Snow sledding available along Seoul's Han River SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - Kids and other visitors have been enjoying snow sledding at parks along the Han River, as the Seoul Metropolitan Government offers seasonal programs for winter sports fun. Facilities for the programs, open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., are available at three location - Ttukseom, Jamwon, and Yeouido - for 6,000 Korean won (about US$4) and will remain open until mid-February. Visitors can enjoy sledding on slopes of varying heights as well as a low-level play ar January 19, 2026

In a weak home market, K-food finds future in overseas SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - Beneath the global rise of K-ramyeon lies a harsher reality at home: much of Korea’s food industry is shrinking, squeezed by a prolonged domestic consumption slump, rising input costs and a weak currency that has inflated import prices. On the surface, K-food appears unstoppable. Samyang Foods’ Buldak Spicy Chicken Noodles dominate convenience-store shelves worldwide, while Nongshim’s Shin Ramyun has become a staple at major U.S. retai January 19, 2026

OPINION: Belgium and Korea: An Enduring Friendship SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - Belgium is a constitutional monarchy in Western Europe, with Brussels as its capital. Yet beyond its role as a political and diplomatic hub of Europe, Belgium often enters the global imagination through a gentler and more playful symbol: the Smurfs. These small blue characters—whimsical in appearance yet endurin January 19, 2026

US, South Korean officials meet for working-level talks on nuclear energy cooperation SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - South Korean officials visited Washington last week to prepare for working-level talks on nuclear energy cooperation with the U.S., the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday. During his two-day trip last Thursday and Friday, Rim Kap-soo, who leads a task force for the talks, met with senior U.S. officials at the State Department and the Energy Department, including Christopher Yeaw, a State Department assistant secretary, and Matthew Napoli, a deputy January 19, 2026

OPINION: Modern security is a foundation for development, not just a military task SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) -In the vision of the President of Uzbekistan, security is not an isolated military task, but a multidimensional foundation for the sustainable development of the state in the digital age To mark Defenders of the Homeland Day and the 34th anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Republic o January 19, 2026

South Korean stocks extend rally to 12th session on robotics surge SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - South Korean stocks extended their rally to a 12th consecutive session on Monday, driven by strong gains in robotics-related shares. The benchmark KOSPI rose 1.32 percent to close at 4,904.7, marking another record high after maintaining gains throughout the session. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ advanced 1.4 percent to 968.4, while the KOSPI 200 climbed 1.3 percent to 713.96. Foreign investors led the advance. In the KOSPI market, foreigners posted net purcha January 19, 2026

SK hynix secures top vehicle safety certification for LPDDR5X memory SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - SK hynix said Monday it has obtained the highest functional safety certification for its LPDDR5X automotive memory, as demand grows for reliable semiconductors used in advanced driver-assistance and autonomous-driving systems. The South Korean chipmaker said its LPDDR5X DRAM has been certified at ASIL-D, the highest safety level under the ISO 26262 international automotive functional safety standard. ASIL-D applies to systems directly linked to passeng January 19, 2026

South Korea's Jin Air posts first annual loss in 3 years, hit by weak won SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - South Korean low-cost carrier Jin Air returned to the red last year for the first time in three years, pressured by a weak won and intensifying competition in the airline industry. The company said on Monday that its standalone revenue fell 5.5 percent from a year earlier to 1.38 trillion won ($1 billion), based on preliminary results. Profitability swung to a loss for the first time since 2022, when the COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted travel. J January 19, 2026

IMF flags structural FX fragility in Korea, citing shallow market and equity-heavy exposure SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - South Korea’s foreign exchange vulnerability has drawn renewed scrutiny from the International Monetary Fund, not because of short-term external debt — the trigger during the late-1990s liquidity crisis — but due to the country’s unusually large foreign equity exposure relative to the depth of its FX market. According to an IMF assessment released Sunday, South Korea’s foreign-exposed assets amount to roughly 25 times its ave January 19, 2026

INTERVIEW: Park Seo-joon: confident "Waiting for Gyeongo" will linger despite low ratings SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - For Park Seo-joon, returning to the romance genre after seven years with, "Waiting for Gyeong-do" was a project that demanded full embracement of character’s life. Following the timeline of protagonist "Lee Gyeong-do," who continues to live with the same feelings even after two relationships at the ages of twenty and twenty-eight, the narrative goes beyond a simple reunion melodrama. Instead, it asks how the emotion of love is January 19, 2026