Heatwave warning expanded across most of Seoul as scorching heat persists SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - Another heatwave warning was issued in Seoul on Wednesday as scorching temperatures continued to grip the capital following the end of the monsoon season last week. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said the warning covers most of the capital, affecting 19 of the city's 25 districts, while an existing lower-level advisory remains in effect in northwestern Seoul. A heatwave advisory is issued when the daily maximum temperature is expected to July 29, 2026

Heatwave in South Korea isn't bad luck, but a loaded die SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - South Korea feels more and more like Southeast Asia — tropical humidity, scorching heat, and sudden squalls of rain. The country recorded an average of 7.8 tropical nights between June 1 and July 27, the highest number for the period since nationwide records began in 1973. Its average temperature over the same stretch reached 24.2 degrees Celsius, the second-highest on record. With the Tibetan high-pressure system now settling in above the North Paci July 29, 2026

Foreign visitors' plastic spending in South Korea tops 10 trillion won in H1 SEOUL, July 28 (AJP) - Foreign tourists' credit card spending in South Korea topped 10 trillion won (US$6 billion) in the first half of this year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said on Tuesday. According to the ministry, foreign visitors spent a cumulative 10.39 trillion won on plastic purchases during the first six months of this year, up 50.8 percent from 6.66 trillion won a year earlier, reaching the milestone about three months earlier than last year, when it w July 28, 2026

Seoul sees steady rise in foreign property owners, surpassing 32,000 SEOUL, July 28 (AJP) - The number of foreigners who own real estate in Seoul increased by more than 1,000 over the past year, surpassing 32,000, according to an analysis of real estate registry data from the Supreme Court conducted by real estate app Zippoom. Seoul had 32,870 foreign property owners as of last month, up 3.3 percent, or 1,058, from 31,812 a year earlier. In the first half of this year alone, the figure grew by 473, from 32,397 in January to 32,870 in June. July 28, 2026

UNC commander calls for readiness on Korean War Armistice anniversary SEOUL, July 27 (AJP) - The Armistice Agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War has helped maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula for 73 years, the commander of the United Nations Command (UNC) said Monday as South Korea and allied nations marked the anniversary of the ceasefire. UNC Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson made the remarks in a post on X honoring the 22 countries that fought or provided medical support to South Korea, a country thousands of miles away under the July 27, 2026

South Korea enters peak heat wave after monsoon fades SEOUL, July 27 (AJP) -South Korea plunged into its most intense heat wave of the summer on Monday as the seasonal monsoon effectively came to an end, pushing heat indices above 38 degrees Celsius in parts of the country and prompting the government to raise its highest-level heat emergency alert. Most of the country remained under heat advisories or warnings, while severe heat alerts were issued across parts of the southeastern Yeongnam region, including Changwon, Jinju, Gimhae, Ya July 27, 2026

Silicon Valley VC courtship lifts KOSDAQ on hopes for startup capital SEOUL, July 27 (AJP) — President Lee Jae Myung's Silicon Valley outreach to some of the world's most influential venture capital firms gave South Korea's startup-heavy KOSDAQ a lift on Monday, even as enthusiasm surrounding his AI diplomacy over the weekend failed to spill over to the broader stock market. While headlines focused on Lee's meetings with Nvidia, Broadcom and other technology giants, Monday's attention shifted to his separate gathering with si July 27, 2026

Incheon airport braces for summer rush with nearly 4 million travelers SEOUL, July 27 (AJP) -South Korea's main gateway is preparing for one of its busiest summer holiday periods on record, with nearly 3.8 million passengers expected to pass through Incheon International Airport over just 17 days as inbound tourism continues to rebound. Incheon International Airport Corp. said Monday it expects about 3.77 million passengers to use the airport between July 25 and Aug. 10, averaging 222,000 travelers a day, up 1.9 percent from 3.70 million during th July 27, 2026

South Korea swelters through hottest vacation weekend SEOUL, July 26 (AJP) — South Korea's peak summer vacation season opened under suffocating heat on Sunday, with the heat index approaching 38 degrees Celsius across parts of the country's south, prompting heat-related deaths, livestock losses and a mass exodus to beaches and water parks. The Korea Meteorological Administration maintained its highest-level heat warnings across parts of North Gyeongsang, South Gyeongsang, South Jeolla and Daegu, where apparent temper July 26, 2026

Southeast Korea sizzles as heat hotspot spreads beyond 'Daefrica' SEOUL, July 26 (AJP) -South Korea's notorious summer heat is no longer confined to "Daefrica," the nickname long used for the sweltering city of Daegu, as extreme temperatures spread across much of neighboring North Gyeongsang Province in what meteorologists describe as a broader and more persistent heat wave. The Korea Meteorological Administration on Sunday expanded its highest-level extreme heat emergency warning to additional areas including Gyeongsan and Cheongdo, July 26, 2026