Son Heung-min scores twice in LA win, extends goal streak to 4 games SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - Los Angeles FC (LAFC) forward Son Heung-min scored two goals on Sunday, propelling his team to a 3-0 victory over St. Louis City SC at Energizer Park and extending his personal scoring streak to four consecutive Major League Soccer (MLS) matches. Son registered his seventh and eighth goals of the season during the match. His first came in first-half stoppage time with a precise right-footed shot. He added his second in the 60th minute, calmly placing September 28, 2025

Fire at data center traced to aged battery, potential human error SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - The massive administrative network disruption in South Korea, caused by a fire at the National Information Resources Service headquarters in Daejeon, Friday night, is being linked to a lithium-ion battery for an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) that was in use for over a year past its recommended 10-year lifespan. As officials have launched a full-scale investigation into the incident, the focus is falling on the potential role of both the aging hardw September 28, 2025

Data center fire causes public services meltdown in South Korea SEOUL, September 28 (AJP) - A fire at a state-run data center in central South Korea triggered a massive network outage that left government services crippled and disrupted daily life for millions over the weekend, officials said. The blaze broke out Friday evening when a lithium-ion battery exploded inside the National Information Resources Service in Daejeon, about 100 miles south of Seoul, according to police and fire officials. The government preemptively shut down 647 onli September 28, 2025

Trump's Tylenol vitriol upsets Korean moms-to-be, Seoul backs safety SEOUL, September 26 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump's comments linking Tylenol use during pregnancy to autism have rattled some expectant mothers in South Korea, sparking anxiety and anger, while Korean health authorities firmly denied any scientific connection. At a White House press conference Monday, Trump said he would direct the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to restrict acetaminophen-based medicines such as Tylenol during pregnancy, except in cases of severe September 26, 2025

South Korea to send special envoy to Egypt to mark 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties SEOUL, September 26 (AJP) - Park Beom-gye, a lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Party, will visit Egypt next week as a special envoy, presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung said in a press release. His visit from Sept. 20 to Oct. 2 comes in celebration of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Seoul and Cairo. Park will meet with key figures and officials in Egypt to further strengthen bilateral relations while explaining South Korea's foreign policies and d September 26, 2025

South Korea appoints new envoy to Tokyo ahead of outgoing Japanese PM's visit next week SEOUL, September 26 (AJP) - Former envoy to Viet Nam Lee Hyuk has been appointed as South Korea's new ambassador to Tokyo, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday. Born in 1958, Lee graduated from Korea University with a degree in economics before joining the ministry along with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac. The seasoned diplomat with deep expertise in Japanese affairs also served in ambassadorial posts in the Philippines and Vi September 26, 2025

Impeached ex-president makes first public appearance after refusing dozen previous hearings SEOUL, September 26 (AJP) - Disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday attended a hearing for his trial over last year's botched martial law debacle. After skipping about a dozen hearings citing poor health, he made his first public appearance in nearly three months. The trial at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul began at 10:15 a.m., with charges including abuse of power and obstruction of official duties related to the Dec. 3 declaration of martial law. September 26, 2025

Trump presses for 'upfront' investment pledges from South Korea amid stalled tariff talks SEOUL, September 26 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday ramped up his demand that South Korea fulfill its $350 billion investment pledge to Washington in full and upfront. After signing an executive order related to TikTok at the White House, Trump mentioned that the U.S. would receive $550 billion from Japan and $350 billion from South Korea, adding that the payments should be made "upfront." He then went on to boast that his sweeping tariff policy is bri September 26, 2025

Korea's birth growth streak hits 13 mos, gains skewed to capital and better-off SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - Korea's birth tally has grown for 13 consecutive months, offering a rare silver lining in the country's demographic crisis as more young people show willingness to marry and have children. But experts warn the rebound is heavily concentrated in Seoul and the capital region — and largely confined to better-off couples. According to Statistics Korea, 21,803 babies were born in July, up 1,223 or 5.9 percent from a year earlier and the larges September 25, 2025

Seoul claims progress in wartime command transfer talk with US SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - Seoul claims it has made substantial strides in latest round of negotiation with Washington on the transfer of U.S. wartime operational control (OPCON) to South Korea. The 27th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD), a regular consultative meeting between the two defense ministries, was held in Seoul on Sept. 23-24, in which, the ministry said that the two have made "significant progress" toward meeting the conditions for the transfer, September 25, 2025