North Korea threatens to permanently cut off border with South Korea

SEOUL, October 10 (AJP) - North Korea said it would "permanently shut down and block the southern border" as part of a "self-defensive measure," the isolated country's state media reported on Wednesday. The move comes amid strained tensions between the two Koreas, which has worsened since North's summit with the U.S. in Hanoi collapsed in February 2019. Relations have further deteriorated as South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol called the North the "

October 10, 2024

Five dead, 40 injured at Indian air show amid heatwave

SEOUL, October 10 (AJP) - At least five spectators died and 40 were hospitalized while watching an air show during a heatwave in Chennai, southern India, news reports said. The event, held on Sunday at Marina Beach, celebrated the 92nd anniversary of the Indian Air Force. The primary cause of death is presumed to be heatstroke. About 1.5 million people attended the show, where temperatures reached nearly 36 degrees Celsius. Many fainted from heat and dehydration. Casualti

October 10, 2024

Japanese man's 1966 quadruple murder acquittal finalized

SEOUL, October 10 (AJP) - Japanese prosecutors have declined to appeal the acquittal of Iwao Hakamata, 88, in a 1966 quadruple murder case, bringing an end to a nearly six-decade legal battle. Hakamata, who spent about 48 years on death row before his release in 2014, was cleared of all charges by the Shizuoka District Court on Sept. 26. His case marks the fifth instance in post-war Japan where retrials have led to acquittals following death sentences. The Shizuoka Prefectural Po

October 10, 2024

Indian tycoon Ratan Tata dies at age 86

SEOUL, October 10 (AJP) – Indian tycoon Ratan Tata, who led Tata Group for around 21 years, died on Wednesday at a Mumbai hospital at the age of 86. The cause of his death was not disclosed. He is credited with transforming Tata Group into a global enterprise before stepping down in 2012. Tata succeeded his uncle in 1991 as chairman of Tata Sons, the holding company of Tata Group. Under his leadership, the company successfully acquired major assets, including Anglo-Dutch st

October 10, 2024

Suspected North Korean hackers stole nuclear reactor info from South Korean firm

SEOUL, October 10 (AJP) – Suspected North Korean hackers infiltrated a contractor for the state-run Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP) in 2020 and 2024, stealing information on nuclear power plants, a Seoul lawmaker said Thursday. The cyberattacks, which took place in September 2020 and June 2024, targeted the contractor’s document centralization system designed to prevent technology leaks and malware infections, according to Choi Min-hee of the opposition Democr

October 10, 2024

Four Palestinians killed in Israeli special forces operation in Nablus

SEOUL, October 10 (AJP) - Israeli forces killed four Palestinians in Nablus, in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. A fifth person was wounded during the attack, which local media reported was carried out by Israeli Special Forces in central Nablus. The Palestinian news agency Wafa said an undercover Israeli unit discreetly entered the city and opened fire on a vehicle carrying the victims. The wounded individual is being treated for shrapnel inj

October 10, 2024

Colombian foreign minister starts China visit as ties strengthen  

SEOUL, October 10 (AJP) - Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo began a four-day visit to China on Wednesday. Analysts say this visit continues the trend of high-level exchanges between China and Latin American countries, aiming to strengthen cooperation and boost development in the Global South. They also noted that multilateral initiatives supported by China, like BRICS, are becoming more attractive to Latin American nations. Murillo's visit comes at the invitation

October 10, 2024

OPINION: Google Deepmind founder shares Nobel prize in chemistry for AI that unlocks shape of proteins

SEOUL, October 10 (AJP) - The 2024 Nobel prize in chemistry has been awarded to three scientists for their work on describing and predicting proteins with the help of computers. One half of the prize goes to David Baker from the University of Washington in the U.S. "for computational protein design," with the other half jointly awarded to Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper, both from Google Deepmind, U.K., "for protein structure prediction." Using computers to car

October 10, 2024

China, EU set to continue talks over electric vehicle tariff dispute

SEOUL, October 10 (AJP) - China and the European Union continue discussions on the EU's anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), following EU member states' approval of the draft final ruling last Friday, according to Xinhua News Agency on Wednesday. Recent reports indicate intensive communications between China, the U.S., and the EU on EV trade issues. Reuters reported that the EU rejected a Chinese proposal for a 30,000 euro ($32,946) minimum sales

October 10, 2024

Hyundai Mobis to make debut at Paris Motor Show

SEOUL, October 9 (AJP) - Korean auto parts maker Hyundai Mobis Co. said Wednesday that it will participate in the Paris Motor Show for the first time, aiming to accelerate its expansion into the European market. The company, affiliated with Hyundai Motor Group, plans to showcase 10 strategic technologies during the Oct. 14-18 event, including next-generation electric vehicle (EV) drive systems and battery system assemblies (BSA). Hyundai Mobis said it will operate a booth for pre

October 9, 2024