Progressive candidate wins by-election for Seoul superintendent

SEOUL, October 17 (AJP) - Jung Keun-sik, a former sociology professor at Seoul National University and progressive candidate, has been elected as Seoul’s education chief. Jung won the by-election early Thursday, securing 50.17 percent of the vote (936,967 votes) with 97.28 percent of ballots counted, narrowly defeating conservative former lawmaker Cho Jun-hyuk. The election was held to fill the vacancy left by former superintendent Cho Hee-yeon, who stepped down in August afte

October 17, 2024

Trump signals massive hike for USFK upkeep if reelected

SEOUL, October 16 (AJP) - Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has implied the possibility of increasing South Korea's contribution for maintaining U.S. troops on the Korean Peninsula, if he wins a second U.S. presidency. Speaking at an interview with the Economic Club of Chicago and Bloomberg News on Tuesday, he claimed that South Korea would be paying US$10 billion annually for the upkeep of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) if he were still in offic

October 16, 2024

Russia urges South Korea to refrain from provocations over North Korea's drone allegations

SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - Russia urged South Korea to refrain from "further provocations" regarding North Korea's allegations of Seoul deploying drones across the border. South Korea "should take Pyongyang's warnings very seriously and cease further escalation on the peninsula through their reckless and provocative campaign, which exacerbates tension and could lead to actual armed confrontations," said Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson from Russia's For

October 15, 2024

Yoon names former chief of staff as new ambassador to China

SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol named his former chief of staff Kim Dae-ki as the new ambassador to China, the presidential office said Monday. Kim's "deep understanding of Chinese society, history, and culture, along with his fluency in Chinese," makes him well-suited for the role, the office explained in a statement. Kim's extensive experience is expected to "not only enhance diplomatic relations between the two countries but also bring

October 14, 2024

Biden proposes trilateral summit with Yoon, Ishiba

SEOUL, October 12 (AJP) - U.S. President Joe Biden has proposed holding a trilateral summit with the leaders of South Korea and Japan later this year, a South Korean presidential official said Saturday. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken conveyed the proposal to South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol during a state dinner on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Laos on Thursday, according to the official. Yoon responded positively, sayin

October 12, 2024

Nobel laureate Han Kang shuns celebrations, citing global crises

SEOUL, October 11 (AJP) - South Korean novelist Han Kang, the first woman from Asia to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, expressed her deep gratitude on Friday for the outpouring of congratulatory messages following her award. In a statement released by her publishers, Han said she was "overwhelmed" by the warm reception to the news. "I was surprised when I first received the call," she said. "After hanging up, the reality and emotion slowly sank in.&quo

October 11, 2024

South Korean, Canadian writers team up for anthology

SEOUL, October 11 (AJP) - South Korean and Canadian writers gathered to celebrate the publication of their anthology at an event in Seoul on Thursday. The collection of short stories authored by different writers is part of projects to commemorate cultural exchanges between the two countries. The book, written in collaboration with eight writers – Bora Chung, Kim Ae-ran, Kim Mella and Yun Ko-eun from Korea, along with Jordan Scott, Kim Thúy, Lisa Bird-Wils

October 11, 2024

Protesters gather for legalization of same-sex marriages in Seoul

SEOUL, October 11 (AJP) - People gathered to protest South Korea's current law prohibiting same-sex marriages at a press conference held in Seoul on Thursday. Their protest came just a day before they filed a lawsuit seeking to legalize LGBT marriages. About two dozen protesters from 11 same-sex couples argued for their rights to marry and pursue happiness regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. They argued same-sex couples should have the same l

October 11, 2024

Han Kang becomes first South Korean novelist to win Nobel Prize in Literature

SEOUL, October 10 (AJP) - Han Kang won the Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday, making history as the first South Korean novelist to receive this prestigious honor. The Swedish Academy selected the 53-year-old author for her "intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life." The academy praised her "unique awareness of the connections between body and soul, the living and the dead" as well as her "poetic an

October 10, 2024

Korea to join FTSE Russell global bond index next year

SEOUL, October 10 (AJP) - Korea will join one of the world's top three bond indexes, managed by London-based FTSE Russell, starting in November 2025. FTSE Russell said Tuesday that the nation's government bonds will be included in the World Government Bond Index (WGBI). This marks the fourth attempt and successful inclusion since being appointed to the index provider's review list in September 2022. FTSE Russell explained that South Korea's market accessibilit

October 10, 2024