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  Court concludes 5-hour detention hearing for Yoon SEOUL, January 18 (AJP) - A Seoul court on Saturday concluded a five-hour hearing to determine whether to extend the detention of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over last month's martial law declaration. Yoon, apprehended Wednesday on charges of insurrection and abuse of power, appeared at the Seoul Western District Court wearing a dark business suit, accompanied by eight lawyers. The hearing before Judge Cha Eun-kyung began at 2 p.m. and lasted until 6:50 p.m. Yoon spo January 18, 2025
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  Ediya Coffee expands into Southeast Asia SEOUL, January 18 (AJP) -- South Korea's Ediya Coffee has partnered with Laos' largest private company, Kolao Group, to expand into Southeast Asian markets. The coffee chain signed a master franchise agreement Thursday with Grandview Property, a Kolao affiliate, to enter Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. Ediya Chairman Moon Chang-ki and Kolao Chairman Oh Se-young attended the signing at Kolao's headquarters in Vientiane. The company plans to open its first Laos store by January 18, 2025
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  Memorial service honors 179 air crash victims SEOUL, January 18 (AJP) -- Hundreds of bereaved families gathered Saturday at a joint memorial service for the victims of last month's airplane crash, which claimed the lives of 179 people on board. On Dec. 29, a Jeju Air passenger jet crashed while landing at Muan International Airport in the southwestern city of Muan. Of the 181 people aboard, only two crewmembers survived one of the country’s worst aviation disasters. Organized by the Ministry of Land, Infrastruct January 18, 2025
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  Yoon attends court hearing on arrest warrant over martial law SEOUL, January 18 (AJP) -- Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared in court Saturday for a hearing that will decide whether to extend his detention over last month's martial law declaration. Yoon was apprehended Wednesday as part of an investigation into alleged insurrection and abuse of power. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) filed for a court warrant for Yoon’s formal arrest Friday before his 48-hour detention expired. If gran January 18, 2025
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  Yoon to attend court hearing on arrest warrant SEOUL, January 18 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol will attend a court hearing Saturday, where a judge will review an arrest warrant against the impeached leader over last month’s martial law debacle, his lawyers said. Yoon was apprehended on Wednesday as part of an investigation into alleged insurrection and abuse of power related to his brief declaration of martial law on Dec. 3. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) sought a court warrant on January 18, 2025
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  South Korea opens Cuba embassy 11 months after establishing ties SEOUL, January 18 (AJP) - South Korea opened its embassy in Cuba on Friday, marking a significant milestone in diplomatic relations between the two nations. The inauguration of the mission, located in Havana's Miramar district, came 11 months after the two countries established formal ties in February last year. “The opening of the embassy is expected to help expand exchanges between our peoples, enhance consular services for Korean nationals residing in or visiting Cub January 18, 2025
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  Actress Kim Min-hee expecting baby this spring SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - Actress Kim Min-hee is pregnant and expected to give birth this spring, multiple online entertainment outlets reported on Friday. The actress, in her early 40s, was caught by paparazzi cameras earlier this week on her way to an ob-gyn clinic with her lover and filmmaker Hong Sang-soo. Kim has been involved in a May-to-September romance with Hong who is in his mid-60s, since 2016. The couple went public with their romance the following year and have been January 17, 2025
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  Samsung teases Galaxy S25 with dazzling London hologram SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics has unveiled a striking holographic advertisement 30 meters above London’s Shoreditch neighborhood, offering a tantalizing preview of its upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event on Jan. 22. The outdoor display features a futuristic smartphone interacting with users’ memories by retrieving relevant videos. In one sequence, the device conjures swimming whales in response to the phrase, “I’ll never forget the moment I saw t January 17, 2025
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  KAI nears $681 million fighter jets deal with Philippines SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is in the final stages of negotiations with the Philippines for a contract to supply 12 FA-50 light combat aircraft, a deal valued at approximately 40 billion pesos ($681 million), industry sources said Friday. If completed, the agreement would double the Philippine Air Force’s fleet of FA-50 fighters, building on its initial purchase of 12 units in 2014. The aircraft, widely regarded for their versatility and cost- January 17, 2025
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  Culture Minister to promote tourism to Seoul in Malaysia SEOUL, January 17 (AJP) - Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Yu In-chon will visit Malaysia over the weekend to attend a series of meetings aimed at promoting tourism between Asian countries. He is set to attend the ASEAN+3 Tourism Ministers Meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Tourism Forum, which kicked off earlier this week and runs until next Monday, bringing together tourism ministers and other officials from ASEAN's 10 member countries and neighboring nations. Wh January 17, 2025