PHOTOS: Seoul's new transit hub set to open

SEOUL, August 30 (AJP) - A new metropolitan transit hub designed to ease traffic congestion and improve public transportation connections is set to open in Seoul on August 31. The Dangsan Metropolitan Transfer Center, located at Dangsan Station in western Seoul, aims to streamline commuters' transit process between intercity buses and urban subway systems while reducing the number of long-distance buses entering the city center. Seoul city officials conducted a media tour of the facili

August 30, 2024

Hanwha Ocean wins U.S. Navy vessel maintenance contract

SEOUL, August 30 (AJP) - Hanwha Ocean has become the first Korean shipyard to win a contract for the U.S. Navy's vessel maintenance business. The Korean shipbuilder said Thursday that it has secured a deal for overhauling a 40,000-ton U.S. Navy logistics support ship. This contract involves the regular overhaul of large naval vessels and can only be carried out by companies certified under a Master Ship Repair Agreement (MSRA). The MSRA is a prerequisite agreement required by

August 30, 2024

OPINION: How drone attacks are changing rules and costs of Ukraine war

SEOUL, August 30 (AJP) - Ukraine has unveiled a new long-range weapon, a mix of drone and missile technology that Kyiv believes will significantly boost its ability to combat Russian military attacks. Ukrainian promotional material suggested that the "rocket drone," called Palianytsia, will have a range of 700km, and could bring around 250 Russian military targets within range, opening a new phase of the air war. Ukraine believes this new drone technology is a necessity

August 30, 2024

Seoul's iconic media facade festival returns with dazzling displays

SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - Seoul’s prominent media art festival, "Seoul Light DDP 2024 Autumn", kicked off on Thursday at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), a multi-cultural complex in central Seoul. This year's theme is "logging the future with light," illuminating moments that connect the past, present, and future. Hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and organized by the Seoul Design Foundation, the festival runs daily from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. until

August 29, 2024

PHOTOS: Festival showcases red chili peppers from Yeongyang

SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - The 16th Yeongyang Pepper HOT Festival opened for a three-day run on Thursday at Seoul Plaza, showcasing premium red chili peppers from the southeastern county of Yeongyang. The festival aims to build consumer trust and increase farm incomes by facilitating direct sales of superior agricultural products from clean cultivation areas. The event offers consumers the opportunity to purchase high-quality chili peppers at lower prices.

August 29, 2024

PHOTOS: 'Transformers One' statue event held in Seoul

SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - The Transformers franchise is set to release its latest installment, diving into the backstories of fan-favorite characters Optimus Prime and Megatron. This marks the series' first fully CGI animated feature film. "Transformers One," which boasts voice acting from Hollywood stars Chris Hemsworth and Scarlett Johansson, is scheduled to premiere in Korea on Sept. 25. To celebrate the release, statues of key characters, including Orion Pax, D-16, El

August 29, 2024

PHOTOS: Seoul's Seongdong-gu conducts joint electric vehicle fire response drill

SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - Seoul's Seongdong District and Seongdong Fire Station conducted a joint fire response drill on Wednesday, focusing on electric vehicle (EV) fires. Recognizing the critical importance of initial response in EV fire incidents, the drill combined educational sessions on early intervention techniques with realistic scenario-based training. The exercise demonstrated professional firefighters isolating the affected vehicle from other parked cars, and then submerging

August 29, 2024

PHOTOS: Medical association chief starts hunger strike amid extreme government-doctor conflict

SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - As tensions between the government and medical community persist, Dr. Lim Hyun-taek, president of the Korean Medical Association (KMA), began a hunger strike and sit-in protest outside the KMA building in Yongsan District, Seoul, on Aug. 26. At the press conference announcing his hunger strike, Lim said, "I want to convey my sincerity through this strike. Doctors want to normalize Korea's collapsed healthcare system as soon as possible. We urge the public to

August 29, 2024

Yoon clarifies his vision for reunification at nationwide televised press conference

SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - During a press conference on Thursday, President Yoon Suk Yeol reiterated that South Korea's path to reunification with North Korea should be peaceful. His comments referred to the vision for reunification he proposed in his Liberation Day speech on Aug. 15. The vision outlines three key principles: "freedom-based values," "changes in the North Korean populace," and "international solidarity." These principles aim to guide S

August 29, 2024

Court declares Korea's climate goals partially unconstitutional, calls for longer-term target

SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) – The Constitutional Court ruled Thursday Korea's climate change policy is partially unconstitutional, ordering the government to supplement it with a longer-term emission reduction goal. In a ruling on four constitutional petitions filed by young environmentalists, the court said that the government's omission of greenhouse gas reduction targets beyond 2030 fails to adequately protect citizens' basic rights. In the first such cas

August 29, 2024