Former South Korean prime minister Lee Hong-koo dies at 92 SEOUL, May 05 (AJP) - Former South Korean Prime Minister Lee Hong-koo, a prominent scholar-statesman who led the government during the mid-1990s and managed critical diplomatic ties with the United States, died on May 5. He was 92. Lee served as a rare bridge between academia and high-level politics, holding senior positions under both conservative and liberal administrations. His career spanned several pivotal moments in modern South Korean history, including the 1997~1998 Asian May 5, 2026

Playgrounds stay empty as Korean children simply have no time to play SEOUL, May 04 (AJP) - As South Korea observes the 104th anniversary of Children’s Day this Tuesday, the festive banners and gift-wrapped toys mask a sobering reality. The holiday, envisioned by pioneer Bang Jeong-hwan as a day to prioritize the "happiness and well-being" of the nation’s youth, has become a poignant reminder of a childhood increasingly spent in the shadows of high-stakes testing and digital screens. Data suggests that for the average South May 4, 2026

Three in four young Koreans say they are nonreligious SEOUL, May 03 (AJP) - Three out of four South Koreans in their 20s now identify as having no religion, highlighting a deepening generational shift that is accelerating the aging of the country’s faith communities and clergy. According to a recent report by Gallup Korea titled Religion of Koreans 1983–2025, only 24 percent of adults in their 20s said they currently practice a religion last year, meaning more than 75 percent described themselves as nonreligious. The fig May 3, 2026

Pokémon leaps off screen as game IP craze paralyzes Seongsu SEOUL, May 02 (AJP) - Crowds are continuing to line up for a Pokémon pop-up event in Seoul’s Seongsu-dong on Saturday, a day after tens of thousands of fans packed the area and prompted organizers to suspend parts of the event just hours after it opened. The continuing turnout shows how game and animation intellectual property, or IP, is increasingly moving beyond screens into offline spaces, drawing massive crowds through pop-up stores and experience-based events. T May 2, 2026

South Korea's exports top $80 billion for second straight month SEOUL, May 01 (AJP) - South Korea's exports surged 48 percent year-on-year in April to $85.89 billion, breaching the $80 billion threshold for a second consecutive month as a semiconductor supercycle powered by global artificial intelligence investment continued to underpin the trade-dependent economy. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy reported Friday that the April figure trailed only the all-time high of $86.6 billion set in March, making it the second-largest monthly May 1, 2026

Lee calls for end to 'pro-labor vs. pro-business' divide SEOUL, May 01 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for an end to the long-standing dichotomy that pits workers against employers, vowing to deliver "real growth" through cooperation between labor and management. Speaking at a Labor Day ceremony at the Blue House on Friday — the first such event ever held at the former presidential compound — Lee said the country could only move forward by abandoning the "outdated binary" of pro-labor ve May 1, 2026

Top court upholds guilty verdicts for all protesters in violent court intrusion case SEOUL, April 30 (AJP) - Some 18 die-hard supporters of disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol including far-right YouTubers, were handed prison terms or suspended sentences on Thursday, as the Supreme Court upheld the lower court's rulings on charges of trespassing, causing a disturbance, and other offences. Some 59 people were convicted after breaking into the Seoul Western District Court in Mapo in January last year in a protest against Yoon's arrest over his botched mar April 30, 2026

South Korea to command multinational naval forces at RIMPAC exercise for first time SEOUL, April 30 (AJP) - South Korea will command multinational naval forces in an U.S.-led maritime exercise late next month, the Navy said on Thursday. According to the Navy, it will be the first time the country assumes command in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC), the world's largest multinational naval exercise, since joining in 1990. Launched in 1971, the biennial exercise, hosted by the U.S. Navy's Third Fleet, is designed to enhance cooperation among participating co April 30, 2026

Appeals court increases ex-president's martial law-related sentence to 7 years SEOUL, April 29 (AJP) - Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to seven years in prison on Wednesday over one of several charges related to his botched martial law debacle as an appeals court stiffened the initial five-year sentence handed down in January. In a televised verdict, the Seoul High Court in southern Seoul found him guilty of obstructing official duties, fabricating official documents, and other charges related to his declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. April 29, 2026

South Korea launches new homegrown frigate with delivery slated for next year SEOUL, April 29 (AJP) - A launch ceremony for a new homegrown frigate with enhanced anti-air and anti-submarine capabilities was held in Goseong, South Gyeongsang Province on Wednesday. The ceremony for the Jeju, named after the country's southern resort island, was held at SK Oceanplant's shipyard, about a year ahead of its planned delivery to the Navy slated for June next year, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). The 3,600-ton frigate is April 29, 2026