Fresh cold spell grips Seoul SEOUL, January 6 (AJP) - A fresh cold spell returned to Seoul on Tuesday, with a morning low of -6 degrees Celsius, much colder than the previous day's -1 degrees. The mercury barely rose, with daytime temperatures climbing to just 4 degrees as frigid conditions persisted throughout the day. Other cities across the country also faced frigid temperatures, with Chuncheon at -10 degrees, Cheongju at -8 degrees, Daejeon at -7 degrees, and the southern port city of Busan at -2 d January 6, 2026

Lee shares selfie with Xi SEOUL, January 6 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung shared a selfie with Chinese President Xi Jinping on social media on Mondy night, suggesting their talks were held in a friendly atmosphere. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, shortly after their 90-minute summit, Lee said he took the selfie using a Xiaomi smartphone that Xi had given him, when the two leaders met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the southeastern city of Gyeongju in No January 6, 2026

AI chip demand to lift Korea's exports in 2026, but autos face headwinds SEOUL, January 06 (AJP) - Semiconductors, which powered South Korea’s exports last year amid expanding artificial intelligence demand, are expected to remain the main growth driver in 2026 as the chip upcycle continues, while auto exports could lose momentum, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Tuesday. South Korea’s annual exports totaled $709.7 billion last year, surpassing $700 billion for the first time. The milestone came seven years after January 6, 2026

Chinese president calls upon Seoul to jointly uphold postwar peace order and stability BEIJING, January 05 (CGTN) - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday called on China and South Korea to work together to safeguard the post–World War II international order and maintain peace and stability in Northeast Asia during talks with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. Speaking during the meeting with Lee on a state visit to China, Xi highlighted the shared historical legacy of the two countries, noting their respective sacrifices and resistance against Japanese mil January 6, 2026

Why is Kim Jong-un's daughter making frequent public appearances? SEOUL, January 6 (AJP) - Frequent public appearances of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's daughter Ju-ae are believed to be intended to project a "prominent family" image rather than groom her as the next leader for a hereditary transfer of power, the Unification Ministry here speculated on Tuesday. As many pundits closely watch Kim's activities for clues in the reclusive country, where even small details can matter, a ministry official said, "We cannot sing January 6, 2026

CES 2026: Same day, different podiums: Nvidia and AMD faceoff in AI supercomputing LAS VEGAS — Born in the same Taiwanese city and distantly related by blood, Jensen Huang and Lisa Su took to podiums just hours apart on the same day—at different hotels along the Las Vegas Strip—and delivered rival visions for the future of artificial intelligence computing. The parallel appearances ahead of CES 2026 turned Las Vegas into a split-stage arena, with Nvidia presenting at the Fontainebleau Hotel’s BleuLive Theater and AMD countering from the V January 6, 2026

How a Samsung project helped save Korea's provisional government in Shanghai SEOUL, January 06 (AJP) - When South Korean President Lee Jae Myung steps into a modest brick building in Shanghai on Wednesday during his state visit to China, he will be entering a carefully restored fragment of Korean history — one preserved not by a government initiative, but by an idea that began decades ago inside a corporate office at Samsung C&T. Restoration of the site — once home to Korea’s provisional government during Japan’s colonial ru January 6, 2026

Lee seeks Chinese legislature's support in strengthening relations SEOUL, January 6 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung started his third day in China by holding talks with Zhao Leji, China's top legislator, on Tuesday. Lee met with Zhao earlier in the morning, a day after his 90-minute summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, and called for support in strengthening bilateral relations. Sharing what the two discussed, Lee said they agreed to "maturely develop a strategic cooperative partnershi January 6, 2026

HD Korea Shipbuilding lands $1 billion ultra-large LNG carrier deal SEOUL, January 06 (AJP) - HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore said on Tuesday it has secured its first order of the year, signing a contract to build four ultra-large liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers worth a combined 1.5 trillion won ($1.03 billion). Each vessel will have a cargo capacity of 200,000 cubic meters and measure 294.8 meters in length, 48.9 meters in width and 26.7 meters in height. The ships will be built at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ shipyard in Ulsan January 6, 2026

[CES2026] SK hynix to spotlight next-generation AI memory at CES 2026 SEOUL, January 06 (AJP) - SK hynix will showcase its next generation artificial-intelligence memory solutions at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, highlighting new high-bandwidth memory and low-power products as demand for AI infrastructure accelerates. The chipmaker will operate a customer-focused exhibition booth at the Venetian Expo from Jan. 6 to 9, shifting its emphasis from large-scale brand promotion to direct engagement with key clients, the company said. At the center of the disp January 6, 2026