Sejong, Hanoi sign pact to deepen ties SEOUL, September 08 (AJP) - South Korea's administrative city and Vietnam's Hanoi agreed Tuesday to deepen ties in trade, talent and urban innovation, building on recent gains in business and digital cooperation. Sejong Mayor Cho Sang-ho and Vu Dai Thang, chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee signed a letter of intent (LOI) at Sejong City Hall. The document sets out a broader partnership between South Korea's administrative city and the Vietnamese capital. &ldq September 8, 2026

Jeju petition to end visa-free entry for Chinese tops 20,000 SEOUL, September 8 (AJP) - A petition calling for an end to visa-free entry for Chinese nationals and stronger immigration screening for foreign travelers has gained more than 20,000 signatures amid growing public concern over recent crimes and bizarre cases on Jeju Island. The petition, posted on the National Assembly's website late last month, has garnered some 24,794 signatures in about a week as of Tuesday. Supporters urged the government to scrap visa-free entry for Ch September 8, 2026

Prosecutors seek 27-year prison term for octogenarian JMS cult leader SEOUL, September 7 (AJP) - Prosecutors on Monday sought a 27-year prison sentence for cult leader Jung Myung-seok on charges of raping and sexually assaulting female followers. During a final hearing at a court in Daejeon, prosecutors also requested that Jung Myung-seok, the 81-year-old founder of the Christian Gospel Mission, better known as JMS, be ordered to undergo rehabilitation for sexual offenses, be barred from working with children, teenagers or people with disabilities f September 7, 2026

Hanwha foots full bill for Seoul fireworks festival SEOUL, September 07 (AJP) - South Korea's Hanwha Group has footed the entire 13 billion won ($9.7 million) bill for this year's Seoul International Fireworks Festival, keeping alive a tradition spanning more than two decades as the explosives-rooted conglomerate rises as one of the world's fastest-growing defense suppliers. About 1 million spectators packed Yeouido Hangang Park and surrounding stretches of the Han River on Saturday for the 22nd festival, according to H September 7, 2026

'Busan sickness' fuels Taiwan travel boom to Busan SEOUL, September 06 (AJP) - Flights between Busan and Taiwan have surged this year as a growing number of Taiwanese travelers visit South Korea’s southern port city, fueled by expanding direct routes and strong demand. A total of 6,609 flights operated between Busan and Taiwan through July, already matching the full-year total for 2024 and reaching 82.9 percent of the 7,976 flights recorded in all of 2025, according to aviation statistics from Korea Airports Corp. Passenger September 6, 2026

Lee heads to France for state visit to deepen strategic cooperation SEOUL, September 06 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung left for France on Sunday for a state visit aimed at expanding cooperation in advanced industries and strengthening ties with Europe. The visit comes at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, who asked Lee during his trip to South Korea in April to co-chair the Lumière Summit, an international film and audiovisual industry gathering in southern France. Lee is scheduled to attend the summit with Macron in Sain September 6, 2026

Dementia to affect more than 1 in 10 elderly Koreans by 2040 SEOUL, September 06 (AJP) - More than one in 10 South Koreans aged 65 or older are projected to have dementia by 2040 as the country’s population ages rapidly, government estimates showed Sunday. The dementia prevalence rate among people aged 65 and older is expected to reach 10.34 percent in 2040, according to projections by the Ministry of Health and Welfare based on national population forecasts and a nationwide epidemiological survey on dementia. The rate fell slightly September 6, 2026

High-priced Seoul apartments face broader property tax reach by 2030 SEOUL, September 06 (AJP) - South Korea's comprehensive real estate holding tax could apply to high-priced apartments in nearly every Seoul district by 2030 if the recent pace of home price increases continues, according to a new simulation. The analysis, based on data from KB Kookmin Bank, examined 125 apartment complexes, selecting the five highest-priced complexes in each of Seoul's 25 districts. It was provided to Rep. Shin Dong-wook of the main opposition People Power P September 6, 2026

Seoul fireworks festival gets bigger, global as millions crowd Han River SEOUL, September 05 (AJP) - Seoul's biggest annual fireworks festival is getting bigger and more international this year, expanding to two days for the first time and bringing U.S. and British teams alongside host Hanwha for a three-country show expected to draw around 1 million people to the banks of the Han River. Hours before the first fireworks were due to illuminate the river Saturday night, the spectacle was already visible on the ground. Picnic mats covered coveted str September 5, 2026

State bank relocation sparks mass finance strike in Seoul SEOUL, September 04 (AJP) - State bank relocation sparks mass finance strike in Seoul Strikes have been a common scene in Korea this year, and the traditional banking picketers took to the streets that they surrendered to IT workers earlier on demanding bigger compensations from AI windfall. Their banner cry was less on wages but say on where they work. Despite the still-summery heat, thousands of finance workers gathered in central Seoul from Friday morning for a mass strike, September 4, 2026