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  Into the void: sinkhole response drill Gyeonggi, April 16 (AJP) -The ground opens without warning. Asphalt fractures, steel buckles, and in seconds, what was solid becomes void. On Wednesday, fire authorities staged that moment. At the Gyosan public housing development site in Hanam, 77 rescue personnel moved through a carefully choreographed collapse — a large-scale sinkhole scenario designed to mirror one of the most unpredictable urban hazards. The three-day drill, running from April 15 to 17, brought toget April 16, 2026
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  South Korea eyes role in Europe-led Hormuz security push after Gulf war SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) -South Korea is moving to join Europe-led multinational talks aimed at restoring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz once the Gulf conflict subsides, signaling a cautious but deliberate step toward postwar maritime security operations. The presidential office said Thursday that President Lee Jae Myung is “positively” considering participation in a video summit set for Friday, bringing together 70 to 80 countries and international organizations April 16, 2026
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  AI unsettles game workforce in Korea as industry peaks out SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - The artificial intelligence scare has caught up with the game industry, once a top career choice for software programmers in South Korea, with as many as three in four feeling threatened by the new technology in a sector now past its heyday. A survey of 1,078 unionized employees at major publishers including Nexon, NC and Netmarble found that 77.3 percent were anxious about their jobs, according to results presented Wednesday at a National Assembly policy for April 16, 2026
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  FM seeks Mexico's help in securing stable crude oil imports in phone call SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - Foreign Minister Cho Hyun talked with Mexico's new Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco over the phone, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday. Congratulating him on his inauguration last week, Cho said the two countries should further expand economic cooperation, stressing that the Latin American country is South Korea's top trade and investment partner in the region. He then asked for help in ensuring a stable supply of crude oil for South April 16, 2026
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  South Korea's AI startups post strong growth under science ministry program SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT announced that AI and digital companies backed by its K-Global Project program posted broad gains in revenue, investment and employment last year, as the initiative celebrated a decade of nurturing the country's startup ecosystem. According to its press release on Thursday, the ministry surveyed 397 firms that participated in the program, drawing responses from 290 companies. Combined headcount at the end of 2 April 16, 2026
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  Record-high fuel surcharges to push up airfares ahead of peak summer travel season SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - Fuel surcharges on international flights will rise to record-high levels next month as oil prices remain high, even as there are some hopes for an end to the prolonged conflict in the Middle East. Both international and domestic flight routes are subject to these surcharges, which airlines adjust based on changes in the average price of fuel traded on Singapore's spot market. According to aviation industry data released on Thursday, the average price April 16, 2026
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  When K-fandom meets baseball, it's no longer just a game Fans cheer during the LG Twins–SSG Landers game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on April 11, 20 SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - Fanchant, glow sticks, choreographed dancing and a brisk run on merchandise stands — the ritual of K-pop no longer ends at the arena gates. In South Korea, it now spills into the ballpark. Spring, for a growing legion of fans, is no longer about cherry blossoms. It’s about the first flash of team colors under stadium lights, the hum of a crowd f April 16, 2026
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  BTS and K-culture boom lift tourist arrivals in Korea to record high Q1 SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - Foreign tourist arrivals to South Korea rose to a record high in the first quarter, as global demand for Korean cultural content from highly anticipated K-pop supergroup BTS' return to digital hits like K-pop Demon Hunters continued to drive travel interest, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Wednesday. Inbound visitors reached 4.76 million in the January–March period, up 23 percent from a year earlier, with March alone setting a monthl April 16, 2026
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  Asian markets rise on hopes for upcoming US–Iran talks as KOSPI stays above 6,000 SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - Asian markets opened broadly upbeat on Thursday as hopes for a possible end to the conflict in the Middle East started to rise ahead of another round of talks between the U.S. and Iran in Pakistan this month. Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 1.73 percent to 59,139.58. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.73 percent to 26,137.49, and China's Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.17 percent to 4,033.92. South Korea's benchmark KOSPI also extended its gains, r April 16, 2026
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  South Korean researchers develop air-stable solid electrolyte for faster battery charging SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - A joint research team led by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has developed a new design technology for solid-state battery electrolytes that maintains structural stability in air while significantly increasing charging speeds. This advancement addresses the chronic vulnerability of halide-based solid electrolytes to moisture, which has long been a barrier to the mass production of safer energy storage systems. The technology could be app April 16, 2026