Apink drops new fan song celebrating 14th anniversary

SEOUL, April 19 (AJP) - K-pop girl band Apink released a new digital single on Saturday, celebrating the 14th anniversary of their debut. According to their agency Choi Creative Lab, “Tap Clap” is Apink’s first full-member release in nearly a year and serves as a fan song. Member Kim Nam-joo contributed to the lyrics, expressing gratitude to their fans. With a bright sound and emotional melody, the track is accompanied by a music video that captures th

April 19, 2025

Political leaders honor citizens of 1960 pro-democracy uprising

SEOUL, April 19 (AJP) - South Korean political leaders on Saturday paid tribute to the citizens who took part in the pro-democracy uprising 65 years ago. Leaders from both major parties, including Democratic Party acting leader Park Chan-dae and People Power Party floor leader Kwon Seong-dong, visited a cemetery in northern Seoul to pay respects to those who died in the 1960 pro-democracy movement. The revolution was triggered by widespread protests against election fraud and

April 19, 2025

India, S. Korea celebrate culinary traditions with joint cooking event

SEOUL, April 18 (AJP) - The Embassy of India in Seoul and the Korean Food Promotion Institute (KFPI) co-hosted a cooking demonstration session on Thursday, highlighting the shared cultural values of India and South Korea through food. Held at the KFPI headquarters in Seoul, the event featured dishes from both countries, with Indian Chef Neeraj Bisht preparing Chole Bhature, a popular Indian chickpea curry and fluffy bread menu, and Korean Chef Oh Seung-ahn presenting Gang Doenjang

April 18, 2025

Constitutional Court left with seven justices as two retire

SEOUL, April 18 (AJP) - Two justices retired from the Constitutional Court of Korea on Friday as their six-year terms came to an end this week. The retirement of justices Moon Hyung-bae and Lee Mi-sun comes just a few weeks after delivering their historic ruling on the impeachment of disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched martial law debacle late last year. The two outgoing justices stressed the need to "respect" the court's rulings in order to up

April 18, 2025

PHOTOS: Spring on Jeju Island

SEOUL, April 18 (AJP) - Jeju Island, South Korea's idyllic getaway, transforms into a vibrant hub as peak tourist season kicks off in April.

April 18, 2025

Disgraced ex-president to get some shield from media attention at court appearance

SEOUL, April 18 (AJP) - Disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol is expected to avoid at least some public attention when he makes his court appearance next week for his trial on insurrection charges related to his botched martial law debacle late last year. Yoon is likely to be whisked once again into the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul next Tuesday, as he did so earlier this week, through a secluded passageway from the underground parking lot. The Seoul High Cour

April 18, 2025

Han Duck-soo sees split public opinion amid rising support for Lee Jae-myung

SEOUL, April 18 (AJP) - Acting President Han Duck-soo is facing divided public opinion over his job performance, according to a new Gallup Korea poll released Friday. The survey found that 41 percent of respondents believe Han is doing well in his role, while 50 percent said he is not. Nine percent reserved judgment. Han received strong backing from supporters of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), with 88 percent offering a positive evaluation. In contrast, 90 percent of Democra

April 18, 2025

Gold prices hit record high amid trade tensions

SEOUL, April 18 (AJP) - International gold prices surged to new highs this week as investors sought refuge from rising global trade tensions. Spot gold touched an all-time high of $3,350 per troy ounce on Wednesday before settling at $3,338.43, marking a 3.61 percent gain from the previous session. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, June gold futures also mirrored the momentum, closing at $3,355.10 per ounce — sustaining a remarkable upward trend in precious metals. By F

April 18, 2025

Leferi's beauty retail strategy draws crowds online and off

SEOUL, April 18 (AJP) - Leferi, a global beauty retail company, is deepening its commitment to creator-led commerce with the success of its latest omnichannel initiative, the "Minsco Select Store," the company said Friday. The campaign, launched in partnership with Hyundai Department Store, blends online and offline retail in what Leferi describes as its next step in redefining beauty retail. The initiative builds on the company’s earlier pop-up concepts and int

April 18, 2025

Foreign investors extend Korean stock sell-off for eighth month

SEOUL, April 18 (AJP) - Foreign investors pulled approximately 1.6 trillion won ($1.12 billion) from South Korean equities in March, extending a months-long exodus that has now reached its eighth consecutive month, according to data released Friday by the Financial Supervisory Service. The outflows spanned both of the country's major equity markets. Investors sold 1.12 trillion won on the benchmark KOSPI and an additional 513 billion won on the tech-heavy KOSDAQ. Singapore-ba

April 18, 2025