Over 500 companies showcase latest technologies at expo in southern Seoul SEOUL, June 11 (AJP) - South Korea's largest annual tech expo in southern Seoul has been drawing visitors since its opening this week, bringing tech professionals and others together to explore the latest innovations in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and extended reality (XR). Under the theme "The Tech Nexus," the annual "Smart Tech Korea" expo, which kicked off at COEX in southern Seoul on Wednesday, runs until Friday, showcas June 11, 2026

Seoul braces for this summer's heatwave with air-conditioned shelters SEOUL, June 11 (AJP) - More than a dozen makeshift shelters have been installed in public areas, including Cheonggyecheon Stream and Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, as another record-breaking summer season approaches, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said on Thursday. These shelters are equipped with air conditioners, fans, tables and chairs, allowing Seoul residents to rest comfortably and find temporary relief from high temperatures. They will be ope June 11, 2026

Kakao workers stage first-ever strike amid pay disputes SEOUL, June 10 (AJP) - Unionized workers at mobile messaging giant Kakao staged a rally on Wednesday, their first-ever strike since the company's founding in 2006. They gathered in front of their office in Pangyo, Gyeonggi Province at around 10 a.m. before marching for about an hour in a partial strike, chanting slogans demanding job security and management's resignation. They claimed about 1,000 Kakao employees as well as 1,500 workers across its affiliated companies par June 10, 2026

Healthcare-themed event kicks off in central Seoul SEOUL, June 9 (AJP) - A healthcare-themed event kicked off in central Seoul on Tuesday, bringing together industry workers and health-conscious visitors. Now in its fourth year, the three-day event at Seoul Plaza showcases the latest trends in health-related industries and displays of medical devices, wellness equipment, and other smart technologies. The event also offers a wide range of health-related programs, exhibitions, and hands June 9, 2026

Chip sell-off sends KOSPI below 8,000 SEOUL, June 8 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI closed at 7,484.41, down 676.18 points, or 8.29 percent, from the previous session, falling below the 8,000-point level According to the Korea Exchange, the KOSPI opened at 8,048.09, down 112.50 points, or 1.38 percent, from the previous close, before extending its losses throughout the session. The index fell as low as 7,442.73 during intraday trading. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ also declined sharply, ending the day at 911.39, d June 8, 2026

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