Abduction scare clouds Korea's top winter travel destinations in Southeast Asia SEOUL, October 17 (AJP) -Growing reports of kidnappings and detentions involving South Koreans in Cambodia are fueling widespread anxiety among travelers, casting a shadow over Southeast Asia’s peak winter tourism season. According to Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the number of South Korean citizens abducted or detained in Cambodia has surged from 36 cases between 2021 and 2023 to 221 in 2024, and 330 cases in just the first eight months of this year — many October 17, 2025

Asian Culture Calendar SEOUL, October 16 (AJP) - South Korea Oct. 16 - Nov. 9 Seoul Performing Arts Festival Oct. 1 - Dec. 14 Scent of Korea in Silla Oct. 20 -29 Seorabeol Pungnyu (APEC Commemorative Performance) Oct. 18 - 22 Road Theater (Film and Drama Shooting Location Tour) China Oct. 24 - 26 IFAF Asia-Oceania Flag Football Championship Japan Oct. 22 Jidai Matsuri Oct. 27 - Nov. 5 Tokyo International Film Festival Taiwan Oct. 24 - 27 Art Taipei Fair Thailand Oct. 20 - 29 Thail October 16, 2025

Kazakhstan bids Korean companies onboard in its digital, crypto drive SEOUL, October 16 (AJP) - Kazakhstan is envisioning Alatau Smart City as a regional capital of innovation and digital finance and sees South Korea as an ideal partner for the goal, said the country's deputy prime minister. "The government's goal is to position Alatau as an innovation center," Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev said in Seoul this week. He led a high-level delegation for a two-day forum aimed at drawing Korean participation and investment in th October 16, 2025

Kazakhstan turns to South Korea to share vision for 'Alatau City' project SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - Kazakhstan is betting big on its flagship plan to build a new innovation and AI hub in the Alatau region, located near the borders with Russia and China, and is seeking close partnership with South Korea based on their shared history and development aspirations, officials said Wednesday. The Kazakh government launched a high-profile roadshow titled “Alatau, Rise with Kazakhstan” in Seoul to promote the initiative. The Alatau City project, n October 15, 2025

Nami Island hosts "Peru Week" showcasing Peruvian art, music, and traditions SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - Nami Island in Gangwon Province turned into a lively cultural hub last month as it hosted "Peru Week," a weeklong event celebrating the art, heritage, and traditions of the South American country. Organized in partnership with the Embassy of Peru in South Korea, the program ran from September 20 to 28 and attracted thousands of visitors, both Korean and international. Held during the island's peak autumn season, when an average of 12,000 vis October 15, 2025

Kathakali performance opens 11th Sarang Festival in Seoul SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - The 11th edition of Sarang: The Festival of India in Korea opened on Tuesday evening with a dazzling Kathakali performance at Ewha Womans University's Samsung Hall in Seoul. Around 300 people from South Korea, India, and other countries filled the hall, their attention drawn to the vibrant rhythms and colorful movement unfolding on stage. The air was alive with music as the deep beat of drums, the clash of cymbals, and the resonant chan October 15, 2025

Kazakhstan taps South Korea as key partner for its national drive towards digital powerhouse SEOUL, October 13 (AJP) - Kazakhstan, the Central Asian hub eager to break away from its raw materials-based economy, is turning to South Korea as a strategic partner in its ambitious push to become a global digital and artificial intelligence powerhouse. A high-profile government delegation will visit Seoul this week to present Kazakhstan’s institutional and systemic transformation, highlighting the Alatau Smart City project as its flagship initiative. “Kazakhstan October 14, 2025

Kang Kyung-hwa takes post as South Korean ambassador to Washington, vows stronger alliance SEOUL, October 07 (AJP) - Kang Kyung-hwa, South Korea's new ambassador to the United States and former foreign minister under the Moon Jae-in administration, began her first day of official duties on Monday (local time), pledging to reinforce the South Korea–U.S. alliance through what she called "pragmatic diplomacy centered on national interest." At her inauguration ceremony held at the South Korean Embassy in Washington, Kang said the Lee Jae Myung government October 7, 2025

Kazakh traditional fashion show celebrates Central Asia–Korea friendship SEOUL, October 06 (AJP) - A traditional fashion show featuring Central Asian designs was recently held in Seoul on September 30 to mark the Central Asia–Korea Friendship Day, offering a colorful display of the region's heritage and creativity, the Embassy of Kazakhstan in the Republic of Korea said. The event, organized by the Central Asia–Korea Friendship Association, brought together diplomats, artists, and business representatives. In his welcoming October 6, 2025

UAE wins multiple awards at Philakorea 2025 in Seoul SEOUL, October 2 (AJP) - The United Arab Emirates embassy in Seoul said Friday that the UAE-based stamp collectors’ group won multiple awards at Philakorea 2025, an international stamp exhibition held in Seoul last month. The event, co-hosted by Korea Post and the Philatelic Federation of Korea, drew more than 2,000 exhibits from over 65 countries. Khalid Ali Al-Amirah received a gold medal for his display on "Dubai Mail 1909–1948," while five other memb October 2, 2025