Spring is finally here, heralded by first blossoms SEOUL, March 24 (AJP) - Spring arrives a little earlier in one corner of Seoul. Each year, Eungbongsan Mountain turns into a wash of yellow as forsythia blooms blanket the entire hillside. Located in Seongdong-gu, Eungbongsan is a well-known sunrise and scenic spot in Seoul, attracting crowds each year as warmer weather brings the season’s first blossoms. Climbing to the observation deck, visitors paused to photograph t March 25, 2026

Asian stocks climb as easing Middle East tensions push oil prices lower SEOUL, March 25 (AJP) - Asian stock markets rose broadly on Wednesday as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz were somewhat eased, pushing oil prices lower, lifting sentiment across the region. The move followed comments from U.S. President Donald Trump the previous day, signaling progress in peace negotiations with Iran, raising expectations for a possible end to the conflict in the Middle East and also reducing fears of disruptions to global energy supplies. Brent crude hovered ne March 25, 2026

Korea's relative 'under-globalized' may underpin Korean Inc. strength SEOUL, March 25 (AJP) - South Korea’s financial sector may look under-globalized next to the country’s export-driven industrial giants, but that is not necessarily a weakness, former Bank for International Settlements (BIS) General Manager Agustín Carstens said Wednesday. Speaking at the 19th Asia-Pacific Financial Forum (APFF) 2026 in Seoul, Carstens said Korea’s financial system has played a strategically effective role by channeling resources into the March 25, 2026

Korea unveils first domestically built KF-21 fighter jet SEOUL, March 25 (AJP) - South Korea rolled out the first mass-produced KF-21 Boramae fighter jet on Wednesday, marking a major milestone in the country’s decades-long push to develop the domestically built 4.5-generation supersonic fighter. President Lee Jae Myung, who attended the ceremony at Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in Sacheon, described the rollout as a historic step toward strengthening self-reliant defense capabilities. “South Korea has finally secured we March 25, 2026

Hanwha's stealth KAI stake signals opening salvo in battle for Korea's fighter SEOUL, March 25 (AJP) - The widening Gulf conflicts have caused disruption across markets but are simultaneously delivering a windfall for South Korea’s defense sector, galvanizing acquisition appetite around Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the country’s sole aircraft platform maker. Adding to its renewed strategic appeal, KAI rolled out its first mass-produced KF-21 Boramae fighter jet on Wednesday. Hanwha Aerospace disclosed in its latest business report that it March 25, 2026

South Korea ranks fourth in global gaming market SEOUL, March 25 (AJP) - South Korea's gaming industry ranks fourth in the global market, remaining one of the fastest-growing tech sectors, with developers vying to attract users through increasingly engaging online and mobile games. With the global gaming market estimated at $220.07 billion, South Korea accounted for 7.2 percent, ranking fourth behind China, the U.S, and Japan, according to a joint report released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Cre March 25, 2026

SK hynix's AI windfall tests investor trust as ADR plan sparks backlash ICHEON, March 25 (AJP) - SK hynix’s meteoric rise on the back of the AI boom is now colliding with a growing backlash from retail investors, as its aggressive capital strategy exposes a widening gap between global ambition and shareholder returns. At its annual general meeting in Icheon on Wednesday, the chipmaker — now a critical supplier of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) chips to Nvidia — faced unusually sharp criticism despite its record-breaking market performa March 25, 2026

South Korea's fertility nears 1.0 as births, marriages post double-digit gains SEOUL, March 25 (AJP) — South Korea’s notoriously low fertility rate gained a meaningful boost to 0.99 in January — the highest since monthly tracking began in 2024 — but questions remain over whether it can continue to hold near 1. According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics on Wednesday, the number of births in January reached 26,916, up 2,817, or 11.7 percent from a year earlier, marking the highest January figure in seven years. Marriages also cont March 25, 2026

Homegrown sub sets sail on historic trans-Pacific journey for naval exercise in Canada SEOUL, March 25 (AJP) - A 3,000-ton homegrown submarine embarked on a trans-Pacific voyage for the first time to take part in a joint naval exercise with Canada scheduled for June, the Navy said on Wednesday. Attended by over 300 naval officers and other representatives from both countries, a send-off event for the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, was held at a port in Jinhae, South Gyeongsang Province on Wednesday. Among them were Canadian Ambassador to Seoul Philippe Lafortune and British A March 25, 2026

GM commits $600 mln to South Korea plants, doubling down on small SUV hub SEOUL, March 25 (AJP) - General Motors announced it will invest $600 million in its South Korean operations to upgrade production facilities and sharpen its global competitiveness, cementing the country's role as a key manufacturing hub for small SUVs. The Detroit automaker said Wednesday the latest commitment of $300 million — earmarked for press machinery upgrades and plant modernization — builds on an equal investment announced in December 2025 for product enhance March 25, 2026