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  Newlyweds fall below 1 million for second straight year SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - The number of newlyweds has remained below one million for the second year in a row, the Ministry of Data and Statistics said on Friday. About 952,000 couples married last year, down 2.3 from a year earlier. First-time newlyweds with children accounted for 51.2 percent, down 1.3 percentage points from the previous year, with an average of 0.61 children per couple. Only 49.1 percent of dual-income couples had children, compared with 55.2 percent of sin December 12, 2025
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  Hotel Shilla president's son admitted to Seoul National University SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - Hotel Shilla president Lee Boo-jin's eldest son has been accepted to Seoul National University. According to a list released by the prestigious university on Friday, his name, identified by his last name Im, appeared among the successful early-admission applicants to the university's Department of Economics for next year's academic year. Those admitted must register by next week. If he enrolls, he will follow in the footsteps of his uncle December 12, 2025
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  South Korean crypto fraudster sentenced to 15 years in prison SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - Crypto fraudster Kwon Do-hyeong, also known as Do Kwon, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on fraud charges by a U.S. federal court in New York on Thursday. The so-called "Cryptocrash King" was behind the spectacular collapse of the TerraUSD and Luna cyber that wiped out more than US$40 billion in losses to investors in the U.S. and around the world. "This was a fraud on an epic, generational scale. In the history of federal prosecutions December 12, 2025
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  Subway workers in Seoul call off strike after last-minute agreement SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - Unionized subway workers in Seoul on Friday called off their planned full-scale strike after reaching a last-minute deal with management, averting major disruptions to the morning rush hour. Seoul Metro, which operates subway lines 1 through 8, said it reached an agreement early in the morning after overnight marathon negotiations. The workers had earlier threatened to strike from the first trains of the day unless their demands for higher wages, the December 12, 2025
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  Seoul aims to correct "misunderstanding" in public policy with live government briefings SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - South Korean bureaucrats are often “misunderstood” as lazy or corrupt, but if such perceptions reflected reality, the country could never have advanced to the level admired by much of the world, President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday as he addressed government officials at the Sejong Government Complex for the first time since taking office in June. Again for the first time, each ministry and public office’s briefing to the president was b December 11, 2025
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  After game-curfew flop, Seoul unlikely to adopt Australia's drastic social media ban SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - In every advanced society — from the United States to East Asia to Australia — one common reality defines modern childhood: kids and teenagers are glued to their screens. Whether scrolling through social media, watching YouTube, or toggling between both, their digital immersion is constant. Governments are responding with varying degrees of intervention, but only a few have taken dramatic steps. Australia is now the boldest example, and one that S December 11, 2025
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  Workers trapped after collapse at construction site in Gwangju SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - A steel structure collapsed at a construction site in the southwestern city of Gwangju on Thursday, leaving several workers trapped. According to emergency rescue officials, the incident occurred at around 1:58 p.m. at a construction site for a library, with four workers trapped under the debris. One person was rescued shortly after the collapse but is presumed dead. Search and rescue operations are underway for the remaining three workers. Police December 11, 2025
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  Japanese cities top travel destinations for Korean Air passengers SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Tokyo was the most popular destination among overseas travelers aboard Korean Air this year, with Japanese cities dominating the top spots for short-haul travel. According to a year-end report released Thursday by the country's flagship carrier, based on the number of passengers on international flights from January through Nov. 10, Tokyo topped the list, followed by Osaka, Fukuoka, and Bangkok. Flights to Chinese cities rebounded sharply, with pass December 11, 2025
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  Laotian president to visit Seoul for summit SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung will hold a summit with Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith next week to discuss bilateral relations. Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said Thursday that Thongloun, who is scheduled to arrive in Seoul on Sunday, will sit down for talks with Lee on Monday, followed by a state luncheon. According to Kang, his trip to Seoul comes as the two countries mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations and it will be the firs December 11, 2025
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  US House passes annual defense bill maintaining current USFK troop levels SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a defense bill that includes a provision prohibiting a unilateral reduction of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea. The annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which is passed annually by Congress to set defense policy, allocate funding priorities, and provide guidance on key security matters, was approved in a decisive 312-112 vote. The bill, which allocates a record US$901 billion in d December 11, 2025