[K-Film] Park Chan-wook's new thriller to open Busan film fest next month SEOUL, August 4 (AJP) - Award-winning director Park Chan-wook's latest film will open this year's Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), which is slated to be held in the southern port city next month. According to organizers of the annual film fest on Monday, "No Other Choice" starring Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin has been chosen as the curtain-raiser for BIFF, which kicks off its 10-day run on Sept. 17, with Lee set to host the festival's opening ceremony. August 4, 2025

[PHOTOS] S. Koreans enjoy scorching summer SEOUL, August 04 (AJP) - As the peak of summer sets in, vacation spots across South Korea are bustling with people making the most of the season. Beaches and festival grounds are filled with crowds enjoying their summer break. Here is a glimpse of how people are spending their summer days. August 4, 2025

[K-Tech] Korea selects five teams to develop national AI models in major push for technological sovereignty SEOUL, August 04 (AJP) - The South Korean government has selected five elite teams to spearhead the development of foundational artificial intelligence models, marking a major step in the country’s effort to build a sovereign AI ecosystem. The Ministry of Science and ICT announced Monday that the teams — Naver Cloud, Upstage, SK Telecom, NC AI, and LG AI Research — were chosen following a government-led evaluation of proposals based on technological capability, s August 4, 2025

South Korea begins dismantling loudspeakers along border SEOUL, August 4 (AJP) - South Korea on Monday began dismantling loudspeakers used for propaganda broadcasts along the border with North Korea. Military authorities here said about 20 loudspeakers installed along the heavily armed border will be removed within two to three days as part of measures to "ease tensions between the two Koreas." The move comes as a follow-up step about two months after President Lee Jae-myung ordered a halt to propaganda broadcasts less than a August 4, 2025

[K-Tech] Ground broken for South Korea's first renewable biofuel plant SEOUL, August 4 (AJP) - LG Chem has begun construction on South Korea’s first hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) production facility, marking a major step in the country’s push to expand its footprint in sustainable energy and materials. The plant, located in the coastal city of Seosan in South Chungcheong Province, is being developed by LG-Eni Biorefining, a joint venture between LG Chem and Italian energy company Eni. Completion is expected by 2027, the company said in a August 4, 2025

[K-Pop] aespa to release sixth mini album "Rich Man" next month SEOUL, August 04 (AJP) - SEOUL, Aug. 4 (AJP) – K-pop girl group aespa will release their sixth mini album titled "Rich Man" on September 5, their agency SM Entertainment announced on Monday. The album will include six tracks, led by the title song "Rich Man." SM said the group is taking a different musical direction from their previous release "Dirty Work" and aims to continue their commercial momentum. Since debuting in 2020, aespa has becom August 4, 2025

[K-Bio] Korean pharma firms post record earnings despite US trade uncertainty SEOUL, August 4 (AJP) - South Korea’s leading pharmaceutical companies reported their strongest second-quarter results on record, brushing aside investor concerns over potential U.S. trade restrictions under President Donald Trump. Biosimilar manufacturer Celltrion led the charge, posting revenue of 961.5 billion won, or approximately $692.4 million, for the April-to-June period — a 9.9 percent increase from the same quarter last year. The company’s operating pr August 4, 2025

Lee takes summer vacation while preparing for upcoming summit with Trump SEOUL, August 4 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung started his weeklong summer vacation on Monday, about two months after taking office in early June. While staying on a tiny islet off Geoje Island South Gyeongsang Province, Lee is reportedly preparing for his first summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, which is expected to take place in Washington in the coming weeks. According to the presidential office, he is reviewing the agenda for the summit, along with follow-up measures t August 4, 2025

[K-Pop] Day6 marks 10th anniversary with stadium concert and first full album in six years SEOUL, August 04 (AJP) - K-pop rock band Day6 is celebrating a decade together with a large-scale concert and the release of a new full-length album, JYP Entertainment said on Monday. The band’s fourth studio album, "The Decade", will be released on September 5 at 6 p.m., nearly six years after their last full album, "The Book of Us: Entropy", which came out in October 2019. To kick off the celebrations, Day6 will hold a solo concert titled "Day6 August 4, 2025

Korea's beauty exports hit record $5.5 billion in first half SEOUL, August 04 (AJP) - South Korea’s cosmetics exports surged to a record $5.5 billion in the first half of 2025, a 14.8 percent increase from the same period last year. The latest data, released Monday by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, marks the highest first-half export total in the country’s history and reinforces South Korea’s position as the world’s third-largest cosmetics exporter, behind only France and the United States. If current trends August 4, 2025