Hybrid vehicle registrations top 2 million in South Korea

SEOUL, February 25 (AJP) - With rising demand for eco-friendly cars, the cumulative number of hybrid vehicles registered in South Korea has surpassed 2 million for the first time last year. According to the statistics consolidated and released by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport on Tuesday, the total number of hybrid vehicles stood at 2.02 million by the end of last year with a whopping 482,349 units newly registered in 2024 alone. First introduced to the domes

February 25, 2025

UK imposes over 100 new sanctions on Russia and North Korea

SEOUL, February 25 (AJP) - The U.K. on Monday imposed over 100 new sanctions on individuals and entities linked to Russia and North Korea, targeting their roles in Moscow's war in Ukraine. It said that the sanctions focus on "funds going into Putin's war chest and propping up Russia's kleptocratic system," adding that they "will also target Russia's military machine, entities in third countries who support it and the fragile supply networks that it rel

February 25, 2025

4 dead, 6 injured as bridge collapses at construction site in Anseong

SEOUL, February 25 (AJP) - A bridge at a construction site in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, collapsed on Tuesday, leaving four workers dead and six others injured, according to government authorities. The incident occurred at around 9:50 a.m. when a steel reinforcement structure fell from a bridge under construction on a highway between Anseong and Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, connecting Seoul to the administrative city of Sejong. Ten workers who were working at the time fe

February 25, 2025

Ukraine alleges North Korea supplying ammunition to Russia

SEOUL, February 24 (AJP) - Ukraine has accused North Korea of supplying a significant portion of the ammunition used by Russian forces on the front lines of the ongoing war. Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said Sunday at a press conference in Kyiv that “50 percent of the ammunition” used by Russian forces on the front lines comes from North Korea. He further explained that Pyongyang is also providing the Kremlin with large quantities of 170mm

February 24, 2025

South Korea discusses defense industry collaboration with UAE, Egypt

SEOUL, February 24 (AJP) - South Korea discussed ways to strengthen defense ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said on Monday. According to the South Korean arms procurement agency, DAPA chief Seok Jong-geon visited the UAE and Egypt from Feb. 17 to 21 to promote defense exports. During his visit to Abu Dhabi, Seok attended IDEX, the largest defense exhibition in the Middle East, where he met with senior def

February 24, 2025

Speed skater Lee Seung-hoon wins first World Cup gold in seven years

SEOUL, February 24 (AJP) - South Korean speed skater Lee Seung-hoon won his first ISU World Cup gold medal in seven years, triumphing in the men’s mass start race on Monday in Poland. Competing in Tomaszów Mazowiecki, the 36-year-old finished the race in 7 minutes, 48.05 seconds, edging out Bart Hoolwerf of the Netherlands (7:48.50) and Andrea Giovannini of Italy (7:48.56). This is Lee’s first World Cup gold medal since December 2017, when he last won a race

February 24, 2025

Seoul to provide Korean language programs for students with non-native parents

SEOUL, February 24 (AJP) - In a bid to support students struggling with the Korean language due to their parents' immigrant background, Seoul will offer Korean language programs at universities starting in March. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced Sunday that the language courses will serve as alternative education programs, offering accredited academic credits, with attendance and curriculum reflected in the students’ home schools. Certified teachers w

February 24, 2025

Fathers make up over 30 percent of parental leave users in South Korea for the first time

SEOUL, February 23 (AJP) - For the first time, more than 30 percent of all parental leave users in South Korea were fathers last year, showing that more men are willing to take time off to care for their children. According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor on Sunday, 256,771 people used work-life balance programs, such as maternity and parental leave, in 2024. This is an increase of 7.2 percent compared to the previous year. In South Korea, it is still uncommon for men to t

February 23, 2025

North Korea remains on FATF blacklist for 15th consecutive year

SEOUL, February 22 (AJP) - North Korea has been re-listed on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) blacklist for the 15th year in a row, maintaining its status as a high-risk jurisdiction for money laundering and terrorist financing. The FATF said Friday that North Korea, Iran, and Myanmar remain on its list of “high-risk jurisdictions,” the highest warning level designated by the organization. "The FATF remains concerned by the DPRK's continued fail

February 22, 2025

Yoon faces additional charge for alleged interference in arrest attempt

SEOUL, February 21 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol is facing new charges of obstructing law enforcement by using an agency responsible for his personal security, police said Friday. Police said Yoon instructed the Presidential Security Service (PSS) to block officers from executing his arrest warrant. They explained that they had obtained encrypted messages exchanged between Yoon and PSS Deputy Chief Kim Sung-hoon via "Signal," a highly secure American messaging app.

February 21, 2025