Six-term DP lawmaker Cho Jeong-sik elected National Assembly speaker SEOUL, June 5 (AJP) - Cho Jeong-sik, a six-term lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), was elected on Friday as National Assembly speaker for the second half of the year. Cho won 267 of 276 votes cast during a parliamentary plenary session to assume the independent and impartial role. It follows his selection as the DP's candidate for the role after winning a majority in an internal party vote on May 13. His two-year term as speaker will run through May 2028. The June 5, 2026

'Black Friday' chip sell-off sends KOSPI plunging more than 5% SEOUL, June 5 (AJP) - South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI plunged more than 5 percent on Friday to close at 8,161.59 points, as semiconductor stocks led a sharp sell-off across global markets. The decline followed an artificial intelligence (AI)-led chip outlook from U.S. chipmaker Broadcom, which reignited fears that the AI boom has run ahead of itself. The drop of about 479 points from the previous session was sharp enough to trigger a "sidecar," an automatic curb on pro June 5, 2026

South Korea pushes hydrogen trucks in final pitch for Canada's submarine race SEOUL, June 5 (AJP) - South Korea has proposed a multibillion-dollar hydrogen truck project in Canada as part of its final push to win Ottawa's next-generation submarine contract, turning an earlier request for automotive investment into a broader industrial package centered on hydrogen mobility, local manufacturing and jobs. The proposal, code-named "Project Beaver," was disclosed by Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik in an interview with Canada's CTV News, June 5, 2026

Mourners pay respects to Hanwha Aerospace workers killed in Daejeon blast SEOUL, June 05 (AJP) - Funeral altars were set up at Yuseong District Office in Daejeon on Friday for the five workers killed in an explosion at Hanwha Aerospace’s Daejeon plant four days earlier. The victims had been working in a cleaning room in Building 56 of the company’s Daejeon plant when an explosion of unknown cause occurred on Monday. Funeral arrangements were delayed as the bodies were severely damaged in the blast, complicating the identification process. A June 5, 2026

South Korea sees record drug tests as narcotics use rises among young people SEOUL, June 5 (AJP) - The number of drug tests is rising as synthetic drugs spread among teenagers and cases of fatal mixed-drug use increase. According to a report released by the National Forensic Service (NFS) earlier this week, the number of drug tests conducted reached 140,775 last year, the highest on record. Drug-related busts and the amount of narcotics seized have both risen steadily year after year. The Korea Customs Service (KCS) seized 769 kilograms of drugs in 704 ca June 5, 2026

S. Korea, US to track progress in nuclear submarine, enrichment talks SEOUL, June 05 (AJP) - South Korea and the U.S. have agreed to track progress in follow-up talks on Seoul’s push for nuclear-powered submarines, uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said Thursday. The agreement came after government delegations from the two countries held a meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul from Tuesday to Wednesday to begin implementing security-related commitments included in a joint fact sheet issued after last June 5, 2026

Lee to travel to Europe next week ahead of G7 summit in France SEOUL, June 5 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung will travel to Europe next week to attend the Group of Seven (G7) summit in France, Cheong Wa Dae said on Friday. In a press briefing in Seoul, national security adviser Wi Sung-lac said Lee is scheduled to visit European countries including Belgium, Italy and the Vatican from June 9 to 18. Lee will begin his two-week trip in Brussels, where he will meet Belgian and EU leaders. "This year marks the 125th anniversary of dip June 5, 2026

Tourism agency partners with Catch Table to simplify restaurant reservations for foreign tourists SEOUL, June 05 (AJP) - The Korea Tourism Organization has forged a partnership with WAD, the operator of the dining platform Catch Table, to improve restaurant reservations and information access for international visitors, , the state-operated tourism agency said Friday. The partnership focuses on promoting K-Local Gourmet Travels 33, a list of regional food destinations selected by KTO. Through the Catch Table global application, the organizations will create a digital service t June 5, 2026

Hyundai Chair to skip Huang's Seoul 'samso' dinner, plans separate meeting SEOUL, June 05 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun will not attend a dinner with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and other Korean conglomerate heads held Friday, opting instead for a separate encounter with the chip leader next week, industry sources said. Chung withdrew from the so-called "samso" gathering — named for the samgyeopsal grilled pork belly and soju on the menu — citing a scheduling conflict, the sources said. The dinner, at a restaurant nea June 5, 2026

South Korean researchers win best paper award for humanoid pilot robot SEOUL, June 05 (AJP) - A research team has won the 2026 Best Paper Award from the IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine for developing an artificial intelligence-based framework that allows a humanoid robot to autonomously fly an aircraft, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) said Friday. The award recognizes a 2025 study detailing PIBOT, a humanoid designed to operate standard aircraft controls without requiring cockpit modifications. The award ceremony June 5, 2026