South Korean government backs Korea Zinc's US smelter plan

SEOUL, December 18 (AJP) - The South Korean government has given a positive assessment of Korea Zinc's plan to invest in a smelter in the United States, raising expectations that key procedures such as permits and financing could move more quickly. The investment is also expected to strengthen Korea Zinc’s global footprint and deliver tangible progress in South Korea–U.S. cooperation on critical minerals, the government said. Industry Minister Kim Jeong-gwan t

December 18, 2025

Foreign jobs hit record high in South Korea, exceeding 1.1 million

SEOUL, December 18 (AJP) - Foreign employment in South Korea has exceeded 1.1 million for the first time, driven by a sharp increase in international students and nonprofessional workers, government data showed on Thursday. According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics’ 2025 survey on foreign employment, the resident foreign population stood at 1.692 million this year, up 132,000, or 8.4 percent, from a year earlier. The rate of working foreign residents rose 1.4 percentage points

December 18, 2025

OPINION: Oscar Night in 2030 - except that it won't end in one night

On a spring evening in 2030, few people will reach for a television remote. They will tap the YouTube icon on the living-room screen instead. The Oscars will not appear on a numbered channel, but at the top of an algorithmic feed, marked simply: "Live now". The ceremony will begin—and almost immediately, it will splinter. Acceptance speeches will circulate as concise summaries. The red carpet will resurface as tagged video clips. Jokes will dissolve into meme

December 18, 2025

Tottenham bids another emotional farewell to Son in documentary

SEOUL, December 18 (AJP) -Tottenham Hotspur has released “Heung-Min Son: Homecoming,” a documentary capturing the final chapter of the South Korean star’s decade-long journey at the club, following his emotional return to North London in December. The film premiered this week on Tottenham’s official streaming platform and documents Son’s long-awaited farewell at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium during the Dec. 9 Champions League match against Slavia Prague. No

December 18, 2025

Hyundai Motor Group conducts executive reshuffle, naming 4 new presidents

SEOUL, December 18 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Group on Thursday carried out its regular executive reshuffle, promoting four senior executives to the rank of president. Manfred Harrer was promoted to president and continues to serve as head of the research and development divisions at Hyundai Motor and Kia Corp. Born in 1972, Harrer holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Munich University of Applied Sciences and a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the U

December 18, 2025

Louis Vuitton trademark case goes public at Korea's Supreme Court

SEOUL, December 18 (AJP) -South Korea’s Supreme Court will hold a public hearing later this month to decide whether remodeling luxury handbags into entirely new products constitutes trademark infringement, a case expected to set the court’s first clear benchmark on the legal limits of the so-called “reform” or upcycling business. According to the Supreme Court on Thursday, its Second Division, presided over by Justice Kwon Young-joon, will hear public

December 18, 2025

CJ CheilJedang brings Bibigo brand to Netflix's Culinary Class Wars Season 2

SEOUL, December 18 (AJP) - CJ CheilJedang said Thursday it has supplied a branded pantry stocked with Korean food products for Netflix's cooking competition series Culinary Class Wars Season 2 expanding its global marketing push following a similar tie-up with Squid Game Season 2. The food giant provided a dedicated Bibigo-branded pantry that appeared in episodes released on Dec. 16, featuring ingredients ranging from basic condiments to signature ready-to-eat products for compe

December 18, 2025

Seoul ranked 6th among world's most competitive cities

SEOUL, December 18 (AJP) - Seoul was ranked as the sixth most competitive city in the world, according to a recent survey by Japanese think tank Mori Memorial Foundation released on Thursday. Seoul maintained its ranking in the foundation's annual Global Power City Index (GPCI) from the previous year, but its overall score rose sharply, narrowing the gap with fifth-ranked Singapore. The index, based on six functions such as "economy, research and development, cultural in

December 18, 2025

Hyundai Motor Group to expand plug-and-charge EV network in South Korea

SEOUL, December 18 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Group said on Thursday it will begin a large-scale expansion of its plug-and-charge (PnC) electric vehicle charging network next year, aiming to make EV charging more convenient and secure for drivers. Plug-and-charge is an international standard that automatically manages user authentication, charging and payment when a vehicle is connected to a charger, the automaker said. Unlike conventional EV charging systems that require drivers

December 18, 2025

OPINION: Cooperation between Türkiye and Republic of Korea in building fair international order

SEOUL, December 18 (AJP) - At a time when power balances are being reshaped, the conventional international order is entering a phase of disintegration, and normative values are being eroded, the global system has been drawn into a multi-layered environment of uncertainty. In this age of uncertainty, multidimensional issues, such as intensifyin

December 18, 2025