Buses back running in Seoul after strike ends SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) -After two days of disruption, Seoul commuters were relieved to find buses back in service Thursday morning following an overnight wage deal. The Seoul City Bus Labor Union and the Seoul City Bus Transport Operators Association accepted a mediation proposal at around 11:50 p.m. during a second post-adjustment meeting hosted by the Seoul Labor Relations Commission. Under the agreement, wages for 2025 will rise by 2.9 percent, while the retirement age wil January 15, 2026

Actor Lee Byung-hun appears on US late-night talk show SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - Actor Lee Byung-hun appeared on NBC's late-night talk show "Late Night with Seth Meyers" earlier this week, sharing behind-the-scenes stories from his latest films. After walking on stage to loud cheers at a studio in New York on Tuesday, Lee recounted a few episodes from the set of award-winning director Park Chan-wook's film "No Other Choice," drawing laughter with witty answers that garnered repeated applause from the au January 15, 2026

Hyundai Motor's Palisade named North America's top utility vehicle of the year SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor said on Thursday that its Palisade sport utility vehicle has been named this year's North American Utility Vehicle of the Year, citing the model’s upgraded hybrid system and strong appeal in the U.S. market. Finalists in the 2026 utility category included the Hyundai Palisade, Lucid Gravity and Nissan Leaf. Hyundai said the Palisade emerged as the winner following close competition. Judges cited the Palisade’s next-gener January 15, 2026

South Korea trade chief tells US officials, lawmakers Coupang probe is not 'trade issue' SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - South Korea’s trade minister Yeo Han-koo has told U.S. officials and lawmakers that a domestic probe into e-commerce firm Coupang should not be interpreted as a diplomatic or trade issue, officials here said on Thursday. Yeo made the remarks during a visit to Washington from Jan. 11 to 14, where he held outreach meetings with U.S. lawmakers, government officials and industry representatives, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energ January 15, 2026

Hong Sang-soo's latest film set for world premiere in Berlin SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - Director Hong Sang-soo's latest film has been invited to compete at this year's Berlin International Film Festival, which opens next month. "The Day She Returns" will get its world premiere in the festival's non-competitive section, organizers said Wednesday, praising Hong's 34th feature for offering a "subtle reflection on the acting profession itself." The film revolves around a woman who completes an independent f January 15, 2026

BOK stays pat for eighth month as weak won and high debt constrain policy SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - The Bank of Korea (BOK) kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.5 percent on Thursday, extending its policy pause to an eighth consecutive month as policymakers remain constrained by a weak currency, elevated household debt and divergent inflation pressures. At its first rate-setting meeting of 2026, the central bank decided to hold the base rate steady, unchanged since a 25-basis-point cut in May last year. The decision reflects what officials ha January 15, 2026

LG CNS invests in Cha Biotech to scale AI-driven healthcare SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - LG CNS said on Thursday it is moving to scale up its digital healthcare business through a strategic partnership with Cha Bio Group. The IT services firm, led by Chief Executive Hyun Shin-gyun, said it signed a partnership agreement with Cha Biotech. The deal includes a 10 billion won ($7.4 million) equity investment and cooperation on artificial intelligence transformation and digital transformation projects. Hyun and Cha Won-tae, vice chairman of Cha January 15, 2026

Korean founders told to prioritize profit over growth at Silicon Valley summit SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - South Korean startup founders hoping to break into the United States market were advised to abandon aggressive growth strategies in favor of proving their "unit economics," as investors at a major industry gathering here warned of a tightened global capital environment. The advice was delivered at the UKF 82 Startup Summit 2026, held from January 9 to 12 at the Fox Theatre in Redwood City. The event drew approximately 4,000 participants, making January 15, 2026

BLACKPINK to release new album next month SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - K-pop girl group BLACKPINK will release a new album next month. "Deadline," the quartet's third mini album, was teased by their management agency YG Entertainment on Thursday, ahead of its release slated for Feb. 27. "We'd like to thank fans who have waited for quite a long time," the agency said in a press release. The much-anticipated album is expected to reflect the memories and moments of their ongoin January 15, 2026

Samsung working with US labs to develop next-generation clothes dryer SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics said on Thursday that its research into next-generation clothes-drying technology has been selected for official support by the U.S. Department of Energy. The South Korean electronics giant said the project aims to develop a high-performance dryer that sharply reduces energy use while maintaining drying efficiency. Samsung is working with Oak Ridge National Laboratory of the U.S. and the University of South Carolina’s depart January 15, 2026