Man sentenced to 7.5 years for fatal car crash in central Seoul

SEOUL, February 12 (AJP) - The Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday sentenced a man to seven and a half years in prison without forced labor for killing nine people and injuring six others after ramming his car into a pedestrian road in central Seoul last July. The 68-year-old man, surnamed Cha, caused the deadly incident by driving his vehicle in the wrong direction on a one-way, four-lane street. After colliding with two oncoming vehicles, he suddenly accelerated and plowed i

February 12, 2025

South Korea eases travel advisory for parts of Israel

SEOUL, February 12 (AJP) - South Korea lowered its travel advisory for parts of Israel starting Wednesday, according to the Foreign Ministry. With the adjustment, which came about a year after improved security conditions following last year's Middle East escalation, residents and other South Korean expats in Israel are no longer advised to leave the country. However, travelers are still recommended to refrain from visiting the region. Travel bans also remain in place for Gaz

February 12, 2025

Yoon's former close aide denies allegations in botched martial law debacle

SEOUL, February 11 (AJP) - Former Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min broke his silence to side with President Yoon Suk Yeol during a hearing for his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court of Korea on Tuesday. Lee, a close aide to Yoon, had previously refused to answer, citing his right to remain silent over Yoon's botched martial law debacle last December. But Lee, who appeared at the hearing as a witness, changed his stance this time, giving detailed explanations

February 11, 2025

South Korea wins first-ever gold medal in biathlon at Harbin Winter Asian Games

SEOUL, February 11 (AJP) - South Korea on Tuesday won gold in biathlon at this year's Winter Asian Games currently underway in Harbin, China. Ekaterina Avvakumova, a Russian-born biathlete who obtained South Korean citizenship in 2016, won the women's 7.5-km sprint event with a time of 22:45.40. Her victory marks the country's first-ever gold medal in biathlon at the quadrennial event. The previous best result was a silver-medal finish in the men's relay event at

February 11, 2025

PHOTOS: Jeongwol Daeboreum, first full moon of lunar calendar

SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - On Feb. 12, South Korea will celebrate "Jeongwol Daeboreum," the first full moon of the lunar calendar. This day is steeped in tradition, with families gathering to eat "ogokbap," a nourishing five-grain rice dish, and partake in "bureom," the custom of cracking walnuts, peanuts, and other hard-shelled nuts to ensure good health in the year ahead. Across the country, time-honored rituals mark the occasion. In rural areas, children and a

February 10, 2025

South Korea adds more medals in speed skating at Harbin Asian Winter Games

SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - Speed skater Kim Jun-ho won bronze in the men's 500-m race at this year's Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China which kicked off last Friday. He clocked in at 35.03 seconds, securing third place behind China's Gao Tingyu (34.95 seconds) and Japan's Wataru Morishige (34.97 seconds). This was his second bronze medal, having also won in the 100-m race last Saturday. Later in the day, Kim along with Cha Min-kyu and Cho Sang-hyeok won si

February 10, 2025

Acting President seeks phone call with Trump

SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - Acting President Choi Sang-mok is seeking to have a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, the Ministry of Economy and Finance said Monday. Choi has been handling state affairs after President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law debacle late last year. Seoul has made a request through diplomatic channels, according to the ministry. "It is expected to hear from the U.S. side, once arrangements are made," a ministry spokesperson told reporte

February 10, 2025

Chinese cruise passengers to Jeju surge more than sixfold

SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - Cruise travelers to South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju surged more than sixfold last year. According to a report released by the Jeju Tourism Organization on Monday, the number of cruise passengers to the island in 2024 reached 640,183, a 6.4-fold increase from 100,109 in 2023. The agency attributed the dramatic increase to the resumption of Chinese group tours on cruise ships in March 2023, following the end of COVID-19 restrictions. The

February 10, 2025

Oil storage tank explosion in Ulsan leaves one dead, another injured

SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - An oil storage tank at a plant in Ulsan exploded on Monday, leaving one dead and another injured, authorities said. Firefighters rushed to the scene shortly after the blast occurred at approximately 11:15 a.m. in the southeastern city. Authorities are assessing the extent of the damage, while the cause of the blast is currently under investigation. Acting President Choi Sang-mok ordered an all-out effort to contain the fire and ensure safety measures

February 10, 2025

Search continues for missing crew members from capsized fishing trawler near Yeosu

SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - Search operations are still underway on Monday after a fishing trawler sank off the country's southern coast the previous day, leaving five dead and five others missing. The 139-ton large trawler with 14 crew members on board disappeared from radar approximately 17 kilometers east of Yeosu, South Jeolla Province. Coastguards dispatched patrol boats and other vessels to the scene and rescued four foreign crew members — two Indonesians and two V

February 10, 2025