South Koreans rush to hoard dollars amid weakening won SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - South Koreans have been hoarding U.S. dollars as the greenback continues its strong run. According to financial data released on Thursday, individual customers of South Korea's five major banks -Hana, KB Kookmin, NH Nonghyup, Shinhan, and Woori - exchanged South Korean currency for U.S. dollars worth about US$480.81 million over the past three weeks. The amount breaks down to $22.90 million per day on average, more than double the daily average of $1 January 15, 2026

One South Korean killed in a deadly train crash in Thailand - foreign ministry SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) -One South Korean national was among those killed in a deadly train derailment in Thailand on Wednesday, according to the foreign ministry in Seoul. The ministry said Thursday it had confirmed the death of one South Korean and was providing necessary consular assistance to the bereaved family. The accident occurred at around 9 a.m. Wednesday when a construction crane for a high-speed rail bridge collapsed onto a moving passenger train traveling January 15, 2026

Asian markets mixed; Nikkei retreats after record rally, KOSPI holds ground SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) — Asian equity markets were mixed on Wednesday, with Japanese stocks pulling back after a powerful start to the year, while Seoul shares held firm despite a more hawkish tilt from the Bank of Korea. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.77 percent to 53,923.94 as of 10:23 a.m. local time, as investors locked in profits following an uninterrupted January rally. The recent surge had been fueled by expectations of a snap election that could reinforce Prime Min January 15, 2026

Buses back running in Seoul after strike ends SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) -After two days of disruption, Seoul commuters were relieved to find buses back in service Thursday morning following an overnight wage deal. The Seoul City Bus Labor Union and the Seoul City Bus Transport Operators Association accepted a mediation proposal at around 11:50 p.m. during a second post-adjustment meeting hosted by the Seoul Labor Relations Commission. Under the agreement, wages for 2025 will rise by 2.9 percent, while the retirement age wil January 15, 2026

Actor Lee Byung-hun appears on US late-night talk show SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - Actor Lee Byung-hun appeared on NBC's late-night talk show "Late Night with Seth Meyers" earlier this week, sharing behind-the-scenes stories from his latest films. After walking on stage to loud cheers at a studio in New York on Tuesday, Lee recounted a few episodes from the set of award-winning director Park Chan-wook's film "No Other Choice," drawing laughter with witty answers that garnered repeated applause from the au January 15, 2026

Hyundai Motor's Palisade named North America's top utility vehicle of the year SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor said on Thursday that its Palisade sport utility vehicle has been named this year's North American Utility Vehicle of the Year, citing the model’s upgraded hybrid system and strong appeal in the U.S. market. Finalists in the 2026 utility category included the Hyundai Palisade, Lucid Gravity and Nissan Leaf. Hyundai said the Palisade emerged as the winner following close competition. Judges cited the Palisade’s next-gener January 15, 2026

South Korea trade chief tells US officials, lawmakers Coupang probe is not 'trade issue' SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - South Korea’s trade minister Yeo Han-koo has told U.S. officials and lawmakers that a domestic probe into e-commerce firm Coupang should not be interpreted as a diplomatic or trade issue, officials here said on Thursday. Yeo made the remarks during a visit to Washington from Jan. 11 to 14, where he held outreach meetings with U.S. lawmakers, government officials and industry representatives, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energ January 15, 2026

Hong Sang-soo's latest film set for world premiere in Berlin SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - Director Hong Sang-soo's latest film has been invited to compete at this year's Berlin International Film Festival, which opens next month. "The Day She Returns" will get its world premiere in the festival's non-competitive section, organizers said Wednesday, praising Hong's 34th feature for offering a "subtle reflection on the acting profession itself." The film revolves around a woman who completes an independent f January 15, 2026

BOK stays pat for eighth month as weak won and high debt constrain policy SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - The Bank of Korea (BOK) kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.5 percent on Thursday, extending its policy pause to an eighth consecutive month as policymakers remain constrained by a weak currency, elevated household debt and divergent inflation pressures. At its first rate-setting meeting of 2026, the central bank decided to hold the base rate steady, unchanged since a 25-basis-point cut in May last year. The decision reflects what officials ha January 15, 2026

LG CNS invests in Cha Biotech to scale AI-driven healthcare SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - LG CNS said on Thursday it is moving to scale up its digital healthcare business through a strategic partnership with Cha Bio Group. The IT services firm, led by Chief Executive Hyun Shin-gyun, said it signed a partnership agreement with Cha Biotech. The deal includes a 10 billion won ($7.4 million) equity investment and cooperation on artificial intelligence transformation and digital transformation projects. Hyun and Cha Won-tae, vice chairman of Cha January 15, 2026