[K-Pop] ILLIT makes sitcom debut as college freshmen in new YouTube series SEOUL, August 07 (AJP) - K-pop girl group ILLIT is taking on a new challenge, stepping into the world of sitcom acting for the first time since their debut. On the night of August 6, the group released the second teaser for their new self-produced content series titled "The Genre is ILLIT, Introduction to Youth Studies" through their official YouTube channel. The upcoming series "The Genre is ILLIT" follows the comedic campus life of five freshmen at the f August 7, 2025

KAIST develops robotic sheet that folds, grips, and walks on its own SEOUL, August 06 (AJP) - A KAIST research team has developed a new kind of robotic material that can fold itself in real time, changing its shape and function instantly without the need for reconstruction. The innovation combines physical artificial intelligence with real-time programmability and could lead to a new class of autonomous robots capable of adapting to their surroundings. KAIST announced Wednesday that Professors Kim Jeong and Park In-kyu of the Department of Mechanic August 6, 2025

Lee mulls pardons for upcoming Liberation Day SEOUL, August 6 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung is considering pardons next week to mark the 80th anniversary of the Aug. 15 Liberation day, the presidential office said Wednesday. His first special amnesty since taking office in early June coincides with a large-scale event in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, celebrating his inauguration. The Ministry of Justice is currently compiling a list of those eligible for the amnesty based on internal procedures and strict criteria, with firs August 6, 2025

South Korea to allow visa-free entry for Chinese tourists starting next month SEOUL, August 6 (AJP) - Chinese tour groups will be able to enter South Korea without visas as early as late next month. As part of efforts to boost the tourism industry, the visa-waiver program, which follows China's similar move in November last year, was decided during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok at the government complex in Seoul on Wednesday. The program, which allows short-term visa-free entry for Chinese travelers, is set to take effect on Sept. 29 August 6, 2025

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries wins US Navy ship repair contract SEOUL, August 6 (AJP) - HD Hyundai Heavy Industries announced Wednesday that it has secured a contract to perform maintenance, repair, and overhaul work on a U.S. Navy vessel. The deal marks the first such agreement since the two countries began discussing broader cooperation in shipbuilding. The contract involves the USNS Alan Shepard, a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship weighing 41,000 tons. The work will be carried out at HD Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in Ulsan and is expected to August 6, 2025

Three former Sapeon employees indicted for stealing AI core technology SEOUL, August 06 (AJP) - South Korean prosecutors have indicted three former employees of the artificial intelligence chip company Sapeon, accusing them of leaking core technologies ahead of the company's planned merger with a domestic rival. The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office said Wednesday it charged two of the former employees with theft of industrial technology, unfair competition, and breach of trust. A third former executive was indicted without detention on the August 6, 2025

[K-Food] PHOTOS: Korea's summer stamina food SEOUL, August 06 (AJP) - As the summer heat grips the Korean Peninsula, many find themselves turning to food not just for nourishment but for revival. And while the instinct may be to cool down with icy treats or chilled dishes, Korean tradition takes a different path: when it gets hot, the food gets hotter. Contrary to expectations, Korea’s summer stamina foods — or boyangshik — are served steaming. Rooted in centuries of traditional medicine and culinary wis August 6, 2025

Elderly account for almost half of total medical expenditures SEOUL, August 6 (AJP) - With South Korea's rapidly aging population and declining birthrate, healthcare spending keeps rising as elderly people make up a larger proportion of those who seek medical treatments. According to data submitted on Wednesday to lawmaker Kim Mi-ae of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the proportion of elderly patients aged over 65 rose to 44.8 percent last year, up from 43.1 percent in 2020. Their medi August 6, 2025

[K-Tech] Hanwha Systems delivers first mass-produced AESA radar for KF-21 fighter jet SEOUL, August 06 (AJP) - Hanwha Systems has completed delivery of South Korea’s first domestically mass-produced Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar for the KF-21 fighter jet, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s push for self-reliant defense technology, the company announced Wednesday. The radar handover ceremony was held Tuesday at the Hanwha Systems Integrated Research Center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. The event was hosted by South Korea&r August 6, 2025

Wall Street banks lift growth forecasts for S. Korea as exports, trade outlook improve SEOUL, August 6 (AJP) - Major international investment banks are turning more optimistic about South Korea’s economic prospects, with J.P. Morgan raising its 2025 growth forecast for the country for the second time in a month. J.P. Morgan has lifted its projection for South Korea’s real gross domestic product growth to 0.7 percent on July 24, up from 0.5 percent at the end of June. The 0.2 percentage-point upward revision follows stronger-than-expected second-quarter August 6, 2025