Opinion: Prime Minister's Visit underscores vital Britain ties

KENOSHA, September 20 (AJP) - The polite, low-key visit of Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain to President Joe Biden has generated relatively little media attention. That is unfortunate, because our alliance remains vital. “Someone to talk to” is how McGeorge Bundy, President John F. Kennedy’s national security adviser, summed up the partnership with Britain. In those years, Prime Minister Harold Macmillan provided unfailing support, encouragement and friends

September 20, 2024

INTERVIEW: Seoul City will boost walkability with new initiative

SEOUL, September 20 (AJP) - Seoul is expected to become a more walkable and livelier city with neighborhoods offering a variety of amenities within a short walking distance, according to plans envisioned by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. This will allow Seoulites to easily walk to work, dine, shop, and enjoy leisure activities within a 30-minute radius of their homes. The key aspects of the plans in the offing focus on enhancing accessibility and connectivity within the city to

September 20, 2024

Indonesian president among 6 million taxpayers in alleged data leak

SEOUL, September 20 (AJP) - Claims of a massive data breach involving 6 million Indonesian taxpayers, including President Joko Widodo, have resurfaced two years after initial hacking allegations. Internet security expert Teguh Aprianto posted sample images on social media, asserting that taxpayer identification numbers and personal information of high-ranking officials are being sold online. The data allegedly includes addresses, phone numbers, emails, and tax status of prominent f

September 20, 2024

Korean gov't debt-to-GDP ratio hits record high

SEOUL, September 20 (AJP) – Korea's government debt-to-GDP ratio reached a record high in the first quarter of this year, according to data from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) updated on Monday. The ratio stood at 45.4 percent at the end of March, marking the first time it has exceeded 45 percent since the BIS began tracking the data in the fourth quarter of 1990. This figure represents a notable increase from 44 percent at the end of 2023. The BIS estimat

September 20, 2024

Most foreign students opt for job opportunities in Korea instead of returning home

SEOUL, September 20 (AJP) - Most of foreign students in Korea hope to find a job here after graduation rather than returning to their home countries, a recent straw poll suggests. JobKorea, Korea's largest employment portal, conducted a survey of some 155 international students here and found that about eight out of ten were either searching for a job here or planning to do so. About 10 percent of them have already landed a job, while only a fraction had no interest at all i

September 20, 2024

Nintendo sues developer of 'Palworld' game for patent infringement

SEOUL, September 20 (AJP) - Japanese gaming giant Nintendo Co. and its subsidiary The Pokemon Company have filed a lawsuit against Pocketpair, the developer of the popular game "Palworld," alleging patent infringement, Nintendo said on Thursday. The lawsuit, filed in the Tokyo District Court on Wednesday, seeks an injunction and compensation for damages, claiming that "Palworld" infringes upon multiple patent rights held by Nintendo and Pokemon. "Palworl

September 20, 2024

Korean, Vietnamese authorities bust mobile smishing ring

SEOUL, September 20 (AJP) - A sophisticated mobile smishing operation headquartered in Viet Nam has been dismantled through a joint effort between South Korean and Vietnamese authorities. The criminal network, which extracted about 10 billion won ($76 million) from 230 victims, is the largest mobile smishing case ever uncovered in South Korea. The operation's nerve center in Viet Nam coordinated the sending of deceptive mobile messages, including fake wedding invitations, obitua

September 20, 2024

LIG Nex1 signs 3.7 trillion won missile deal with Iraq

SEOUL, September 20 (AJP) – Korean defense firm LIG Nex1 has secured a contract worth about 3.7 trillion won ($2.78 billion) to supply medium-range surface-to-air missiles to Iraq, the company announced on Friday. The deal, signed in Baghdad, on Thursday, involves the export of the domestically developed Cheongung II missile system, capable of intercepting both ballistic missiles and aircraft. Iraq is the third Middle Eastern country to adopt the Korean air defense system,

September 20, 2024

Qatar Investment Authority targets new growth in Australia, Korea and Japan

SEOUL, September 20 (AJP) - The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), the nation's sovereign wealth fund, is currently expanding its presence in Australia, Korea, and Southeast Asia, according to its top executive on Thursday. In addition, QIA is exploring investment opportunities in Japan, particularly in carve-outs from conglomerates and private equity deals, as well as in India's technology sector, Reuters reported. QIA ranks among the world's largest investors, managi

September 20, 2024

China launches navigation satellites

SEOUL, September 20 (AJP) -China successfully launched two additional satellites for its BeiDou-3 Navigation Satellite System (BDS-3) on Thursday from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province. These satellites, numbered 59 and 60 in the BeiDou constellation, were deployed at 9:14 a.m. Beijing time using a Long March-3B rocket equipped with a Yuanzheng-1 upper stage. These medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites represent the second group launched since BDS-3 began offerin

September 20, 2024