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  Travel agencies in China to resume tours to North Korea SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) - Travel agencies in China have begun selling group tours to North Korea this month. If realized, it would mark the first such trips in five years, though it remains to be seen whether the isolated country will fully reopen its borders. Zhixing Heyi, a Beijing-based travel agency, is currently offering a three-night, four-day tour to Rason, North Korea's easternmost border region, departing on Feb. 24. The agency said it had received an official notic February 19, 2025
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  Political uncertainty stalls Korea's plan to develop next-generation reactors SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) - South Korea’s ambitious plans for Small Modular Reactor (SMR) development have encountered setbacks as political disputes stall progress, while global competitors advance in the next-generation nuclear market. SMRs have emerged as a transformative force in power generation, offering cost-effectiveness and enhanced safety features, with expenses projected to be reduced by up to 33 percent compared with aging coal plants. According to industry exper February 19, 2025
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  TikTok booms in Korea despite privacy concerns linked to DeepSeek SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) - ByteDance’s TikTok has solidified its foothold in South Korea’s social media landscape, surpassing Facebook in combined monthly active users, even as concerns mount over data transfers linked to DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence app. According to data from mobile analytics firm Mobile Index, the short-video platform and its lightweight counterpart, TikTok and TikTok Lite, recorded approximately 4.9 million and 4.8 million monthly acti February 19, 2025
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  Constitutional Court holds hearing in Yoon's absence SEOUL, February 18 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol skipped a hearing for his impeachment trial, over his botched martial law debacle last December, which was held at the Constitutional Court of Korea in Seoul on Tuesday. Yoon's legal representatives said that he had intended to attend but changed his mind at the last minute, as the day's hearing would primarily focus on arguments from previous sessions, with no witnesses present. Except for the first two hearings, which b February 18, 2025
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  Actor Yoo Ah-in released with suspended sentence for habitual drug use by appellate court SEOUL, February 18 (AJP) - Actor Yoo Ah-in was released on Tuesday after an appellate court handed down a suspended sentence for habitual drug use. The 39-year-old had been sentenced to one year in prison at his first trial and had been detained. The Seoul High Court sentenced Yoo to one year in prison on Tuesday, with a two-year suspension, along with a fine of two million won ($1,385). The court explained that the severity of the sentence in the first trial was excessive and un February 18, 2025
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  Korean newspapers to file complaint against Naver over AI training SEOUL, February 18 (AJP) - The Korean Association of Newspapers (KAN) announced plans to file a complaint with the nation’s antitrust agency against Naver, alleging the company used news content without permission to train its artificial intelligence models. The move follows Naver’s recent acknowledgment that it had utilized news articles to develop its generative AI services, including HyperCLOVA and HyperCLOVA X. “With this complaint, we aim to establish a fai February 18, 2025
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  Samsung Electronics take measures to boost shareholder value SEOUL, February 18 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics announced on Wednesday that it will cancel 3 trillion won ($2.2 billion) worth of treasury shares on Thursday and acquire an additional 3 trillion won in shares by mid-May, a move aimed at enhancing shareholder value. The decision follows the company’s November 2024 commitment to repurchase and partially cancel 10 trillion won worth of shares over one year. Of the newly approved 3 trillion won buyback, 2.5 trillion won will b February 18, 2025
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  INTERVIEW: Venezuelan envoy stresses now is time to shape next 60 years of relations with South Korea SEOUL, February 18 (AJP) - As Venezuela and South Korea mark the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic ties this year, Venezuelan Chargé d'Affaires Isabel Di Carlo Quero emphasized the importance of reflecting on past achievements and defining a vision for the future of the bilateral relationship. Reflecting on the significance of the anniversary, Di Carlo Quero likened diplomatic relations to human relationships that require renewal and commitment. "This 60th anniver February 18, 2025
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  New Balance to establish Korean subsidiary in 2027 SEOUL, February 18 (AJP) - New Balance plans to establish a South Korean subsidiary in 2027, a move that could signal a shift away from its longstanding partnership with E-Land World, which has overseen the brand’s operations in South Korea since 2008. The Boston-based athletic wear manufacturer said it would extend its licensing agreement with E-Land World until 2030, covering children's footwear and apparel lines. The decision comes as New Balance solidifies its presence February 18, 2025
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  South Korean firms showcase cutting-edge military solutions at defense expo in Abu Dhabi SEOUL, February 18 (AJP) - South Korean firms are showcasing their advanced solutions at the largest defense exhibition in the Middle East, which kicked off in Abu Dhabi earlier this week. The week-long event, IDEX 2025, which kicked off on Monday, features 1,350 defense firms from 65 countries, bringing together more than 130,000 defense officials. Hyundai Rotem is showcasing a K2 tank variant tailored for the desert climate and terrain of the Middle East. Equipped with a fully February 18, 2025