Seoul moves to confront rising crimes against Koreans in Cambodia

SEOUL, October 13 (AJP) - South Korea’s presidential office convened a task force meeting on Monday to address a surge in crimes targeting South Korean nationals in Cambodia, including a string of abductions and job-related scams that have alarmed families and prompted calls for stronger protection measures. Wi Sung-lak, head of the National Security Office, chaired the meeting, which brought together senior officials from the Foreign Ministry, Justice Ministry, and Nati

October 13, 2025

Battery materials maker EcoPro BM to establish European subsidiary

SEOUL, October 13 (AJP) - South Korean battery materials producer EcoPro BM plans to turn its German liaison office into a full-fledged sales subsidiary as it seeks to deepen its presence in Europe’s fast-growing electric vehicle market. The move, announced Monday, marks a strategic step for the company to expand beyond its core cathode materials business into recycling, while broadening its customer base across the region. As Europe accelerates its shift toward electri

October 13, 2025

LG Energy Solution Q3 profit surges 34% on pre-expiry U.S. EV credit boost

SEOUL, October 13 (AJP) - South Korea’s top battery maker LG Energy Solution said Monday its third-quarter operating profit likely jumped 34 percent from a year earlier, lifted by increased electric-vehicle (EV) battery purchases ahead of the expiration of federal EV tax credits in the United States. In a preliminary earnings estimate for the quarter ended September, the company projected an operating profit of 601.3 billion won ($422.8 million), up from 448.3 billion

October 13, 2025

South Korea ranks second in antibiotic use among OECD nations

SEOUL, October 13 (AJP) - South Korea ranks second among developed nations in antibiotic consumption, raising alarm among health authorities over growing risks of drug resistance. According to data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, South Koreans used 31.8 defined daily doses (DID) of antibiotics per 1,000 people per day in 2023 — the second highest level among OECD members. The figu

October 13, 2025

KAIST launches nationwide campaign to share failures on International Day of Failure

SEOUL, October 13 (AJP) - KAIST has launched a national campaign inviting people to share their everyday mistakes to mark the International Day of Failure on October 13, highlighting the idea that failure is the starting point of innovation and challenge. "Failure should not be feared. A culture that accepts it is the basis of creativity and progress," said KAIST President Lee Kwang-hyung. "Even for just one day, I hope everyone will recall a small failure they expe

October 13, 2025

South Korea discusses security measures with Cambodia amid rising crimes

SEOUL, October 12 (AJP) - Amid a string of crimes targeting South Koreans in Cambodia, authorities are considering measures to strengthen consular support and bolster local investigative capabilities to crack down on them. According to government sources on Sunday, South Korea is in talks with Cambodia to bolster security by increasing police personnel at the South Korean Embassy in Phnom Penh and forming a joint task force to tackle the rise in employment scam-related crimes incl

October 12, 2025

Sales of gold bullion surge as more people turn to safer assets

SEOUL, October 12 (AJP) - As gold prices continue to soar, savvy people and investors are increasingly turning to the precious metal to grow their assets amid record-low interest rates. According to relevant data released on Sunday, total balances in bank accounts at South Korea's top three banks - KB Kookmin, Shinhan, and Woori - stood at 1.51 trillion Korean won as of early this month, up 95.9 billion won in just about a week from the end of last month and up 730.8 billion won

October 12, 2025

South Korea, U.S. trade chiefs to meet in Washington amid deadlock in tariff-related negotiations

SEOUL, October 12 (AJP) - South Korea and the U.S. will hold ministerial-level talks later this week amid an impasse in tariff-related negotiations between the two countries. Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol is scheduled to meet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant on the sidelines of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors' Meeting and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)'s annual gathering in Washington, D.C., which are set to take place from Monday thro

October 12, 2025

Xi vows to strengthen ties with North Korea in letter to Kim Jong-un

SEOUL, October 12 (AJP) - Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening strategic communication and cooperation with North Korea in a letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, state media reported on Sunday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim received the letter on Oct. 9, which was a reply to his earlier message to Xi on Oct. 1 in celebration of the 76th anniversary of China's National Day. In the letter, Xi stress

October 12, 2025

North Korea unveils new ICBM at late-night military parade

SEOUL, October 12 (AJP) - North Korea unveiled its latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at a massive military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of its sole ruling Workers' Party, state media reported on Saturday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the new Hwasong-20 ICBM, hailed as "the most powerful nuclear strategic weapon system," made its first public appearance at the parade the previous day, signali

October 12, 2025