South Korea signs moon exploration pact with NASA

SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) – The space agencies of South Korea and the United States have signed an agreement to cooperate in space science, exploration and aeronautics, including the U.S.-led lunar exploration program, officials said Wednesday. The Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) signed the research agreement with the U.S. space agency NASA, three years after Korea signed the Artemis Accords, a series of non-binding multilateral arrangements between the U.S. and partner co

October 30, 2024

Turkish embassy in Seoul celebrates 101st anniversary of creation of republic

SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) - The Turkish Embassy in the Republic of Korea celebrated Tuesday the 101st anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Türkiye with a special event at a hotel in central Seoul. Highlighting Türkiye's history and legacy spanning thousands of years, Turkish Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Salih Murat Tamer said, "With the strength we draw from our past, we look to our future with confidence," during his opening speech. The a

October 30, 2024

Fireworks explosion at Indian temple injures over 150 during festival

SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) - More than 150 people were injured, eight critically, when a fireworks storage facility exploded during a festival at a Hindu temple in southern India on Monday evening. The blast occurred in Kerala state's Kasaragod district when a spark from the fireworks display ignited the storage area where pyrotechnics were kept, with NDTV reporting that temple officials had conducted the display without proper permits, leading to the arrest of the temple's pre

October 30, 2024

Israeli airstrikes claim dozens of lives in Hezbollah-controlled Bekaa Valley

SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) - Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley have led to at least 60 fatalities, including two children, in attacks on 16 sites within the Baalbek region, a Hezbollah stronghold, according to Lebanon's health ministry. Another 58 people were injured, with rescue operations ongoing. Israel has yet to comment on the incident. Over the past five weeks, Israel has launched thousands of strikes across Lebanon, targeting alleged Hezbollah operativ

October 30, 2024

Qatar calls out Israel's decision to ban on UN refugee agency

SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) - Qatar condemned Israel's decision to bar the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, from operating in Israel and annexed East Jerusalem, the Qatari Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. Israeli lawmakers passed the legislation on Monday, prohibiting both UNRWA's activities in these areas and any collaboration between Israeli officials and the agency. Qatari ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari warned that blocking UNRWA’s support would have &

October 30, 2024

Korea Zinc shares tumble 30% after announcing new share sale plan

SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) - Shares in Korea Zinc fell nearly 30 percent Wednesday after the world's largest zinc smelter announced plans to issue new shares worth 2.5 trillion won ($1.81 billion). The announcement came as the company, backed by U.S. investment firm Bain Capital, strives to fend off a takeover bid from its largest shareholder, Young Poong, and MBK Partners. The company's board approved the issuance of 3.73 million new common shares at 670,000 won per share,

October 30, 2024

Thai court closes 2004 mass death case as statute of limitations expires

SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) - A Thai court has closed the case of the 2004 Tak Bai incident, where 78 Muslim protesters died of suffocation during police transport, after the statute of limitations expired on Friday without any suspects facing trial. The Narathiwat court's decision on Monday ends any possibility of prosecution in one of Thailand's deadliest incidents, where security forces arrested about 1,300 protesters and packed them into military trucks, leading to the suffo

October 30, 2024

Japan court deems same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional

SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) - A Tokyo high court ruled Wednesday that Japan's ban on same-sex marriage violates the Constitution, while rejecting the plaintiffs' demands for financial compensation from the government. The decision upholds a 2022 Tokyo district court ruling that found the ban in a "state of unconstitutionality." Seven plaintiffs filed the suit, arguing existing civil law provisions violate constitutional guarantees of marriage freedom and equality.

October 30, 2024

Russia may use North Korean troops for combat operations: Pentagon

SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) - A "relatively small number" of North Korean soldiers are now in Kursk, a Russian territory occupied by Ukraine, with another 2,000 troops in eastern Russia moving toward the Ukraine border, the Pentagon said on Tuesday. "We remain concerned that Russia intends to use these soldiers in combat or to support combat operations against Ukrainian forces in Kursk," Pentagon spokesperson Patrick Ryder told reporters during a press briefing. But

October 30, 2024

Meta faces new lawsuits in Japan over fraudulent advertisements

SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) - U.S. social media giant Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is facing multiple lawsuits in Japan totaling 435 million yen (US$2.8 million) over allegedly fraudulent investment advertisements featuring unauthorized celebrity endorsements. The lawsuits, submitted to district courts across five Japanese cities including Osaka and Yokohama, claimed on Tuesday the tech company failed to implement adequate measures to prevent scam advert

October 30, 2024