Opinion: California is about to tax guns more like alcohol and tobacco − and that could put a dent in gun violence

SEOUL, May 21 (AJU PRESS) - Starting in July 2024, California will be the first state to charge an excise tax on guns and ammunition. The new tax – an 11-percent levy on each sale – will come on top of federal excise taxes of 10 percent or 11 percent for firearms and California's 6-percent sales tax. The National Rifle Association has characterized California's Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Act as an affront to the Constitution. But the reaction fr

May 21, 2024

Plan to allow foreign doctors sparks heated debate in Korea

SEOUL, May 17 (AJU PRESS) - Pros and cons over a scheme to allow foreign doctors to work in Korea are heating up, after the government announced the move early this month. The government came up with the idea in a bid to address the long-term shortage of medical personnel and ease disruptions in public healthcare across the country, amid a collective strike by medical professionals. Since February, most of medical trainees at major hospitals have resigned in protest against the go

May 20, 2024

Korea's ramyeon exports hit record high in April

SEOUL, May 20 (AJU PRESS) - Exports of Korean instant noodles, ramyeon, surpassed $100 million for the first time in April, led by a spicy chicken flavor variant, according to government data. Data from the Korea Customs Service showed that Korean companies sold $108.6 million worth of ramyeon last month, a 46.8 percent increase from the same period a year ago. The volume broke the previous monthly record of $92.9 million set in February. Ramyeon exports have increased annually s

May 20, 2024

Luxury pet-friendly services on the rise in Korea

SEOUL, May 20 (AJU PRESS) - Luxury pet services and products ranging from canine kindergartens to hotels, and health supplements, are attracting a growing number of pet-lovers in Korea. According to a recent report released by KB Financial Group, about 5.5 million households or one out of every four households in Korea, have at least one pet. The report estimated that there are around 12.6 million pet owners. The trend is attributed to the increased number of single-person househo

May 20, 2024

Korean Council on Latin America pledges support for opening of Cuban Embassy in Seoul

SEOUL, May 20 (AJU PRESS) – Han Byung-kil, chairman of the Korean Council on Latin America and the Caribbean (KCLAC), has pledged support for an early opening of the Cuban Embassy in Seoul during his meeting with a visiting senior Cuban diplomat. Han met with Mario Alzugaray Rodriguez, deputy head of mission of the Cuban Embassy in China, in Seoul on Thursday, and discussed measures to promote cooperation between the two countries, the non-profit organization said. Alzugara

May 20, 2024

Opinion: Iranian President Raisi reported dead – what that might mean for country and region

SEOUL, May 20 (AJU PRESS) - Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who has been reported dead after the helicopter he was in crashed on May 19, 2024, is a consummate loyalist whose passing will be a severe blow to the country's conservative leadership. While search and rescue teams – hampered by rain, fog, forests and mountains – searched for wreckage, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the nation "should pray" for Raisi. As an expert on I

May 20, 2024

'Gwanghwamun needs new name plate in Hangeul'

SEOUL, May 19 (AJU PRESS) - The iconic signboard of Gwanghwamun, the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace in central Seoul, has once again become the center of a long-held debate, with scholars advocating for the use of Hangeul, the Korean alphabet. The controversy has resurfaced last week after Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In-chon expressed support for the Korean-written signboard during an event marking the 627th birth anniversary of King Sejong the Great, the invento

May 20, 2024

Turkish corvette-class warship to visit Busan next month

SEOUL, May 20 (AJU PRESS) - The Turkish Navy's corvette-class warship is set to dock in Korea's southern port city of Busan next month, the Turkish Embassy in Seoul said last week. As part of its Asian tour of 20 countries, the TCG Kinaliada will make a two-day stopover in Korea starting from June 4. During its visit, ordinary visitors will be allowed to board the warship for a brief tour. In a press briefing in Seoul on May 17, the Turkish Embassy said that the warship

May 20, 2024

NewJeans performs 'Cool With You' at Korea's historic palace

SEOUL, May 20 (AJU PRESS) - K-pop girl band NewJeans' special performance at Korea's traditional royal place is set to be broadcast on KBS World in 142 countries on Tuesday. The iconic group's performance of "Cool With You" will air on a music show starting at 11:25 p.m. (1425 GMT), the national television channel said. The song is part of "Get Up," the group's mini-album released in July 2023. NewJeans is the second K-pop group, after BTS, to

May 20, 2024

N. Korean propaganda song praising Kim Jong-un goes viral on TikTok

SEOUL, May 17 (AJU PRESS) - A propaganda song praising North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has gone viral online. Intrigued by its up-tempo beat and repetitive rhythm, combined with unfamiliar and laughable background scenes, the three-minute clip for "Friendly Father," first uploaded in April, has garnered 880,600 views on TikTok as of this week, with heart emojis next to the portly leader's name. About 155,000 people have clicked on another video introducing the song wit

May 20, 2024