Jeju beckons spring with Ipchun festival SEOUL, January 26 (AJP) -Ipchun — the first of the 24 solar terms and the quiet and unseeming threshold of spring — is nearing. Before buds appear or fields turn green, the change arrives as ritual, rhythm and light. From Feb. 2 through Ipchun Day on Feb. 4, Jeju will host the Tamna Kingdom Ipchun Gut, a ceremonial opening of spring rooted in the island’s ancient agricultural memory. The event will unfold at Gwandukjeong Pavilion and the Jeju Mok Government Offic January 26, 2026

Uzbekistan president to visit Türkiye for strategic council meeting and earthquake housing ceremony SEOUL, January 26 (AJP) - Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will travel to Türkiye on January 29 for an official visit centered on deepening bilateral strategic ties and inaugurating housing projects for earthquake survivors, the Embassy of Uzbekistan in the Republic of Korea said Monday. The visit includes the fourth meeting of the Supreme Council for Strategic Cooperation, an institutional platform designed to coordinate high-level policy between the two nations. During hi January 26, 2026

For K-pop fans, star pets — and even plants — draw equal attention SEOUL, January 26 (AJP) - As the countdown begins for the long-awaited comeback of South Korean superstar BTS, every small detail surrounding the seven-member group captures fans’ attention — even the fate of a struggling houseplant. V, known in Korean as Kim Tae-hyung, has long been open about the quieter attachments in his life. His black-and-tan Pomeranian, Yeontan, first appeared in 2017 via BTS’s official X account and later alongside V during a January 26, 2026

Korean travel firm ties up with Son Heung-min's LAFC on fan tours SEOUL, January 26 (AJP) - South Korean tourism platform MyRealTrip has signed an official partnership with Los Angeles FC (LAFC) of Major League Soccer to offer South Korean fans safer and more differentiated sports travel products. The deal came as interest in MLS has surged following the transfer of South Korea national team captain Son Heung-min to LAFC. Under the agreement, MyRealTrip was named LAFC’s official Korea partner and will offer exclusive ticket sales and January 26, 2026

S. Korea's KAIST researchers develop AI that fixes messy lab data to build better batteries SEOUL, January 26 (AJP) - South Korean researchers have built an AI system that predicts how to make better batteries, even when the data from previous lab tests is messy or incomplete. This new tool helps scientists skip the long, expensive process of trial and error by figuring out the best recipe for battery materials before they ever step into the lab. The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced on January 26 that a team led by Professor Hong Seung January 26, 2026

South Korea sees sharp rise in FX deposits on equity, trade flows SEOUL, January 26 (AJP) - Foreign-currency deposits by residents in South Korea surged by nearly $16 billion in December, marking the largest monthly increase on record, driven by inflows linked to foreigners’ equity purchases, trade-related payments and rising client deposits at securities firms amid robust overseas investment. Data released by the Bank of Korea on Monday showed resident foreign-currency deposits at domestic banks totaled $119.43 billion at the end of Dec January 26, 2026

Korea's ex-PM Lee Hae-chan to be honored with five-day public funeral SEOUL, January 26 (AJP) - The funeral of former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, who died during a business trip to Vietnam, will be held over five days this week in the format of a public funeral in recognition of his contributions to South Korean society, officials said Monday. Lee, the vice chair of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC) that directly reports to the president, died Sunday at a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City after suffering cardiac arrest. He was 73. The f January 26, 2026

Trams to return to Seoul after 58 years, powered by batteries not overhead wires SEOUL, January 26 (AJP)-Trams are set to return to Seoul for the first time in nearly six decades, but in a distinctly modern form: battery-powered, sensor-equipped and free of overhead wires. The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) said Monday it has completed installation of key infrastructure for the Wirye Line tram, including tracks and a depot, and will begin large-scale test operations next month. The city plans to move the first trainset into the depot early Tuesda January 26, 2026

South Korea to deploy AI-based military command platform by 2029 SEOUL, January 26 (AJP) - South Korea has launched development of its first artificial intelligence-based command-and-control system as it prepares for the transfer of wartime operational control, defense authorities and industry officials said on Monday. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and Hanwha Systems held a kickoff meeting on Jan. 23 in Seoul for the Allied Command and Control System (AKJCCS) performance upgrade project. Hanwha Systems won the DAPA-led January 26, 2026

Ssangyong Engineering secures major contracts in UAE, Singapore SEOUL, January 26 (AJP) - Ssangyong Engineering said on Monday it has secured major construction contracts in the United Arab Emirates and Singapore. The company said it has won a $250 million contract from Dubai state-owned real estate developer WASL to build Avenue Park Tower, a residential project in central Dubai. The project comprises two residential towers ranging from 37 to 43 stories above ground in a key downtown development area about 10 minutes from Dubai Interna January 26, 2026