North Korea conducts military drill with new battle tanks SEOUL, March 20 (AJP) - North Korea conducted an "offensive tactical drill of infantrymen and tankmen's sub-units," state media reported on Friday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), its leader Kim Jong-un oversaw the drill featuring "new-type main battle tanks" the previous day. Kim was quoted as saying the tanks, which made their debut demonstrating their "remarkable combat efficiency," are "highly superi March 20, 2026

North Korea warns of 'destruction' as Japan moves to lift lethal arms export ban SEOUL, March 20 (AJP) - North Korea's state news agency, the Korean Central News Agency, denounced a legislative push in Tokyo to dismantle decades of restrictions on the export of lethal weaponry through a formal commentary on Friday. The media outlet characterized the move by the Liberal Democratic Party and Japan Innovation Party as a final abandonment of the "exclusively defense-oriented" posture Japan adopted following its defeat in World War II. The proposal re March 20, 2026

BTS Live D-2: Fans flock to Gwanghwamun ahead of BTS performance SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - With just two days remaining until BTS's March 21 comeback performance at Gwanghwamun in central Seoul, numerous visitors are already gathering at the venue on Thursday. While workers are busy installing the stage, seating, and lighting at the iconic Seoul square, visitors are already taking photos and observing the construction site. Gwanghwamun Plaza is currently filled with tourists, with temporary walkways installed for safety control, March 19, 2026

Asian stocks broadly retreat more than 2%, USD/KRW breaches 1,500  SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - Korean stocks tumbled Thursday, tracking a broad selloff across Asia, while the won broke past the key 1,500 level against the dollar as surging oil prices and escalating Middle East tensions triggered heavy foreign outflows. The benchmark KOSPI fell 2.7 percent to close at 5,763.22, after briefly touching an intraday low of 5,738.95. The Korean won weakened to 1,500.6 per dollar at the close, breaching the psychological 1,500 threshold as risk-off senti March 19, 2026

Flowers bloom in Seoul Buddhist temple as vernal equinox nears SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - Spring flowers bloomed at Bongeunsa Temple in Seoul’s Gangnam District on Thursday, drawing visitors a day ahead of the seasonal marker Chunbun, the vernal equinox. Plum trees with red and white blossoms, and cherry flowers colored the temple grounds, offering a gentle sign of the changing season. Visitors paused to take photos or slowed their steps, enjoying the early spring atmosphere. Chunbun marks the day when daytime and nighttime are of equal le March 19, 2026

BTS Live D-2: Why ARMY are willing to come - at any cost SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - Visitors flocking to Seoul from around the world for the BTS comeback concert Saturday are readily paying ever higher prices for flights, accommodation and merchandise, as a measure of the devotion that typifies the BTS fan. Travel costs are surging up to six times their usual levels, fans say. The willingness to absorb the burden reflects more than concert demand, underscoring a deeper dynamic of the BTS-driven “fandom economy,” where spendi March 19, 2026

BTS Live D-2: Unofficial BTS goods surge in Seoul challenging brand control SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - As official BTS merchandise becomes ever more expensive and ever harder to obtain ahead of the group’s comeback concert Saturday, a parallel market is emerging in Seoul and beginning to challenge the limits of brand control. In the city’s popular tourist Myeongdong and Insadong districts, unofficial BTS-themed goods have moved beyond the margins and into plain sight. Street vendors and small retailers openly display banners, printed T-shirts, ph March 19, 2026

GULF CRISIS: Price pressures and weak won deepen Korea's policy bind SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - South Korea’s central bank is facing a growing dilemma as potential war-driven price shocks can collide with a weakening currency, tightening the room for monetary policy maneuver. Like the Federal Reserve, the Bank of Korea is widely expected to hold rates steady next month. But how long it can stay on hold will depend on the duration of the Middle East conflict and the scale of its economic fallout — from renewed inflation to rising financial March 19, 2026

South Korea again urges nationals to leave Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon immediately SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - The government on Thursday once again urged South Korean nationals in Iran, Iraq and Lebanon to leave immediately. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said no South Korean casualties have been reported so far, but it remains deeply concerned about the safety of South Koreans still residing in high-risk areas across the Middle East. "We strongly urge all South Koreans and businesspeople in affected areas to leave as soon as possible," said a ministr March 19, 2026

GULF CRISIS: Hormuz as much insurance chokepoint as energy lifeline SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - The Strait of Hormuz is not just a chokepoint for global energy flows, but for insurance that is turning pricier every day from the protracted suspension and growing risk. Ships do not pass through Hormuz simply because sea lanes are physically open. They move only when insurers are willing to price and underwrite the risk. That makes U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to provide war-risk insurance more than a shipping support measure. It is an March 19, 2026