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  PHOTOS: South Korean Navy launches new high-speed patrol vessels SEOUL, December 09 (AJP) -The Republic of Korea Navy and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) held an integrated launching ceremony on December 8, 2025, for four new high-speed patrol vessels (Patrol Killer Medium, Rocket – PKMR Batch-II). These vessels, named Chamsuri-231, 232, 233, and 235, represent a significant upgrade to South Korea's naval capabilities, designed to bolster coastal defense and rapidly respond to maritime threats. December 9, 2025
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  PHOTOS: Yeongjong tidal flats busy with oyster harvesting SEOUL, December 08 (AJP) - December 8, 2025
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  PHOTOS: Strolling through Jeju's Yakcheonsa temple SEOUL, December 08 (AJP) - Yakcheonsa Temple gets its name from a spring that flows from spring to fall and a pond with medicinal water that runs year-round. The temple boasts the largest dharma hall in East Asia. Currently, it is beloved for its extensive temple grounds walks and temple stay programs. December 8, 2025
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  PHOTOS: College admissions rush SEOUL, December 08 (AJP) - Following the release of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) scores, a fierce and highly competitive strategic maneuver is unfolding in South Korea. Students and parents are intensely calculating their optimal university and major applications based on their results. The high-stakes nature of this post-exam period was dramatically illustrated on the afternoon of Dec. 7 when a massive crowd descended upon an admissions briefing session hosted by a December 8, 2025
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  PHOTOS: Snow-covered Hallasan SEOUL, December 05 (AJP) - Snowfall that began in the mountainous areas of Jeju on December 4 left Baengnokdam and the 1,100-meter plateau covered in white by the morning of December 5. December 5, 2025
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  PHOTOS: Seoul turns white after the season's first snow SEOUL, December 05 (AJP) - Seoul woke up white after an overnight snowfall that began during the evening commute. The city saw its first snow of 2025 last night — two weeks later than average and eight days later than last year. Streets whitened quickly as cars crawled through Gwanghwamun and people walked with their shoulders tucked in against the cold. Snowfall reached 1 to 3 centimeters per hour, with bursts of more than 5 centimeters, coating palace roofs and drifting th December 5, 2025
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  PHOTOS: Seoul's royal shrine caught in clash between history and modernization SEOUL, December 04 (AJP) - On a frigid day in early December, a profound silence settles over the Jongmyo Shrine in the heart of Seoul, broken only by the crunch of footsteps on the stone paths. Though a steady stream of tourists, drawn by its status as a UNESCO World Heritage site, still visits, the ancient royal sanctuary has been swept into a very modern controversy: a pitched battle over redevelopment and the city's skyline. The Seoul Metropolitan Government’s pro December 5, 2025
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  PHOTOS: A walk shaped by trains (Gwangju) -1- SEOUL, December 3 (AJP) - The flavors from lunch still linger, but now it is time to walk through Songjeong itself. Even without leaving the station area, small scenes reveal how long people have lived and moved through this neighborhood. The pace is slower here, and the traces of time sit close to the surface. Songjeong Kobrang Fairy Village — stories tucked between homes Past the 1913 market and deeper into the residential lanes, bright murals begin to appe December 4, 2025
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  TRAVEL: Historic private academy in Nonsan NONSAN, December 04 (AJP) - Nine Confucian academies, known as seowon, from Korea's Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897), were officially inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019, cementing their status as crucial institutions in East Asian history and education. The seowon were private, residential academies established by respected Confucian scholars. They served two primary functions: as a place for scholarly worship of revered sages and as an educational institution t December 4, 2025
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  PHOTOS: One year after martial law, citizens return to the streets SEOUL, December 03 (AJP) - On December 3, marking one year since the declaration of martial law, groups from both the progressive and conservative blocs held separate rallies in Yeouido, Seoul. Progressive groups, including the Emergency Action for Ending Insurrection and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, gathered around National Assembly Station, calling for the dismantling of martial law. Participants held light sticks and candles, recalling the night the de December 4, 2025