IVF without spousal consent sparks legal debate over parental rights

SEOUL, August 8 (AJP) - When South Korean actress Lee Si-young revealed last month that she was pregnant with her second child, using a frozen embryo created with her ex-husband and implanted after their divorce, it sparked a heated debate over the legal and ethical implications of in vitro fertilization (IVF). While the law has not apparently been violated in a technical sense, experts say, the ethical furor suggests that it is ambiguous and that some kind of amendment may be nec

August 8, 2025

Joint exercise with US to be scaled down, with field training postponed

SEOUL, August 8 (AJP) - South Korea will conduct its annual joint defense exercise with the U.S. later this month, with half of some key field drills postponed until September due to this summer's unprecedented heat wave. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) here said Thursday that the exercise, dubbed Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS), will kick off its 10-day run on Aug. 18, involving some 18,000 South Korean troops and a similar number of U.S. personnel. The exercise consists of compu

August 8, 2025

Lee expected to meet Trump for first bilateral summit late this month

SEOUL, August 8 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung is expected to sit down for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington later this month. According to government sources, Lee is likely to fly to Washington, D.C. on Aug. 24 for his first bilateral summit with Trump at the White House the following day. The upcoming summit will be Lee's first test in bilateral relations, marking his official debut on the international diplomatic stage, although he briefly participated

August 8, 2025

[K-Culture] Hanbok Expo weaves tradition into four seasons

SEOUL, August 7 (AJP) - The vibrant energy of South Korea's four seasons came to life through hanbok, the country's traditional clothing. The 2025 Hanbok Expo, a four-day expo launched on Thursday at COEX in southern Seoul, featured a fashion show that highlighted the elegance of the country's traditional attire through seasonal fabrics. Professor Shim Yeon-ok of the Korea National University of Cultural Heritage, who directed the fashion show, said

August 7, 2025

Ex-first lady Kim faces possible arrest over stock and bribery charges

SEOUL, August 7 (AJP) - On Thursday, a team of independent prosecutors requested an arrest warrant for former first lady Kim Keon Hee, 36 days after launching an investigation into multiple allegations. If approved, it would mark the first time in South Korean history that a former president and first lady are jailed at the same time. Her husband, disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol, has been in custody at a detention center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, since early last month

August 7, 2025

Yoon resists second arrest attempt in investigation tied to wife

SEOUL, August 7 (AJP) - Independent prosecutors on Thursday failed again to bring in disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning, as he refused to cooperate. Prosecutors led by Min Jung-ki, who are investigating a series of allegations involving Yoon’s wife, former first lady Kim Keon Hee, visited a remand prison in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, in an attempt to arrest Yoon. Yoon reportedly protested by lying on the floor of his cell and refusing to respond to rep

August 7, 2025

Ex-first lady questioned for 11 hours, denies allegations

SEOUL, August 7 (AJP) - Former South Korean first lady Kim Keon Hee was questioned for nearly 11 hours on Wednesday by a team of special independent prosecutors over a string of allegations, including stock manipulation, bribery, and election-related interference. The wife of disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared at the independent prosecutors' office in Gwanghwamun in central Seoul around 10 a.m. on Wednesday and left shortly before 9 p.m. She did not respo

August 7, 2025

Lee mulls pardons for upcoming Liberation Day

SEOUL, August 6 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung is considering pardons next week to mark the 80th anniversary of the Aug. 15 Liberation day, the presidential office said Wednesday. His first special amnesty since taking office in early June coincides with a large-scale event in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, celebrating his inauguration. The Ministry of Justice is currently compiling a list of those eligible for the amnesty based on internal procedures and strict criteria, with firs

August 6, 2025

South Korea to allow visa-free entry for Chinese tourists starting next month

SEOUL, August 6 (AJP) - Chinese tour groups will be able to enter South Korea without visas as early as late next month. As part of efforts to boost the tourism industry, the visa-waiver program, which follows China's similar move in November last year, was decided during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok at the government complex in Seoul on Wednesday. The program, which allows short-term visa-free entry for Chinese travelers, is set to take effect on Sept. 29

August 6, 2025

Elderly account for almost half of total medical expenditures

SEOUL, August 6 (AJP) - With South Korea's rapidly aging population and declining birthrate, healthcare spending keeps rising as elderly people make up a larger proportion of those who seek medical treatments. According to data submitted on Wednesday to lawmaker Kim Mi-ae of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the proportion of elderly patients aged over 65 rose to 44.8 percent last year, up from 43.1 percent in 2020. Their medi

August 6, 2025