Disgraced ex-president sentenced to 30 yrs in prison over drone-related charges SEOUL, June 12 (AJP) - Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Friday over one of several charges related to his botched martial law debacle in 2024. In a televised verdict, the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul found him guilty of ordering the dispatch of drones to North Korea several times in October 2024, about two months before his Dec. 3 declaration of martial law. The court determined that the drone dispatches were intended to esca June 12, 2026

Italy honors Lee with highest state decoration SEOUL, June 12 (AJP) - Italy rolled out a red carpet and gave some of its highest state honors to President Lee Jae Myung during his state visit on Thursday, highlighting deepening ties as the two countries upgraded their relationship to a special strategic partnership and expanded cooperation in technology, defense, and trade. Lee received the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit, Italy's highest-ranking state decoration, typically awarded to foreign heads of state and indi June 12, 2026

First South Korean-flagged vessel to pass through Strait of Hormuz arrives in Ulsan SEOUL, June 10 (AJP) - HMM's very large crude carrier arrived at a port in Ulsan on Wednesday, becoming the first South Korean-flagged vessel to pass through the Strait of Hormuz since its blockade due to the Middle East conflict, according to the shipping company, formerly known as Hyundai Merchant Marine. The Universal Winner arrived with 21 crew members including nine South Koreans and 12 foreign nationals, carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil to be supplied to SK Energy a June 10, 2026

Son Heung-min named among '26 players to watch' at upcoming World Cup SEOUL, June 10 (AJP) - Striker Son Heung-min of Los Angeles FC (LAFC) has been named among the "26 players to watch" at this year's FIFA World Cup, which is set to kick off in North America later this week. Yahoo! Sports on Wednesday unveiled its list of standout players from 48 countries for the quadrennial football tournament, just days before the month-long event kicks off across the three host countries of Canada, Mexico and the U.S. on Thursday. Son, set to mak June 10, 2026

Korea's election watchdog faces scrutiny over ballot-printing cuts in June 3 vote SEOUL, June 10 (AJP) - South Korea's election watchdog is facing growing scrutiny after it emerged that the minimum ballot-printing threshold for the June 3 local elections was lowered from 60 percent to 50 percent of registered voters through internal approvals without a formal commission meeting, a move that could be associated with the unprecedented ballot shortages. The controversy has fueled calls for investigations and reforms amid ongoing blockade of a polling station i June 10, 2026

Chipmakers emerge as best companies to work for among job seekers as tech firms lose ground SEOUL, June 9 (AJP) - South Korea's two major chipmakers SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics were voted the best companies to work for by job seekers, recruitment portal Job Korea said on Tuesday. In a recent survey of about 3,287 job seekers conducted by Job Korea, SK hynix ranked first among companies for which respondents said they would "start work immediately," followed by Samsung Electronics. Internet, IT and platform companies that once dominated such June 9, 2026

Key highlights from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's Seoul itinerary SEOUL, June 8 (AJP) - Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang is in the final leg of his four-day visit to Seoul, which included meetings with business leaders, artificial intelligence (AI)-related startups and entrepreneurs, and researchers. His trip also featured a visit to T1 Base Camp, where he met T1 players including esports player Faker, as well as a television appearance and a ceremonial first pitch at a baseball stadium in Jamsil, southern Seoul. He also had another casual gatheri June 8, 2026

Nvidia CEO throws first pitch at baseball game before another 'Kkanbu' gathering SEOUL, June 7 (AJP) - Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang threw a ceremonial first pitch at a baseball game in Seoul on Sunday as part of his high-profile visit to South Korea, which also included meetings with top business leaders and tech experts. Huang, who has been busy with a packed schedule since arriving in Seoul last Friday, appeared at Jamsil Stadium in southern Seoul ahead of the game between the Doosan Bears and Kiwoom Heroes and met fans. He wore a Doosan Bears jersey with June 7, 2026

South Korean footballers hold 1st training session in Mexico ahead of World Cup opener SEOUL, June 7 (AJP) - With this year's World Cup set to kick off later this week, South Korean footballers held their first training session in Mexico on Saturday, drawing hundreds of fans there. They will play their first three group-stage matches in the expanded 48-team quadrennial tournament co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. The warm-up session took place in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, just a day after their arrival in Mexico, following three weeks of preparation in June 7, 2026

Jensen Huang swaps AI chips for K-pop moves on Korean TV show SEOUL, June 06 (AJP) - Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was spotted dancing during a taping of tvN’s popular talk show “You Quiz on the Block,” drawing playful reactions from Korean fans online. On Saturday, the show’s official social media account released photos from the filming, along with a witty caption that read, “The third-round karaoke session we missed yesterday has come to You Quiz.” In the photos, Huang appeared in his signature black leather June 6, 2026