Park Chan-wook's "No Other Choice" emerges as Korea's biggest U.S. box-office hit SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice has become the highest-grossing Korean film ever released in the United States, surpassing the box-office record set by Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite and reinforcing the commercial viability of Korean noir among American audiences. After more than three decades of shaping South Korean cinema for global viewers, Park is registering his first major North American box-office breakthrough. No Other Choice, a dark comedy ce January 20, 2026

AI memory becomes security concern in Korea as HBM leaks to China rise SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - High-bandwidth memory (HBM), a critical component powering artificial intelligence chips, is emerging as a national security concern in South Korea as technology leaks involving advanced semiconductors increasingly flow to China amid intensifying global competition in AI. The National Police Agency said industrial espionage investigations last year led to the arrest of 378 suspects, including six detentions, in cases involving advanced technologies such a January 20, 2026

Independent prosecutors allowed to conduct further probes into martial law debacle SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung approved a special bill at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday allowing further investigation into allegations related to disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law debacle, as well as a slew of suspicions involving his wife. The approval came after the bill was spearheaded and passed last week by the ruling Democratic Party (DP), which holds a majority of seats in the National Assembly. Independent prosecutors January 20, 2026

The birth of humanoid robots (1) Robo Sapiens: EVs with brains Editor's Note: This is the first installment in AJP's series on humanoid robotics, examining the anatomy, technologies and economic logic behind one of the most hyped industries of the decade. SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - Humanoid robots have become a buzzword at CES and beyond, captivating both technology and stock markets as artificial intelligence converges with China's formidable manufacturing power. This emerging breed of "robo sapiens" joining humanity &m January 20, 2026

K-webtoon exhibition to open in Tokyo to court Japanese readers SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) will -co-host a K-webtoon exhibition in Tokyo aimed at promoting Korean digital comics to Japanese audiences. The event will run from Jan. 30 to Feb. 28 at Gallery MI inside the Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo, the organizers said on Tuesday. The exhibition will feature around 20 major webtoon titles, including 11 winners from the World Webtoon A January 20, 2026

South Korea's LIG Nex1 pitches air defense systems to Middle Eastern customers SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - South Korean defense contractor LIG Nex1 is making its first appearance at the Middle East’s largest maritime defense exhibition, stepping up efforts to expand its presence in the region. The company said on Tuesday it is participating in the Doha International Maritime Defense Exhibition & Conference (DIMDEX) 2026, which runs from Jan. 19 to 22 in Doha, Qatar, where it is showcasing integrated air-defense and precision-strike solutions tailored January 20, 2026

South Korean violinist in wheelchair wins top prize at US competition SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - Violinist Lim Hyun-jae won the triennial Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition (EOIVC) in Boca Raton, Florida last weekend. At last Sunday's finals at Lynn University Conservatory of Music, Lim, 28, performed Jean Sibelius' "Violin Concerto in D minor" while seated in a wheelchair and won the top prize among four finalists. She also won two special prizes awarded to the best performers of the EOIVC's commissioned work. January 20, 2026

HD Korea Shipbuilding secures $350 million in new vessel orders SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore, the shipbuilding arm of HD Hyundai, said on Tuesday it has secured orders for crude oil tankers and petrochemical product carriers, extending a strong start to the year. The company said it signed contracts to build two crude oil tankers and two petrochemical product carriers, or PC carriers, with a combined value of 481.6 billion won ($350 million). The vessels will be constructed at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and d January 20, 2026

Fewer North Korean defectors arrived in Seoul last year SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - A total of 224 North Korean defectors arrived in South Korea last year, the Ministry of Unification said on Tuesday. The figure is a slight decrease from last year's 236, following a sharp decline during the coronavirus pandemic. Of them, 198 were women and 26 were men, with only a handful having defected directly from North Korea without passing through a third country like China. The cumulative number of North Korean defectors now stands at 34,5 January 20, 2026

South Korea's EV registrations jump 50 percent in 2025, ending two-year slump SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - New electric-vehicle registrations in South Korea topped 220,000 last year, ending two consecutive years of decline and returning to growth, according to industry data released on Tuesday. In its 2025 report, the Korea Automobile & Mobility Association (KAMA) said new EV registrations rose 50.1 percent from a year earlier to 220,177 units. EV penetration — the share of EVs in new vehicle purchases — reached 13.1 percent, entering doub January 20, 2026