Yoon to hold talks with Japan's new prime minister in Laos

SEOUL, October 4 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol will embark on a week-long trip later this week to attend the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Laos. According to the presidential office, Yoon will stop by the Philippines and Singapore to hold bilateral talks before heading to Laos for the summit scheduled for Oct. 8 to 11. It will be his third ASEAN summit since taking office in 2022 and his administration is ramping up efforts to expand cooperatio

October 4, 2024

India, U.S. join hands for battery mineral supply chain cooperation

SEOUL, October 04 (AJP) - India and the United States have agreed to strengthen supply chains for critical minerals for electric vehicle batteries. Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal and U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding for supply chains involving lithium, cobalt, and other key materials necessary for EV batteries, according to news reports on Thursday. The agreement was signed during Goyal's visit to Washington. Fol

October 4, 2024

Peruvian singer lights up autumnal night with fusion concert in Seoul

SEOUL, October 4 (AJP) - Peruvian singer Lenin Tamayo stole the autumnal night with a concert in central Seoul on Thursday. The multi-talented young singer, 21, who created his own music genre, dubbed "Q-pop," captivated audiences with unique and exotic performances that blend elements of K-pop with the indigenous languages widely spoken in the central Andes of South America. "Q-pop is rooted in the heritage and culture of the indigenous Quechua people, one of the

October 4, 2024

Korea Zinc begins share buyback amid control battle

SEOUL, October 4 (AJP) - Korea Zinc, the world's largest smelter, said Friday it will undertake a share buyback with its partner, U.S. investment firm Bain Capital, to acquire up to 18 percent of its shares, to fend off what it calls a hostile takeover bid by its largest shareholder, Young Poong. Korea Zinc announced that it would start a share buyback with Bain Capital at a price of 830,000 won ($622), which is 80,000 won higher than the 750,000 won proposed by Young Poong and

October 4, 2024

Former Singapore minister jailed for corruption

SEOUL, October 4 (AJP) - S. Iswaran, Singapore's ex-transport minister, was sentenced to one year in prison Thursday for accepting gifts worth about 74,000 Singapore dollars (approximately US$55,000) during his tenure. This marks the first imprisonment of a minister-level official for corruption in Singapore since 1975, sending shockwaves through the nation known for its low corruption rates. Iswaran pleaded guilty to four charges of receiving inappropriate gifts from business-r

October 4, 2024

Avian influenza outbreak kills 48 big cats in Vietnamese zoos

SEOUL, October 04 (AJP) - Nearly 50 tigers, lions, and leopards have died at multiple Vietnamese zoos, with some testing positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus. Since August, 44 tigers, three lions, and one leopard have perished at the Mango Garden Zoo in Dong Nai province and the My Quynh Zoo in Long An province. At Mango Garden Zoo, 17 tigers and one leopard died after showing symptoms of fatigue and weakness. Autopsies on two tigers suggested pneumonia

October 4, 2024

Junior doctors go on strike in India following rape, murder case

SEOUL, October 04 (AJP) - Medical interns have once again gone on a mass strike in eastern India, following an earlier strike in August after a female trainee doctor was raped and murdered at a public hospital. According to news reports, trainee doctors in Kolkata, West Bengal, declared a complete work stoppage starting on Tuesday. Thousands of interns gathered in downtown Kolkata the previous day, demanding the state government fulfill its promises to install CCTV camera

October 4, 2024

Dried seaweed price soars at fastest rate in 37 years

SEOUL, October 4 (AJP) – The price of dried seaweed surged by 32.7 percent in September year-on-year, marking the largest increase in nearly 37 years, according to government data. The steep rise is attributed to poor harvests caused by abnormally high sea temperatures. The average sea surface temperature from June to August reached 23.9 degrees Celsius, the highest in a decade, delaying the seeding process and reducing supply. The state-run Korea Agro-Fisheries Trade Corp.

October 4, 2024

Chinese envoy calls for de-escalation amid tension between Lebanon and Israel

SEOUL, October 4 (AJP) - China's UN representative Fu Cong voiced urgent concerns over the escalating conflict between Lebanon and Israel at a UN Security Council emergency session early this week. Fu described the situation as "hanging by a thread," warning of potential uncontrolled escalation if provocations continue. Fu's remarks on Wednesday came amid Israel's ground operations in southern Lebanon and Iran's missile strikes on Israel. He expressed China

October 4, 2024

China launches campaign to combat online misinformation

SEOUL, October 4 (AJP) - China's top internet regulator on Thursday has kicked off a three-month campaign to crack down on misinformation in online news services, aiming to boost the credibility of mainstream media and create a healthier online environment. This effort, led by the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, will focus on five key areas. First, it will tackle the spread of fake or misleading news, including exaggerated headlines, distorted or fabricated

October 4, 2024