Nvidia CEO meets SNU students before wrapping up whirlwind Seoul trip SEOUL, June 8 (AJP) - Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who has become the talk of the town due to his high-profile visit to Seoul, met with students at Seoul National University on Monday. Huang attended an on-campus event at the country's top university in southwestern Seoul, where participants were introduced to an artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted platform called "OpenClaw." He also delivered a 15-minute lecture on AI technology and its impact on future industries. H June 8, 2026

Protesters block Seoul vote-counting venue for fourth day as rally mood shifts SEOUL, June 08 (AJP) - A protest blocking the entrance to a vote-counting venue for the local elections that took place last week in Seoul entered its fourth day on Monday, as demonstrators gathered outside the handball stadium at Olympic Park in the southern Seoul district of Songpa. Police estimated around 1,600 people remained at the scene, maintaining a blockade of the facility. The crowd had peaked the previous day, swelling from 3,000 at noon to 2 June 8, 2026

Seoul's triathlon festival lets participants go at their own pace SEOUL, June 06 (AJP) - Seoul’s “My Pace Hangang Triathlon Festival” kicked off its third edition on June 5 at Ttukseom and Jamsil Han River Parks, running through June 7. The sports festival challenges participants to complete swimming, cycling and running courses at their own pace, with no rankings or time pressure. This year's edition expanded its offerings with the addition of a new intermediate course alongside the existing beginne June 6, 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

Counting begins as South Korea's local elections draw to a close SEOUL, June 03 (AJP) - Vote counting for the 9th National Simultaneous Local Elections got underway at approximately 7:10 p.m. on Wednesday at polling centers across the country, including the Gwanak-gu Election Commission counting station set up at Seoul National University gymnasium in Gwanak-gu, Seoul. The final voter turnout stood at 60.9 percent, based on figures tallied as of 6 p.m. Exit polls conducted jointly by KBS, MBC, and SBS projected the Democratic Party winning 11 o June 3, 2026

Voting continues despite fire in polling station building SEOUL, June 03 (AJP) - A fire broke out in the underground parking garage of the Sangdo 4-dong Community Complex in southwestern Seoul, at around 3:30 p.m. (0630 GMT) on Wednesday, election day. The blaze was extinguished in approximately five minutes and no injuries were reported. According to police, a citizen attempted to fight the fire using an extinguisher kept in his vehicle. Despite the noisy fire alarm, voting at the polling station on the third floor continued without June 3, 2026

Election officials make final preparations ahead of local elections SEOUL, June 2 (AJP) - Election officials were making final preparations across the country on Tuesday, just a day ahead of this year's local elections. They inspected polling stations while testing ballot machines and conducting simulations to ensure smooth vote counting. According to the National Election Commission (NEC), polling stations nationwide will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday. Voters will be allowed to cast their ballots at designated polling stations b June 2, 2026

Thousands enjoy Seoul in early summer vibe through palace walking event SEOUL, June 01 (AJP) - Foreign residents, international students and tourists explored Seoul's historic palaces and cultural landmarks during the 2026 Seoul Foreign Palace Walking Event held in central Seoul on Sunday. Hosted by Aju Economic Daily, the event brought together participants from various countries, including China, Japan, the United States, France, India, Vietnam and Mexico, as well as Korean citizens. Participants followed a roughly June 2, 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