KOSPI jumps 7 percent at open, lands above 8,300 SEOUL, June 12 (AJP) - The KOSPI lands above 8,300 by leaping over 7 percent at the open Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump again claims a peace deal is close and much-hyped SpaceX IPO winds down. A quarter past the opening at 9:00 a.m. in Seoul, the KOSPI gained 7.78 percent to 8,373.11, more than eclipsing the previous 4.5 percent fall and extending this week's bout of violent swings from 4 to 8 percent. Samsung Electronics rose 10.0 percent to 329,000 won ($217) and June 12, 2026

Trump says Iran deal in 'pretty final shape' as Tehran says no final decision yet SEOUL, June 12 (AJP) - A peace deal between Washington and Tehran is in its final stages and could be signed in Europe as soon as this weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said the U.S. had "just made a great settlement of the war with Iran," announcing that he had canceled planned strikes against Tehran. "We have a signing soon and the documents are in pretty final shape, so we'll see," he June 12, 2026

A shipwreck, a gift and 140 Years of friendship between Korea and France SEOUL, June 11 (AJP) - The story of how Korea and France first encountered each other began far from Paris — on a remote island off Korea's southwestern coast. In the spring of 1851, the French whaling ship Narval ran aground near Bigeumdo. Stranded sailors found unexpected refuge among local Joseon officials who offered food, shelter and assistance despite sharing no common language. When French consul Charles de Montigny arrived from Shanghai to retrieve t June 12, 2026

SpaceX blasts off in $1.8 trillion IPO, likely extend global capital drain through June SEOUL, June 12 (AJP) -Elon Musk's SpaceX blasted off in the world's largest and most spectacular market debut, vacuuming up tens of billions of dollars from investors worldwide and underscoring why Seoul and other Asian markets had been rattled throughout the IPO week. SpaceX on Thursday sold all 555,555,555 shares offered in its initial public offering at $135 apiece, raising $75 billion and valuing the rocket and satellite company at about $1.77 trillion. They go straigh June 12, 2026

Over 500 companies showcase latest technologies at expo in southern Seoul SEOUL, June 11 (AJP) - South Korea's largest annual tech expo in southern Seoul has been drawing visitors since its opening this week, bringing tech professionals and others together to explore the latest innovations in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and extended reality (XR). Under the theme "The Tech Nexus," the annual "Smart Tech Korea" expo, which kicked off at COEX in southern Seoul on Wednesday, runs until Friday, showcas June 11, 2026

Cuba woos Korean firms as sanctions risks loom large SEOUL, June 11 (AJP) - Cuba urged Korean companies to explore business opportunities in agriculture and renewable energy on Thursday, as Havana seeks to turn its new diplomatic ties with Seoul into practical economic cooperation despite deepening U.S. sanctions and persistent payment and logistics risks. The pitch came at the “Cuba Business Opportunities” seminar held in central Seoul, co-hosted by the Cuban Embassy in Korea, the Korea Cooperation League of Latin America June 11, 2026

KOSPI claws back early rout, but SpaceX liquidity fears keep Korea on fragile ground SEOUL, June 11 (AJP) — After another volatile day — swinging between losses and gains more than 50 times — South Korean shares managed to end higher on Thursday. But with the market's fear gauge touching a record high intraday, the rebound underscored the panic behind foreign capital outflows and aggressive retail bargain hunting. The KOSPI rose 33.13 points, or 0.43 percent, to close at 7,763.95. The index opened 2.86 percent lower at 7,509.62 and b June 11, 2026

BTS turns Busan into Asia's hottest destination SEOUL, June 11 (AJP) - Busan, South Korea's second-largest city and biggest port, has turned into a mini-Asia as it hosts a two-day homecoming concert for BTS, timed with the group's 13th anniversary. The summer vacation season arrived early for the coastal city, with fans crowding department stores, luxury outlets, convenience stores and Olive Young shops, while roaming beaches and BTS-themed streets ahead of the June 12-13 concerts. By late May, major hotels including June 11, 2026

From Ejae to BTS, K-pop in spotlight at World Cup SEOUL, June 11 (AJP) - K-pop is set to steal some of the spotlight at this year's FIFA World Cup, with singer Ejae, who gained global fame through Netflix's hit animation, scheduled to perform at the opening ceremony, and BTS set to headline the halftime show at the final. According to organizers, Ejae, along with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, is scheduled to perform "DNA," the official anthem of this year's World Cup, at the opening ceremony in Mexico City on June 11, 2026

Sookmyung Women's University startup develops ultra-lightweight, snow-melting solar panels SEOUL, June 11 (AJP) - A technology startup founded by a mechanical engineering professor at Sookmyung Women's University has developed and commercialised a new line of lightweight solar modules designed to melt snow and integrate seamlessly into electric vehicles. The prominent university in Seoul said Thursday. ACE Inventor, founded by Joung Young-soo, a professor at Sookmyung Women's University's School of Mechanical Systems Engineering, has been receiving researc June 11, 2026