Samsung Display supplies OLED cockpit, rear screens for Zeekr's flagship SUV SEOUL, January 21 (AJP) - Samsung Display said Wednesday it is supplying three types of automotive OLED displays for the flagship luxury SUV from Chinese electric-vehicle brand Zeekr. The Zeekr 9X has ranked first in China’s large-SUV segment priced at around 500,000 yuan ($70,000) for two consecutive months since November, according to the company. Under the deal, Samsung Display is providing a 16-inch center information display, a 16-inch front passenger display and a January 21, 2026

Seoul honors Turkish General Tahsin Yazıcı as first global war hero under new program SEOUL, January 21 (AJP) - The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs held a ceremony on Tuesday to honor Brigadier General Tahsin Yazıcı, the Korean War commander of the Turkish Brigade, as the "Korean War Hero of the Month" for January 2026. The Turkish Brigade, known by the code name "North Star" (Kuzey Yıldızı), arrived in the port city of Busan on October 17, 1950. Attached to the U.S. IX Corps, the brigade quickly earned a reputation for ferocity and re January 21, 2026

OPINION: A compound crisis demands compound policy for Korean economy South Korea’s economy is sending mixed signals. Exports are at record highs and the stock market is approaching 5,000 points. At the same time, warning lights are flashing: a weaker won, renewed pressure on home prices and worsening youth employment. Some see the moment as an opening for a major shift; others warn of an economy cooling toward stagnation. In truth, opportunity and risk are advancing together — and that is the most difficult ph January 21, 2026

KOSPI catches its breath after two-week rally SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI pulled back on Tuesday, ending its year-opening rally, as selling pressure in major technology and auto shares outweighed gains in select growth and thematic stocks. The index fell 0.4 percent to close at 4,885.8, snapping a 13-session winning streak that included a series of record highs. Despite the pullback, it briefly climbed to an intraday high of 4,935.48, extending its run of fresh peaks before momentum faded in late January 20, 2026

More young Koreans abandon job searches: BOK SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - The number of economically inactive or “idled” young people in South Korea has risen sharply, with a growing share abandoning job searches, underscoring mounting risks to the country’s long-term growth potential, the central bank said on Tuesday. According to a report from the Bank of Korea (BOK), the proportion of the idled population within the economically inactive group climbed to 15.8 percent in 2025, up from 12.8 percent in 2019. T January 20, 2026

Uzbekistan president calls for results-oriented diplomatic shift SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev called for a fundamental restructuring of the country's diplomatic missions on January 15, urging ambassadors to pivot from traditional political representation to aggressive economic advocacy and the protection of citizens abroad. Speaking at an expanded meeting of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mirziyoyev said the shifting geopolitical landscape and increasing threats to state sovereignty require a "new gene January 20, 2026

Most powerful cold wave of winter hits South Korea SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - An intense cold wave gripped the Korean Peninsula on Tuesday, coinciding with Daehan, the final of the 24 traditional lunar terms marking the peak of winter. Temperatures plummeted below minus 10 degrees Celsius across the greater Seoul area and Gangwon Province, prompting authorities to issue cold wave advisories for most of the country. In the capital, the morning wind chill factor plunged to a staggering minus 18 degrees Celsius, marking the coldest January 20, 2026

FM to visit Turkey, Belgium this week SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will visit Turkey and Belgium later this week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday. "Cho will travel to Turkey on Wednesday for talks with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan," the ministry's deputy spokesperson Lee Moon-bae, said during a press briefing in Seoul. The meeting is part of follow-up steps after President Lee Jae Myung's state visit to Turkey in November last year. Cho is expected to January 20, 2026

Korea Exchange cleans out zombie stocks as KOSPI rallies to new heights SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - South Korea’s stock market is extending its red-hot rally into the new year while quietly pushing out near-defunct companies, using favorable market momentum to rationalize both its main and secondary bourses. According to data from the Korea Exchange (KRX) as of Tuesday, five companies — Pureunsonamu, Intromedic, Well Biotec, Kukbo and PharmAbcine — are currently undergoing delisting procedures. Of the five, Well Biotec and Kukbo are l January 20, 2026

'Dancing, Dreaming, Enlightening' showcases Korean fashion art SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) The Seoul Museum of Craft Art is holding a special donation exhibition, "Dancing, Dreaming, Enlightening," showcasing the artistic world of Geum Key-sook, a pioneer of Korean fashion art, through March 15. The exhibition traces the creative journey of artist Geum Key-sook, who has built a unique domain of "fashion art" over 40 years by crossing boundaries between fashion and fine art, tradition and contemporary practice. Geum is recogni January 20, 2026