Kiwi wine festival returns to Seoul with top New Zealand labels

SEOUL, May 3 (AJP) - A festival showcasing premium wines from New Zealand was held in Seoul on Saturday, offering guests a sophisticated tasting experience. The annual wine festival organized by the New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Korea, also called the Kiwi Chamber, introduced Korean customers to a wide selection of wines from 25 top New Zealand wineries this year. Attendees included diplomats, wine professionals, and local wine enthusiasts. In addition to wine tastings,

May 4, 2025

Kim Moon-soo wins People Power Party presidential nomination with 56.53 percent of vote

SEOUL, May 03 (AJP) - Kim Moon-soo has been selected as the People Power Party's candidate for the upcoming presidential election, securing 56.53 percent of the final vote. The conservative party confirmed its nominee for the 21st presidential election during a national convention held at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on Saturday. Han Dong-hoon, who advanced to the final round of the primary, received 43.47 percent of the votes. Kim defeated Han in both party member votin

May 3, 2025

SK Telecom employees volunteer for frontline support amid SIM card hacking crisis

SEOUL, May 03 (AJP) - Hundreds of SK Telecom employees have voluntarily joined frontline customer service operations to help manage the fallout from the company's recent SIM card information hack, industry sources said on Saturday. Staff from various departments, including those unrelated to mobile communications, developers, and new employees, have been deployed to airports, SK Telecom retail stores, and authorized dealers as more than 3 million overseas travelers are expected dur

May 3, 2025

Trump-Kim relations could reset, but U.S. leverage diminished by Russia factor, expert says

SEOUL, May 03 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump could reestablish relations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at any time, but his negotiating leverage would likely be limited, according to a North Korea expert from a U.S. think tank. Sydney Seiler, senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), suggested in a CSIS podcast on Saturday that Trump has confidence in his ability to restart North Korea negotiations through his personal diplomacy at the

May 3, 2025

Hair transplant costs vary up to 15-fold across South Korea

SEOUL, May 02 (AJP) - The cost of hair transplants in South Korea differs dramatically depending on the region, with prices for a single hair follicle transplant varying as much as 15-fold, according to government data released Friday. Figures obtained by Rep. Kim Mi-ae of the ruling People Power Party from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service show that in 2024, Gwangju Metropolitan City recorded the highest average cost per follicle at 21,000 won, or roughly $15.70.

May 2, 2025

French-Korean Career Forum to link talent with international employers in Seoul

SEOUL, May 2 (AJP) - The French-Korean Career Forum will take place in Seoul, offering South Korean and French job seekers living in South Korea a platform to explore career opportunities shaped by the French language and culture. Jointly organized by the French-Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), the Cultural Service of the French Embassy in South Korea, and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), in collaboration with CCIP, CLE International, and France Alu

May 2, 2025

Conservatives weigh unification strategy as Han Duck-soo enters race

SEOUL, May 02 (AJP) - Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s presidential bid is prompting a strategic rethink across South Korea’s conservative bloc, as leaders weigh the risks and rewards of unifying behind a single candidate before official registration begins next week. The 75-year-old former Prime Minister formally declared his candidacy on Friday, offering a transitional vision centered on constitutional reform. “I will form a presidential task force on const

May 2, 2025

Korea's inflation holds steady in April, driven by food prices

SEOUL, May 02 (AJP) - Consumer prices in South Korea rose 2.1 percent in April from a year earlier, marking the fourth consecutive month of inflation hovering in the 2 percent range, according to data released Friday by Statistics Korea. The consumer price index (CPI) reached 116.38, based on the 2020 baseline of 100. April’s figure extends a trend that began in January, when inflation climbed back to 2.2 percent after four months of remaining below 2 percent. Processed f

May 2, 2025

Leadership vacuum in S. Korea raises concerns over economic stability

SEOUL, May 02 (AJP) - Concerns over South Korea’s economic leadership are intensifying following the abrupt resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, who stepped down Thursday in a bid to avoid impeachment. His departure threatens to unsettle foreign investors and undermine Seoul’s credibility as it navigates rising domestic uncertainty and mounting trade pressure from the United States. Choi, a key figure in maintaining policy continu

May 2, 2025

US defends Trump's talks With Putin, citing past engagement with Kim Jong-un

SEOUL, May 2 (AJP) - The United States State Department defended President Donald Trump on Thursday over his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, citing the backlash he faced during meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. “There was a lot of heat when he went to visit Kim Jong-un,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said during a press briefing. She added that Trump’s view is that “people have to be spoken with, face to face, one

May 2, 2025