Southeast Asia leaning toward China as US-China rivalry intensifies

SEOUL, May 31 (AJU PRESS) - More than half of Southeast Asians now favor China over the U.S. if they had to choose between the two countries, a recent survey revealed. Their preference for China has increased by over 20 percentage points compared to a year ago, while their favorable view toward the U.S. has declined by more than 11 percentage points. It is the first time China has surpassed the U.S. in terms of preference since the annual survey began in 2020, reflecting Beijing'

May 31, 2024

LG Chem set to sign massive wind power purchase deal

SEOUL, May 31 (AJU PRESS) - LG Chem is set to sign one of the largest-ever wind power purchase deals in Korea as the leading chemical company steps up efforts to strengthen its renewable energy supply chain. The company said Friday it will enter into a contract with ST International, a local energy company, and Shinhan Asset Management to purchase up to 615 gigawatt-hours of energy annually from repowered wind farms in the eastern counties of Yeongdeok and Yeongyang for 20 years s

May 31, 2024

Opinion: Trump found guilty in hush money trial, but will it hurt him in polls?

SEOUL, May 31 (AJU PRESS) - The jury in Donald Trump's hush-money payments trial has found the former U.S. president guilty of falsifying business records in relation to payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. The guilty verdict marks the first felony conviction of a U.S. president. Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Trump called the trial a "rigged decision, right from Day 1." He is likely to appeal the verdict. Trump had been facing 34 felony char

May 31, 2024

Vietnamese business association in Korea holds inauguration ceremony

SEOUL, May 30 (AJU PRESS) - The Business Association of Vietnamese in Korea (BAViK) held its official launch ceremony in Seoul on Thursday. The organization was established in October 2023 to assist Vietnamese companies operating in Korea and promote investment and trade between the two countries. BAVik currently has some 40 member companies. “Currently, the relationship between Viet Nam and Korea is at its highest stage of development," Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui

May 30, 2024

Korea, India hold dialogue to discuss bilateral cyber cooperation

SEOUL, May 30 (AJU PRESS) - Korea and India held a dialogue to enhance their bilateral cooperation in cybersecurity, focusing on developing standards and improving work capabilities, the Indian Embassy to Korea said on Wednesday. The India-Republic of Korea Cyber Dialogue, now in its second year, took place on Tuesday in Seoul. Key participants included Amit A. Shukla, Joint Secretary of the Cyber Security Division at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, and Rhee Dong-Yeol, Am

May 30, 2024

SK chief ordered to pay 1.38 trillion won to ex-wife

SEOUL, May 30 (AJU PRESS) - An appellate court on Thursday ordered SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won to give his ex-wife Roh Soh-yeong 1.38 trillion won in property division plus 2 billion won in alimony. The Seoul High Court overturned the initial ruling, siding with Roh and deemed the previous settlement decided by the lower court to be insufficient. In the first trial in December 2022, Roh sought 50 percent of Chey's shares in SK Holdings, the conglomerate's parent comp

May 30, 2024

Line app installations spike in Korea amid backlash against Japanese pressure

SEOUL, May 30 (AJU PRESS) - New installations of Naver Corp.'s mobile messaging app, Line, have surged in Korea in recent weeks, in an apparent backlash against Japan's pressure on the company to sell down its stake in a joint venture running the app in Japan. Last week, the number of Line installations reached 61,640, outpacing the country's dominant KakaoTalk (56,771) for the third consecutive week, according to data released by mobile big data company IGA Works. Line

May 30, 2024

Opinion: D-Day lessons for today

KENOSHA, May 30 (AJU PRESS) - From ancient times, military professionals have rightly regarded amphibious invasions as especially challenging. We recognize and honor the eightieth anniversary of the greatest such operation, the Allies’ invasion of France in World War II, on June 6, 1944 – D-Day. The Normandy invasion combined thorough planning, mobilizing vast matériel, and great imagination. When the enormous operation underway was announced, a U.S. newspaper hig

May 30, 2024

New Zealand cleantech startups hold investor blitz in Seoul

SEOUL, May 30 (AJU PRESS) - About a dozen New Zealand startups participated in an event to promote clean technologies and ecofriendly businesses held in central Seoul on Thursday. The event, under the name of "New Zealand ESG Business Demo Day," was hosted by the Asia New Zealand Foundation and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE). It aimed to create opportunities for New Zealand companies in the field of ESG to make inroads into the Korean market and establish networ

May 30, 2024

Opinion: France's headscarf ban in 2024 Summer Olympics reflects narrow view of national identity, writes scholar of European studies

SEOUL, May 30 (AJU PRESS) - The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris have sparked a discussion about whether female Muslim athletes who wear a headscarf should be allowed to compete. In September 2023, the International Olympic Committee, upholding freedom of religious and cultural expression for all athletes, announced that athletes participating in the 2024 Paris Games can wear a hijab without any restriction. French athletes, however, are bound by France's strict separation of

May 30, 2024