FM offers condolences to victims of shooting rampage in Sydney

SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - Foreign Minister Cho Hyun expressed condolences to the victims and their families of a shooting rampage in Sydney, Australia over the weekend. "I am deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives in the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach," Cho wrote on X on Monday, adding, "I extend my heartfelt condolences to the victims, their families, and the people of Australia." Cho stressed that terrorism is an "inhumane, anti-civilization cr

December 15, 2025

Lee, Laotian president agree to strengthen bilateral partnership

SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung met with visiting Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith in Seoul on Monday. During their summit at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, the two leaders agreed to elevate their bilateral relationship to a comprehensive partnership, as the two countries mark 30 years of diplomatic relations. "Trade and investment have grown remarkably since 1995, with bilateral trade increasing 20-fold," Lee said, adding that mu

December 15, 2025

Korean Air chief donates 100 million won to athletes ahead of Winter Olympics

SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - Hanjin Group chairman and Korean Air president Cho Won-tae on Monday donated 100 Korean million (about US$70,000) to support athletes preparing for the upcoming Winter Olympics in northern Italy in February next year. Cho, who currently serves as Vice President of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, toured key facilities at a national team training center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, encouraging athletes including short-track speed skat

December 15, 2025

South Korea, US conduct joint anti-terror drill in Seoul

SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - A joint drill between South Korea and the U.S. is underway in Seoul, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday. The two-day drill, dubbed "Winter Tiger," which runs Tuesday, is aimed at responding to nuclear and radiological terrorism, involving about 120 officials from both countries. Participants are simulating a radiological terror attack to evaluate emergency response capabilities and cooperation strategies between the two countries

December 15, 2025

Vehicle-free weekends along Cheonggyecheon Stream to resume after six-month pause

SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - Vehicles will again be banned along the Cheonggyecheon Stream on weekends and public holidays starting on New Year's Day, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said on Monday. The traffic restriction, first implemented in 2005 to improve the walking environment and convenience for pedestrians, will resume after being suspended in July for about six months due to local merchants' complaints about reduced sales. A roughly 450-meter stretch will be c

December 15, 2025

Fire at Paju elementary school leaves three injured, hundreds evacuated

SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - A fire broke out at an elementary school in Paju, Gyeonggi Province on Monday. According to fire authorities, the blaze started around noon in the school's second-floor science lab. Firefighters were immediately dispatched to the scene to extinguish the blaze, but three staff members inhaled smoke, with two being transported to the hospital. A total of 307 students and staff were evacuated. Authorities are investigating the exact cause of the fire

December 15, 2025

Korea's ex-president brooded on martial law scheme more than a year before acting out

SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) -Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol brooded over a scheme to invoke martial law to “eliminate political opponents and consolidate power” before October 2023, more than a year before the stunning decree was declared in December 2024, a special counsel investigation claimed Monday. The finding was detailed by Special Counsel Cho Eun-suk, who led a 180-day probe into allegations of insurrection and foreign collusion surrounding the Decem

December 15, 2025

Nearly 90% of South Koreans use streaming services

SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - Nearly 90 percent of South Koreans use online streaming services and platforms, with an average of 2.1 subscriptions per person, according to a survey by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency. The survey, based on face-to-face interviews with 6,554 people conducted over three months starting in July, found that 54.2 percent of subscribers were paid users. YouTube led with 85.4 percent of users, followed by Netfli

December 15, 2025

Korean AI models score poorly in college exam math vs global rivals: study

SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) -South Korea's homegrown artificial intelligence language models significantly underperformed compared with leading international counterparts in solving college entrance exam–level math problems, according to a study by a research team led by Professor Kim Jong-rak at Sogang University. The study tested five major Korean-language AI models against five global models, including ChatGPT, using math and essay questions drawn from university entran

December 15, 2025

Police raid Unification Church over bribery allegations

SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - Police on Monday raided about a dozen locations of the powerful Unification Church, also known as the Moonies over allegations of bribing political figures. The raid began at around 8:50 a.m., when a special investigation team from the National Police Agency carried out a search and seizure at the sprawling residence of the church's leader Han Hak-ja in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province and 10 other facilities in Seoul. The raid came after Minister of O

December 15, 2025