The undying love of yellow milk SEOUL, June 29 (AJP) - Milk may have arrived from the West, but banana milk is unmistakably Korean. It is also a favorite of the Huang family. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and his daughter Madison are known to hand out bottles of the iconic yellow drink whenever they visit South Korea, introducing friends and colleagues to one of the country's simplest—and perhaps most enduring—culinary souvenirs. Half a century after its debut, the squat yellow bottle June 29, 2026

On June 25, the forgotten war is remembered SEOUL, June 25 (AJP) -A forgotten war, they say. Perhaps it has become so even at home, among postwar generations who have grown up with the division of the Korean Peninsula as an accepted fact of life. Yet on this day, as most of the country is glued to South Korea's 2026 FIFA World Cup match against South Africa for a place in the Round of 32, some footsteps lead elsewhere — to places of remembrance and gratitude. Just over seventy years ago, this land was reduced t June 25, 2026

Baekdu Mountain: many names, many maps SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - This year I climbed the West Slope on June 11 and the North Slope on June 12. On the 11th, the West Slope was buried in snow. Both the mountain and Cheonji, the Heaven Lake, were submerged in white, with only a dark blue gleam of water showing through. The next day, on the North Slope, the snow had thinned considerably, and the same lake looked like an entirely different place. The sky over Cheonji wouldn't hold June 17, 2026

Occupation Jamsil turns into political battleground SEOUL, June 16 (AJP) - South Korean and American flags fluttered in the scorching summer heat, handmade signs covered the sidewalks and hundreds of protesters occupied entrances to Seoul's Olympic Park on Tuesday as the Jamsil demonstrations entered their 12th day, turning a dispute over ballot shortages into a broader political confrontation over democratic legitimacy. What began as a protest over ballot shortages reported during the June 3 local elections has June 16, 2026

World Cup 26: Koreans ride emotional journey during the first match SEOUL, June 12 (AJP) -The thrill before kickoff Thousands of supporters dressed in red packed Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square on Friday morning, creating a sea of national flags and cheering sticks as South Korea opened its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against the Czechia. Office workers on leave, families with children and foreign visitors gathered beneath giant screens, united by anticipation and hope. The nail-biting first half As the match sett June 12, 2026

A shipwreck, a gift and 140 Years of friendship between Korea and France SEOUL, June 11 (AJP) - The story of how Korea and France first encountered each other began far from Paris — on a remote island off Korea's southwestern coast. In the spring of 1851, the French whaling ship Narval ran aground near Bigeumdo. Stranded sailors found unexpected refuge among local Joseon officials who offered food, shelter and assistance despite sharing no common language. When French consul Charles de Montigny arrived from Shanghai to retrieve t June 12, 2026

From PC cafés to pork belly: Inside Jensen Huang's unconventional Seoul summit SEOUL, June 05 (AJP) - Neon lights, the rapid clatter of keyboards in a bustling Hongdae PC café, and the unmistakable sizzle of meat hitting a hot grill—these are hardly the traditional backdrops for high-stakes tech diplomacy. Yet, on the evening of June 5, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang traded the polished boardrooms of Silicon Valley for the vibrant, everyday rhythms of Seoul. Immersing himself first in South Korea's grassroots digital culture, Huang eventually made his June 5, 2026

New voting culture takes shape among younger voters SEOUL, June 4 (AJP) - Voters turned out in record numbers for Wednesday's local elections, with final turnout reaching 61 percent, up 9.8 percentage points from 50.9 percent in the 2022 local elections. Early voting also hit a record high at 23.51 percent, up 2.89 percentage points from the previous local elections. But that tells only part of the story. At polling stations across the country, people did not just show up alone, as friends, couples June 4, 2026

Incheon's Hanagae Beach opens for summer season SEOUL, June 1 (AJP) - At the far end of Muuido Island, a beach appears framed by rock formations. Where the tide has pulled back, vast tidal flats stretch out and barefoot visitors walk slowly across them. The official opening is June 20 — but Hanagae Beach has already ushered in summer. This summer's heat arrived earlier than usual. Incheon plans to open three beaches — Eurwangni, Wangsan, and Hanagae — simultaneously on June 20. Yet on June 1, 2026

In South Korea, campaigns move indoors SEOUL, May 29 (AJP) -The streets used to shake. Candidate trucks blaring jingles, jackets every color of the rainbow, rallies spilling across every intersection. Growing up, elections were the noisiest thing Korea did. You knew one was coming before you checked the calendar — you could hear it. That was then. Now, with 4,227 seats on the line — governors, mayors, district chiefs, council seats, education offices — and a clutch of May 29, 2026