Three K-pop acts included on this year's Global Artist Chart

SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) - Three K-pop groups have made it onto this year's list of global recording artists, released by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) on Tuesday. K-pop boy band Seventeen ranked third, followed by Stray Kids at fifth and ENHYPEN at 14th. The annual IFPI Global Artist Chart is "calculated according to an artist's or group's worldwide sales across streaming, download and physical music formats." Seventeen

February 19, 2025

Samsung weighs fees for mobile payment service

SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics is moving to introduce fees for its Samsung Pay mobile payment service this year, following Apple Pay's growing presence in South Korea's digital payments market, according to financial industry sources Wednesday. Samsung Electronics, which has not charged card companies any fees since launching Samsung Pay in 2015, recently met with lawmakers and card companies to discuss implementing service fees. The discussions come as

February 19, 2025

Korean government eyes railway underground project to revive construction sector

SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) - The South Korean government on Wednesday unveiled a 4.3 trillion won ($2.98 billion) initiative to move railway infrastructure underground in three major cities, an effort aimed at revitalizing the country’s struggling construction sector. Announced during an economic policy meeting at the Government Complex Seoul, the initiative is part of a broader social overhead capital (SOC) strategy. The project will cover railway sections in Busan, Daejeon, an

February 19, 2025

Trump comments on North Korean soldiers in Russia, hints at possible deal to end war

SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday commented on North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia to assist its war in Ukraine. "Soldiers are being killed by the thousands on a weekly basis," Trump said. "Apart from Russian and Ukrainian soldiers, a lot of Koreans have been killed. We want to end it. It's a senseless war. It should have never happened." Speaking at a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida,

February 19, 2025

Actress Kim Sae-ron laid to rest

SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) - Actress Kim Sae-ron was buried in Paju, Gyeonggi Province on Wednesday. The 24-year-old, best known for her role in the 2010 hit action thriller "The Man from Nowhere," shocked the nation when she was found dead of apparent suicide at her home in Seongsu-dong, eastern Seoul last Sunday. Police said there is no suspicion of foul play, although no suicide note was found. Earlier in the morning, the young actress' private funeral was held

February 19, 2025

PHOTOS: Wildlife at Gangneung's Namdaecheon Stream

SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) - Namdaecheon Stream in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, a haven for wildlife, becomes a battleground in winter. As food grows scarce, a fierce struggle for survival unfolds among the animals that gather there.

February 19, 2025

PHOTOS: Seoul store turns instant noodles into tourist attraction

SEOUL, February 18 (AJP) - Near Hongik University in Seoul, there's a unique convenience store. You can find a special convenience store that resembles a library bookshelf filled with countless books, but filled with instant noodles instead. This store, called the “Ramyun Library,” offers visitors a new experience that can be enjoyed not only with their eyes but also with their tongue and nose. The “Ramyun Library,” which opened its first store in Decem

February 19, 2025

SK Telecom replaces ChatGPT with in-house AI for call summaries

SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) - SK Telecom announced Wednesday it has fully transitioned to its in-house developed A.X artificial intelligence model for call summarization features, completely replacing external models like ChatGPT. "By using our in-house AI model for the call summary service, which handles up to 50 million uses daily, we have significantly reduced API costs previously paid to overseas AI model developers like OpenAI," said Kim Tae-yoon, SK Telecom's vice

February 19, 2025

PHOTOS: 'A Room of Quiet Contemplation' at National Museum of Korea

SEOUL, February 18 (AJP) - The Room of Quiet Contemplation on the second floor of the National Museum of Korea is always filled with visitors. This space houses two Gilt-bronze Pensive Bodhisattva statues, designated as National Treasures, from the late 6th to early 7th century, displayed side by side. As you walk through the dimly lit and silent corridor, you come face to face with the serene figure of a Pensive Bodhisattva, seated with one leg crossed over the other, gently resting one hand on

February 19, 2025

Trump reaffirms 25 percent tariffs; South Korea to support affected firms with trade finance package

SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump reaffirmed Wednesday that his administration would impose tariffs of approximately 25 percent on imported automobiles, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals, with formal details expected to be unveiled around April 2. Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago in Florida, Trump outlined his plan, specifying that automobile tariffs would likely be set at 25 percent. He suggested that tariffs on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals cou

February 19, 2025