Korea's largest chemical firm bets on next-generation materials to escape prolonged slump

SEOUL, September 09 (AJP) - LG Chem is drawing on its most valuable holdings and accelerating restructuring as South Korea’s largest chemical company struggles with an unprecedented downturn in its business, which has delivered four straight quarters of losses. The company is exploring ways to raise as much as 3 trillion won, or about $2.15 billion, through a financing arrangement tied to its majority stake in battery maker LG Energy Solution and a series of divestitures, acco

September 9, 2025

PHOTOS: Learning traditional etiquette

SEOUL, September 09 (AJP) - A group of students from Myungnyun Elementary School in Busan gathered at Dongnae Hyanggyo, a historic Confucian school, to participate in a traditional etiquette class, Tuesday. Dressed in hanbok, they spent the session learning about traditional Korean etiquette. The hyanggyo, which served as local public educational institutions during the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties, are often described as the historical equivalent of today's public middle an

September 9, 2025

[K-Pop] Soundtrack from K-pop anime remains atop Billboard Hot 100

SEOUL, September 9 (AJP) - One of the main theme songs from Netflix's hit South Korean anime has remained atop the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart this week. According to Billboard on Monday, "Golden" from the soundtrack of "KPop Demon Hunters" took the No. 1 spot on the chart for the second consecutive week and its fourth week overall, since its release in late June. Alongside "Golden," other songs from the soundtrack such as "How It&#

September 9, 2025

Lotte Chemical's struggles mirror South Korea's petrochemical crisis

SEOUL, September 09 (AJP) - Lotte Chemical, once seen as a pillar of South Korea’s industrial strength, is now grappling with a series of setbacks that mirror the broader malaise in the country’s petrochemical sector. The company’s Malaysian unit, Lotte Chemical Titan, has recorded losses for 10 consecutive quarters, culminating in a roughly 1 trillion won ($721 million) impairment charge late last year. Once a reliable profit engine, the subsidiary has become a

September 9, 2025

US Homeland Security chief says detained Korean workers will be 'deported'

SEOUL, September 09 (AJP) - U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Korean workers detained in an immigration raid in Georgia last week will be "deported" — a statement that appears to contradict what South Korean officials say they had already negotiated. Speaking Monday (local time) in London during a meeting of security ministers, Noem said the workers caught in the raid “are going to be deported,” adding that some also face additional charge

September 9, 2025

South Koreans detained in US immigration crackdown to be flown home Thursday

SEOUL, September 09 (AJP) - A charter plane is expected to depart for the United States as early as Wednesday to fly home more than 300 South Koreans who were detained at a battery plant construction site in Georgia, according to officials and industry sources. Korean Air will deploy a B747-8i charter flight from Incheon International Airport to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, with a potential departure time of Wednesday morning, the sources said. The large ai

September 9, 2025

North Korea tests new solid-fuel engine for ICBMs

SEOUL, September 9 (AJP) - North Korea tested a new high-thrust solid-fuel engine for intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), state media reported on Tuesday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the reclusive country "conducted another ground jet test of a high-thrust solid-fuel engine using composite carbon fiber material," with its leader Kim Jong-un inspecting the test. KCNA said it was the "ninth ground jet test" of i

September 9, 2025

KAIST uses quantum computing to design porous materials like LEGO blocks

SEOUL, September 09 (AJP) - The Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) has become the first in the world to apply quantum computing to the design of multivariate porous materials (MTVs), opening the door to new catalysts, membranes, and energy storage materials. MTVs are materials made of molecular building blocks that can be combined in different ways, much like LEGO pieces, to create tailor-made structures. They have potential uses in gas capture, selective

September 9, 2025

Pilot program for hiring foreign domestic helpers suspended amid weak demand

SEOUL, September 8 (AJP) - A pilot program allowing families to directly hire foreign domestic helpers has been terminated, according to the Ministry of Justice. The program was launched in March this year with the aim of addressing the country's extremely low birthrates by helping couples juggle childcare and housework, enabling them to work with fewer worries. However, it soon drew criticism, as some households could afford the service while some foreign workers were not en

September 8, 2025

Alliance reaffirmed, substance lacking: Korean-American lawmaker on Lee–Trump summit

SEOUL, September 08 (AJP) - Two weeks after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and the United States President Donald Trump held their first summit, U.S. lawmakers are offering mixed assessments, praising its reaffirmation of ties but also pointing to unresolved challenges such as defense costs and trade issues. Rep. Young Kim, a Republican from California and one of the first Korean American women elected to Congress, said the summit served as a "necessary reaffirmation&qu

September 8, 2025