Samsung Galaxy Watches receive high ratings in Consumer Reports evaluation

SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics said Wednesday its Galaxy Watch Ultra and Galaxy Watch7 LTE have jointly reached the top position in the latest Consumer Reports evaluation. Both devices scored 92 points, while the Apple Watch Ultra 2 received 91 points. Consumer Reports gave the Galaxy Watch Ultra an "Excellent" rating in all 11 categories of its assessment. The U.S. consumer watchdog noted the Galaxy Watch Ultra's usability, step counting accuracy, and

September 25, 2024

Korean electric vehicle market shifts towards compact models amid global sales slowdown

SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - Korea's electric vehicle (EV) market is showing a clear preference for compact models, while sales of larger EVs continue to struggle, industry data revealed on Wednesday. The Korea Automobile & Mobility Association (KAMA) reported that domestic sales of compact EVs surged by 130.4 percent year-on-year to 19,103 cars in the first eight months of 2024. Conversely, sales of large EVs in the Korean market plunged 70.3 percent to 2,477 units. T

September 25, 2024

Opinion: The financial markets and reality

KENOSHA, September 25 (AJP) - There is continuing economic growth and related positive news. Above all, inflation is declining toward the established Federal Reserve target of two percent. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell and colleagues at the Federal Reserve Board of the United States have therefore cut interest rates by fully one-half percent. Interest rates are going down, reflecting the new concern with unemployment. Stock declines have been concentrated in volatile technology sect

September 25, 2024

Vietnamese captain gets 7 years for deadly tourist boat accident

SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - A Vietnamese boat captain has been sentenced to seven years in prison for a 2022 accident that killed 17 tourists near Hoi An, a popular tourist destination. The Quang Nam Province People's Court found Le Sen, 54, guilty of violating maritime traffic regulations during the incident about 3 kilometers off the coast. The tragedy occurred on Feb. 26, 2022, when a motorboat carrying Sen, two crew members and 36 tourists capsized while returning from Ch

September 25, 2024

Qatar becomes first Gulf nation to join U.S. visa waiver program

SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - Qatar has become the first Gulf country to join the U.S. visa waiver program, allowing its citizens to travel to the U.S. without a visa for up to 90 days. This announcement came from the U.S. State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, which stated that Qatari citizens could apply starting Dec. 1. Qatar's inclusion in the program highlights its strengthening relationship with the U.S., especially in efforts like mediating a ceasefire in

September 25, 2024

Iran ready to renew nuclear talks, criticizes Israel's actions in Gaza

SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the United Nations General Assembly, expressing Iran's readiness to improve relations with the West, particularly concerning its nuclear program. In his first UN speech, Pezeshkian emphasized a desire for a "constructive" chapter in international relations and reaffirmed Iran's willingness to engage with Western countries on the 2015 nuclear deal, provided all parties uphold their commitments.

September 25, 2024

North Korean leader's sister sulks again over US submarine's visit to South Korea

SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister Yo-jong on Tuesday launched another tirade over the recent arrival of a nuclear-armed U.S. submarine here. She also vowed that the North will "continuously and limitlessly" enhance its nuclear arsenal. North Korea's "nuclear war deterrent to cope with and contain various threats from outside is bound to be bolstered up both in quality and quantity continuously and limitlessly," Kim said

September 25, 2024

Xi urges faster progress in space exploration as Chang'e-6 mission marks historic milestone

SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - Chinese President Xi Jinping urged on Monday China's space industry to speed up its efforts in space exploration during a meeting with space scientists and engineers involved in the Chang'e-6 lunar mission at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Chang'e-6 was launched on May 3, 2024, and on June 25, successfully returned with 1,935.3 grams of samples from the moon's far side. Xi highlighted that this mission marked the first time huma

September 25, 2024

Japan settles first forced sterilization case for 15 million yen

SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - A Japanese woman in her 60s has reached a 15 million yen ($104,000) settlement with the government at the Sendai High Court, in the first resolution of a forced sterilization lawsuit under a now-defunct eugenics law. The settlement, made on Tuesday, came more than six years after the plaintiff initially filed her suit and follows a landmark Supreme Court ruling on July 3 that declared the plaintiffs eligible for compensation and deemed the eugenics law un

September 25, 2024

Japan's foreign minister addresses safety concerns with Chinese counterpart

SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa has met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New York, urging China to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals following a recent fatal incident involving a Japanese schoolboy in Shenzhen. During the hour-long meeting on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly on Monday, Kamikawa expressed "serious concern" about China's recent military activities, including the first reported intrusion of a Chi

September 25, 2024