South Korea belatedly scrambles to avoid fallout from inclusion on US 'sensitive country' list

SEOUL, March 17 (AJP) - Last week's abrupt revelation of South Korea being classified as a "sensitive country" has sent shockwaves through political circles and government agencies here, with key diplomatic figures and senior officials scrambling to assess its implications and potential fallout. Such a classification by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), which could restrict cooperation in advanced technologies, may reflect a shift in U.S. policy toward South Korea,

March 17, 2025

Number of young unemployed people reaches 1.2mln

SEOUL, March 16 (AJP) - The number of unemployed young people in South Korea, including those who lost their jobs, are job-seeking, or are simply staying at home without employment, reached 1.2 million last month, government data showed Saturday. Even among those who managed to find jobs, one in four were classified as short-term workers with limited working hours. According to data from Statistics Korea's National Statistics Portal (KOSIS), 269,000 people aged 15 to 29 w

March 16, 2025

78 percent of workers support reducing working hours this year

SEOUL, March 16 (AJP) - More than three out of four South Korean office workers believe that working hours should be reduced within the year and that a cap on overtime work should be established, survey data showed Sunday. Gapjil119, a South Korean online-based labor rights advocacy group, commissioned polling firm Global Research to conduct a survey from Dec. 2 to 11 last year, targeting 1,000 office workers aged 19 and older nationwide. The survey found that 77.9 percent of respon

March 16, 2025

Police launch nationwide crackdown on online drug crimes amid rising youth offenders

SEOUL, March 16 (AJP) - The National Police Agency announced Saturday that it will conduct a 15-week intensive crackdown on major public safety crimes, including drug trafficking and voice phishing, until Jun. 30. The National Police Agency said it will prioritize crackdown on key drug distribution channels such as online platforms, nightlife districts, and areas with high concentrations of undocumented foreigners. As part of the initiative, the existing "Dark Web and Virt

March 16, 2025

US defense secretary to skip Seoul visit amid political turmoil

SEOUL, March 15 (AJP) - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will skip South Korea during his first official tour of the Indo-Pacific region. Hegseth plans to visit Guam, Hawaii, Japan, and the Philippines later this month to discuss military cooperation and regional security concerns, according to Pentagon officials on Friday. A potential stop in Seoul was considered but later excluded, reportedly due to political uncertainty here in the wake of President Yoon Suk Yeol's ma

March 15, 2025

Nationwide demonstrations sweep across South Korea as Yoon's impeachment ruling nears

SEOUL, March 15 (AJP) - Mass protests both for and against President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment swept across South Korea on Saturday, just days before the Constitutional Court delivers its final ruling on his botched martial law declaration last December. The largest anti-impeachment rally took place near Gwanghwamun in central Seoul in the afternoon, organized by a conservative supporters' group. Protesters waved national flags and chanted slogans opposing the impea

March 15, 2025

US adds South Korea in bottom category of sensitive countries list

SEOUL, March 15 (AJP) - The U.S. government officially confirmed Friday that it added South Korea to its “Sensitive and Other Designated Countries List (SCL)” in early January. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) said Friday that South Korea was placed in the lowest category on the list, labeled as an “Other Designated Country,” during the final days of the Biden administration. The list includes countries subject to additional oversight due to concerns re

March 15, 2025

Over half of South Koreans trust Constitutional Court, poll shows

SEOUL, March 14 (AJP) - Over half of South Koreans trust the Constitutional Court of Korea, a recent poll suggest. The survey results released on Friday could provide some insight amid an intense split over President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law debacle last year, as the final verdict in his impeachment trial looms. Pollster Gallup Korea surveyed about 1,001 adults nationwide early this week and found that 53 percent of respondents expressed belief in the Constitutiona

March 14, 2025

Police to deploy 20,000 officers, enforce no-fly zone on impeachment ruling day

SEOUL, March 14 (AJP) - Police will implement its highest emergency alert level on the day of the Constitutional Court’s ruling on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment, deploying 337 riot police units and about 20,000 officers nationwide. The court’s decision follows Yoon’s declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, a move that escalated political tensions across the country. While the exact date of the ruling has not yet been announced, legal experts pre

March 14, 2025

Air Busan fire likely caused by power bank short circuit, forensic report finds

SEOUL, March 14 (AJP) - A fire that broke out aboard Air Busan flight BX391 at Gimhae International Airport on Jan 28 was likely triggered by a short circuit inside a portable battery pack, also known as a power bank, according to an investigation by the National Forensic Service (NFS). The Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB) under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport said Friday that forensic analysis revealed multiple traces of melted materia

March 14, 2025