Poland expected to purchase Korean arms without financing support from Seoul

SEOUL, October 22 (AJP) - Poland is expected to buy South Korean artillery systems worth about 5 trillion won (US$3.6 billion) without export financing support from Seoul, industry sources said on Tuesday. The Eastern European nation plans to procure 152 K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers and 72 K239 Chunmoo rocket artillery systems, from South Korean defense contractor Hanwha Aerospace, with funding expected to be secured through European global banks. The decision marks a shif

October 22, 2024

Northern Gaza faces growing crisis amid Israel's military offensive

SEOUL, October 22 (AJP) - The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa), Philippe Lazzarini, said on Monday that Israel is obstructing the delivery of vital humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, to northern Gaza. Lazzarini said hospitals have been hit, resulting in power outages, and many injured people are not receiving medical care. He added that Unrwa shelters are severely overcrowded, with some people being forced to live in bathrooms. There are also report

October 22, 2024

China delivers critical medical aid to Lebanon amid escalating conflict

SEOUL, October 22 (AJP) - China delivered a shipment of emergency medical aid to Lebanon on Monday, as the country contends with casualties from ongoing cross-border conflicts with Israel. The delivery included 3,601 boxes containing anesthesia machines, tracheal intubation tubes, and surgical gowns, which arrived at Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport. Chinese Ambassador Qian Minjian and Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad were present at the handover ceremony. Qia

October 22, 2024

China condemns bombing of consulate-general in Myanmar

SEOUL, October 22 (AJP) - China strongly condemned the explosion that targeted its consulate-general in Mandalay, Myanmar on Monday. At approximately 5 p.m. last Friday, an explosive device was detonated at a building belonging to the Chinese consulate-general in Mandalay. While no injuries were reported, some damage occurred to the premises, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. The ministry, along with the embassy and consulate-general in Myanmar, prom

October 22, 2024

OPINION: Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's death is defining moment, but it will not end war

SEOUL, October 22 (AJP) - The death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, one of the masterminds behind the group's horrific Oct. 7 2023 attack on southern Israel, is no doubt a consequential moment in Israel's year-long war against Hamas. But is it a turning point? Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sinwar's killing – long a major objective of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) – would signal the "beginning of the end" of the war. But he made c

October 22, 2024

PHOTOS: Disability activists rally for rights bill in Seoul

SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - Disability rights activists rallied near the National Assembly in Seoul on Friday, advocating for a law revision to guarantee their human rights and support independent living conditions. The rally commemorated the 21st anniversary of the Korea Council of Centers for Independent Living, which represents 96 centers nationwide that support independent living for people with disabilities.

October 21, 2024

PHOTOS: Aju hosts walkathon through royal palaces, ex-presidential complex

SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - The 3rd Walking Festival for the Blue House and Five Royal Palaces in Seoul took place on Saturday, offering participants a tour of the city's historic sites. Hosted by The Aju Business Daily, the 13-kilometer route included the former presidential office complex of Cheongwadae and the five royal palaces: Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Gyeonghuigung, and Deoksugung.

October 21, 2024

PHOTOS: Silvergrass festival opens in Seoul

SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - The Seoul Silvergrass Festival is being held in Mapo, Seoul, from Oct. 19 to 25. The festival takes place in a silvergrass field spanning about 198,000 square meters. This regenerated park, once a landfill, has been restored to nature from barren land. The festival, which began when the park opened in 2002, marks its 23rd anniversary this year.

October 21, 2024

PHOTOS: Netflix to release 'Hellbound' Season 2 this week

SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - The cast and crew of Netflix's "Hellbound" Season 2 held a press conference in Seoul on Monday, ahead of the series' release on Friday. The dystopian thriller, directed by Yeon Sang-ho and co-written by Yeon and Choi Gyu-seok, continues the story of a world thrown into chaos by supernatural occurrences and religious conflict. Starring Kim Hyun-joo, Kim Sung-cheol and Kim Shin-rock, the new season promises to expand on the critically acclaimed first

October 21, 2024

Indian passenger flight to London receives bomb threat

SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - An Indian passenger flight heading to London made an emergency landing at a German airport after facing a bomb threat during the flight. According to news reports on Saturday, a Vistara plane that took off from Delhi, India, and was en route to London made an emergency landing in Frankfurt around 9 p.m. on Saturday. German police evacuated all 147 passengers and deployed detection dogs to search the aircraft, but no explosives were found. The passenge

October 21, 2024