INTERVIEW: Global Cybersecurity Forum speakers warn of Korea's vulnerability to cyberattacks and crimes

SEOUL, October 1 (AJP) - South Korea’s position as one of the world’s most digitalized societies also makes it highly vulnerable to cyberattacks and crimes, warned guest speakers at the Global Cybersecurity Forum. "Traditional defenses like fences and soldiers are no longer sufficient. Cyber resilience must be treated as a core part of national security, not an afterthought," said Heidi Crebo-Rediker, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations

October 1, 2025

OPINION: The age of restless youth

Kim Sang-chul, director of Global Business Research Center The world today feels as if it is locked in a cycle of turmoil. Wars drag on, economies falter, and political dysfunction seems the rule rather than the exception. For many, especially young people, frustration has boiled over into anger, and anger into action. In recent months, Southeast Asia has seen its youngest citizens — largely Gen Z — take to the streets in protest. From Jakarta to Manila, Dhaka to Dili, de

September 25, 2025

INTERVIEW: Climate expert urges Seoul's new climate ministry to finalize NDC

SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - South Korea must commit to a long-term pathway to reduce carbon emissions now that it is set to launch a new ministry integrating energy, climate, and environmental functions, said a leading climate scientist. "The most urgent task for the ministry would be to finalize the 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC)," said Axel Timmermann, director of the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) Center for Climate Physics at Pusan National Unive

September 18, 2025

Alliance reaffirmed, substance lacking: Korean-American lawmaker on Lee–Trump summit

SEOUL, September 08 (AJP) - Two weeks after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and the United States President Donald Trump held their first summit, U.S. lawmakers are offering mixed assessments, praising its reaffirmation of ties but also pointing to unresolved challenges such as defense costs and trade issues. Rep. Young Kim, a Republican from California and one of the first Korean American women elected to Congress, said the summit served as a "necessary reaffirmation&qu

September 8, 2025

INTERVIEW: What surprised foreign job seekers about life and work in Seoul

SEOUL, September 7 (AJP) - At a career forum in Seoul's trendy Seongsu-dong on Saturday, more than 40 panelists shared hard-won lessons with international students seeking job opportunities here. Hosted by Exprivé, a company that connects over 10,000 foreign influencers living in Korea to promote Korean culture worldwide, Saturday's event aimed to help job seekers bridge into local industries and drew a packed crowd. On the sidelines, four Asian panelists from Singap

September 7, 2025

INTERVIEW: UN OHCHR Seoul Office Chief calls for "sustainable approach" to North Korean human rights

SEOUL, July 28 (AJP) - South Korea needs to develop a consistent stance on human rights in North Korea instead of one that changes every time there is a new government, according to a top UN official. "There needs to be a sustainable approach to DPRK human rights," said James Heenan, Representative of the UN Human Rights Office in Seoul, using the official name of North Korea. "One that doesn’t change drastically every time there’s a new admini

July 28, 2025

INTERVIEW: How literature is bringing South Korea and Poland closer together

SEOUL, July 18 (AJP) - For many South Koreans, Poland once seemed like a distant European country, often known only for legendary figures such as pianist Frédéric Chopin and Nobel laureate chemist Marie Curie. But the Slavic country in central Europe has drawn closer to South Korea in recent years thanks to a burgeoning appreciation for its rich literary tradition and cultural heritage. "Although South Korea and Poland are geographically far apart and have had rel

July 18, 2025

INTERVIEW: US strikes on Iranian nuke sites may spur North Korea's nuclear buildup, Iranian envoy warns

SEOUL, July 4 (AJP) - Last month's U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, which came shortly after Israel's sudden attack on Tehran, have ignited a cycle of escalating military tensions and retaliatory attacks across the Middle East. These developments could have "perilous" global repercussions with far-reaching consequences for further hostilities, potentially emboldening nuclear-armed countries including North Korea to reassess their military capabilities a

July 4, 2025

INTERVIEW: How Kazakhstan's Korean Cultural Center fosters bilateral relations

SEOUL, June 24 (AJP) - In the central Eurasian steppe, there is a place that has been at the forefront of promoting Korean culture and heritage for over 15 years. Located in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) there has played a pivotal role in introducing Korean culture across Central Asia since 2010. As the region's first and only such center, it has provided locals with a wide range of programs that raise awareness of the northeastern Asian cou

June 24, 2025

INTERVIEW: How one gamer turned his passion into global console hit

SEOUL, June 11 (AJP) - For Lee Jun-ho, it all began with tears. He was a middle school student, clutching a controller as the final scene of Shining Force, a turn-based tactical role-playing game, played out on the screen. "I remember tears streaming down my face as the ending unfolded," he recalled. That moment of revelation would eventually lead Lee to the heart of South Korea's gaming industry. Today, he serves as the creative director behind The First Berserker:

June 11, 2025