PHOTOS: Winter's special gift – Snow flower hike

SEOUL, February 03 (AJP) - A special gift of winter – a snow flower hike A snow flower hike is a special experience you can only enjoy in winter. Snow flowers, also known as "sanggodae," occur when moisture in the air freezes on tree branches, blooming like flowers. Since sanggodae melts when temperatures rise above freezing, it can usually be seen in high-altitude areas over 1,000 meters above sea level. Fortunately, Korea has several mountains that meet this req

February 5, 2025

Member of '90s Mexican alternative rock band joins HYBE's new Latin American label

SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - Emmanuel del Real, a Mexican singer and guitarist known as "Meme," has joined a new label under HYBE, the agency behind BTS, targeting Latin American fans. The agency said Wednesday that it has established its Mexico-based label called Docemil Music and signed Meme as its first artist. Meme is a member of Mexico's leading alternative rock band Café Tacvba, which gained fame with live concerts at garages and pubs, enjoying their heyda

February 5, 2025

Ex-president's daughter indicted for DUI, alleged illegal Airbnb rentals

SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - Former President Moon Jae-in's daughter Da-hye was indicted on charges of drunk driving and illegally running a lodging business, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office said on Wednesday. The indictment came about several months after she was caught driving under the influence after hitting a taxi while attempting to change lanes in Itaewon, Seoul in October last year. The taxi driver sustained minor injuries from the accident, but the DU

February 5, 2025

Korea to launch $23.4 billion fund to support battery, bio sectors

SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - South Korea plans to establish a 34 trillion won ($23.4 billion) fund aimed at bolstering its high-tech industries, with a focus on batteries and biotechnology, as the country prepares for potential economic headwinds from U.S. protectionist policies. The fund, tentatively named the "Strategic Advanced Industry Fund," will be managed by the state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB) and will be double the size of the country’s existing semicondu

February 5, 2025

PHOTOS: Cold wave hits Korea as temperatures plunge

SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - A harsh cold wave has swept across South Korea, with morning temperatures in Seoul dropping to minus 12 degrees Celsius and wind chills plunging to minus 18 degrees. Despite the freezing conditions, Koreans are continuing with their daily routines.

February 5, 2025

TGI Fridays to exit South Korean market after 33 years

SEOUL, February 05 (AJP) - TGI Fridays will close all its restaurants in South Korea, ending a 33-year presence in the country, according to MFG Korea, the restaurant chain's local operator, Wednesday. MFG Korea will gradually shut down its remaining 14 locations, with 10 outlets closing this month and the final four next month. The company plans to focus on its Mad for Garlic brand operations. The American casual dining chain entered the South Korean market in 1992 with it

February 5, 2025

Chinese e-commerce giants bet big on South Korea amid US restrictions

SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - Facing mounting trade restrictions in the United States, Chinese e-commerce platforms AliExpress, Temu, and Shein are aggressively expanding their foothold in South Korea, one of Asia’s fastest-growing online shopping markets. The platforms' push comes amid escalating U.S.-China trade tensions, with the second Trump administration imposing new tariffs on Chinese imports, including those from cross-border e-commerce companies. As a result, Chinese

February 5, 2025

Lawmakers in another attempt to question Yoon at remand prison

SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - A special parliamentary committee investigating allegations related to President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law debacle last year is trying to question Yoon and his alleged accomplices on Thursday. Yoon, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and others are currently being separately held in remand prisons in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. With lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotting it, the committee, mostly consisting of lawmak

February 5, 2025

S. Korean inflation hits 2.2 percent in January, highest monthly rise in 6 months

SEOUL, February 05 (AJP) - South Korea's consumer prices rose 2.2 percent in January from a year earlier, marking the highest increase in six months amid rising oil prices and depreciation of the Korean won, the statistical office said Wednesday. The January figure represents a significant uptick from December's 1.9 percent, breaking out of the 1 percent range maintained since September 2024. Petroleum product prices jumped 7.3 percent, with gasoline and diesel prices risi

February 5, 2025

North Korean troops still fighting on Russian front lines, Ukraine's intelligence chief says

SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - About 8,000 North Korean soldiers are still engaged in combat in Russia's front lines, Ukraine's military intelligence chief said on Tuesday, contradicting earlier reports of their possible retreat. In an interview with the U.S. military news outlet The War Zone, Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's Defense Intelligence, dismissed previous claims that North Korean troops had not been seen for weeks in Russia's Kursk region, which is currently o

February 5, 2025