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  Striker Oh Hyeon-gyu signs with Turkish club SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - Striker Oh Hyeon-gyu has transferred from Belgium's KRC Genk to Turkey's Beşiktaş JK. According to the Turkish club, he signed a deal running through June 2029 for a transfer fee of 14 million euros. Beşiktaş JK, based in Istanbul, are one of Turkey's most decorated clubs with 16 Turkish Süper Lig titles and 11 Turkish Cup trophies. Oh began his European career in January 2023 with Scottish powerhouse Celtic FC after leaving Suwon S February 5, 2026
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  Kim Jae-youl elected to IOC executive board, second Korean to serve on the body SEOUL, February 05 (AJP) -Kim Jae-youl, president of the International Skating Union and a member of the International Olympic Committee, has been elected to the IOC Executive Board, becoming only the second South Korean to serve on the body. Kim was chosen Tuesday (Korea time) during the 145th IOC Session in Milan, host city of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. He received 84 votes in favor out of 100 valid ballots, with 10 against and six abstentions. He joins the late Ki February 5, 2026
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  South Korea eyes top-10 finish at Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics SEOUL, February 4 (AJP) - South Korea aims for a top 10 finish with at least three gold medals at this year's Winter Olympics which kick off in Cortina d'Ampezzo and Milan later this week. At the previous Olympics in Beijing four years ago, the country finished 14th, winning two gold, five silver, and two bronze medals. Its most recent top-10 finish came at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, where it placed seventh overall with five gold, eight silver, and four bronze medals. Th February 4, 2026
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  Lee honors war veterans, others with Lunar New Year gifts SEOUL, February 4 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung has extended Lunar New Year greetings through gifts to war veterans, the underprivileged, and other vulnerable groups, with the country's biggest holiday just around the corner, Cheong Wa Dae said on Wednesday. The gift package contains a bowl-and-spoon set and ingredients for hearty meals consisting of grains, vegetables, and other local staples selected from across the country, as part of efforts to promote regional develop February 4, 2026
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  Trade chief vows to find 'mutually beneficial' tariff solution with US SEOUL, February 4 (AJP) - Officials from South Korea and the United States have been working closely to come up with a "reasonable solution" to tariff-related issues after U.S. President Donald Trump's abrupt threat last week to raise tariffs, Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources Yeo Han-koo said on Wednesday. While wrapping up his weeklong trip to Washington, D.C., Yeo told reporters that he met with numerous U.S. government officials including representatives fr February 4, 2026
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  Seoul sees lowest population outflow last year as fewer move to outskirts SEOUL, February 4 (AJP) - Fewer people moved to the outskirts of Seoul last year, with the capital seeing the lowest outflow in about 35 years. According to data released by the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS) on Wednesday, some 27,000 residents left Seoul last year, down from 35,000 in 2022, 31,000 in 2023, and 45,000 in 2024. The figure was the lowest since 1990, when Seoul first recorded a decline in relevant statistics. KOSIS attributed the drop to an increa February 4, 2026
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  Seoul, Washington reaffirm alliance including cooperation on nuclear subs, shipbuilding SEOUL, February 4 (AJP) - South Korea and the U.S. agreed to continue close cooperation to strengthen the bilateral alliance, the U.S. Department of State said on Tuesday. In a press release, the department's principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met in Washington, D.C., where they "discussed ways to advance" the bilateral alliance. Pigott added that the two "agreed to cont February 4, 2026
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  Constitution Day to be national holiday again SEOUL, February 3 (AJP) - Constitution Day on July 17 will become a national holiday again this year, Cheong Wa Dae said on Tuesday. The Cabinet meeting chaired by President Lee Jae Myung decided to restore Constitution Day as a national holiday to raise public awareness of the spirit of the Constitution. The day, which commemorates July 17, 1948, when the Constitution was promulgated, had been observed as one of major national holidays along with March 1 Independence Movement February 3, 2026
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  Presidential SNS politics: excess or essential? SEOUL, February 03 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump is notorious for overnight social-media barrages — posting more than 160 times in a single day as recently as Dec. 1 — and for spending hours on Truth Social. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is a relative newcomer to such digital excess, but he appears to be embracing the medium with equal enthusiasm. On Sunday, Lee posted a reflective yet firm message on X, formerly Twitter, calling for a national debate on a p February 3, 2026
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  Fire breaks out at confectionery factory in Siheung SEOUL, February 3 (AJP) - A fire broke out at confectionery company SPC Samlip's factory in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday. According to fire authorities, the blaze broke out at around 3 p.m., prompting over 500 workers to evacuate immediately. About 70 firefighters, along with approximately 50 vehicles including pump trucks and other equipment were deployed to extinguish the fire. Three workers including a woman in her 40s were treated for minor symptoms after inhalin February 3, 2026