Trump's tariff plan for steel, aluminum imports rekindles trade tensions

SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to impose a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum imports, a move that could disrupt trade relations with key allies, including South Korea. The decision builds upon tariffs first introduced during Trump’s initial term - 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum - which had previously allowed exemptions for select trading partners through duty-free quotas. South Korea, the fourth-largest suppl

February 10, 2025

China's Temu intensifies e-commerce war with direct entry into Korean market

SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - Temu, the Chinese e-commerce platform owned by PDD Holdings, is preparing for a direct market entry into South Korea, a move that could further shake up the country’s already competitive online retail sector. The company has begun recruiting local staff and reviewing logistics contracts, according to retail industry officials on Monday. Since late last year, Temu has been hiring South Korean employees for key positions in human resources, admini

February 10, 2025

Korean government seeks foreign investment to continue 'Blue Whale' oil project

SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - South Korea’s controversial offshore oil exploration project, dubbed “Blue Whale,” faces an uncertain future after initial drilling yielded disappointing results. The state-run Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC), which is leading the effort, is now scrambling to secure foreign investments to sustain further exploration. President Yoon Suk Yeol had touted the project as potentially holding up to 14 billion barrels of oil and gas rese

February 10, 2025

PHOTOS: In Seoul, ice skating offers a winter escape

SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - South Korea's four distinct seasons bring a variety of cultural and sporting activities. Among them, ice skating emerges as a beloved pastime in winter, drawing both locals and visitors to the rinks from December through February. In Seoul, two prominent skating venues offer distinctly different experiences. At the heart of the city, the Seoul Plaza Ice Rink transforms the area in front of City Hall into a lively winter wonderlan

February 10, 2025

Search continues for missing crew members from capsized fishing trawler near Yeosu

SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - Search operations are still underway on Monday after a fishing trawler sank off the country's southern coast the previous day, leaving five dead and five others missing. The 139-ton large trawler with 14 crew members on board disappeared from radar approximately 17 kilometers east of Yeosu, South Jeolla Province. Coastguards dispatched patrol boats and other vessels to the scene and rescued four foreign crew members — two Indonesians and two V

February 10, 2025

South Korea adds more gold medals at Harbin Asian Winter Games

SEOUL, February 9 (AJP) - South Korea added more gold medals in speed skating and short-track speed skating on Sunday at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China, which kicked off on Friday. Short-track speed skater Choi Min-jeong finished first in the women's 1,000-m, while her compatriot Kim Gil-li won silver. With her gold-medal victories in the mixed 2,000-m relay and the women's 500-m race the previous day, Choi became the triple gold medalist of this year's quadrenn

February 9, 2025

North Korea vows to further bolster nuclear arsenal

SEOUL, February 9 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reaffirmed his determination to further develop the country's nuclear weapons program and vowed to strongly respond to the "threats" the country faces. The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Sunday that the U.S.-led trilateral security alliance, along with South Korea and Japan, poses "a grave challenge to the security environment" of North Korea, quoting its leader as saying. D

February 9, 2025

Young South Korean ballerino wins prestigious award in Switzerland

SEOUL, February 9 (AJP) - Ballerino Park Youn-jae won the top prize at the Prix de Lausanne international ballet competition in the Swiss city on Saturday. The 16-year-old ballet prodigy became the first male South Korean dancer to win the prestigious award. Retired world-famous ballerina Kang Sue-jin won the competition in 1985 when she was 18, followed by Park Sae-eun in 2007, who later reached the highest "étoile" rank at the renowned Paris Opera Ballet. Th

February 9, 2025

Weeklong cold spell freezes Han River for first time this winter

SEOUL, February 9 (AJP) - The weeklong cold spell has led to the freezing of the Han River in Seoul. The Korea Meteorological Administration said on Sunday that the river froze for the first time this winter, as subzero temperatures, which began earlier in the week with Ipchun or the official beginning of spring according to the lunar calendar, have persisted. The river is officially considered frozen when the surface near the Hangang Bridge is completely covered with ice. The ri

February 9, 2025

Four dead, six missing after fishing trawler sinks off Yeosu

SEOUL, February 9 (AJP) - A fishing trawler sank off the country's southern coast early Sunday morning, leaving four dead and six missing. At around 1:40 a.m., the 139-ton trawler with 14 crew members on board disappeared from radar approximately 17 kilometers east of Yeosu, South Jeolla Province. Coastguards dispatched patrol boats and other available vessels to the scene and rescued four foreign crew members — two Indonesians and two Vietnamese. But three South Kor

February 9, 2025