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

Nvidia CEO's Seoul trip signals shift from chip buyer to physical-AI partner SEOUL, June 5 (AJP) - When Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang stepped off his plane at Gimpo International Airport on Friday and made an esports cafe his first stop, the image was familiar: the chip merchant returning to the gaming culture that built him. The substance of this visit, however, points somewhere far off. This trip is less about who buys Nvidia's graphics cards than about who can help the company teach machines to act in the physical world. South Korea, a manufacturing p June 5, 2026

South Koreans travel more abroad in Q1 while online shopping spending drops SEOUL, June 5 (AJP) - South Koreans' overseas card spending topped US$6 billion in the first months of this year, the Bank of Korea (BOK) said on Friday. Their total overseas card spending stood at US$6.1 billion in the first quarter, almost the same as $6.11 billion in the previous quarter but up 14.2 percent from a year earlier. Although the number of South Koreans traveling abroad increased over the period, spending remained almost unchanged, according to the BOK. Purch June 5, 2026

Won weakens further as KOSPI drops over 6% SEOUL, June 5 (AJP) - The South Korean won continued weakening on Friday, with the exchange rate climbing to 1,542 per dollar around noon, from the previous session's close of 1,529.70. The decline came less than a day after the exchange rate weakened past 1,540 won during extended trading, marking its highest intraday level since the global financial crisis. It appears to be largely due to a sharp sell-off in South Korean stocks. The country's benchmark KOSPI tumbled mor June 5, 2026

Xi to visit North Korea for summit next week SEOUL, June 5 (AJP) - Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit North Korea next week for a summit with the reclusive country's leader Kim Jong-un, state media in both countries reported on Friday. The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Xi will pay a state visit to North Korea from June 8 to 9 at Kim's invitation. China's International Department of the Communist Party also confirmed the visit, saying Xi would travel to North Korea at the request o June 5, 2026

KOSPI slides on semiconductor-led broad sell-off SEOUL, June 5 (AJP) - South Korean stocks fell sharply on Friday as investors took profits from a recent rally, with heavyweight semiconductor shares leading declines after an overnight sell-off in U.S. chipmakers. The benchmark KOSPI fell 6.26 percent to 8,098.52 in early trade, while the junior KOSDAQ dropped 4.65 percent to 1,000.9. The won also weakened further, trading at 1,531.70 against the dollar, compared with a previous close of 1,529.70. Semiconductor-related shares June 5, 2026

Michelle Steel's nomination as US ambassador to S. Korea clears Senate panel SEOUL, June 05 (AJP) - Michelle Steel, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador to South Korea, has cleared a key Senate committee, leaving only a final confirmation vote before the full Senate. The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations voted 14-8 on Thursday to advance Steel’s nomination, moving her one step closer to taking up the post in Seoul. If confirmed by the Senate, Steel will receive her formal appointment from Trump before assuming the ambassadoria June 5, 2026