Disgraced former first couple reunite in rare court appearance together SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - Kim Keon Hee, the wife of disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday appeared as a witness in Yoon's trial over election-related violations. Tuesday's hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul drew particular attention as it was the couple's first court appearance together, also marking their first encounter in several months since being held in separate remand prisons. After taking an oath, Kim answered only a fe April 14, 2026

Energy-poor ASEAN speaks out, demands safe Hormuz reopening SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) —The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), increasingly strained by energy supply disruptions stemming from the Gulf conflict, on Monday urged the United States and Iran to reach a permanent resolution and restore safe passage through the critical shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz. ASEAN foreign ministers issued a joint statement following a virtual meeting, calling on Washington and Tehran to intensify diplomatic efforts toward a lasting April 14, 2026

Two firefighters killed in cold storage warehouse blaze in southern South Korea SEOUL, April 12 (AJP) - Two firefighters were killed after becoming trapped inside a burning cold storage warehouse in South Korea's southwestern county of Wando, authorities said, in a blaze that triggered a vapor explosion and prompted a national outpouring of grief. The fire broke out at about 8:25 a.m. Sunday at a seafood processing plant in Wando County, South Jeolla Province, according to fire authorities. A seven-member crew arrived within six minutes and entered the 3,69 April 12, 2026

Search for escaped wolf at South Korean zoo drags into fifth day SEOUL, April 12 (AJP) - A wolf that tunneled its way out of a government-run zoo in the central city of Daejeon remained at large as search teams armed with thermal-imaging drones combed nearby hillsides for a fifth straight day without success. The two-year-old male wolf, nicknamed Neukgu, was last detected by a thermal camera mounted on a drone at about 1:30 a.m. on April 9, the day after its escape. Trackers lost the animal's trail when the drone was pulled back for a battery April 12, 2026

Police intensify search as escaped wolf remains at large for fourth day SEOUL, April 11 (AJP) - Authorities in the central city of Daejeon have deployed drones and specialized tracking teams on Saturday to locate an escaped wolf that fled a zoo safari as the search enters its fourth day without a confirmed sighting. The two-year-old male wolf was last detected by a thermal imaging camera at 1:30 a.m. on Thursday, but it has since vanished into the rugged terrain surrounding the facility. Recent heavy rainfall and deteriorating weather conditions hinde April 11, 2026

On-site inspections underway at universities with lapses in admitting foreign students SEOUL, April 9 (AJP) - The government is inspecting universities across the country to root out any irregularities in recruiting and admitting foreign students, the Ministry of Education said on Thursday. The ministry's comprehensive on-site inspections, to be carried out over two months until May in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, will target schools suspected of improper screenings or admitting too many students without adequate checks. These inspections April 9, 2026

Fire breaks out on submarine at shipyard in Ulsan, leaving one missing SEOUL, April 9 (AJP) - A fire broke out at a shipyard in the southeastern city of Ulsan on Thursday, leaving one person missing, firefighters said. The fire occurred on a Navy submarine undergoing maintenance at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' shipyard at around 1:58 p.m., prompting about 40 workers inside the vessel to evacuate. Authorities immediately dispatched firefighters and rescue officials with roughly 30 pieces of equipment, managing to contain the main blaze in about April 9, 2026

Samsung widow sells over 3 trillion won in Samsung shares to settle inheritance taxes SEOUL, April 9 (AJP) - Hong Ra-hee, the widow of the late Samsung chief Lee Kun-hee, has sold some of her stocks in Samsung Electronics worth more than 3 trillion Korean won (about US$2 billion) to settle inheritance taxes on the family's vast fortune. According to financial insiders, Hong sold 15 million Samsung Electronics shares, about a 0.25 percent stake, through an after-hours block trade on Thursday, which typically occurs after stock market hours close, allowing large tr April 9, 2026

Prosecutors seek 15-year prison term for ex-first lady in appeals trial SEOUL, April 8 (AJP) - Prosecutors requested a 15-year prison term for Kim Keon Hee, the wife of disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol over multiple charges during an appeals trial in Seoul on Wednesday. The 15-year sentence requested by prosecutors at the Seoul High Court is the same as what they sought in the first trial. In the first ruling, delivered in January, the former first lady was sentenced to just 20 months in prison for accepting bribes including a luxury handbag April 8, 2026

LAFC's Son Heung-min scores season's second goal, ending months-long drought SEOUL, April 8 (AJP) - Son Heung-min of the Los Angles FC (LAFC) scored a goal, helping his club cruise to a 3-0 win over Mexico's Cruz Azul in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday. In a match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, the striker scored in the 30th minute, converting a cross from Canadian midfielder Mathieu Choinière on the right with a left-footed finish into the net. The goal was his second of the season, ending a drought after g April 8, 2026