PM to visit Washington this week for first overseas trip SEOUL, January 21 (AJP) - Prime Minister Kim Min-seok is set to visit the U.S. this week, his office said on Wednesday. Kim will travel to Washington, D.C., and New York from Thursday to Monday, marking his first overseas trip since assuming the post in July last year. During his five-day trip, Kim will meet senior U.S. government officials, hold talks with members of the U.S. House of Representatives, and meet with South Korean nationals living there. His office expects the January 21, 2026

More young Koreans abandon job searches: BOK SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - The number of economically inactive or “idled” young people in South Korea has risen sharply, with a growing share abandoning job searches, underscoring mounting risks to the country’s long-term growth potential, the central bank said on Tuesday. According to a report from the Bank of Korea (BOK), the proportion of the idled population within the economically inactive group climbed to 15.8 percent in 2025, up from 12.8 percent in 2019. T January 20, 2026

FM to visit Turkey, Belgium this week SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will visit Turkey and Belgium later this week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday. "Cho will travel to Turkey on Wednesday for talks with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan," the ministry's deputy spokesperson Lee Moon-bae, said during a press briefing in Seoul. The meeting is part of follow-up steps after President Lee Jae Myung's state visit to Turkey in November last year. Cho is expected to January 20, 2026

Independent prosecutors allowed to conduct further probes into martial law debacle SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung approved a special bill at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday allowing further investigation into allegations related to disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law debacle, as well as a slew of suspicions involving his wife. The approval came after the bill was spearheaded and passed last week by the ruling Democratic Party (DP), which holds a majority of seats in the National Assembly. Independent prosecutors January 20, 2026

Fewer North Korean defectors arrived in Seoul last year SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - A total of 224 North Korean defectors arrived in South Korea last year, the Ministry of Unification said on Tuesday. The figure is a slight decrease from last year's 236, following a sharp decline during the coronavirus pandemic. Of them, 198 were women and 26 were men, with only a handful having defected directly from North Korea without passing through a third country like China. The cumulative number of North Korean defectors now stands at 34,5 January 20, 2026

Busan-sized metropolitan hubs envisioned in central and southern western Korea SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - As Seoul grows ever more crowded, much of the rest of South Korea is quietly emptying out. The imbalance has become one of the country’s defining challenges, straining housing, jobs and infrastructure in the capital while leaving regional cities with shrinking populations, weaker local economies and eroding public services. More than 51 percent of South Korea’s 51.6 million people live in and around Seoul, an area that covers just 12 percent of na January 20, 2026

Former PM to face verdict over martial law involvement SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is set to face his first verdict this week over his involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law debacle in December 2024. In a nationwide televised trial scheduled for 2 p.m. on Wednesday, the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul is set to deliver its ruling on him. Prosecutors sought 15 years in prison at Han's final hearing in November last year, accusing Han of aiding Yoo January 20, 2026

Former DP lawmaker appears for questioning over alleged bribery SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - Kang Sun-woo, a former lawmaker of the Democratic Party (DP), appeared for questioning in western Seoul on Tuesday. She is accused of receiving 100 million Korean won (US$68,500) from Seoul city official Kim Kyung in return for the DP's candidate nominations for the 2022 local elections. The money was allegedly delivered to Kang's former aide, identified only by his surname Nam. Her questioning comes nearly a month after an audio recording was ab January 20, 2026

In a weak home market, K-food finds future in overseas SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - Beneath the global rise of K-ramyeon lies a harsher reality at home: much of Korea’s food industry is shrinking, squeezed by a prolonged domestic consumption slump, rising input costs and a weak currency that has inflated import prices. On the surface, K-food appears unstoppable. Samyang Foods’ Buldak Spicy Chicken Noodles dominate convenience-store shelves worldwide, while Nongshim’s Shin Ramyun has become a staple at major U.S. retai January 19, 2026

US, South Korean officials meet for working-level talks on nuclear energy cooperation SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - South Korean officials visited Washington last week to prepare for working-level talks on nuclear energy cooperation with the U.S., the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday. During his two-day trip last Thursday and Friday, Rim Kap-soo, who leads a task force for the talks, met with senior U.S. officials at the State Department and the Energy Department, including Christopher Yeaw, a State Department assistant secretary, and Matthew Napoli, a deputy January 19, 2026