Lee to visit China for summit with Xi Jinping next week

SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung will embark on a four-day trip to China early next week for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. At a press briefing at Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said Lee is scheduled to depart for Beijing on Sunday for the summit, then travel to Shanghai before returning home on Wednesday. The meeting will be the two leaders' second since their first meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific

December 30, 2025

New senior post in charge of AI created at Defense Ministry

SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) - A deputy minister-level post in charge of artificial intelligence (AI)-related affairs has been created within the Ministry of Defense to accelerate the military's technological modernization. Approved at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday and set to take effect later this week, the new post will spearhead the military's adoption of cutting-edge technologies while overseeing key areas where AI is needed, including logistics, information, and the procur

December 30, 2025

Over 25,000 ethnic Koreans regain legal status after overstaying visas

SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) - More than 25,000 ethnic Koreans who had overstayed their visas here have regained their legal status, the Justice Ministry said on Tuesday. According to the ministry, about 2,522 ethnic Koreans applied for a three-month program implemented between September and November as part of immigration policies to recover their legal status. Of those applicants, 1,544 were granted legal status after undergoing strict screening conducted by legal experts and human

December 30, 2025

South Korea's foreign arrivals seen topping 21 million in 2026 on China-Japan tensions

SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) - South Korea could see the number of foreign visitors rise to more than 21 million in 2026, driven by a continued recovery in inbound travel and potential spillover demand from escalating tensions between China and Japan, industry researchers said. Yanolja Research, a data-driven tourism research institute, projected that foreign arrivals to South Korea would reach a baseline of 20.36 million next year, up 8.7 percent from an estimated 18.5 million in 2025.

December 30, 2025

DP floor leader resigns amid snowballing bribery allegations

SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) - Kim Byung-ki, floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), resigned from his post on Tuesday amid various bribery allegations and other misconduct. "Being at the center of snowballing allegations every day, I have become an obstacle to the party and the Lee Jae-myung administration, so I have decided to step down," he said. "I'm deeply sorry and apologize to the people," he said, adding, "My actions fell far short o

December 30, 2025

DP, PPP at odds over probe into Unification Church-related allegations

SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) - The ruling Democratic Party (DP) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) remain at odds over the scope of a proposed probe by independent prosecutors into bribery allegations involving the Unification Church, also known as the Moonies. Their talks were further bogged down by the DP's demand to include suspicions involving another dubious religious sect Shincheonji, despite the party's initial opposition to the probe. DP leader Jung

December 30, 2025

Memories linger as truth remains elusive a year after Muan airport crash

SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - An 18-year-old boy left a note for his mother, promising that he had finally grown up in his final year of high school — and apologizing that he could not tell her in person. His message is one of hundreds now posted along a hallway at Muan International Airport, where families continue to mourn those lost in South Korea’s deadliest aviation disaster. Nearly a year has passed since Jeju Air Flight 2216, a Boeing 737-800 arriving from Bangkok, s

December 29, 2025

Independent prosecutors wrap up probe into wife of impeached former president

SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - Independent prosecutors have concluded their investigation into a slew of allegations involving Kim Keon Hee, the wife of disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol. In a press briefing in Seoul on Monday, Prosecutor Min Joong-ki, who led the six-month investigation, said that around 76 suspects were indicted over dozens of alleged offenses. He said the investigation, which began in early July, has uncovered multiple allegations involving Kim, who is accu

December 29, 2025

South Korea races toward a cashless society, leaving many elderly behind

SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - In South Korea, wallets are fast becoming relics, as most people now pay with a swipe of their phones. Cash use has fallen sharply over the past decade, reflecting the country's rapid embrace of digital payments — a shift that is transforming daily life but also exposing a growing divide between the digitally fluent and those being left behind. This year, individuals spent an average of 324,000 won ($226) a month in cash, less than half the 808,0

December 29, 2025

South Korea, US complete all joint drills postponed from last summer

SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - The military has carried out all 22 joint field training with the U.S. that were rescheduled after being postponed in August, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said on Monday. Those drills were among about 40 exercises that are part of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise, aimed at maintaining a combined defense posture, including combined tactical airborne training, rescue operations, equipment maintenance, and live-fire drills. According to

December 29, 2025