INTERVIEW: Ambassador highlights Luxembourg as entry point to Europe for S. Korean businessmen

SEOUL, February 27 (AJP) - Luxembourg and South Korea are strengthening their ties through shared democratic values, strategic economic cooperation, and growing cultural exchanges. At the Luxembourg Embassy in central Seoul on February 20, Ambassador Jacques Flies spoke about the evolving relationship between the two nations and his hopes for the future. "We are countries that believe in the same values—democracy, human rights, and the rule of law," Ambassador Flie

February 27, 2025

South Korea, US and Japan condemn North Korea's nuclear program at disarmament conference in Geneva

SEOUL, February 27 (AJP) - South Korea, the U.S., and Japan have condemned North Korea's nuclear weapons program at the annual UN Conference on Disarmament in Geneva which wrapped up this week. The three countries warned in a joint statement on Wednesday that Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs are "in clear violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions." "It is deeply regrettable that persists in distorting real

February 27, 2025

Lotte Construction may sell headquarters building in Seoul to address liquidity problem

SEOUL, February 27 (AJP) - Lotte Construction, a subsidiary of Lotte Group, is taking steps to liquidate assets worth approximately 1 trillion won (US$696 million), including the sale of its building in Seoul’s Seocho-gu, amid ongoing concerns about a liquidity crisis at the group. The construction firm said Thursday that it has commissioned property consulting firms to analyze the profitability of various options for its building, including an outright sale, self-development,

February 27, 2025

Toxic levels of lead found in pens sold on Chinese e-commerce platforms

SEOUL, February 27 (AJP) - Ballpoint pens sold on Chinese e-commerce platforms contained lead at levels 231 times higher than South Korea’s legal safety limits, according to tests conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The city government examined 16 stationery products available on platforms including Temu, Shein, and AliExpress ahead of the new school season. The results, released Thursday, revealed that seven of the items contained hazardous substances exceedi

February 27, 2025

J-Hope of BTS to drop new single next week

SEOUL, February 27 (AJP) - J-Hope, a member of K-pop boy band BTS will release a new single next week, his agency Big Hit Music said on Thursday. "Sweet Dreams" is a romantic ballad about a heartfelt desire to love and be loved, featuring Grammy-winning R&B artist Miguel. To promote his upcoming solo track, J-Hope is set to hold a showcase on Friday, a week ahead of the single's release on March 7. He will also host an up-close-and-personal event with fans in

February 27, 2025

US defense secretary plans South Korea trip for shipbuilding talks

SEOUL, February 27 (AJP) - U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is expected to visit South Korea next month, with discussions likely to focus on shipbuilding collaboration and defense cost-sharing, according to officials and industry sources, Thursday. The trip is set to follow U.S.-Japan defense ministerial talks in late March, positioning Hegseth as the first cabinet-level official from the second Trump administration to visit South Korea. “Secretary Hegseth's team

February 27, 2025

How TSMC of Taiwan became beating heart of AI chip industry

Editor's Note: This article is the eighth installment in our series on Asia's top 100 companies, exploring the strategies, challenges, and innovations driving the region's most influential corporations. SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - At a distinguished industry event in late 2023, Jensen Huang, the founder and chief executive of Nvidia, took the stage to acknowledge a partnership he deemed indispensable to his company’s success. “Nvidia would not be possible w

February 27, 2025

Former PPP leader releases book for political comeback

SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon released a new book on Wednesday, reflecting on his brief political career while hinting at his presidential ambitions. The prosecutor-turned-politician is set to embark on a nationwide tour to promote his book, with the first stop in Seoul scheduled for next Tuesday. It will be his first public appearance in about three months since stepping down as party leader, shortly after President Yoon Suk Yeol's De

February 26, 2025

South Korea birthrate rises for first time in 9 years

SEOUL, February 26 (AJP) - South Korea’s birth rate increased for the first time in nine years in 2024, with the number of newborns rising by approximately 8,300 to 238,300, according to preliminary data released by Statistics Korea on Wednesday. The country’s total fertility rate — the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime — rose to 0.75 from 0.72 the previous year, marking the first uptick since 2015. The modest rebound f

February 26, 2025

TRAVEL: Soyosan Mountain in Dongducheon

SEOUL, February 25 (AJP) - One of the best things about hiking is the opportunity to connect with nature as it changes beautifully with each season. Typically, a 4- to 5-hour hike involves steady walking through fresh forest air, navigating slopes that enhance physical fitness while boosting cardiovascular health. It is often said that people in their 30s and 40s live off their innate stamina, but after 50, physical strength depends on how well it was maintained in earlier years.

February 26, 2025