BTS' Jin thanks fans after receiving Golden Disc upbit popularity award SEOUL, January 23 (AJP) - BTS member Jin thanked fans on Thursday after receiving his plaque for the "Upbit Male Popularity Award" at the 40th Golden Disc Awards, sharing a message on Weverse, a global superfan platform operated by HYBE that enables direct communication between artists and fans. “The precious award that ARMY gave us. It’s been delivered to me now. Thank you. I’ll cherish it,” Jin wrote, expressing appreciation for his fan January 23, 2026

Kookmin University launches international design award emphasizing educator-student collaboration SEOUL, January 23 (AJP) - Kookmin University announced the launch of the "DBEW AWARD 2026," an international design competition organized in partnership with the Association for Industrial Design (ADI). The award aims to highlight the educational process and collaboration between students and instructors rather than focusing solely on finished design products. The award distinguishes itself from traditional design competitions by evaluating the mentorship and cooperative January 23, 2026

Singer-turned-actor Cha Eun-woo under scrutiny for alleged tax evasion SEOUL, January 23 (AJP) - Actor Cha Eun-woo, a member of K-pop boy band ASTRO, has come under scrutiny after allegations of tax evasion surfaced this week. The National Tax Service (NTS) has reportedly launched an audit into his alleged failure to properly declare taxable income, according to multiple sources. The audit began early last year, several months before he enlisted in the military to fulfill his mandatory service in July. The NTS believes that the actor evaded taxes wo January 23, 2026

Dispute deepens as US investors seek probe into 'discriminatory' actions against Coupang SEOUL, January 23 (AJP) - The dispute between Coupang and South Korean regulators appears to have turned into a potential diplomatic issue after the e-commerce giant's U.S. investors urged the Trump administration to investigate Seoul over alleged unfair trade practices. Greenoaks Capital and Altimeter Capital, the two largest shareholders of the New York-listed company, filed a petition on Thursday, requesting the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) launch an investi January 23, 2026

Asia stocks edge higher; KOSPI back above 5,000 SEOUL, January 23 (AJP) – Asian equities opened higher on Friday, with South Korean stocks leading gains as easing global trade tensions lifted investor sentiment. South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI climbed back above the 5,000 mark in early trading. As of 9:48 a.m. local time, the index was up 1.17 percent at 5,010.28. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ rose 0.82 percent to 978.26. Institutional investors were net buyers of 191.0 billion won ($94 million), while individual investors January 23, 2026

Canadian delegates tour Hanwha Ocean's shipyard ahead of submarine bidding SEOUL, January 23 (AJP) - South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean said Friday that an Ontario cabinet minister visited its Geoje shipyard this week, as the company steps up efforts to win Canada’s submarine project. Victor Fedeli, Ontario’s minister responsible for economic development, job creation and trade and a provincial lawmaker representing Nipissing, toured the shipbuilder’s Geoje facility, the company said. The visit comes ahead of bidding for Canada’s January 23, 2026

How Seongsu turned industrial grit into Seoul's coolest address Editor’s Note: This is the first installment in AJP’s Seongsu series, which examines how Seoul’s former factory district transformed into a global hub for pop-ups, brand experiences and new forms of urban consumption. SEOUL, January 23 (AJP) - On a Saturday in Seongsu-dong, a former factory district in eastern Seoul, the first thing you notice is not the clothes. It is the choreography. Pedestrians move in coordinated waves down Yeonmujang-gil, inching past ca January 23, 2026

Korean Air, Asiana Airlines ban use of power banks on board SEOUL, January 23 (AJP) - Korean Air and four other airlines affiliated with Hanjin Group will ban the use of portable power banks on board their aircraft from Jan. 26, the group said on Friday, citing safety concerns. Under the revised policy, passengers on domestic and international flights operated by Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul will be prohibited from using power banks to charge electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops and January 23, 2026

Analysis: Why Greenland became the Arctic's most dangerous geopolitical flashpoint SEOUL, January 23 (AJP) - As Arctic ice retreats, Greenland has emerged as one of the world's most consequential — and misunderstood — geopolitical battlegrounds. The world's largest island, sparsely populated yet strategically irreplaceable, now sits at the intersection of U.S. missile defense, Russian militarization, Chinese resource ambition and Europe's evolving security posture. U.S. President Donald Trump's renewed push to assert U.S. control ove January 23, 2026

OPINION: How data, engineers and state power drive China's tech rise Views of China tend to split neatly into two camps. One dismisses it as a country of imitators. The other fears it as an unstoppable technological juggernaut powered by a vast market and a disciplined state. Both views miss the same point. China’s defining advantage is scale. In a country of 1.4 billion people, even meaningful technological progress can appear underwhelming when measured per capita. But scale has a way of turning incremental gains into structural power January 23, 2026