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

South Korea adds more gold medals at Harbin Asian Winter Games

SEOUL, February 9 (AJP) - South Korea added more gold medals in speed skating and short-track speed skating on Sunday at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China, which kicked off on Friday. Short-track speed skater Choi Min-jeong finished first in the women's 1,000-m, while her compatriot Kim Gil-li won silver. With her gold-medal victories in the mixed 2,000-m relay and the women's 500-m race the previous day, Choi became the triple gold medalist of this year's quadrenn

February 9, 2025

Young South Korean ballerino wins prestigious award in Switzerland

SEOUL, February 9 (AJP) - Ballerino Park Youn-jae won the top prize at the Prix de Lausanne international ballet competition in the Swiss city on Saturday. The 16-year-old ballet prodigy became the first male South Korean dancer to win the prestigious award. Retired world-famous ballerina Kang Sue-jin won the competition in 1985 when she was 18, followed by Park Sae-eun in 2007, who later reached the highest "étoile" rank at the renowned Paris Opera Ballet. Th

February 9, 2025

Weeklong cold spell freezes Han River for first time this winter

SEOUL, February 9 (AJP) - The weeklong cold spell has led to the freezing of the Han River in Seoul. The Korea Meteorological Administration said on Sunday that the river froze for the first time this winter, as subzero temperatures, which began earlier in the week with Ipchun or the official beginning of spring according to the lunar calendar, have persisted. The river is officially considered frozen when the surface near the Hangang Bridge is completely covered with ice. The ri

February 9, 2025

Four dead, six missing after fishing trawler sinks off Yeosu

SEOUL, February 9 (AJP) - A fishing trawler sank off the country's southern coast early Sunday morning, leaving four dead and six missing. At around 1:40 a.m., the 139-ton 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 available vessels to the scene and rescued four foreign crew members — two Indonesians and two Vietnamese. But three South Kor

February 9, 2025