OPINION: Abortion rights are on 10 state ballots in November − Democrats can't count on this to win elections for them

SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - Ten states will vote on ballot initiatives on abortion this November: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, Nevada and South Dakota. Many political analysts and pundits view abortion as a partisan issue, fueling speculation that direct votes on abortion rights will boost Democrats' chances up and down the ballot in November. Some Democratic strategists are hoping that turnout from the ballot initiatives will swin

September 23, 2024

Quad leaders condemn North Korea's nuclear, missile programs

SEOUL, September 22 (AJP) - The leaders of the United States, Australia, India and Japan condemned North Korea's nuclear weapons program and ballistic missile launches during their summit in Wilmington, Delaware, on Saturday. In a joint statement, the leaders of the Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) also reaffirmed their commitment to a "free and open Indo-Pacific" and expressed serious concern over "destabilizing" actions in the East and South China Sea

September 22, 2024

Over 1,500 displaced as heavy rains batter southern provinces

SEOUL, September 22 (AJP) - Unusual autumnal torrential downpours swept across southern regions, causing landslides and flooding, and displacing more than 1,500 people, authorities said on Sunday. The record heavy rains also led to submerged roads and inundated buildings. Although heavy rain warnings have been lifted, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) warned of more rainfalls across the southern provinces later in the day. The hardest-hit areas included South Gyeon

September 22, 2024

Battery cell damage from external impact may have caused last month's EV fire: forensic service

SEOUL, September 20 (AJP) – The National Forensic Service (NFS) has suggested battery cell damage from external impact may have caused last month’s electric vehicle fire in Incheon, west of Seoul, which sparked nationwide concerns about EV safety, local police said Friday. The fire on Aug. 1 originated in an unplugged Mercedes-Benz EV parked in the underground garage of an apartment complex. The blaze resulted in 23 people hospitalized for smoke inhalation, while 87 vehi

September 20, 2024

KBS demands apology from Real Madrid after abrupt cancellation of K-pop concert

SEOUL, September 20 (AJP) - Terrestrial network Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) has requested a public apology from Spain's prestigious football club Real Madrid for abruptly canceling a K-pop concert that was scheduled to take place next month. The Spanish club unilaterally announced last week its decision to suspend all music concerts and other events at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium until next March, citing constant noise complaints from residents. Staff members and o

September 20, 2024

PHOTOS: Junior college admission fair opens in Seoul

SEOUL, September 20 (AJP) - A major fair on rolling admission for junior colleges opened Friday at COEX in Seoul. Over 50 vocational colleges from across Korea are participating in the event, which will run until Saturday. The fair, the largest of its kind, provides information on rolling admissions for the 2025 academic year and offers one-on-one counseling sessions with admission officers.

September 20, 2024

Koreans' views toward Japanese improve, survey finds

SEOUL, September 20 (AJP) - Four in 10 Koreans see Japan favorably, a recent survey reveals. According to a survey of over 1,000 Koreans conducted by the East Asia Institute (EAI) last month, some 41.7 percent of respondents hold a favorable view of Japan, up 12.8 percentage point from a year ago and the highest level since the annual survey first began in 2013. An almost similar proportion, or 42.7 percent, had the opposite view, but that was a significant decrease from 53.3 per

September 20, 2024

Czech Republic optimistic about Korean consortium's bid for nuclear power plant project

SEOUL, September 20 (AJP) - Czech President Petr Pavel has shown optimism about a Korean consortium's chances of winning a bid for the construction of two new nuclear power plants in Dukovany. This positive prospect was shared during a summit with Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, according to Kim Tae-hyo, First Deputy Director of Korea's National Security Office, on Friday. At the summit held at Prague Castle, Pavel expressed his high expectations for Korea's participatio

September 20, 2024

INTERVIEW: Female business leader urges women entrepreneurs to tap global markets

SEOUL, September 20 (AJP) - The chief of the Korean Women Entrepreneurs Association (KWEA) called for greater efforts to encourage women-owned businesses to venture into international markets, emphasizing overseas expansion is crucial for their long-term growth and survival. Lee Jeong-han, president of the nation's leading female business lobby, observed many women entrepreneurs remain focused on domestic markets, with only a small fraction expanding abroad. "As of 2022,

September 20, 2024

Opinion: A wake-up call for Scholz and the European Union

KARACHI, September 20 (AJP) - The political landscape in Germany is undergoing a seismic shift, as evidenced by the recent state election in Thuringia. For the first time since World War II, a far-right party has emerged victorious in a German state election, marking a significant moment in the nation’s post-war history. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) secured a staggering 32.8% of the vote, outpacing the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which managed only 23.6%

September 20, 2024