PHOTOS: Seokpajeong, Seoul's hidden gem where royal history meets tranquil beauty

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - Seokpajeong, an ancient pavilion with detached traditional residence buildings and gardens in central Seoul, is more than just a historical site, as it serves as a hidden oasis offering a peaceful retreat from the city's bustle. Located in the tranquil district of Buam-dong on the slopes of Mt. Inwangsan, the pavilion is awash in vibrant autumn leaves at this time of year, welcoming visitors with its seasonal beauty. Once used by Gojong, the last ki

November 25, 2025

Meet my new partner AI: Korea deploys AI on police and defense front

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - South Korea is rapidly deploying artificial intelligence to reinforce law enforcement, public safety and national defense, accelerating the use of advanced technologies across frontline agencies. Police authorities are increasingly integrating AI into forensics, cold-case investigations and public-safety surveillance, while the Defense Ministry is building a large-scale AI data center equipped with up to 50,000 GPUs to support next-generation defense capab

November 25, 2025

Hyundai, Kia October sales fall in Europe despite market growth

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor and Kia reported lower vehicle sales in Europe in October even as the regional market expanded, according to data released Tuesday by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. The two automakers sold a combined 81,540 vehicles last month, down 1.4 percent from a year earlier. Hyundai’s sales slipped 1.4 percent to 41,137 units, while Kia posted a 2 percent decline to 40,403 units. Their combined market share fell to 7.5

November 25, 2025

SK's bet on chips pays off as the Korean group eyes $82b milestone exports

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) -Chipmaking — led by high-bandwidth memory (HBM) — accounted for 65 percent of record-setting outbound shipments by South Korea’s SK Group, which is on track to post historic exports of 120 trillion won ($82 billion) this year. Group-wide exports across SK’s portfolio — spanning semiconductors, batteries, energy, and telecommunications — reached 87.8 trillion won between January and September, up nearly 20 percent from

November 25, 2025

Celltrion secures Korea Eximbank financing for US biosimilar plant acquisition

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - Korea Eximbank said Tuesday it will provide 350 billion won (about $237 million) in financing to support Celltrion’s acquisition of Eli Lilly’s biosimilar manufacturing plant in the United States. The acquisition is aimed at strengthening the Korean drugmaker’s supply chain and expanding its presence in the world’s second-largest biosimilar market. Celltrion earlier said it will spend a total of roughly 1.4 trillion won on acqui

November 25, 2025

Kangaroo tribes thrive as Seoul's 30s hit record-low homeownership

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - Only one in four Seoul residents in their 30s owns a home — the lowest rate on record — fueling the rise of "kangaroo tribes" who cannot afford to move out of their parents' home, let alone imagine starting their own family in a city where apartment prices are nearly three times higher than in other regions. New data released Tuesday by the National Data Portal shows 527,729 households in their 30s in Seoul lived in rental hous

November 25, 2025

Hanwha Systems expands Gumi plant with new high-tech defense facility

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - South Korea's Hanwha Systems has opened a new production complex in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, following a 2.8 trillion won (approximately $2.1 billion) investment aimed at expanding its next-generation defense and electronic systems capabilities. The company said Tuesday that a completion ceremony was held at the site, with CEO Son Jae-il, local government officials, lawmakers, military officials, and partners among the 250 attendees. Th

November 25, 2025

Turkey picks SK Plasma as partner in drive for domestic plasma-derived medicines

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - South Korea's SK Plasma has been selected as the technology export partner for Turkey’s national initiative to localize production of plasma-derived medicines, with the firm set to build a plasma fractionation facility through a new joint venture. The company said Tuesday it signed a shareholder agreement in Ankara with the Turkish Red Crescent to establish a joint venture, Proturk, and construct a plasma fractionation plant — its secon

November 25, 2025

Korea targets Arctic route cooperation in talks with Denmark, UK

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - South Korea is sharpening its focus on Arctic shipping corridors as it launches a weeklong maritime diplomacy effort in Denmark and the United Kingdom, aiming to expand cooperation on emerging polar routes and secure broader international backing for its maritime agenda. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said Tuesday Minister Jeon Jae-soo will meet Denmark’s Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs on Nov. 26 to sign memorandums o

November 25, 2025

Sitcom at 70 and stage at 90, Korea's eternal actor Lee Soon-jae

SEOUL, November 25 (AJP) - "I'm forever indebted to you," 90-year-old actor Lee Soon-jae told television viewers on Dec. 31 last year after becoming the oldest recipient of the KBS top acting award in 2024. Since his debut in 1957, he appeared in more than 100 TV dramas, embracing any role — comedy, historical epic, classical theater — so long as he could act. Lee, who passed away on Nov. 25 at age 91, was a “born actor” who never feared c

November 25, 2025