean arts high schools, with applications opening Wednesday, the streaming service said. The project, titled "We Go High," will accept first- and second-year students attending high schools with arts or broadcasting-related programs, as well as students set to enter such schools in 2027. The competition will bring together students from a October 21, 2026

Korean retailers lose nearly $5B on single-stock ETPs even before rout SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) -South Korean retail investors accumulated more than 6.3 trillion won ($4.9 billion) in realized and unrealized losses on leveraged and inverse products tied each to Samsung Electronics and SK hynix within two and a half months of their launch. Their misfortunes likely have deepened over the last two months as Samsung Electronics shares have fallen 15 percent and SK hynix shares 23 percent since September. Investors in their 40s and 50s accounted for n October 21, 2026

South Korea stands to reap the rewards of breeding robot dogs SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - Humanoids steal the show at China's robot races, but it's the four-legged machines that do the actual work. South Korea is among the few countries outside China that can breed them. KAIST's HOUND once held the Guinness World Record for the fastest 100 meters by a quadruped robot, clocking 19.87 seconds. Zhejiang University's White Rhino took that crown last year with a 16.33-second dash. Beyond the racetrack, however, China's lead is October 21, 2026

Global bio leaders rally around AI in Seoul SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - Health officials, drugmakers and AI developers converged on Seoul on Wednesday to map how artificial intelligence could reshape biomedical science, from drug discovery to pandemic defense, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said. Health and Welfare Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong and World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus unveiled the AI Healthcare Seoul Declaration at the opening of the two-day 2026 World Bio Summit. The ministry sai October 21, 2026

Brunson urges fortified supply chain to sustain Korea-U.S. military edge SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) -U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson called Wednesday for a “fortified allied supply chain” combining American military capabilities with South Korean manufacturing strength to preserve the alliance’s regional advantage amid mounting security threats. “Our mission remains immovable: to defend the Republic of Korea,” Brunson said at a special luncheon hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea at the Mondri October 21, 2026

Korea woos 145 Taiwanese tourists with K-snack festival SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - South Korea has attracted 145 Taiwanese tourists with a travel package built around regional festivals celebrating tteokbokki and gimbap, the Korea Tourism Organization said Wednesday. The visitors will attend the Daegu Tteokbokki Festival and the Gimcheon Gimbap Festival on Oct. 23 and 24 as part of a campaign to turn local food festivals in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province into tourism draws for overseas visitors. The KTO's Taipei office devel October 21, 2026

National Museum chief You offers resignation SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - National Museum of Korea Director You Hong June offered to resign Wednesday over controversy surrounding a misidentified calligraphy work from his private collection. The museum displayed the work in its special exhibition "Our Tables" as calligraphy by independence activist Park Won-geun. It was later identified as the work of Park Jung-yang, who was designated by the government as a pro-Japanese collaborator. Criticism intensif October 21, 2026

KAI's onboard AI flags capacity to fix satellite fault in orbit SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - An artificial intelligence module built by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) diagnosed a simulated satellite malfunction in orbit and drafted its own remedy, the South Korean aerospace company said Wednesday. The pilot mission ran Tuesday aboard BEE-1012, a CubeSat that reached orbit on Oct. 7 aboard Nuri, South Korea's homegrown space rocket. A ground station beamed up a mock fault signal, and the module traced its cause and scope before compiling a October 21, 2026