Xiaomi targets budget segment with Poco M8 5G launch in Korea

SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - Xiaomi Korea said on Monday it will release the POCO-brand smartphone Poco M8 5G in South Korea on Jan. 26, with a list price of 339,900 won ($250). Preorders will run through Jan. 25 via Xiaomi’s official online store, Mi.com, as well as major online retail platforms, the company said. The Poco M8 5G is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 Mobile Platform, according to Xiaomi. The device supports artificial intelligence features in

January 19, 2026

Japanese teenage actor to visit Seoul next month as film becomes sleeper hit

SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - Japanese actor Soya Kurokawa will visit Seoul next month as his latest film "National Treasure," also known as "Kokuho became a sleeper hit in South Korea, the film’s distributer said on Monday. Directed by Japanese filmmaker and screenwriter of Zainichi Korean descent Lee Sang-il, the film has attracted over 200,000 moviegoers in about eight weeks since its release in mid-November last year, an impressive feat for an indie film her

January 19, 2026

North Korean hackers 'spread malware through Google, Naver ads'

SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - A hacking group believed to be linked to North Korea has spread malware through ads on Google and Naver. According to an analysis by South Korean cybersecurity firm Genians on Monday, Konni, suspected to be part of APT37, a North Korean state-sponsored cyber espionage group, used online advertising networks to launch cyberattacks by covertly routing users through malicious intermediary web links before landing them on advertisers' websites. Under

January 19, 2026

S. Korea, Italy agree to boost cooperation on AI and semiconductors

SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni agreed on Monday to strengthen supply chain stability and industrial ties, focusing on semiconductors and artificial intelligence. During a summit at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, the two leaders oversaw the signing of three memorandums of understanding aimed at deepening cooperation in technology, disaster response, and cultural exchange. The meeting marked the first o

January 19, 2026

South Korea, Sweden sign clean energy cooperation pact

SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - South Korea’s Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment signed a memorandum of understanding with Sweden on Monday to expand cooperation on the clean energy transition and power systems. The MOU was signed at the Westin Josun Seoul in central Seoul. Attendees included Lee Ho-hyun, the ministry’s second vice minister, and Maya Lundbäck, Sweden’s state secretary for energy at the Ministry of Climate and Enterprise. The minist

January 19, 2026

No South Korean casualties reported in high-speed train collision in Spain

SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - No South Korean casualties have been reported in a high-speed train collision in Spain, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here said on Monday. The South Korean diplomatic mission in Spain continues to monitor the situation and is verifying whether any South Korean nationals were affected. So far, there have been no reports or confirmed cases of South Korean casualties," an official there said. At least 21 people have been killed after two high-speed t

January 19, 2026

South Korea fines 5 foreign financial firms for illegal short selling

SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - South Korean financial authorities have imposed a combined 3.97 billion won ($2.9 million) in administrative fines on six firms, including five foreign financial companies, for illegal short selling, officials said Monday. The Securities and Futures Commission under the Financial Services Commission decided on Oct. 15 to fine Shinhan Asset Management 370.6 million won for violating short-selling rules. Details of the decision were disclosed on the FSC w

January 19, 2026

Korean legislature passes bipartisan resolution condemning deadly crackdown in Iran

SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - South Korea’s National Assembly has joined an international chorus condemning Iran’s deadly crackdown on anti-government protests, amid widely varying estimates of civilian casualties. A rare bipartisan resolution denouncing the Iranian government’s “indiscriminate and harsh suppression” and calling for “responsible action by the international community” to protect civilian lives was passed Friday. The motion, intro

January 19, 2026

Cold wave advisory issued for Seoul

SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - A cold wave advisory was issued for Seoul and most other parts of the country on Monday. The advisory, issued at 10 a.m. by the Korea Meteorological Administration, takes effect at 9 p.m. as freezing temperatures are forecast overnight. After an unusually warm spell over the weekend, Seoul is expected to see morning lows plunge to -13 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, with daily highs remaining below freezing throughout this week. Such an advisory is issued

January 19, 2026

Celltrion's Zymfentra gains preferred drug status on major U.S. healthcare formulary

SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - Celltrion's Zymfentra, the world's only subcutaneous infliximab treatment, has secured preferred drug status on the formulary of Evernorth Health Services, a subsidiary of U.S. healthcare giant Cigna Group. The listing marks a significant milestone for the South Korean biopharmaceutical company as it seeks to accelerate sales of the autoimmune disease treatment in the world's largest pharmaceutical market. Cigna operates Express Scripts, one

January 19, 2026