Young adults face toughest job market in 12 years in South Korea

SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - Employment among South Koreans in their late 20s dropped sharply in the first quarter of 2025, marking the steepest quarterly decline in more than a decade, according to government data released Monday. The number of employed individuals aged 25 to 29 fell by 98,000 compared with the same period last year, the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS) reported. The last time employment in this age group declined so severely was in the third quarter of

April 14, 2025

Hyundai, Kia post record quarterly sales in India

SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor and Kia Corp. posted their highest-ever quarterly sales in India, the world’s third-largest automobile market, during the first three months of 2025. According to data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the two companies sold a combined 229,126 vehicles in the first quarter, a 1.5 percent increase from the 225,686 units sold during the same period last year. The growth reflects the companies’ sustained m

April 14, 2025

Former DP leader maintains lead over rivals in poll ahead of presidential election

SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - With the presidential election less than two months away after disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's ouster, Lee Jae-myung, former leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, remains far ahead of other candidates, a new poll shows. According to a survey of over 1,500 adults conducted last week by pollster Realmeter and released on Monday, 48.8 percent expressed support for Lee as the most suitable presidential candidate. Former Employment and

April 14, 2025

China halts rare earth exports; Korean industries brace for impact

SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - China has suspended exports of rare earth minerals essential to a range of advanced technologies — including electric vehicles, semiconductors and robotics, the New York Times reported Monday. Analysts say China's move could reverberate across global supply chains and disrupt key sectors of South Korea’s manufacturing industry. According to the report, Beijing has halted shipments of rare earth elements and associated magnetic materials wid

April 14, 2025

Korea opens pavilion at Osaka Expo, highlighting technology, tradition, sustainability

SEOUL, April 13 (AJP) - South Korea opened its national pavilion at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, Sunday, aiming to showcase its technological innovation, cultural heritage, and vision for a sustainable future over the course of the six-month international event. Organized by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, the opening ceremony marked the start of a 184-day exhibition set within one of the expo’s signature structures, the

April 13, 2025

Trump exempts smartphones from sweeping tariffs

SEOUL, April 13 (AJP) - The Trump administration has granted exemptions on a range of electronic devices, including smartphones and personal computers, from a broad package of reciprocal tariffs — a move that offers significant relief to major global tech firms such as Apple and South Korea’s Samsung Electronics. In a notice published April 12, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said that select categories of electronics — including smartphones, laptops, PCs, ser

April 13, 2025

Criminal trial of Yoon Suk Yeol will begin Monday

SEOUL, April 13 (AJP) - The criminal trial of former President Yoon Suk Yeol is scheduled to begin Monday at the Seoul Central District Court. Yoon, who was removed from office by a unanimous ruling of the Constitutional Court on April 4, faces charges of leading an insurrection after attempting to mobilize military forces on Dec. 3. He is the fifth former South Korean president to face a criminal trial. The proceedings are set to open at 10 a.m. As a defendant,Yoon is re

April 13, 2025

Foreign job seekers explore new opportunities at networking event in Seoul

SEOUL, April 12 (AJP) - Nearly 100 foreigners gathered in Seoul’s trendy Seongsu-dong on Saturday for a networking event aimed at helping international students and jobseekers explore career opportunities in Korea. Hosted by Exprivé, a company that connects over 10,000 foreign influencers to promote Korean culture worldwide, the event brought together participants and businesses from various industries. Exprivé CEO Baek Min shared the

April 12, 2025

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon exits presidential race ahead of expected bid

SEOUL, April 12 (AJP) - Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Saturday that he will not run in the upcoming presidential election, a surprise decision that is expected to reshape the race. The snap election, scheduled for June 3, follows the Constitutional Court of Korea's unanimous decision last week to impeach Yoon over his botched martial law debacle late last year. Oh made the announcement just one day before he was expected to declare his presidential bid. Speaking at the People P

April 12, 2025

Rescue efforts underway after tunnel collapse southwest of Seoul

SEOUL, April 12 (AJP) - Rescue operations continued Saturday following a tunnel collapse at a construction site on the southwestern outskirts of Seoul that left one worker missing and another rescued. The tunnel under construction partially collapsed around 3 p.m. Friday in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province. Two workers, a man in his 20s and another in his 50s, were working inside the tunnel at the time. The younger worker was pulled out alive after nearly 13 hours of rescue effort

April 12, 2025