Japan pushes winter COVID shots amid low senior vaccination rates

SEOUL, November 13 (AJP) - Japan's health ministry issued an urgent appeal for elderly citizens to receive COVID-19 vaccinations, as winter approaches with concerning signs of low immunization uptake among the vulnerable population. The initiative on Tuesday marks the first winter season since the end of Japan's universal free vaccination program in March, though individuals aged 65 and above remain eligible for shots at a reduced fee. Ministry data reveals that medical f

November 13, 2024

Forum discusses North Korean human rights and reunification strategies

SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - Experts and academics shared their valuable insights on North Korean human rights as well as other relevant topics such as tasks and challenges for reunification between the two Koreas at a forum held at Ajou University in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province on Monday. Co-hosted by the National Institute for Unification Education and the Ajou Institute for Unification, the forum drew over 100 participants. The forum's key speakers raised awareness of North Kor

November 12, 2024

Joint military exercise with British soldiers underway near demilitarized zone

SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - A military exercise involving British soldiers kicked off in South Korea on Monday. The 10-day joint exercise near the demilitarized zone dubbed "Exercise Imjin Warrior" - named after the "Battle of the Imjin River" in 1951 during the Korean War (1950~1953) - includes around 100 soldiers from the Royal Gurkha Rifles, a rifle regiment of the British Army and runs until next week. The military drill, the third of its kind, aims to stre

November 12, 2024

Pinkfong animation tops Netflix kids' charts in 9 countries

SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - "Pinkfong Little Dino School," a children's animation created by The Pinkfong Company, has taken the top spot in the kids' category on Netflix in nine countries, the South Korean entertainment company announced Tuesday. Since its release on Nov. 4, the show has climbed to number one in markets including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. It also made it into Netflix's Top 10 in 12 count

November 12, 2024

Foreign minister highlights India's confidence in U.S. relations, unaffected by election results

SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - India is unperturbed by the outcome of the U.S. presidential election, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said. According to reports on Wednesday, Jaishankar made the statement at an event in Mumbai when asked about the potential impact of the U.S. election on India-U.S. relations. "PM Modi has actually built rapport across multiple presidents. When he first came to DC, Obama was the president, then it was Trump, then it was Biden,&quo

November 12, 2024

Action-thriller film 'Kantara' to be screened at Indian film festival in Korea

SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - Indian action-thriller film "Kantara," is set to be screened on Sunday at the Indian Film Festival in Gwangju, South Korea. Directed by Rishab Shetty, the 2022 film explores the conflict between humans and nature, set against traditional southern Indian rituals. In August, it won Best Actor and Best Entertaining Film at the 70th National Film Awards in India. The 2024 Indian Film Festival, organized by Korea's National Asia Culture Center

November 12, 2024

KT successfully launches new communication satellite into orbit

SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - KT SAT, a Korean satellite service firm, said Tuesday that its new communication satellite was successfully launched and placed into orbit. The Koreasat-6A satellite, KT SAT's first launch in seven years, lifted off aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket at 12:22 p.m. (U.S. time) Monday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The geostationary satellite deployed about 35 minutes after lift-off, according to the company affiliated with telec

November 12, 2024

OPINION: COP29 climate talks are about to kick off in Baku, Azerbaijan. Here's what to expect

SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - The next major United Nations meeting on climate change, known as COP29, is about to get underway in Baku, Azerbaijan. These annual meetings are the key international summits as the world attempts to address the unfolding climate crisis. The talks this year are crucial as climate change worsens. In recent years, a series of climate-fueled disasters and extreme events, from Australia's bushfires to Spain's floods, have wrought havoc around the world

November 12, 2024

China's Tianzhou-7 cargo craft separates from space station

SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - The Tianzhou-7 cargo craft, which is responsible for delivering supplies to China's space station, separated from the station at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday and began its independent flight, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). The craft is set to re-enter Earth's atmosphere in a controlled manner. Most of its components will burn up and disintegrate during re-entry, with some debris expected to fall into designated safe waters in the South P

November 12, 2024

China, Singapore to jointly promote economic globalization

SEOUL, November 12 (AJP) - Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang said on Monday that China is ready to strengthen communication with Singapore on key international and regional strategic matters and work together to support economic globalization, as global trade protectionism rises and unilateralism becomes more common. Ding, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made these remarks during a meeting wit

November 12, 2024